Cow Storytime 6/27/18

The rush of first-of-the-summer reading club registrations has ended, and it’s time for storytime to start back up.  This first week back, it was time for some cows!  The books I chose were The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson and Moo! by David LaRochelle.

The introductory song I chose for this session of storytimes was Alice the Camel.  Camel starts with C, as does Cow and Cookies!  So that was a great lead in for our first book.

After the book, we sang the song The Cows in the Barn.
 (Tune:  The Wheels on the Bus)
The cows in the barn go moo, moo, moo,
Moo, moo, moo; Moo, moo, moo.
The cows in the barn go moo, moo, moo,
All around the farm.

Additional Verses:
“The pigs in the pen go oink…”
“The hens in the coop go cluck..”
“The rooster on the fence goes cock-a-doodle-do”
“The ducks on the pond go quack…..”

Then we did the flannel Five Cows All Black and White (which can be sung to Five Green and Speckled Frogs)
Five cows all black and white
Chewed their cud from day to night
So they could give milk sweet and pure
Squirt! Squirt!
One left the barn one day
So she could find more hay
Then there were four cows all black and white.
Moo! Moo!

Down to…
One cow all black and white
Chewed her cud from day to night
So she could give milk sweet and pure
Squirt! Squirt!
She left the barn one day
So she could find more hay
Then there were no cows all black and white.
Boo Hoo!
Credit: PreKFun

Since everyone had their counting hands with them (I checked!), we did the fingerplay This Little Cow Eats Grass
(Touch each finger, like This Little Piggy)
This little cow eats grass.
This little cow eats hay.
This little cow looks over the bridge.
This little cow runs away.
And this little cow does nothing at all,
But lie in the fields all day!

Our next book was Moo!  I told the kids they could read it with me, and many of them did.  This is a great interactive book.  Our next flannel was Sleepy Cow, which can be a fingerplay, or a flannel.  I do it as a flannel.

Inside the barn, (peak hands like a roof)
Lying fast asleep, (lay cheek on hands, eyes closed)
Were a cow, (hold up one finger)
And a rooster, (hold up two fingers)
And three little sheep. (hold up five fingers)

In flew an owl (flap arms like wings)
With nothing to do.
Woke everyone up
With a loud,
“WHOO! WHOOO!”

(pause at the end of each line to allow children to make animal sounds)
The sheep said, “Baaa!”
The rooster, “Doodle-doo!”
The sleepy cow yawned (yawn, patting mouth)
And said, “Oh, Moo!”

We sang Come Home Cows after that (tune: Frere Jacque)
Come home cows.  Come home, cows.
Move this way.  Move this way.
Time to go inside, time to go inside
It’s the end of day, end of day.
adapted from Barbara Backer

I solemnly told the children that cows don’t always go into the barn to sleep.  Sometimes, they decide to party instead.  Sometimes, it’s a dance party!  I had everyone get into a circle, and we did the dance the cows do—the Cow Pokey!  You put your hooves in, horns, udders (your spread fingers sticking out from your tummy), and your swishy tail.  And that’s what it’s all about!