Story Time – Aladdin’s Magic Lamp

Story Time – Aladdin’s Magic Lamp

Story Time – Aladdin’s Magic Lamp

Story Time – Aladdin’s Magic Lamp

10:30 am ONLINE on Facebook – ages 2 to 5

Higity, pigity, bing bang boo! The genie has a wish for you! This week in Story Time, we read Aladdin and his Magic Lamp. If you could wish for something, what would it be? There are many ways to make wish. How will you do it? Find out with some of these books we read. Or perhaps you can make your own wish come true.

Early Literacy Tip and Activity:

Tip

Learning to subtract and add can be fun if you use a book with base ten as a counting activity. Help your child to see the different combination sets on their fingers all equal ten.

Activity

Read “Ten Magic Butterflies” or another counting book while using your fingers to make addition combinations. Then go on a “counting walk” and see how many addition combinations you can find that equal ten.

Books Presented

Mary Engelbreit’s Nursery and Fairy Tales Collection
by Mary Engelbreit

Charmingly illustrated in resplendent color, Mary Engelbreit’s enchanting nursery and fairy tales are brought to life in this remarkable treasury.

Find it in Our Catalog

Ten Magic Butterflies
by Danica McKellar

  One by one, ten flowers ask a fairy to turn them into butterflies for a night of magical flying, demonstrating to readers the different ways to group numbers to create ten.

Find it in Our Catalog

The Wish Tree
by Kyo Maclear

In winter Charles and his trusty toboggan set out to find the wish tree, and along the way he helps to make the wishes of his friends Squirrel, Fox, and Beaver come true.

Find it in Our Catalog

I Wish You More
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

In simple text and pictures, the author and illustrator create a compendium of small daily moments.

Find it in Our Catalog

Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays

Flannel Board: Five Birthday Candles

5 birthday candles, wish there were more, blow out one (blow), and then there are 4
4 birthday candles, pretty as can be, blow out one (blow), and then there are 3
3 birthday candles, mother bought them new, blow out one (blow), and then there are 2
2 birthday candles, birthday cakes are fun, blow out one (blow), and then there is 1
1 birthday candle, a birthday wish is fun, but blow out one, then there are none!

– Nikarella.wordpress.com

Cut and Tell Story: The Fisherman and His Wife

Crafts and Activities

Download this coloring page or color online!

See how many wished you can make with this Cotton Bud Dandelion picture. These wishes last forever!

Additional Books

Foxy
by Emma Dodd

  Emily is worried about starting school for the first time, but Foxy waves his magic tail to provide what she needs to be ready–after a few mistakes along the way.

Find it in Our Catalog

I Wished for a Unicorn
by Robert Heidbreder

A bear and a boy who both love exploring learn to share their adventures together.

Find it in Our Catalog

The Fisherman and His Wife

From

Aladdin and the Magic Lamp by A Vintage Author

Find More Posts:

November 2025 Kids ‘n’ Tweens Programs

Story Time and Early Literacy Start your little ones on their reading journey with age-appropriate stories, songs, and activities! Book Babies is for infants not yet walking. Toddler Time is for walking littles 1-3 years old. Story Time is for preschoolers ages 3-5....

Story Time: Something NEW Just for YOU in October

Did you know Halloween can be turned into a spook-tacular literacy activity for you and your child? Read Halloween books to introduce new words and foster a love for reading. Try describing your favorite Halloween characters and put them into a play or story. Play...

Story Time: M is for Moon

Buckle up for a thrilling journey to the moon! Join your little astronaut on an out-of-this-world adventure with our collection of silly, fun, and fact-filled books! Each page is a new discovery, each story a new mission. And don't forget the exciting activities that...

Story Time: M is for Monsters

Monster books can be magical because they help children understand differences, their feelings, and their emotions. They allow children to explore and overcome fears in a safe environment, helping them build emotional strength and problem-solving skills. So, check out...

Story Time: M is for Magic

Abracadabra, Alakadoon. When I say KAZAM, you’ll all be baboons! KAZAM! Magic isn’t just about tricks. The world of magic can tap into your child’s innate sense of wonder and curiosity. It is a world of possibilities and can foster imagination, problem solving skills,...

