Storytime with Miss Jennifer: Pajama Party Evening Program

On Friday night, I hosted an evening family program with a pajama party theme. All the kids wore their pajamas (and so did I).

More evening programs are in the works. Starting in the fall they will be a monthly event, so stay tuned for more information...

Action Rhyme: “Bedtime”
Time for bed, time for bed
Fluff up your pillow (make fluffing motions with hands)
Lay down your head (palms together, hands to side of face)
Tuck in tight   (pull imaginary blanket up to chin)
Close your eyes   (close eyes)
And sleep all night   (snore)

Book: Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems

Rhyme Cube
We rolled the cube to help choose our rhymes. The six choices on my cube are: I'm a Little Teapot; The Itsy Bitsy Spider; Humpty Dumpty; Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes; Two Little Blackbirds.

Thanks to the Storytime Underground Facebook group for the discussions on rhyme/song cubes that encouraged me to try it out.

Book: Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea

Flannel rhyme: “Ten Teddy Bears Sleeping in the Bed”
Ten little teddy bears sleeping in the bed,
Five at the foot and five at the head.
One little teddy said, “This bed is TOO full!”
So he grabbed the blanket and started to pull.
He pulled and he pulled and he pulled some more,
Until two little teddies went BOOM to the floor!

(Make pulling motions with PULL and clap with the BOOM)
(Subtract bears until…)

One little teddy bear sleeping in the bed,
Zero at the foot and one at the head.
This little teddy said, “This is not right!
I don’t want to sleep alone tonight!”
So…

One little teddy bear sleeping in the bed,
Zero at the foot and one at the head.
This teddy said, “This bed is NOT full!”
So he put out his paw and started to pull.
He pulled and he pulled and he pulled some more,
Until four little teddies climbed up from the floor!

(Add bears in various increments until…)

Ten little teddy bears sleeping in the bed,
Five at the foot and five at the head.
One little teddy said, “This is JUST right!”
So ten little teddy bears said, “Good Night!”

Action Rhyme: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground,

Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high,

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky,

Teddy bear, teddy bear, find your nose

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your toes

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your knees

Teddy bear, teddy bear, sit down please

Book: Tiger Can’t Sleep by S. J. Fore

Action Song: “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed”

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed

One fell off and bumped his head

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Count down...

One little monkey jumping on the bed

He fell off and bumped his head

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Book: Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas

This is a wonderful, silly book and I was really excited to share it and sing in a funny cowboy voice, but I think I got frazzled by the fact that up next on the agenda was my ukulele debut. I completely skipped this book and I'm so sad about it. I may have to plan a whole cowboy/cowgirl storytime around it, just so I can use it.

Song: “Hop Little Bunnies” on ukulele

See the little bunnies sleeping till it's nearly noon (CCCC-FF-C)

Come and let us gently wake them with a merry tune (GG-CC-GG-C)

Oh how still, are they ill, wake up soon (Pluck C-E-G, C-E-G, GG-C)

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop (CCCC)

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop (CC-G-C)

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop (CCCC)

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop. (CC-G-C)

My debut was a little rocky, but I can't wait to try again.

Storytelling: The Squeaky Door from the version retold by Margaret Read MacDonald

I did this as an oral story without any props. I haven't done many of those before, but it went over really well. Lots of sound effects and repetitive phrases made it fun for the audience and easy to tell.

More Rhyme Cube

Flannel story: Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carl

(patterns from KidzClub)