Well hello there! Long time, no blog. It’s been a busy fall for us here at Jbrary. Can anyone relate?
One of the things that’s been keeping us busy is doing outreach to our local daycares and preschools. One of the most requested themes for this time of year is Halloween. That, coupled with the fact that I just learned a new Halloween song, is the inspiration for this blog post. Without further ado, here are my favourite Halloween songs and rhymes I’m sharing when I do outreach this month. And check out our Halloween Pinterest board for book, craft, and flannel story ideas!
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom Witch Style
Zoom, zoom, zoom
Climb onto my broom
Zoom, zoom, zoom
Climb onto my broom
If you want to go at night
to spread around Halloween fright
Zoom, zoom, zoom
Climb onto my broom
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
BOO!
A huge shout out to Melissa McVay, a preschool teacher at Discovery Clubhouse in Cedar City, Utah! She shared this version with us and we hope to film a video of it soon. You can never have too many versions of Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, amirite?
Pumpkin, Pumpkin On the Ground
This one works well for an autumn theme as well. I use it at the end of storytime as a calming, settling song. We include the sign for pumpkin in the video.
5 Little Pumpkins
There are multiple book versions of this song. In storytime, we do it three times – once at the beginning, once in the middle, and once at the end. Repeating the rhyme three times helps the little ones learn it better.
Pumpkin Chant
Apparently I like to sing about pumpkins. This is a fun chant we learned from the lovely Rebecca.
Horns and Fangs
A monster themed version of Head and Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. A super fun action song and you get to pretend you’re monsters.
Witch’s Pot
This is a fun prop song. If I’m visiting a small group I’ll bring a bunch of random felt pieces and hand them out. Then kids take turns putting the items into the pot and we talk about what we’re brewing. It can get real silly real fast.
The Monsters Stomp Around the House
Firstly, this is the song that nearly ended my Jbrary career. Watch the bloopers at the end if you don’t believe me! Secondly, a viewer left a comment with these extended Halloween verses:
- The witch & her cat ride on her broom, And they all say trick or treat, to you, and you and you, BOOM BOOM BOOM
- The werewolf howls at the moon, And they all say trick or treat, to you, and you and you, BOOM BOOM BOOM
- The goblins hop around it too, And they all say trick or treat, to you, and you and you, BOOM BOOM BOOM
Lastly, if you play the ukelele, definitely check out my friend April’s blog where she shares the chords to tons of storytime songs. She has a massive Halloween round-up right now.
What Halloween songs and rhymes have you been singing? Let me know in the comments!
Love the Pumpkin Chant, but when I went to the link, I couldn’t find it. Is there any way to make that link more specific?
You can click on the video to watch it in YouTube and see the lyrics in the information box below the video. Here is Rebecca’s post: http://www.sturdyforcommonthings.com/2015/10/storytime-anytime-pumpkins/
I love Zoom Zoom Zoom, and was sooo excited to see a Halloween version. I found it to be quite a mouth full, so I modified it to, “If you want to make a scene, fly with me on Halloween!”
I can’t wait to try it next week. I’m sure my kids are gonna love it!
Much respect and appreciation from
Port Washington, NY
Love your version! Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂
Love the bloopers! Thanks for making me laugh today :). And thanks for this great site! I use it all the time.
Glad we’re not the only ones laughing 🙂 So glad our site is helpful to you!
I was so happy to find this version of zoom zoom for my toddlers! For some reason if I say the word monster someone starts crying, so I’m struggling to do a Halloween storytime that isn’t just a pumpkin theme (which we did last week). This really helps!
I’ve had some little ones scared of monsters too. Tried to read “Go Away Big Green Monster” to help but not sure it worked!
I’m so happy I found your website! I love all your songs, chants and ideas! and I love that you have lots of everything!!
This month, my class is really enjoying the Pumpkin Chant. My little oral hard-of-hearing kiddos giggle at all the rhymes.
Just a comment about your Horns and Fangs Song. Although it IS kind of like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, you didn’t mention that the tune is actually London Bridges! 🙂
Thanks for helping us to enhance our programs!