October Activities for Kids ‘n’ Tweens

Story Time and Early Literacy Start your little ones on their reading journey with age-appropriate stories, songs, and activities! Weekly Schedule: Mondays: Toddler Time 9:30 AM | Spanish Story Time 10:30 AM (No early literacy programs Mon. Oct. 6) Tuesdays: Toddler...

Story Time: A is for Alphabet

I have 26 members, but no family. I start with A and end with Z, but you won't find me in a zoo. What am I? Of course, I am the alphabet! Help your child discover language through letter recognition and their accompanying sounds. Try beginning with your child’s name...

Story Time: A is for Apples

Imagine a vibrant, red apple, shining like a jewel under the sun. The letter 'A' stands tall and proud, just like the apple on the branch. 'A' is the first letter of the alphabet, just as the apple is the first fruit many children learn about. Its bright color catches...

Story Time: A is for Armadillo

Sometimes, both children and adults may hesitate to engage with non-fiction books, finding them too challenging, boring, or uninteresting. However, non-fiction books play a crucial role in helping children connect with and understand the world around them, expand...

Story Time: A is for Alligator

Did you know that alligators are big lizards that live in muddy water places like swamps and rivers? They can grow as large as a school bus! Alligators also have a strong tail that helps them swim really fast, almost as fast as a car. They have a special eye cover...

Story Time – Goldilocks Measures Things

Story Time – Goldilocks Measures Things

Story Time – Goldilocks Measures Things

Story Time – Goldilocks Measures Things

10:30 am ONLINE on Facebook – ages 2 to 5

This week for story time we had a special guest – Goldilocks! Goldilocks loves to measure things. We learned how to use different units of measurement to see whether things are small, medium, or large.

Early Literacy Tip and Activity:

Tip

Learning through play is relaxed, fun & creative. Through a single enjoyable activity. you child can learn about following directions, taking turns, and showing appreciation to others, all skills that are necessary for healthy development.

- Lambert

Activity

Recite the “Hickory, Dickory, Dare,” rhyme while holding a small, stuffed bear or a beanbag. Throw the bear up in the air and catch it. Then give your child a chance to toss the bear. Very young children might need a parent to guide their hands as they toss the animal. Make sure to clap and congratulate her efforts. This is a great family activity where everyone can clap for and encourage each other.

Books Presented

The Three Bears
by Paul Galdone

Three bears return from a walk and find a little girl asleep in the little wee bear’s bed.

Find it in Our Catalog

I Thought This was a Bear Book
by Tara Lazar

Prince Zilch from Planet Zero crash lands in the Three Bears story, and it is up to baby bear to figure out a way to get him back to his own book.

Find it in Our Catalog

  The little mouse, the red ripe strawberry, and the big hungry bear / El ratoncito, la fresa roja y madura y el gran oso hambriento

por Don y Audrey Wood; traducido por Teresa Mlawer

El ratoncito hara cualquier cosa para evitar que el gran oso hambriento le quite su fresa.

Encuéntralo en nuestro catálogo

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear
by Don and Audrey Wood

Little Mouse worries that the big, hungry bear will take his freshly picked, ripe, red strawberry for himself.

Find it in Our Catalog

A Den is a Bed for a Bear
by Becky Baines

Welcome to the snug world of bear dens. Kids will explore these intriguing places, and find our how, when, and why they are used.

Find it in Our Catalog

Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon
If you want to take a trip, Climb aboard my rocket ship
Zoom, zoom, zoom I’m going to the moon!

Far, far far, We’re going to the stars…

Fun, fun, fun, We’re going to the sun…

Hickory Dickory Dare

Hickory Dickory Dare.
The bear flew up in the air!
The man in brown soon brought him down,
Hickory Dickory Dare.

– Traditional

Three Brown Bears

(To the tune of Three Blind Mice)

Three brown bears, three brown bears.
See all their beds, see all their chairs.
The mommy cooked in a big brown pot.
The daddy’s porridge was much too hot,
The baby bear always cried a lot.
Three brown bears.

