“The Starry Giraffe” is written by Andy Bergmann. It tells the story of an apple loving giraffe who is hungry for a snack but winds up sharing all his apples with his animal friends.
I start the story on with the apple tree with loose apples on the board. For each animal that asks the giraffe for an apple an apple is removed from the tree until all the apples are gone. In the end the second apple tree is added for the giraffe to snack on.
The mouse, raccoon, rabbit, and skunks are pattern from Downeast Thunder Farm. Everything else is clipart from Shutterstock.
City Animals by Simms Taback Peekaboo! On the Farm by Cocorette Ten Horse Farm by Robert Sabuda
Bounces, Rhymes & Fingerplays
A Farmer Went Trotting A farmer went trotting Bounce baby on lap, facing you Upon his gray mare With his daughter behind him So rosy and fair Then a duck cried out, “Quack!” lift baby up And they all tumbled down Plop baby back into your lap Off of the horse And upside down! Tip baby gently backwards!
Rickety Rickety Rocking Horse Rickety rickety rocking horse bounce Over the hills we go, Rickety rickety rocking horse Giddy-up, giddy-up, whoa! hug baby
Ten Galloping Horses Ten galloping horses rode through the town bounce Five were white and five were brown Five rode up and five rode down Lift baby up and down. Ten galloping horses rode through the town
“Down On Grandpa’s Farm” is a song sung my Kathy Reid-Naiman. With a handful of common farm animals it is easy to add puppets and have them make their unique sounds. Babies enjoy the visuals of the animals and toddlers love to make the sounds and pet the animals. I got all my puppets for this song from Folkmanis Puppets. The color of my puppets don’t necessarily match the song. I don’t dwell on it.
chorus Oh, we’re on our way, we’re on our way, on our way to Grandpa’s farm We’re on our way, we’re on our way, on our way to Grandpa’s farm
Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a little white lamb Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a little white lamb The lamb, she makes a sound like this: baa, baa The lamb, she makes a sound like this: baa, baa (chorus)
Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a black and white cow Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a black and white cow The cow, she makes a sound like this: moo The cow, she makes a sound like this: moo (chorus)
Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a little pink pig Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a little pink pig The pig, she makes a sound like this: oink, oink, oink The pig, she makes a sound like this: oink, oink, oink (chorus)
Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a little red chicken Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a little red chicken The chicken, she makes a sound like this: buck-buck-buck-buck The chicken, she makes a sound like this: buck-buck-buck-buck (chorus)
Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a big black horse Down on Grandpa’s farm, there is a big black horse The horse, he makes a sound like this: neigh The horse, he makes a sound like this: neigh (chorus x2)
Storytime Shenanigans 