Story Mix for Three to Six: ZANY ZOO ANIMALS: Big, Brown Bears!

We are continuing our theme of ZANY ZOO ANIMALS and this week is all about those big, brown bears!  We've also added a new animal onto our "All Through the Zoo" song!

Children will learn important concepts through repetition and singing, and making animal motions and movements. Making "growling" sounds like a bear will help children hear different syllables and learn new words and letters.  The two counting rhyme games are great for helping children learn numbers and sequence. 

All Through the Zoo Song (Sung to the tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The tiger in the grass says roar, roar, roar
Roar, roar, roar, roar, roar, roar
The tiger in the grass says roar, roar, roar
All through the zoo.

The Parrot in the leaves goes squawk, squawk, squawk
Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk
The Parrot in the leaves goes squawk, squawk, squawk
All through the zoo.

The bear in the grass says growl, growl, growl
growl, growl, growl, growl, growl, growl
The bear in the grass says growl, growl, growl
All through the zoo.


5 Little Baby Bears
1 little baby bear  (hold up 1 finger)
Almost brand new       
Runs to get another one  (hand behind back)
Now there are 2  (hold up 2 fingers)

2 little baby bears
Climb up a tree  (pretend to climb)
Run to get another one  (hand behind back)
Now there are 3  (hold up 3 fingers)

3 little baby bears
Rolling on the floor  (roll one hand over the other)
Run to get another one  (hand behind back)
Now there are 4  (hold up 4 fingers)

4 little baby bears       
Eat honey from a hive  (rub stomach)
Run to get another one  (hand behind back)
Now there are 5  (hold up 5 fingers)

5 little baby bears
Think they might roam  (wiggle fingers to side)
“Come!” says Mama Bear  (clap hands)
And they all run home  (hand behind back)

5 Little Easter Eggs
Five little Easter eggs
Lovely colors galore
Mommy ate the blue one
Then there were 4

Four little Easter eggs
Two and two, you see
Daddy ate the red one
Then there were 3

Three little Easter eggs
Before I knew
Sister ate the yellow one
Then there were 2

Two little Easter eggs
Oh, what fun!
Brother ate the purple one
Then there was 1

One little Easter egg
See me run
I ate the very last one!

Check out these books we shared at this week's Story Mix!

My Favorite Bear by Andrea Gabriel
As Mama bear puts her child to bed, she shares a lullaby about bears of the world. 
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Milton the Early Riser by Robert Kraus
The first one to awake, Milton the Panda tries hard to wake all the other animals, but to no avail. 
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Panda’s Easter Basket by Tara Jaye Morrow
Panda has a delicious-looking Easter basket, with chocolate eggs, jelly beans, and a big chocolate bunny! But when he gobbles it all up at once, he gets a terrible tummy ache. 
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Wonderful Ones: Little Peter Rabbit

This week at Wonderful Ones we are continuing our celebration of the spring season with rhymes and books about bunnies, ducks, and also several Easter-themed selections!  Singing and rhyming not only allows baby to hear and learn new words, it also assists in developing listening skills. By listening to the different sounds animals make, babies will be able to decipher syllables in spoken language.  Repetition helps reinforce important early literacy concepts such as counting and colors. Happy Easter!

Ten Little Bunnies Rhyme
One little, two little, three little bunnies,
Four little, five little, six little bunnies,
Seven little, eight little, nine little bunnies,
Ten little bunnies hop around.

The Big Round Sun Rhyme
The big round sun in a springtime sky,
Winked at a cloud that was passing by.
The little cloud laughed as it scattered rain,
Then out came the big round sun again.

Little Peter Rabbit Rhyme
Little Peter Rabbit has a bright, shiny nose.
Little Peter Rabbit has a bright, shiny nose.
Little Peter Rabbit has a bright, shiny nose,
And a big, fluffy, white tail.

Little Peter Rabbit has a bright, shiny nose.
Little Peter Rabbit has a bright, shiny nose.
Little Peter Rabbit has a bright, shiny nose,
And a big, fluffy, white tail.

For more spring-time animal fun, try these easy-to-share books:

Hurry! Hurry! by Eve Bunting
All the animals of the barnyard community hurry to greet their newest member, who is just pecking his way out of an egg. 
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5 Busy Ducklings by Children's Press
Five busy ducklings are on the go in this first counting book
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Where are Baby's Easter Eggs? by Karen Katz
Readers can help Baby as she searches for Easter eggs and finds some other nice surprises along the way. 
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The Happy Egg by Ruth Krauss
A bird hatches from its egg and learns to fly. 
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I Need an Easter Egg! by Harriet Ziefert
Little Rabbit wants to give his grandmother an Easter egg and so he asks various birds if they can lay one. The reader lifts flaps to see each bird's eggs. 
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