– Jocolibrary.org

Crafts and Activities

Assemble this Goldilocks and the Three Bears puzzle online!

Create your own Goldilocks story with the template available below!

Make and eat this tasty bear toast snack!

Make this bear headband!

Additional Books

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
as retold by Mo Willems

Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs. They were definitely not setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl. Definitely not!

Find it in Our Catalog

Explorers of the Wild
by Cale Atkinson

A bear and a boy who both love exploring learn to share their adventures together.

Find it in Our Catalog

Story Time – July 7th 2020

Story Time – July 7th 2020

Story Time – July 7th 2020

Story Time – July 7th, 2020

10:30 am ONLINE on Facebook – ages 2 to 5

We met Mr. Pig and Mr. Wolf in story time this week. They helped us act out the familiar fairy tale, “The Three Little Pigs.” See if you can remember the story, too. Print off the stick puppets from the link below, color and cut them out, and create your own puppet show!

Early Literacy Tip and Activity:

Tip

As children mature, they realize that certain behaviors cause certain responses. Having good manners means responding politely to people when they address you, and this rhyme helps children practice polite greetings.

- Lambert

Activity

Try acting out the fingerplay, “Two Fat Gentlemen.” Start by holding your fists behind your back with your thumbs extended. Then move your thumbs appropriately while reciting the rhyme. You may want to put small rounds sticker at the end of each thumb. You can also practice this rhyme with a friend saying, “How do you do?” to one another.

Books Presented

The Three Little Pigs
adapted by Mara Alperin

Three little pigs set off to build themselves new homes. But someone big and bad soon comes looking for a tasty piggy snack… Can the pigs outwit the wicked wolf?

Find it in Our Catalog

The Three Ninja Pigs
by Corey Rosen Schwartz

In this twist on “The Three Little Pigs,” Pig One and Two neglect their ninja school martial arts training and are no match for the wolf, but Pig Three’s practice and dedication saves the day. Includes glossary of Japanese martial arts terms.

Find it in Our Catalog

Si Le Haces una Fiesta a una Cerdita
por Laura Numeroff; traducido por Teresa Mlawer

Una cosa lleva a otra cuando le das a un cerdo una fiesta.

Encuéntralo en nuestro catálogo

If You Give a Pig a Party
by Laura Numeroff

One thing leads to another when you give a pig a party.

Find it in Our Catalog

Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays

The Tail of the Pig

(sung to The Wheels on the Bus)

The tail of the pig curls round and round
Round and round, round and round
The tail of the pig curls round and round
All through the mud!

The mouth of the pig goes oink oink oink
Oink oink oink, oink oink oink
The mouth of the pig goes oink oink oink
All through the mud!

The nose of the pig goes root root root
Root root root, root root root
The nose of the pig goes root root root
All through the mud!

The hooves of the pig go run run run
Run run run, run run run
The hooves of the pig go run run run
All through the mud!

The ears of the pig go twitch twitch twitch
Twitch twitch twitch, twitch twitch twitch
The ears of the pig go twitch twitch twitch
All through the mud!

– Storytimehooligans.wordpress.com

If You’re Happy, Howl at the Moon 

If you’re happy and you know it, howl at the moon,
If you’re happy and you know it, howl at the moon,
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, howl at the moon.
Aaaaaawwwooooooo!

– Sunflowerstorytime.com

Fingerplay: Two Fat Gentlemen

Met in a glen
Bowed most politely
And bowed once again
“How do you do?”
And “How do you do?”
And “How do you do?” again

“How do you do?”
And “How do you do?”
And “How do you do?” again

– Traditional

Fingerplay: Five Little Piggies

“It’s time for my piggies to go to bed,” the great big mother piggy said.
“So I will count them first to see if all my piggies came back to me.
One little piggy, two little piggies, three little piggies dear
Four little piggies, five little piggies, — yes, they’re all here!”

– Preschool Rainbow

Craft Activities

Print out this three little pigs coloring page or color online!

Create your own three little pigs puppet show with the template available below!

