Storytime: Friends

This storytime was for a preschool-aged group at my library.

Read Aloud Books

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend Written and illustrated by Dan Santat

This imaginary friend isn't going to wait around any longer for his child to pick him--he's going to journey to the real world! Really, the reason I chose to do this storytime was because of this book. I LOVE this illustrations. I love showing them off to the kids. I love it. I may have been more excited than the kids, but they still listened!

My New Friend Is So Fun! Written and illustrated by Mo Willems

What's a storytime without Gerald and Piggie? Or in this case, Piggie's new friend Brian Bat! Is Gerald being replaced? These books are genius. They show emotion and dialogue simply, so even the littlest kids can understand what is going on. Plus, they're hilarious. Totally got the kids laughing with this one.

Boy + Bot Written by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

Boy meets robot. They become friends. But what happens when the robot's switch accidentally gets hit off? Okay first of all: you get to read in a robot voice. What is better than that? Second, they end up being best of friends and everyone now wants a robot. Including me.

Songs and Rhymes

Hello Song

Song: If You're Friendly

(Tune: If you're happy and you know it)

If you're friendly and you know it,

clap your hands.

If you're friendly and you know it,

clap your hands.

If you're friendly and you know it,

then you really want to show it,

If you're friendly and you know it,

clap your hands!

Fingerplay: “Two Little Friends” 

(hold up fingers as you go)

Two little friends are better than one,

And three are better than two

And four are much better still

Just think! What four little friends can do!

(we did this on both hands and then 

counted all of them together)

Song: The More We Get Together

The more we get together

together, together

The more we get together

The happier we’ll be

‘Cause your friends are my friends

And my friends are your friends

The more we get together

the happier we’ll be

(we did this song with sign language)

Goodbye Song

Games and Activities

Felt: Gerald and Piggie play hide and seek!

It was only a matter of time before my love of Elephant & Piggie turned itself into a felt story. In this case, we played our very favorite game (are you sick of it yet?) of hide-and-seek.

Piggie hid behind one of the books and all of us had to help Gerald find her. So I the kids call out which color book we should look behind, and then we said this little rhyme:

"Piggie, piggie, where do you hide?
Are you behind the ___ book? Let's peek inside!"

And I'd peel off the book to reveal (or not) Piggie's hiding spot. We kept going until we found Piggie! We also took this as an opportunity to practice our colors in sign language.

Here are the files to print:


Craft: Friend Portrait!

We have so many many packs of Wikki Stix at my library. And so we made fun little portraits today. Or whatever the kids were in the mood for. But any artistic medium works!

Other Book Ideas

YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND! Written and illustrated by Peter Brown

Ribbit Rabbit Written by Candace Ryan, illustrated by Mike Lowery

Friends Written and illustrated by Eric Carle

Gossie and Gertie Written and illustrated by Olivier Dunrea