Opening & Closing Songs for Story Time!

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Opening & Closing Songs for Story Time!

Opening and Closing or Hello and Goodbye songs are staples of Story Time! In addition to being fun they provide structure for your group. I usually keep my beginning and ending songs the same every week, but now and then it is fun to mix things up a bit!

Looking for a new or different song or chant to start Story Time? Check out these great ideas:

HELLO!

The More We Read Together
(Tune: “The More We Get Together”)

This is what I use for my own baby/toddler Story Time. I have heard different variations of this, but here is my own version. Get your clapping hands ready!

The more we read together, together, together,
The more we read together, at the library,
Where your books (point to others) are my books (point to self),
And my books (point to self) are your books (point to others),
The more we read together the happier we’ll be!

We sing this twice in a row – the first time through we clap SLOW – only on the down beat – since this song is in 3/4 time or waltz rhythm it can be tricky for ADULTS even more than the kids to figure out!  The second time through we clap FAST – or on every beat.

Hello, Neighbor!
(Tune: “Good Night, Ladies”)

Hello, neighbor! (wave)
What do you say? (give high fives)
It’s going to be a happy, happy day! (clapping)
Greet your neighbor (shake hands)
Boogie Down! (wiggle hips)
Give a bump (hip bumps or fist bumps)
And turn around! (turn around)

(Source: Dr. Jean – she is great Story Time resource!)

If You’re Ready for a Story
(Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)

If you’re ready for a story take a seat,
If you’re ready for a story take a seat,
Clap your hands and stomp your feet,
Make your hands all nice and neat,
If you’re ready for a story take a seat!

(Source: Storytime Katie – tons of great songs on her site!)

Library Song

This is another I use frequently. I’ve listed the link to the lyrics of the full song below – we use the chorus and replace the words “the dictionary” with kid’s names, the librarian, etc.

I’m going down to the library!
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Gonna say hi to the dictionary
,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out!

(Source: by Michael Mark & Tom Chapin)

GOODBYE!

The Library Doors Go Open and Shut
(Tune: The Wheels on the Bus)

I found the idea for this song in this delightful lesson plan by Toni Buzzeo and adapted it to work with my group in my library. Here is our version:

The library doors go open and shut! (open and shut hands)
Open and shut! Open and shut!
The library doors go open and shut,
All through the day!

The librarian says “come on in!” (wave everyone in)…
We go to the shelf and look for our books…. (hand shields eyes as we look!)
We open up our books and read, read, read…. (make hands into a book and open and shut book)
We check the books out and in…. (make one hand be a library stamp and the other an ink pad)*

Our time is up, but we’ll see you next week, (wave goodbye)
See you next week, see you next week,
Our time is up but we’ll see you next week
,
At the library!

*Yes, my library still uses a date stamp and ink pad!

 We Had a Good Day!
(Tune: “La Cucaracha”)

We had a good day! We had a great day!
So pat yourself on the back!
We had a good day! We had a a great day!
So pat yourself on the back!
We thought a lot today,
We learned in many ways,
So kiss your brain!
We thought a lot today,
We learned in many ways,
So kiss your brain!
It’s time to say so long,
And end with a song,
So say goodbye to all your friends!
It’s time to say so long,
And end with a song,
So say goodbye to all your friends!

(Source:  Dr. Jean)

Time to Say Goodbye to All My Friends
(Tune: “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain”)

It’s time to say goodbye to all my friends, YEE-HAW!
Yes, it’s time to say goodbye to all my friends, YEE HAW!
Yes, it’s time to say goodbye,
give a smile and wink your eye!
Yes, it’s time to say goodbye to al l my friends, YEEEEEE-HAAAAAW!

(Traditional)

Goodbye Rap
(by Rob Reid)

This is my absolute favorite good-bye rhyme!

Wave high, wave low,
I think it’s time, we’ve got to go!
Wave your elbows, wave your toes,
Wave your tongue, wave your nose!
Wave your knees, wave your lips
Blow a kiss, with fingertips!
Wave your ear, wave your hair,
Wave your belly and derriere!
Wave your chin, and wave your eye,
Now wave your hand and say “Good -bye!”

About Anne McKernan

Once upon a time Anne McKernan, a very tired mother of two, walked in to a library ... the next thing she knew she was leading her town library's story time programs. Read more at http://itsybitsymom.wordpress.com

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