Toddler Storytime: Barnyard Friends

This is a great storytime subject because it is so flexible. Many favorite animals qualify as 'barnyard friends'- and there are so many quality picturebooks about them!  Click Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin would have also been a happy addition, as well as the traditional Chicken dance!  I found this list of Barnyard Fingerplays provided by the library of Michigan that helped with planning.

Opening Song:

 I usually like Oh hey oh hi hello by Jim Gill.

Nursery rhymes: 

Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout
down came the rain and washed the spider out
out came the sun and dried up all the rain
and the Itsy Bitsy spider climbs up the spout again!

 

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Count out the bags of wool on your fingers.  Use puppet if available.

Baa baa black sheep 

Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.

One for my master,
One for my dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.

Book 1:

This is the Farmer by Nancy Tafuri

Action Rhyme:

Have everyone stand up for this action rhyme.
 
Horses in the Pasture

Horses in the pasture (point to one side)
Horses in the hay (point to other side)
Horses like to run and jump (run and jump in place)
Each and every day (clap along with words- repeat)

Song: 

Shake your sillies out by Raffi 

Felt board story:

5 little ducks: (accompanied by Raffi song of the same name) 

This is an easy feltboard story to make- you need only 5 little ducks and a mother duck (perhaps a puppet?)  You may wish to add a little pond or hills.

Book 2: 

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

or
Charlie Chick by Nick Denchfield and Ant Parker

Song, if needed:

List of Dances by Jim Gill

Book 3: 

Here a chick, where a chick? by Suse MacDonald

or
Spots Feathers and Curly Tails by Nancy Tafuri

Action Rhyme:

This Little Chick

This little chick got into the barn (hold up index finger)
This little chick ate all the corn (hold up middle finger)
This little chick said he wasn’t well (hold up ring finger)
And this little chick said he’d go tell (hold up little finger)
But this little chick said ”Peep! Peep! Peep! (hold up thumb)
Please be quiet! I'm trying to sleep!” (wiggle thumb- repeat)

iPad fun:

I found an app called Animal Sounds that is free and attractive. You can make a simple game of this and allow the children to press on the animal to make the noise.