Books

“On the Farm” by David Elliott
“Big Red Barn” by Margaret Wise Brown

Eight Baby Pigs

Two mother pigs lived in a pen (hold thumbs up)
Each had four babies and that made ten (hold up 10 fingers)
These four babies were black and white (wiggle 4 fingers)
These four babies were black as night (wiggle other 4 fingers)
All eight babies loved to play (wiggle 8 fingers)
As they rolled and rolled in the mud all day (roll arms)
At night, with their mother, they curled up in a heap (clasp hands)
And squealed and squealed till they fell fast asleep

Source: SurLaLune Storytime

I Went to Visit the Farm

This has to be one of my storytime favorites! I use puppets for the rhyme and slooowly take them out of my bag. The kids get so excited to see what animal it is and to say it out loud. Then I go around with the puppet and make the animal noise towards the child. There’s nothing better than a one year old squealing when a duck kisses its cheek!

I went to visit the farm one day
I saw an (animal) along the way
What do you think that (animal) did say?
(animal noise)

Source: Mother Goose on the Loose

Open Up the Barn Door

At the last library I worked at we had this amazing flannel board for this rhyme, I was crunched for time and was looking for alternatives, that is when I got this idea from Literacious. To make this I took a folder and glued a barn to the front. Next I printed out pictures of each animal. Then I cut out the barn door and put the papers in order in the folder. I open the door to show the animal, close it and then switch the papers. Parents and children alike loved this! 

Open up the barn door, the spring goes “boink.”
There’s a pig in the barn saying “oink, oink,  oink.”

Open up the barn door before the clock strikes two.
There’s a cow in the barn saying “moo, moo, moo.”

Open up the barn door singing “tra-la-la.”
There’s a sheep in the barn saying “baa, baa, baa.”

Open up the barn door, while the sky is blue.
There’s a rooster in the barn saying “cock-a-doodle-do.”

Open up the barn door and don’t get off the track.
There’s a duck in the barn saying “quack, quack, quack.”

Five White and Fluffy Sheep (Tune: Five Green and Speckled Frogs)

This flannel board has two layers. First I made the sheep and then I created the fluffy body. To make the body I cut out the shape, pulled apart cotton balls and glue them down. Kids were fascinated by me “shearing” the sheep.

Five white and fluffy sheep
In the pasture fast asleep
Their wool kept them cozy all night long
Snore, snore, snore
The farmers slipped away with one
And sheared the wool till he was done (take off fluffy top)
Then there were four white fluffy sheep
Baa, baa, baa

(count down)

Source: Neverlandarling

How it Went: This is the first time I have used a story folder and loved it! The story folder went over really well.