Story Mix for Three to Six: ZANY ZOO ANIMALS: Peppy Parrots!

We are continuing our theme of ZANY ZOO ANIMALS and this week is all about those fun and colorful birds called Parrots!  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 sounds such as "squawk" will help children hear different syllables and learn new words and letters.  Movement and activity helps children develop their imagination during playtime. 

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.
         
This Little Parrot Song (Sung to the tune of Mulberry Bush)
This little parrot flaps its wings
Flaps its wings, flaps its wings.
This little parrot flaps its wings
And flies away in the morning.

This little parrot eats some seeds
eats some seeds, eats some seeds.
This little parrot eats some seeds
And flies away in the morning.

This little parrot squawks so loud,
squawks so loud, squawks so loud.
This little parrot squawks so loud
And flies away in the morning.   

For more Parrot fun, try these books we read at Story Mix:

A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza / Choco Encuentra Una Mama by Keiko Kasza
A lonely little bird named Choco goes in search of a mother. / Choco es un pequeño pájaro amarillo que está buscando desesperadamente una mamá.
Check catalog availability / En Espanol

My Camera at the Zoo by Janet Perry Marshall
The reader sees the zoo animals slightly askew through the camera lens and may guess what they actually are before seeing full clear views on succeeding pages. 
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If You Were a Parrot by Katherine Rawson
Learn about parrots as you imagine being a parrot. 
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Terrific Twos: Buses go BEEP! BEEP!

It's Terrific Two Year Old time!  We are continuing with our animated theme of 'Things that GO!' and sharing rhymes and books about BUSES!  Our selection of rhymes, songs and stories encourages active play and thoughtful fun for kids who like motion and movement.  Children will use hands and feet throughout the rhymes to create activity, such as wheels going around in a circle, waving arms like airplane or walking back and forth.  Such simplicity engages children's imaginations.

If I Were a Bus or a Car Rhyme
If I were a bus or a car,
I would roll down the road.  (roll hands)
If I were a truck,
I’d dump my heavy load.  (let hands fall)
If I were an airplane,
I would fly up in the sky.  (spread arms like wings)
If I were a boat,
I’d make waves as I went by.  (make wave motions)
If I were a train,
I’d chug along the tracks.  (pump arms like train)
But since I’m a person,
I will walk there and back.  (walking motion)

The Wheels on the Bus (From our friends at the King County Library System)
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.

The people on the bus go up and down,
Up and down, up and down,
The people on the bus go up and down,
All through the town.
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink,
Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink,
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink,
All through the town.

Repeat the song using other elements of the bus such as the wipers or the horn:
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish…
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep…
The babies on the bus go wah, wah, wah…
The driver on the bus says move on back…
The doors on the bus go open and shut…
The grandmothers on the bus go knit, knit, knit…
The grandfathers on the bus go ZZZ, ZZZ, ZZZ…
The mothers on the bus say I Love You…
The fathers on the bus say I Love You Too…
All through the town.

We read these stories about buses at Terrific Twos: 

Maisy Drives the Bus by Lucy Cousins
Maisy the mouse picks up an assortment of passengers as she drives her bus. 
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Bus Stop by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Kindergartners gather for their exciting first ride on the school bus.
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Terrific Twos: Airplanes go SWOOOSH!

It's Terrific Two Year Old time!  We are continuing our theme of motion with rhymes and stories about 'Things That Go!'  Our selection of rhymes, songs and stories encourages active play and thoughtful fun for kids who like motion and movement.  In this week's rhymes and stories, children will also learn important concepts through repetition and singing.  Learning such words as 'zoom' or 'hungry' challenge children to learn new words.  Learning new words helps them put together ideas in order to make connections and understand words in print.

Zoom Goes the Airplane Rhyme
Zoom goes the airplane in the sky.
Flying above the clouds so high.
The plane goes up, the plane goes down,
The plane goes flies high all over our town.

Zoom goes the airplane in the sky.
Flying above the clouds so high.
The plane goes up, the plane goes down,
The plane goes flies high all over our town.

Are You Hungry Little Bird Rhyme
Are you hungry little bird?
Tell me please, give me the word.
Here’s some seed, it’s good I’m told.
It will keep you fed in this winter cold.

Are you hungry little bird?
Tell me please, give me the word.
Here’s some seed, it’s good I’m told.
It will keep you fed in this winter cold.


We read these books at Terrific Twos this week: 

Bird, Fly High by Petr Horacek
Bird goes out to find breakfast for her chicks. 
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I Love Planes! by Philemon Sturges
A child celebrates his love of planes by naming his favorite kinds and their notable characteristics. 
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