Mud and Rain Storytime
Before storytime, I like talking with children about outrageous things that help stretch the imagination. Sometimes we pretend to build snowmen in July or ride elephants to the library. This is one of the reasons I love Mud Storytime so much as there are so many good stories and songs that help stretch the imagination. Can't you just see a child running inside to tell you about the mud puddle that jumped on them like Jules Anne in Mud Puddle or dreaming about an afternoon where the sky rained French fries and apple pie?
Alack, Alack
Traditional Rhyme
Alack, alack, the clouds are so black,
And my coat is so flimsy and thin,
If we further ride on the rain will come down,
And wet little Sam to the skin.
Are You Ready to Play Outside? - by Mo Willems
First a Little Drop of Rain Hits the Ground
Piggyback Song
Sung to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It
First a little drop of rain hits the ground.
Then another drop of rain hits the ground.
Then another and another and another and another,
And pretty soon you'll heard a different sound. SPLASH! SPLASH!
If All the Raindrops
If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gumdrops,
Oh what a rain that would be!
Standing outside with my mouth open wide,
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah.
If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gumdrops,
Oh what a rain that would be!
Ask children for more food and ideas and add them to the song. I once had to sing, "If all the raindrops were pizza and mashed potatoes...." Now THAT would be quite a rain!
Another fun way of using the song... string up different plastic foods with fishing line and attach them with binder clips to an umbrella in pairs while singing the song.
In the Rain with Baby Duck - by Amy Hest
It's Raining, It's Pouring
Traditional Rhyme
It's raining, it's pouring;
The old man is snoring.
Bumped his head
And he went to bed
And he couldn't get up in the morning.
Itsy Bitsy Spider - Traditional Song
The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out popped the sun and dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.
The great big spider....
The teeny tiny spider....
Mr. Sun
Traditional Song
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me.
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree.
These little children are asking you,
To please come out so we can play with you.
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on,
please shine down on,
Please shine down on me!
Mrs. Wishy-Washy - Joy Cowley
The Mud Puddle - by Robert Munsch
Jule Ann loves to play outside. But each time she steps outside, a mud puddle jumps on her! She runs back inside, cries to her Mummy, takes a bath (while cleaning out her ears, eyes, armpits and bellybutton) and puts on clean clothes... only to get all muddy again once she steps outside. Finally, after the fourth bath, Jule Ann gets an idea. Putting a stinky bar of soap in her pocket, she goes out and calls for the mud puddle and throws it right at him when he comes running. As you can imagine, the mud puddle didn't like the taste of stinky soap and runs off never to be seen again.
The Rain Hat - Traditional Fold-and-Tell Story
Tell using for newspaper for best results. I've also seen librarians give parents a sheet of newspaper and had them help 2's fold along with the story.
Rain on the Green Grass
Traditional Rhyme
Rain on the green grass,
And rain on the tree,
Rain on the house-top,
But not on me.
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Traditional Rhyme
Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day,
Little Johnny wants to play.
Repeat rhyme inserting the names of storytime children or the puppets used in the stories.
Singing in the Rain
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Knees bent.
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Knees bent.
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Knees bent.
Bottoms out.
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Knees bent.
Bottoms out.
Chin up.
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Knees bent.
Bottoms out.
Chin up.
Tongue out.
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Knees bent.
Bottoms out.
Chin up.
Tongue out.
Turn around.
Singing in the rain.
Just singing in the rain.
Hands up.
Knees bent.
Bottoms out.
Chin up.
Tongue out.
Turn around.
SIT DOWN!
Stuck in the Mud - by Jane Clarke
