I love hedgehogs - they are the cutest things ever. This rhyme is based off of 5 Hungry Ants, and includes a lot of actions and interactions between caregiver and child. I used this successfully in baby story time and I think pre-k kids will like it too! My images are just free clip art, although I'm sure some talented felter could make the cutest flannel set.

     Five snuggly hedgehogs curled tight in a ball
     (Make a fist)
     Prickly and tickley one and all.
     (Tickle child)
     The sun came out to warm up their backs.
     (Rub the child's back)
     And woke up one and went out for a snack.
     (Hold up 1 finger)
     He sniffed at the tulip.
     (Tap child's nose)
     He nibbled on the rose.
     (Tap child's mouth)
     But the tricky dandelion tickled his nose!
     (Tickle their nose)
     Aaaaa-choo!
     (Mime a large sneeze)
     And away he rolls!
     (Roll hands)

 I have a friend really obsessed with Alice in Wonderland. So this fingerplay is for her! I do this rhyme with a clock that I can adjust the hands to represent the right time. I used images from Mollie Johanson at Wild Olive: Handmade Crafts and Cuteness. This fingerplay works well in both baby storytime and preschool storytime.

     "What time is it?" asked curious Alice.
     (Sign for time)
     "1 o'clock!" replied Mr. Rabbit
     (Hold up one finger, make bunny ears with one hand)
     And off he hopped for Red Queen's palace.
     (Hop bunny ears)
     He hopped left. He hopped right.
     (Hop bunny ears left, then right)
     He hopped right out of sight!
     (Hide hands behind your back)
     ​Hop! Hop! Hop! (Bounce or lift child three times)

A nice throwback to a children's classic. 

This action rhyme encourages caregivers to show their little people some extra love. I love to use this in Baby Storytime. You can do with a child sitting on your lap, or laying in front of you.

     The world is round and vast and wide
     (Make a round circle with arms around baby)
     So stay here baby by my side
     (Pull arms into a tight hug)
     Kiss me on the ocean, 
     (Kiss one cheek)
     Kiss me on the land,
     (Kiss other cheek)
     Adventure together hand-in-hand
     (Clasp hands over baby's)
     The world is round and vast and wide
     (Make a round circle with your arms around baby)
​     Stay here baby by my side
     (Pull arms into a tight hug)

Ahhh...

This rhyme works as a bounce or a shaker song in storytimes for babies. My baby group loved it, and we repeated it a few times just for fun.

     Popcorn popping in a great big pot (bounce the baby)
     Pop! Pop! Pop! (lift baby on "pop")
     Hot! Hot! Hot! (Baby sign for "Hot")
     Swirl in the butter (Roll hands)
     Shimmy in the salt (Shake shoulders)
     Popcorn popping... (bounce the baby)
     Pop! Pop! Pop! (lift baby on "pop")

​

Inspired by Emily Gravett's amazing picture book, "Orange Pear Apple Bear", this is an easy counting rhyme following a familiar pattern. Learn Baby Sign for Bear and take it away with this cute rhyme.

     5 little apples, oranges, and pears
     (Hold up five fingers)
     Hiding up high from the great hungry bear.
     (Lift arms up high, Baby Sign for Bear)
     Apple orange pear -- Bear wants his share!
     (Baby Sign for Bear)
     Munch munch crunch goes the great hungry bear.
     (Pretend to eat, Baby Sign for Bear)
     4...3...2...1...

To make this flannel board I photocopied illustrations from the book and pasted them together. I have five groups of the fruit. All images belong to Emily Gravett and her publisher...and don't they look wonderful!

This is a baby signing rhyme of the familiar folktale. The play with opposites makes this a fun rhyme and it is chock full of baby sign. Follow these links to learn Baby Sign for turtle, rabbit, fast, slow, and sleep. I used a flannel pattern I found on Mel's Desk for a visual aid. 
​
​     The tortoise went slow.
     The hare went fast.
     The tortoise kept going.
     The hare took a nap.
     Although tortoise went slow
     And hare went fast,
     The tortoise came first,
     And the hare came last!

​Use in either a baby storytime or a preschool storytime.

Who doesn't love a silly nonsense rhyme? Bonus points for helping babies learn to identify body parts.

     Tickle me dee, tickle me doe
     Tickle me, tickle me on my toe!
     Tickle me doe, tickle me dee
     Tickle me, tickle me on my knee!
     Tickle me delly, tickle me din
     Tickle me, tickle me on my chin!
     Tickle me din, tickle me delly
     Tickle me, tickle me on my belly!

​Babies love this rhyme! The whole room was full of parent and child giggles.

A simple counting rhyme using a familiar farm animal. Throw in some baby sign or a puppet for extra fun.

     1 little cow in a field of flowers blue.
     (Hold up one finger, sign cow, sign blue)
     Here comes another! Say hello.
     (Wave in another, sign hello)
     MOOOOOO!
     2...3...4...5...

Happy moo-ing! Use in a farm animals, color, or cow themed storytime. I used this for a baby storytime with great success.

Here is a new variation on a classic rhyme to help teach kids about perseverance/grit/resilience and getting help.

     Way up high in the apple tree, 
     (ASL sign for tree)
     A little red apple smiled down at me. 
     (ASL sign for apple)
     I reached up as high as I could. 
     (reach up high)
     But the apple was too high! Oh no! No good!
     (hands on head exasperated)
    Should I give up? No! Let's get help! Here comes...
     (place next character)

Stack the characters up until they can reach the top of the tree.

     Way up high in the apple tree,
     A little red apple smiled down at me.
     I reached up as high as I could.
     ​And picked that apple. Mmm mmm it was good! 

Some songs that go along well with this theme include Aaron Nigel Smith's "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and this cute sesame street song featuring Bruno Mars. Books I used included Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle, If I Never Forever Endeavor by Holly Meade, and Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberly. 

Use this rhyme in a food, France, slime, or garden storytime. Don't forget to start off this rhyme by teaching them what is escargot. For added early literacy practice, have them imagine what a snail tastes like and describe it for you. This gives your storytimers a chance to talk, increase their background knowledge, make connections, and engage in imaginative play.