Additional Books

Mr. Pig’s Big Wall
by Glenn Hernández

Mr. Pig only wants to tend to his garden but his neighbor, Little Tortoise, wants him to play. Mr Pig resorts to extreme measures to ensure his privacy but it doesn’t work out like he planned…

Find it in Our Catalog

Suddenly!
by Colin McNaughton

Time after time, Preston the pig unknowingly outwits a hungry wolf that is trying to catch and eat him.

Find it in Our Catalog

Story Time – June 30, 2020

Story Time – June 30, 2020

Story Time – June 30, 2020

Story Time – June 30, 2020

10:30 am ONLINE on Facebook – ages 2 to 5

Has your child seen the giant beanstalk here in the library? We grew one in story time, too! Jack and the Beanstalk is a great story to talk about the things that a seed needs to grow, and it’s not just magic! There are also seeds like kindness, or anger, which will also grow if we feed them. Try some of the activities and books below with your child to see what kind of seeds you can grow.

Early Literacy Tip and Activity:

Tip

Some Nursery Rhymes help children develop narrative skills. Those skills will later help them understand what they read. Giving children aids, like flannel board pieces, help them to remember the sequence of a story and makes it easier for them to retell the story in the correct order. Try this at home!

Activity

Print off and cut out Jack and the Beanstalk flannel pieces. Velcro or magnet tape makes it easy to place them on a board, or you can tape them to a straw. Then read Jack and the Beanstalk with your child from a book or online, and have them retell the story in their own words using the flannel pictures as a prompt.

Books Presented

Jack and the Beanstalk
adapted by Mara Alperin

When Jack climbs up an enormous beanstalk, he discovers a giant’s castle high up in the clouds. But the giant like to eat little boys … How will Jack ever escape?

Find it in Our Catalog

From Seed to Plant
by Gail Gibbons

Explores the intricate relationship between seeds and the plants which they produce.

Find it in Our Catalog

Seeds
by Carme Lemniscates

Seeds harbor immense potential. Like seeds, we can cultivate and nurture something wonderful.

Find it in Our Catalog

We Are Growing!
by Laurie Keller

Walt is not the tallest or the curliest or the pointiest or even the crunchiest. A confounded blade of grass searches for his ‘est’ in this hilarious story about growing up.

Find it in Our Catalog

Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays

If You’re Jack and You Know it

If you’re Jack and you know it climb the beanstalk
If you’re Jack and you know it grab the hen (ba-kaw!)
If you’re Jack and you know it run away
If you’re Jack and you know it use your axe (chop chop!)
If you’re Jack and you know it take a rest

– Librarybonanza.com

Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill,
One named Jack and the other named Jill
Fly away Jack, fly away Jill,
Come back Jack and come back Jill!

– Pasadena-library.net

Here is a Giant

Here is a giant who is tall, tall, tall.
And here is an elf who is small, small small.
The elf who is small will try, try, try
To reach the giant who is high, high, high.

– Storytimesecrets.blogspot.com

The Grand Old Duke of York

The Grand Old Duke of York
The Grand Old Duke of York
He had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the top of the hill
And marched them down again!

And when they’re up, they’re up.
And when they’re down, they’re down.
And when they’re only half-way up,
They’re neither up nor down!

He marched them to the left
He marched them to the right.
He marched them to the top of the hill
And marched them out of sight.

– Traditional

Five Fat Peas

Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed (hold up five fingers)
One grew (hold up one finger)
Two grew (hold up two fingers)
And so did the rest (hold up the rest of your fingers)
They grew and they grew and they did not stop (open and shut hands)
Until one day, the pod went pop! (clap hands together on pop)

Craft Activities

Print out this Jack and the Beanstalk coloring page or color online!

This craft is a fun combination of a fairy tale and science experiment! It’s a great opportunity to teach children about what plants need in order to grow.

Count magic beans in this fun math activity!

Additional Books

There’s a Hole in my Garden
by James Stewart

A little boy shows what happens when he drops larger and larger objects, both in terms of size and imagination, down a mysterious hole that grows throughout the year in his garden.

Find it in Our Catalog

So You Want to Grow a Taco?
by Bridget Heos

A young boy learns about the many ingredients needed to make a taco, including how to grow corn and make tortillas.

