Bedtime Storytime Ideas
How often do you have parents come in asking for books about bedtime (while trying not to pull out their hair)? Parents probably don't want to encourage further bedtime antics with the Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. You can suggest any of the following books, but why not use storytime to help show children the positive or lighthearted side of taking a nap or going to bed?
Bed Hogs - by Kelly DiPucchio
Canadian Lullaby
Traditional Song
Bed is too small for my tired head.
Give me a hilltop with trees.
Tuck a cloud up under my chin.
Now blow the moon out... please.
Diddle Diddle Dumpling
Traditional Rhyme
Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John
Went to bed with his stockings on.
One shoe off. One shoe on.
Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John.
Dinosaur Vs Bedtime - by Bob Shea
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late - by Mo Willems
Froggy Gets Dressed - by Jonathan London
Jack Be Nimble
Traditional Rhyme
Jack be nimble.
Jack be quick.
Jack jump over
The candlestick.
Goodnight, Gorilla - by Peggy Rathmann
Hey Diddle Diddle - Traditional Rhyme
Hey diddle diddle
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon,
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night - by Jane Yolen
How do dinosaurs go to bed when their parents go to turn off the light? Do they stomp? Throw their teddy bear? Demand yet story? Demand a piggyback ride? Throw temper tantrums?
Llama Llama Red Pajama - by Anna Dewdney
I made simple red flannel pajamas for our Folkmanis llama puppet.
Moon Moon Moon - by the Laurie Berkner Band
Mortimer - by Robert Munsch
When Mortimer's mother puts him in bed, she tells him to BE QUIET, however Mortimer can't stay quiet for long. Instead he starts singing his song....
Clang clang rattle bing bang
Gonna make my noise all day!
Clang clang rattle bing bang
Gonna make my noise all day!
So it's put to Mortimer's father to go upstairs and tell Mortimer to BE QUIET. Mortimer promises... but is soon back to singing his song. His seventeen brothers and sisters and even the police try, but Mortimer keeps singing his song. Will Mortimer ever finally fall asleep?
Old Miss O'Leary
Traditional Song
Late one night
When we were all in bed,
Old Miss O'Leary
Took a lantern to the shed.
And when the cow kicked it over,
She winked her eye and said,
"It'll be a hot time
In the old town, tonight."
FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!
Ten in the Bed - Traditional Song
Unless you're a preschool or kindergarten class, this would be hard to do in storytime. But it is fun to use in storytime using either flannel board pieces (use felt monsters, monkeys, people, or whatever you have available) or singing outright.
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star - Traditional Song
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Instead of swaying with the music for this song, try adding a few words of sign language.
Wake Up You Sleepyheads
Traditional Song
Wake up you sleepyheads and
Go and get the cattle,
Wake up you sleepyheads and
Go and get the cows.
The cows are lost.
The sun is warm.
I think I'll rest,
Ttil they come home.
(SNORE)
WAKE UP YOU SLEEPYHEADS!
Way Up in the Sky
Traditional Song
Way up in the sky,
The little birds fly.
While down in the nest,
The little birds rest.
With a wing on their left
And a wing on their right,
The little birds sleep
All through the night.
Shhhh!
(yell) DON'T WAKE UP THE BIRDIES!
Wee Willie Winkie
Traditional Rhyme
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,
Knocking at the window and crying through the lock,
Are all the children in their beds, it's past eight o'clock?
What Do You Do With a Sleeping Baby
Piggy Back Song
Tune: What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor?
What do you do with a sleeping baby,
What do you do with a sleeping baby,
What do you do with a sleeping baby,
Early in the morning?
You wake 'em up and shake 'em up,
You wake 'em up and shake 'em up,
You wake 'em up and shake 'em up,
Early in the morning.
As I strongly discourage shaken baby syndrome in storytime, I usually change "baby" to any animals or characters used in the preceding story. Ex. "What do you do with a sleeping Mortimer/Daddy/Mommy/Police Officer...." after telling Munsch's Mortimer.
Storytime Crafts!
- Awesome Storytime : Decorating Pajmamas
Illinois children's librarian, Sarah H., shares more bedtime storytime ideas and a pajama decorating craft. - Storytime Katie : Night Sky Paper Craft
Children's librarian Katie shares more bedtime ideas and a paper craft where children decorate a night sky with paper stars and moons.