Repeating Songs

Opening Songs

Hello Song

Hello, my friends, hello!
Hello, my friends, hello!
Hello, my friends; hello, my friends.
Hello, my friends, hello!

Alternate version:
Hello, my friends, hello!
Hello, my friends, hello!
Hello, my friends at storytime.
Hello, my friends, hello!


Hello, Friends

Hello, friends;
Hello, friends.
Hello, friends;
It's time to say "Hello".

[This one is typically done with the ASL signs for hello, friends, time, and say.]

Welcome, Welcome Everyone
Sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star":

Welcome, welcome, everyone.
Now it's time to have some fun.
First we'll clap our hands just so.          (clap)
Then we'll bend and touch our toes.     (touch toes)
Welcome, welcome everyone.
Now it's time to have some fun.




Warm-Up/Lead-In Songs

Hello, Everyone
(see Jbrary video for tune)

Hello, everyone; Can you touch your nose?
Touch your nose, touch your nose.
Hello everyone; Can you touch your nose?
Touch -- Your -- Nose? 

...clap hands, pat head, wiggle ears, rub tummy...


If You're Ready for a Story ("Story Song")
Sung to the tune of "If Your Happy And You Know It":

If you want to hear a story, clap your hands.           (clap, clap)
If you want to hear a story, clap your hands.           (clap, clap)
If you want to hear a story, a _____  ______ story,
If you want to hear a story, clap your hands.           (clap, clap)

Repeat with other actions; stomp feet, nod head, sit down, say "Shhhh," etc.

I start with louder/bigger actions and work down to quieter ones, singing more quietly each round until we are almost at a whisper.  This really helps settle them down to get ready to read the first story.

I also try to fill in the blanks with adjectives that fit with the them, for example "a snowy winter story" for a winter theme, "a creepy crawly story" for a bug theme.  If I can't come up with a phrase that fits the theme and the rhythm of the song, I just repeat "if you want to hear a story."  I also sometimes work in actions that go with the theme of the day.

I really like this song because you can do as many or as few verses as you need, depending on the mood of the audience that day, and I like being able to mix it up occasionally, while still having some of the same verses each time.



 
Closing Songs

Storytime Is Over

Storytime is over, wave good-bye.
Storytime is over, wave good-bye.
Storytime is done, and I hope that you had fun.
Storytime is over wave good-bye.

Even though we have activities afterward and most people are sticking around, I explain that we are going to go ahead and sing our good-bye song at the end of the formal storytime portion in case we don't get a chance to say good-bye to all of our friends later.


Storytime Is Done For Now

(to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star":)

Hands go up, and hands go down.     (raise hands, then touch toes)
I can turn myself around.                    (turn)
I can jump upon two shoes,                (jump in place)
I can clap and so can you.                  (clap, and point to audience)
I can wave, I'll show you how.            (wave)
Storytime is done for now.
*Source:  http://ysostorytime.pbworks.com

I like that this one adds movement since they've been sitting for stories, and subtly alludes to the fact that we will have storytime again.

Goodbye, Friends

Goodbye, friends;
Goodbye, friends.
Goodbye, friends;
It's time to say "Goodbye".

[This one is typically done with the ASL signs for goodbye, friends, time, and say.]

Goodbye Song

Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.
Goodbye, my friends at storytime,
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

I use this one mostly for outreach visits when I am very pressed for time and have to move quickly from one class to another.

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