The Toddler Storytime saga continues! In this post, I’ll be featuring my top 10 favourite songs to use when the kiddos just can’t seem to sit still. Which is perfectly normal for toddlers! And in case you missed it, here are the other posts in my Toddler Storytime series:
- How I Plan
- Favourite Read Alouds
- Favourite Read Alouds, Part 2
- Favourite Songs and Rhymes
- Favourite Songs and Rhymes, Part 2
- Songs to Get the Wiggles Out, Part 2
- How I Incorporate Puppets
- Favourite Felt Stories
- Favourite Felt Stories, Part 2
So let’s get to it!
1. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
One of my storytime moms told me the other day that her daughter comes to storytime just for this song. We definitely do it every week. I stand up when I sing this song and pretend to climb a ladder. Then I crouch down and jump up for the blast off. Younger toddlers enjoy being lifted into the air by a caregiver.
2. Everyone Can March
And jump, and spin, and clap, and stomp, and stretch, and wave….and sit! This song also uses the ASL sign for “stop” which is a great concept for toddlers to learn in a fun and positive way.
3. See the Little Bunnies Sleeping
This song takes a few times before the caregivers and parents know it well enough to sing along, but once they do the kids will be all about it! I have one little boy in particular who loves popping up and down from “sleeping” to “waking” so much that we had to sing this song 3 times one week.
4. Bananas Unite
I learned this one at a Parent Child Mother Goose training, but it wasn’t until I saw my colleague David (@reflectioniskey) use it in a Man in the Moon program that I was sold. Again, I use my whole body when I sing this with toddlers to maximize wiggle capacity.
5. This is the Way We Clap Our Hands
We don’t have a video of this one yet, but it’s simple and super easy for caregivers and kids to pick up. You can do as many verses as you’d like – stomp our feet, turn around, reach and stretch, wave hello. The tune is “The Mulberry Bush.”
This is the way we clap our hands,clap our hands, clap our hands
This is the way we clap our hands
so early in the morning!
6. The Elevator Song
Traditionally a babytime song, you can easily adapt for toddlers. Jump up and down when the elevator goes up and down, or have parents lift their toddler into the air. They’ll love it, I promise.
7. All the Leaves are Falling Down
This was my favourite song to sing with toddlers this past autumn. When the wind blows, you can have the toddlers spin around. I also added a verse – “Make a pile and jump right in” – so we could do some jumping. If you ain’t sweating by the end of storytime, you ain’t doing it right!
8. Ring Around the Rosie
A perfect circle activity for smaller storytime groups. Did you know this second verse? It was new to me, but a great transition back to standing. Repeat as necessary!
Ring around the rosie, a pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!
The cows are in the meadow, eating buttercups
Thunder, lightning, we all jump up!
9. Pop Goes the Berry
This song is great to use in the summer time when kids can get their hands on local berries. With toddlers, we practice our jumping skills when we say, “Pop goes the berry!”
10. The Arms Go Up and Down
To the tune of “The Farmer and the Dell” this is a great action song. Just act out the lyrics to the song. This can also be used in a baby storytime with the caregivers lifting their baby’s arms and legs.
The arms go up and down, the arms go up and down
Hi Ho the Derry-OThe arms go up and down
Verses: Our feet go up and down, Our head goes back and forth, We all go round and round, We all jump up and down
So there you have it – my Top 10 songs to get the wiggles out. What are yours?
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom is one of the most amazing ways to get wandering one-year-olds back to their caregivers. Climb aboard your rocket ships, yall!
Agreed! One of my storytime dads said his toddler calls storytime “Zoom Zoom” because he loves that song so much. After we sing it the first time, I ask them who wants to go to the moon again and they all scream yes!
THIS IS AMAZING!!!! Thank you so, so much for sharing!
No problem, Sabrina!
Thanks so much for sharing! It’s a great feeling when your little ones come back singing the songs they learned at storytime.
Couldn’t agree more! Also, I just visited your website – love the science experiment videos! I’ll add you to our blogroll.
I happened upon your site while looking for fresh ideas for storytime. I told all the other children’s specialists in my system about you! I’m so charmed by all the little songs and I know the 300 or so children I see every week will love them too! Thanks so much!
Thanks for spreading the Jbrary word!
Thank you so much for sharing these songs. At times I have difficultly trying to come up with new songs for the little ones. I like to keep them involved and this is definitely going to help. Thank you again.
You’re so welcome! I added a many more to my weekly repertoire since I wrote this post. We’ve got a Toddler Storytime playlist on YouTube with all our my favourites.
I came across your page searching for Toddler Storytime sites. I am going to start a new Toddler Storytime at my library in September and your site is amazing! I will definitely be using Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!! Thank You!
That’s wonderful to hear! Zoom, Zoom, Zoom is a surefire hit. We also did a video with some extra verses you may like: https://youtu.be/wu3LSyBxkic
These are great thank you!
You’re very welcome!
Awesome
Hello. I teach English in Polish school .I have got preschool children and 1-3 grade. I found you on YouTube. You are great inspiration in my work. I know many English songs and games but your are also very, very useful. Children love your songs and chants .Thanks!
Hi Ania, thanks so much for your kind words! It’s so wonderful to hear from people around the world and how they use our website and YouTube channel. All the best to you and your kiddos!
I had to laugh out loud (even though I’m on the desk) when I read, “If you ain’t sweating by the end of storytime…” I bring an extra shirt for those days!
I love this site and use it often to supplement my own storytimes. I really love the video demonstrations.
Glad we could give you a laugh! We keep deodorant in our desk at work 🙂
I cannot get preschool kids to stop asking for the sleeping bunny song and we pretty much do it every time I see them! They love it SO MUCH! I also change it up and do different animals that hop – they love kangaroos and frogs. I like to walk around while I’m singing the first part and tap their heads and have them silently stand up when I tap them until they’re all standing and can start jumping together. Also you can put pretty much any animal in there and change the motion. Stomp like an elephant, scratch like a kitty kat – endless possibilities!
Yes! I like to add in different animals too. We should make a new video with some of the variations. I think Sleeping Bunnies has to be one of the all time great storytime songs.
This is such a cool blog! I am a preschool teacher of toddlers and enjoyed this blog tremendously!
Thank you for your website and ideas! I will be a school librarian solely focusing on Early Years, and your information os very helpful! Also, you both have beautiful singing voices.
Thanks so much, Jill! We’re so glad to be of help.
I created a version of the Elevator Song to go with an ocean theme. Here is is…
Submarine Song
Oh the ocean is big, and the ocean is wet,
There are lots of fun things to see I bet,
So let’s take a trip, and let’s go explore,
And this is what we’ll do from the ocean floor,
We’ll take the submarine up, take the submarine down, (x3)
Then we’ll swim around!