North Mankato Taylor Library Storytime
Up, Down, Inside Out
Stories We Shared:
Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse by Lindsay B. George
Silly Sally by Audrey Wood
What’s Up, What’s Down by Lola M. Schaefer
Becca Backward, Becca Frontward by Bruce McMillan
Topsy-Turvy Town by Luc Melanson
Other Stories You Might Like to Share:
Move Over Rover by Karen Beaumont
What’s Up Duck? By Tad Hills
Marvelous Me by Lisa Bullard
Outside, Inside by Carolyn Crimi
Under the Night Sky by Amy Lundebrek
Ten Apples On Top by Leo LeSieg
Why Don’t Things Fall Up? By Dawn Bentley
The Bridge Is Up by Babs Bell
Up, Up, Down! By Robert Munsch
On Top of the World by John Prater
Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round by Teri Sloat All Fall Down by Helen Oxenbury
Bringing Down the Moon by Jonathan Emmett
Down Comes the Rain by Franklyn
Skippyjon Jones Up and Down by Judy Schachner
Branley
The Girl Inside the Castle Inside the Museum by Kate Bernheimer
Early Literacy Activities:
*Simon Says-Preschool children are preparing for kindergarten and elementary
school, a time when carefully listening and following directions is an important part
of school success. Help children practice their listening skills with non-competitive
games such as “Simon Says”. Do something like: Simon Says “Reach up high” or
“Bend down low”. Have your child be “Simon”, and see what they come up with!
*Post common roads signs, store signs, and restaurant signs for the children to see and
“read”.
Songs and rhymes to share:
Up I Stretch (actions follow words)
*sing up and down the scale
Up I stretch on tippy toe
Down to touch my heels I go
Up again my arms I send
Down again my knees I bend
Up the Hill
(a Maylaysian folk game)
(use child’s arm as the hill)
Here goes a turtle up the hill
-creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy
Here goes a rabbit up the hill
-boing, boing, boing, boing
Here goes an elephant up the hill
-thud, thud, thud, thud
Here goes a snake up the hill
-slither, slither, slither, slither
Here comes a rock down the hill
-boom, boom, boom, boom
(jump your fist down child’s arm)
CRASH!
(land fist in child’s open palm)
Roly Poly
(Roll hands round each other, in
direction named)
Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down,
down,
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out,
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in,
(give a big hug)
The Kissing Rhyme
(lift child up and down)
Up, up, up in the sky like this
Down, down, down, for a great big kiss
(give a kiss)
Up like this, down for a kiss
(give another kiss)
You’re a special child!
(give a big hug)
I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little teapot, short and stout,
Here is my handle, (put hand on hip)
Here is my spout, (hold other arm out to side)
When I get all steamed up, hear me shout!
Tip me over, and pour me out. (lean to side)
Teeter Totter (lift child up and down)
Up and down, and up and down,
High up in the sky
Up and down, and up and down,
On our teeter totter
Jack in the Box
Jack in the box, (curl child up)
Lying so still.
Won’t you come out?
Yes I will! (lift child up/child jumps up)
The Seesaw (lift child up and down)
The seesaw goes up, the seesaw goes down.
Seesaw up, seesaw down.
Seesaw stops, one end on the ground.
Dickery Dare
Dickery, dickery, dare
(bounce child on knees)
The pig flew up in the air
(lift child up)
The man in brown soon brought him
down
(bring child down)
Dickery, dickery, dare!
(bounce child on knees)
Stepping Stones
Stepping over stepping stones,
One, two, three.
Stepping over stepping stones,
Come with me.
The river’s very fast,
And the river’s very wide,
We’ll step across on stepping
stones,
And reach the other side.
The Royal Duke of York
(follow words moving body up or down)
Oh the royal Duke of York
He had ten thousand men
He marched them up to the top of the
hill
And marched them down again
And when they’re up– they’re up
And when they’re down– they're down
But when they’re only halfway up
They’re neither up nor down
-other verses:
They played their pipes to the top of the
hill…
They beat their drums to the top of the
hill…
They waved their flags at the top of the
hill…
-Make up your own!
I’m Climbing
(suit actions to words)
I’m climbing, climbing, up the ladder
Sliding, sliding down the slide
Now I stop with a BUMP!
On my feet…
Up I jump!
Old Grey Mare
(sing to “row row row your boat”)
Clip, clip, clipety clop (bounce child)
Clipety, clipety, clop
The old grey mare goes up and down
(lift child up and down)
Until it’s time to stop
(stop bouncing)
A Little Frog
A little green froggie am I am I
A-hippity, hippity, hop (bounce child
on knees)
I can jump in the air sooooo high (lift
child)
A-hippity, hippity, hop (bounce child
on knees)
Grandpa’s Knees
The wind blows down the chimney
(bounce gently)
The wind blows through the trees
The wind blows (child’s name) up
and down (lift child up)
Upon her Grandpa’s knees
(change to Mommy, or
Grandma, or Daddy…)
Flying Man
Flying man, flying man (bounce child on knees)
Up in the sky (lift child up)
Flying man, flying man (bounce child on knees)
Up in the sky (lift child up)
Over the mountains (bounce child on knees)
And over the sea (lift child up)
Fling man, flying man (bounce child on knees)
Won’t you take me? (give big hug)
My Hands Upon my Head I Place
My hands upon my head I place,
On my shoulders, on my face,
On my lips, by my side,
Then behind me they will hide,
And let my fingers quickly fly,
Hold them down in front of me,
Then I’ll clap them, one, two, three.
Merry Go Round Ride
(suit actions to words)
Ride with me on the merry go round
Around, around, around, around
Up go the horses, up
Down go the horses, down
You ride a horse that’s white
I ride a horse that’s brown
Up and down, up and down
Around, around, around, around
**Most ideas in this handout were borrowed from
The Perry Public Library website:
http://www.perrypubliclibrary.org/Kids/Programs/storytime_themes.htm AND
the following website:
http://extension.missouri.edu/hes/childcare/promoteliteracy.pdf