We are dinosaur obsessed in my household. So, of course, I had to deep dive into a dino-themed storytime! The kiddos had so much fun with this one!
Here are the resources I prepped to use for both toddler and preschool storytimes.
Action Rhymes
“Be A Dinosaur”
Spread your arms, way out wide
Fly like a Pteranodon, soar and glide.
Bend to the floor, head down low
Move like a Stegosaurus, long ago
Reach up tall and try to be
Tall as a Brachiosaurus eating leaves on a tree
Using your claws, grumble and growl
Just like a Tyrannosaurus on the prowl
"Dinosaur Colors"
Use with dinosaur paper cutouts in red, blue, green, and yellow.
If your dinosaur is red, Put him on your head.
If your dinosaur is blue, Put her on your shoe,
If your dinosaur is green, Wave him so he’s seen.
If your dino is yellow, Smile like a happy fellow,
“Dinosaur, Dinosaur”
Spoken to the rhyme "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear"
Dinosaur, dinosaur, turn around
Dinosaur, dinosaur, touch the ground
Dinosaur, dinosaur, reach up high
Dinosaur, dinosaur, wink one eye
Dinosaur, dinosaur, touch your nose
Dinosaur, dinosaur, touch your toes
Dinosaur, dinosaur, slap your knees
Dinosaur, dinosaur, sit down please
"If You’re a TREX and You Know It"
Sung to "If You're Happy and You Know It"
If you're a TREX and you know it
wave your tiny arms.
If you're a TREX and you know it
wave your tiny arms.
If you're a TREX and you know it
And you really want to show it
If you're a TREX and you know it
wave your tiny arms.
... stomp your feet
... whack your tail
... give a roar
Books
Dinosaur by Simms Taback
One-Osaurus, Two-Osaurus by Kim Norman, illus. Pierre Collet-Derby
Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields
Fingerplays
“Two Little Pteranodons”
To the rhyme "There were two blackbirds sitting on a hill"
Two little Pteranodons
Sitting on hill
One named Jack
One named Jill
Fly away Jack
Fly away Jill
Come back Jack
Come back Jill
...flying to and fro
... fast / slow
...gliding through a cloud
... soft / loud
Flannels
“5 Little Ankylosaurus”
Sung to “5 Little Ducks”
5 Little Ankylosaurus went out to play
In the late cretaceous period one day
Mama Ankylosaurus went thwack thwack thwack (with her tail)
And 4 little Ankylosaurus came back
...3...2..1...
No little Ankylosaurus went out to play
In the late cretaceous period one day
Mama Ankylosaurus went thwack thwack thwack (with her tail)
And all 5 little Ankylosaurus ran back!
"5 Gigantic Dinosaurs"
5 gigantic dinosaurs letting out a roar
One stomped away,
And then there were 4
4 gigantic dinosaurs munching on some leaves
One stomped away,
And then there were 3
3 gigantic dinosaurs making a hullabaloo (getting fresh hairdos)
One stomped away,
And then there were two
2 gigantic dinosaurs, having lots of fun
One stomped away,
And then there was one
1 gigantic dinosaur, getting sleepy in the sun
She stomped away,
And then there were none.
Bye dinos!
Playlist
“We are the Dinosaurs” Laurie Berkner Band
How it Went
This is one of my most successful storytimes. Dinosaurs capture the imagination of little ones, and their enthusiasm is catching!
All the books I read were huge hits! I wanted to highlight One-osaurus, Two-osaurus, because I always try to incorporate as many numeracy skills as possible into my storytimes without it feeling repetitive. This title makes is a great read-aloud!
