There’s so much you can do with a seasons storytime! You can center on sequence (what season comes after another), clothing throughout the different seasons, nature’s changes, or even what activities animals and humans do in the different seasons.
Introduction: In this storytime, I put an emphasis on learning the four seasons and talk very generally about them. I make sure to highlight one or two small things about them before diving into the stories. I start by asking what they know about the seasons before singing our hello song.
Sign of the Day: I taught the four season signs from the following video. Throughout the storytime, I also added the sign for “Season.” By the end of storytime, many of the kids could repeat at least two of the signs.
Book: Come Next Season by Kim Norman
This is a beautiful, but LONG, book. I take just a couple pages from each season to introduce some of the things we do in each so that kids can connect that to their own experiences and put to words when, why, and how they did an activity. This one is just kind of the basic intro into all four seasons. For a fun game, you could not say the season, but read the rest of the page and have the kids guess what season the activities are taking place in.
Song: Seasons in a Year (Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It)
There are four seasons in a year (clap clap)
There are four seasons in a year (clap clap)
Winter Spring Summer Fall
Now stop and say them all
Winter Spring Summer Fall
In the Winter we wear a coat (clap clap)
In the Spring flowers start to grow (clap clap)
In the summer it is hot
In the fall the leaves will drop
Winter Spring Summer Fall!
Book: Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
I love this book of Henkes’! It combines a good deal of concrete seasonal happenings centered around the old bear, but also has plenty of creativity and imagination as the bear dreams.
Song with Felt: Seasonal Clothes Song (Tune: Wheels on the Bus). I tell the kids we’re about to talk about clothes we wear in each season. I have a felt piece of each article of clothing and one by one pull them out and have the kids identify them. Then we talk about what seasons they might be good for. After we’ve identified them and what parts of our bodies they go on, we make up movements to go with each for the song. It’s usually clapping or waving our hands, stomping our feet, tilting our heads back and forth, and giving ourselves a hug.
The mittens on my hands, keep me warm,
Keep me warm, keep me warm,
The mittens on my hands, keep me warm,
All winter long!
The rainboots on my feet, keep me dry,
Keep me dry, keep me dry,
The rainboots on my feet, keep me dry,
All Spring long!
The hat on my head keeps me in shade
keeps me in shade keeps me in shade
The hat on my head keeps me in shade
All Summer long!
The scarf on my neck, keeps me snug,
Keeps me snug, keeps me snug,
The scarf on my neck, keeps me snug,
All Fall long!
Book: Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
This book is always a hit due to its interactive, silly nature! The kids love helping the tree do magic as they “tap” (I have them tap the air) and leaves appear, change colors, etc!
Closing: We say goodbye with our traditional song, Tickle the Clouds
More Books to Check Out:
Librarian Ginny 