Find it in Our Catalog

A Bean, a Stalk, and a Boy Named Jack
by William Joyce

A magic bean and an ordinary boy solve a royal problem for King Blah Blah Blah.

Find it in Our Catalog

Stinky Jack and the Beanstalk
by Steve Smallman

Learn the importance of being clean with this hilarious story about smelly Jack!

Find it in Our Catalog

Story Time June 23, 2020

Story Time June 23, 2020

Story Time June 23, 2020

Story Time – June 23, 2020

10:30 am ONLINE on Facebook – ages 2 to 5

 This week, we cooked up “royal” fairy tales with kings, queens, princes, princesses, and peas! So, get a spoon ‘n pot and cook up your own fairy tales with these “royal” books and activities.

Early Literacy Tip and Activity:

Tip

Using concept words with your children helps to expand their vocabulary. Children need a large vocabulary to be able to learn to read and, just as important, to understand what they read, We want them to learn not only that fire is hot and ice is cold but also that hot and cold are opposites. Concept words show relationships between things.

- Lambert

Activity

Recite “The Grand Old Duke of York.” Do it as a knee bounce, bringing knees up for “up” and down for “down,” and then read a book that introduces concepts, such as size, opposites, etc.

Books Presented

A Cooked-Up Fairy Tale
by Penny Parker Klostermann

A hapless young chef, hoping to impress workers at Fairy-Tale Headquarters, cooks some story ingredients he has found, and gives a new twist to familiar tales.

Find it in Our Catalog

Princess Truly
by Kelly Greenawalt

Truly’s magical, sparkling curls have the power to transport her to exciting new places. With curiosity, bravery, and her signature smarts, Princess Truly proves that she can do anything she sets her mind to.

Find it in Our Catalog

Waking Beauty
by Leah Wilcox

Prince Charming tries all sorts of silly ways to wake Sleeping Beauty before he learns how he is really supposed to wake her up.

Find it in Our Catalog

Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays

Castle Capers

I am the king of running,
I run and run and run.
My subjects all run with me,
And we have so much fun!

I am the prince of turning,
I turn and turn and turn.
My subjects all turn with me
It’s an easy thing to learn!

I am the princess of dancing,
I dance and dance and dance
My subjects all dance with me
And dance when they get the chance!

I am the Queen of jumping,
I jump and jump and jump.
My subjects all jump with me
And sit down with a bump.

-MissSarahStoryTime.blogspot.com

Queen Elsa’s Crowns

(To the tune of Mary Wore her Red Dress, using different colored crowns)

Queen Elsa wore her purple crown, purple crown, purple, crown.
Queen Elsa wore her purple crown, every Sunday!

– MissSarahStoryTime.blogspot.com

Curtsy Like a Princess/Bow Like a Prince

(Tune: Skip to My Lou)

Curtsy like a princess just like so
Curtsy like a princess just like so
Curtsy like a princess just like so
Curtsy like a princess!

Bow like a prince just like so…
Juggle like a jester just like so…
Fly like a fairy just like so…
Roar like a dragon, just like so…

– Storytimesecrets.blogspot.com

 

The Grand Old Duke of York

The Grand Old Duke of York
The Grand Old Duke of York
He had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the top of the hill
And marched them down again!

And when they’re up, they’re up.
And when they’re down, they’re down.
And when they’re only half-way up,
They’re neither up nor down!

He marched them to the left
He marched them to the right.
He marched them to the top of the hill
And marched them out of sight.

– Traditional

Five Fat Peas

Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed (hold up five fingers)
One grew (hold up one finger)
Two grew (hold up two fingers)
And so did the rest (hold up the rest of your fingers)
They grew and they grew and they did not stop (open and shut hands)
Until one day, the pod went pop! (clap hands together on pop)

Craft Activities

Print out this castle coloring page or color online.

Print out and play with these Cinderella finger puppets!

Decorate and wear a paper plate crown!

Additional Books

The Princess and the Pea
by Janet Stevens

  A young girl feels a pea through twenty mattresses and twenty featherbeds and proves that she is a real princess.

