It’s officially summer reading! That means we’ve got some storytime themes that tie in to this year’s CSLP theme “Oceans of Possibilities.” This isn’t the easiest theme to work storytimes into without repeating a bunch, so I also have a couple just summertime theme programs thrown into the mix this year as well, but we kick off the SRP 2022 storytimes with an ocean theme!
Opening Song: Hello, Friends
Hello, friends x3
from Jbrary
It’s time to say hello
Rhyme: Five Little Fish Swimming in the Sea
Five little fishies, swimming in the sea
Teasing Mr. Shark, “You can’t catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Shark, quiet as can be
And snatches that fish right out of the sea!Other verses:
from Abby the Librarian
Four…
Three…
Two…
One…
Song: The Creatures in the Ocean
The waves in the ocean go up and down
Up and down, up and down,
The waves in the ocean go up and down,
All day long!Other verses:
from Miss Sarah’s Storytime
The crabs in the ocean go pinch, pinch, pinch…
The clams in the ocean go go open and shut…
The lobsters in the ocean go click, click, click…
The sharks in the ocean go snap, snap, snap…
The fish in the ocean go swim, swim, swim…
The eels in the ocean go slither, slither, slither…
I didn’t actually do all of the verses that Miss Sarah provided for this song. I sang the saves, the crabs, and the clams, and then I asked the kids for some more animals that live in the ocean. We did end up with sharks and fish, but we also got dolphins, whales, octopus, jellyfish, seahorses, turtles, and sea serpents!
Book: I’m the Best Artist in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry
Movement Activity: Swim on the floor. With this activity, you lay on your belly and then kick and move your arms like you’re swimming. I also have a song that goes with it–or, well, I guess two versions of a song because I never sing it the same. Version 1 goes:
Swim, swim, swim with me
Swim here on the ground
Kick your legs, and move your arms
And let’s do (number) more rounds
And Version 2 goes:
Swim, swim, swim with me
Swim here on the floor
Kick your legs, and move your arms
And let’s do this (number) more – times!
In version 2, I really emphasize the word “more,” which rhymes with “floor,” and then the “times” slips in at the end.
Song: Little Blue Whale
Little blue whale
from Pasadena Library
in a big blue sea
Splish, splash, splish, splash
Swim with me!
Dip a little, dive a little,
Dunk a little whale,
Then come back up and flip your tail!
Rhyme: I’m a Little Octopus
Arm #1 goes swish, swish, swish
from Storytime Katie
Arm #2 helps me catch fish
Arm #3 pats my head
Arm #4 makes sure I’m fed
Arm #5 swims me to shore
Arm #6 touches the ocean floor
Arm #7 can grab and tug
But all eight arms give me a hug!
Activity: Ocean Sensory Bin
My Library Toolbox 