Story Mix for Three to Six: ZANY ZOO ANIMALS: Enormous Elephants

We are continuing our theme of ZANY ZOO ANIMALS and this week is all about tall giraffes with long necks!  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. Using arms and legs to make the motions of a swinging elephant trunk will keep children active and help them learn about animal movements and sounds.

Reading together is also an essential early literacy skill in order for children to acquire reading success when they start school.  Shared reading helps children learn the concepts of a book, and also develop a young appreciation for learning and reading. Take a look through our selection of zoo themed books!

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.

The giraffe by the tree, munches the leaves,
munches the leaves, munches the leaves
The giraffe by the tree, munches the leaves,
All through the zoo.

The elephant by the rock goes stomp, stomp, stomp
stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp
The elephant by the rock goes stomp, stomp, stomp
All through the zoo. 

Did You Ever See an Elephant? (Sung to the tune of 'Did You Ever See a Lassie?')
Did you ever see an elephant,
an elephant, an elephant?
Did you ever see an elephant
spray water with her trunk?
Spray water all over,
Spray water all over,
Did you ever see an elephant
Spray water with her trunk?

Did you ever see an elephant,
an elephant, an elephant?
Did you ever see an elephant
hug her baby with her trunk?
Wrap it this way and that way,
And this way and that way,
Did you ever see an elephant
hug her baby with her trunk?  

Elephant Rhyme
Elephants are tall & fat.
They stomp around this way and that.
Elephants have big ears and toes.
And goodness gracious, what a nose!

Looking for more elephant animal fun?  We read these books at Story Mix this week:

Beautiful Bananas by Elizabeth Laird
On her way to her grandfather's house with a bunch of bananas, Beatrice has a series of mishaps with jungle animals who each substitute something new for what she is carrying. 
Check catalog availability

Splash! by Flora McDonnell
When the jungle animals are hot, a baby elephant has a good solution involving the squirting and splashing of water at the water hole. 
Check catalog availability

Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice
Sam the zookeeper never forgets to feed the animals. 
Check catalog availability

1, 2, 3 Go! Elephants are Marching!

This week at 1, 2, 3 Go! we have rhymes and stories about zoo animals and elephants!  Children will learn important concepts through repetition and singing.  Learning new words as 'flopping' or about such animals as a tiger and lion, challenge children, as well as learn the motions and movements.  Singing about making animal sounds and motions like a swinging elephant trunk helps children make connections between actions and thoughts.  Incorporating such activity helps children put together ideas in order to make connections and understand words in print so they can get Ready to Read!

Jumbo the Elephant
Jumbo has a great big trunk,
And he has tiny eyes
That show him where to go.
His great big ears go flopping,
While his great big feel go stomping, stomping, stomping on the ground.

Jumbo has a great big trunk,
And he has tiny eyes
That show him where to go.
His great big ears go flopping,
While his great big feel go stomping, stomping, stomping on the ground.

I Came to the Zoo (sung to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean)
I came to the zoo to see lions, lions, lions
I came to the zoo to see lions, lions, lions
I love all the animals there!  ROAR!

I came to the zoo to see tigers, tigers, tigers
I came to the zoo to see tigers, tigers, tigers
I love all the animals there!  GRRR! (make a grrr noise)

I came to the zoo to see snakes, snakes, snakes
I came to the zoo to see snakes, snakes, snakes
I love all the animals there!  HISS! (make a hissing noise)

I came to the zoo to see crocodiles, crocodiles, crocodiles
I came to the zoo to see crocodiles, crocodiles, crocodiles
I love all the animals there!  CHOMP! (make a chomping noise)

I came to the zoo to see elephants, elephants, elephants
I came to the zoo to see elephants, elephants, elephants
I love all the animals there!  TRUMPET HORN! (make a trumpet horn noise)
   
The Wiggles Rhyme
A wiggle wiggle here,
A wiggle wiggle there,
Wiggle your hands up in the air.
Wiggle your shoulders,
Wiggle your hips,
Wiggle your knees,
And move your lips.
Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle.
And wiggle some more!

Elephants on a String Song
One little elephant in the ring,
Walking on a piece of string.
My, my, what a stunt!
Let’s all clap for the elephant!

Two…  Three…  Four…

Five little elephants on a piece of string,
Do you think five is too many on that high, high thing?
Oh-oh!  BOOM!  A disastrous stunt!
But let’s all clap for the elephants!

Five Little Elephants Rhyme
5 little elephants rowing towards the shore, one fell in and that left 4.
4 little elephants climbing up a tree, one slid down and that left 3.
3 little elephants living at the zoo, one walked away and that left 2.
2 little elephants playing in the sun, one fell asleep and that left 1.
1 little elephant isn't any fun, he went home.
And then there were none!

Elephants in the Bathtub Song
One elephant in the bathtub
Going for a swim
Knock, knock (clap twice)
Splash, splash (slap knees twice)
Come on in! (motion with both hands to come in)
Five elephants in the bathtub
Going for a swim
Knock, knock (clap twice)
Splash, splash (slap knees twice)
They all fell in! (knock the felt pieces down)
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime //

Big Gray Elephant Rhyme
The big gray elephant slowly walks.
She doesn’t make a sound.
She swings her trunk from left to right.
When she puts her feet on the ground.
Swing, swing, left and right,
She doesn’t make a sound.
Credit: Alphabet Soup – Zoo Poems, Songs, and Fingerplays // Used: “Wild Animals” Storytime 2010 & “Zoo” Storytime 2011


For More Elephant Fun, Check Out These Books:
   
If Elephants Wore Pants by Henriette Barkow
Rhyming text tells the story of a young boy who dreams about elephants wearing different colors of pants.
Check catalog availability     

I Love My Mama by Peter Kavanagh
A baby elephant describes how he and his mother spend their days together. 
Check catalog availability

I Dream of an Elephant by Amy Rubinger
Elephants of many colorful shades are described in couplets that invite the reader to complete the rhyme using color-themed clues. 
Check catalog availability