10 Jul Storytime at Home: Bears

Unable to join us for storytime at the library? Try creating your own version at home! This storytime outline is bear themed. Before you start, show your child the books you plan to read and see if they can guess what you are going to read about. Introduce the theme of your storytime. 

Start with a song or two to get the wiggles out before reading books. While reading the books encourage kids to participate in the story. For instance, they can act out the same actions the bears are doing! 

Sing: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, reach up high

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the sky

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch your knees

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down please

Read

Don’t Feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty

Sing: If You’re a Bear and You Know It

If you’re a panda bear and you know it, clap your paws…repeat

If you’re a polar bear and you know it, show your teeth…repeat

If you’re a grizzly bear and you know it, growl real loud…repeat

Read

The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Jane Cabrera

Sing: Bears Eat Honey

A bear eats honey (pretend to eat)

He thinks it’s yummy

In his tummy (rub tummy)

But the bees don’t think it’s funny!

Buzzzzzzzzzzzz! (make buzzing noise)

Games to play after storytime:

–Have a Bear Hunt: have kids crawl over, under, and through things to find a bear

–Hide a teddy bear: let kids find the bear

–Teddy bear race: hold a bear between legs and run across the room

–Bees to the honey pot: pretend the balls are bees and toss balls into a bin, return the bees to their hive

–Teddy bear paws: similar to duck, duck, goose, but instead of touching another person’s head, have bear paws behind the kid’s back. Whoever is it will grab a paw from behind a kid’s back, and that kid would have to tag the person that is it before they sit down.

If you would like to expand on storytime you can add more bear books or songs. Feel free to add in a craft that incorporates the bear theme. 

Written by Mercedes M., Youth Services Librarian