~Beth
Hi Beth, I’m so glad you found our website too! In Canada, at least here in Vancouver, Head and Shoulders is sung to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down. That’s why I listed it as such, but I can see how this is confusing!
I was trying to figure out why the tune was different. My mind is a little blown by this factoid! Now I’m debating whether to use the slow version or the “American” faster version. Also, ditto what Beth said about loving this site!
Thank you, Kimberly! One of my first storytimes here in Canada I used the American version as I had learned it growing up and everyone looked at me like I was from another planet. I actually stopped in the middle of the song and had them teach me! Now I prefer the Canadian tune as it it easier for kids to follow along with. The things you learn!
OMG y’all are so cute! Thanks for the bloopers–they made my day! Seriously, what you do is such a service. I use your site all the time and truly appreciate it.
Thanks so much, Erin! And back at ya – your blog has been a long time favourite and one I use all the time for storytime ideas.
Another verse I that I tried (with kindergarten) for zoom, zoom, zoom:
Zoom, zoom, zoom, don’t go into that room
Bats and goblins, ghosts and more
Hiding behind every door…
My students love guessing games, so i found and printed out photos of kids in costumes and I put them in my mystery box. The rhyme goes:
Knock knock knock
I think there’s more
Trick or treaters at my door
Open the door and who do i see…
Then I give clues until they can guess.
Oh I love both of these! I always do at least one outreach preschool visit a year where they request a Halloween theme and I’m always looking for fresh ideas. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for this! We used many of these songs and fingerplays in our Halloween Story Time this week and it was a hit!
We used the Witch’s Pot to put different things into our sensory bin (since our group was younger this year). Orange rice was pumpkin guts, dyed bowtie pasta was bats, q-tips were bones, etc. The kiddos really loved that the song was catchy and they could help fill our bon!
Also, I wrote a couple of Halloween themed verses for your “Mmm Ahh Went the Little Green Frog” song. I thought I would share!
Boo boo went the little white ghost one day.
Boo boo went the little white ghost.
Boo boo went the little white ghost one day.
And they all went boo, boo, boo.
But…
We know ghosts go (clap) boogie, boogie, boogie.
(clap) boogie, boogie, boogie. (clap) boogie, boogie, boogie.
We know ghosts go (clap) boogie, boogie, boogie.
They don’t go boo, boo, boo.
Cackle, cackle went the little green witch one day.
Cackle, cackle went the little green witch.
Cackle, Cackle went the little green witch one day.
And they all went cackle, cackle, cackle.
But…
We know witch’s go (clap) tootie, tootie, tah.
(clap) tootie, tootie, tah. (clap) tootie, tootie, tah.
We know witch’s go (clap) tootie, tootie, tah.
They don’t go cackle, cackle, cackle.
Mmm Ahh and friends are some of my favorites, and my toddlers and preschoolers love it! So it was fun trying to come up with one that would work for Halloween! “Boogieing” was a fav!
Thank you so much for all of your ideas!
Oh wow, this all sounds so cool! I love how you incorporate a sensory component. So creative!
I am looking for words to a Holloween chant I used to use in my preschool. I know part of it but not all. It goes :
Have you seen the bat hanging in the tree?
I don’t know the other words then I hope he don’t see me.
Have you see the witch flying by the moon?
__ ___ ___ Halloween is soon.
Have you seen the ghost hiding in the house?
___ ___ ___ I hope he don’t come out!! then I shout BOO
Sorry, that doesn’t ring a bell for me. Have you heard of the Storytime Underground Facebook group? You could ask the thousands of people in that group and see if anyone knows it.
Zoom zoom is a huge crowd favorite at my Mommy & Me Sign Language classes. I’m doing a special Halloween themed class and I plan on using the version a fan of yours recommended (if you want to make scene, fly with me on halloween). I’ve written an additional verse to add to it:
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We’ll fly across the moon (x2)
If you like to play at night
We’ll give the town quite a fright
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We’ll fly across the moon
Love it! You folks are so creative and I end up stealing all your ideas 🙂