DIY Storytime

If your child is not feeling well or can’t make it to storytime, here's something you can try at home.

It’s your very own do-it-yourself storytime!

Do-It-Yourself Storytime

Start with a movement song or poem. Use one of your favorites or pick one of these:

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (Place both hands on parts of body as they are mentioned.
Repeat and speed up each time.)
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes!

If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! (clap clap)
Verse 2: stomp your feet (stomp stomp)
Verse 3: shout “Hooray!” (shout )
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three. (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)

We're All Here for Storytime
We're all here for storytime, storytime, storytime (slap thighs or clap)
We're all here for storytime, let's get ready.

Can you turn your ears up high? Ears up high? Ears up high? (pretend to turn your ears volume up)
Can you turn your ears up high so you can hear?

Can you turn your mouth down, mouth down, mouth down? (turn fist at the corner of your mouth)
Can you turn your mouth down low, now let's read!


Pick a story to share.
Take time to look at the illustrations as you read. Ask your child to tell you what they think is happening in the pictures first before reading.

Find a favorite CD and dance together to one of the songs. Practice marching around to the music.
For extra fun, use a scarf or tap two spoons together in time to the music. If you have rhythm instruments (tambourine, shakers, play drum), you can use those too.
Pick another book to read.
Maybe your child would like to pick the book and tell you the story this time…
Time for another song!

Then pick a craft to do:

• Make your own picture puzzle by choosing a magazine picture and gluing it onto cardboard (an empty cereal box works well). Cut it into pieces – as many or as few as you want. Then put it back together.
• Make a necklace out of cereal or macaroni. The cereal comes in handy at snack time!
• Make a shaker by putting rice or beans inside a toilet paper tube and covering the ends with cling wrap and rubber bands. Make sure it is tightly covered. Your child can decorate it with stickers/markers.
• Make a sock puppet. Decorate it with markers, buttons or yarn.
• Tear up colored paper or magazine pictures and make a collage.
• Make a long paper chain and use it to count down to a special day (birthday, holiday, grandma visit).
• Make a card or picture for someone far away and mail it to them.
• Draw a tic tac toe board and use different cereals or fish crackers as markers. Eat them when you win!

Sing a closing song (here's one we use at the library at the end of storytime):
This is the way we say good-bye, say good-bye, say good-bye,
This is the way we say good-bye, clap clap clap clap clap! (Repeat 2X)

You can also use some of the fingerplays or songs on the sheets we hand out at storytime each week. These will be familiar to your child!

We hope to see you at the library again soon!