Find it in Our Catalog

The Queen’s Hat
by Steve Anthony

A sudden gust of wind takes the Queen’s favorite hat and blows it all over London, as the Queen’s men give chase.

Find it in Our Catalog

Story Time June 16, 2020

Story Time June 16, 2020

Story Time June 16, 2020

Story Time – June 16, 2020

10:30 am ONLINE on Facebook – ages 2 to 5

Summer Reading 2020 is here! We are going to “Imagine Your Story” this year. So, find your imagination, sprinkle magic dust, and you will find… Dragons! Madison Library District is open. Come on in and check out some of these books when you sign up for Summer Reading.

Early Literacy Tip and Activity:

Tip

A text-rich environment for preschoolers lays the groundwork for reading success. It’s not just about having books in the home, although that’s a great start. You can also start talking about letters, numbers, and words on packages and signs.

Activity

The letter-sound connection is one of the first steps to reading. Play a guessing game about your child’s favorite words. What letter does “p-p-p-pirate” start with? How about “M-m-mommy”? Once your child guesses one correctly, see how many words you can come up with together that start with the same letter.

Books Presented

There’s a Dragon in Your Book
by Tom Fletcher

OH NO! First, there’s an egg in your book. Then the cutest baby dragon you’ve ever seen hatches from it. But don’t tickle its nose, and whatever you do, don’t let it sneeze! ACHOO! OH MY!

Find it in Our Catalog

Real Dragons!
by Jennifer Szymanski

Think dragons exist only in fairy tales? Think again! Meet huge komodo dragons, flying lizards, and all sorts of amazing creatures that really are stranger than fiction.

Find it in Our Catalog

The One-Stop Story Shop
by Tracey Corderoy

One day, a brave knight sets out for the cave of a terrible dragon. But to his dismay, he learns that the dragon has gone on vacation. Then he discovers the One-Stop Story Shop, which just might be what he needs to finish his tale…but not exactly the way he had planned!

Find it in Our Catalog

Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays

Dragon Dragon

(To the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

Dragon dragon, dance around.
Dragon, dragon, touch the ground.
Dragon, dragon, shake your head.
Dragon, dragon, point to red.
Dragon, dragon, stamp your feet.
Dragon, dragon, run down the street.

Daniel the Dragon

I’m Daniel the Dragon.
My wings flip and flap.
I can change my colors
When I hear a loud CLAP!

Five Brave Knights

Five brave knights, here to save the day!
Along came a dragon, and carried one away.

(Continue counting down until there are no more knights)

No brave knights here to save the day.
They’re all in the castle, and there they will stay!

-Pasadena-library.net

Ten Dizzy Dragons

Ten dizzy dragons lived long, long ago.
In a land filled with magic where few people can go.

The first dragon wore a garland of flowers.
The second dragon had strong magic powers.

The third dragon flew wildly through the air.
The fourth dragon lived in a jewel-filled lair.

The fifth dragon liked to blow pretty bubbles.
The sixth dragon rescued people in trouble.

The seventh dragon wore a crown made of gold.
The eighth dragon had a heart brave and bold.

The ninth dragon was very sad – he was a bit of a crier.
The tenth dragon breathed smoky red fire.

Ten dizzy dragons lived long, long ago.
In a land filled with magic where in your dreams you can go.

– Sunflowerstorytime.com

Fly Dragon, Fly

Fly, fly, dragon fly. Fly, fly, dragon fly.
Fly, fly, dragon fly. Way up in the sky

Hop, hop, dragon hop. Hop, hop, dragon hop.
Hop, hop, dragon hop, stop dragon stop!

Turn, turn, dragon turn. Turn, turn, dragon turn.
Turn, turn, dragon turn. Sit, dragon, sit!

– Jocolibrary.org

Little Dragon

Little dragon counts to three,
Little dragon bends one knee.
Little dragon touches his toes,
Little dragon touches his nose.
Little dragon makes a funny face,
Little dragon runs in place.
Little dragon lays on the floor,
Little dragon starts to snore.

– Storytimewithmisstara.blogspot.com

 

Craft Activities

Print out this dragon coloring page or color online.

Create a flying dragon paper airplane!

Create and wear a dragon mask!