Book: Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin
[have kids clap loudly once for every "POP!"]
Action Rhyme: "Joe and the Button Factory," abridged
[Start off with kids already waving one hand]
Hi. My name is Joe. And I work in a button factory.
One day, my boss, she said to me,
"Are you busy, Joe?"
I said "No."
"Then you need to work with both hands."
...with your feet [both at once, not one at a time in two separate verses]
...with your head...
...with your tongue. "Are you busy, Joe?" And I said "YES."
Hi. My name is Joe. And I work in a button factory.
One day, my boss, she said to me,
"Are you busy, Joe?"
I said "No."
"Then you need to work with both hands."
...with your feet [both at once, not one at a time in two separate verses]
...with your head...
...with your tongue. "Are you busy, Joe?" And I said "YES."
[all chant while slapping thighs to the beat]
Button, button, who's got the button?
Button, button, is it...snail?
Book: Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter
Song [if have time for another recorded song]: "The Body Part Song" by Greg and Steve or "A Little Bit Up and Little Bit Down" by Michael and Jello
Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with B." Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: Buffalo! Baby! ("Let’s close it quietly. Baby’s napping"). Butterfly.
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Add-ins for a longer storytime:
Action Song: "I'm A Little Snowman"
I'm a little snowman
short and fat--
here are my buttons;
here is my hat.
When the sun comes out, then
you will see
I melt...til there's...no...more...of...me.
[do standing up, melt down to floor at end]
Book: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback [as first book]
