Snow Sensory & Toddler Storytime
Movement, sound, and repetition, oh my! We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury is a storyteller’s dream and my favorite storytime book for exploring snow, weather, or bears. Pair it with one of these snow-themed storytime books, snowy songs, crafts, and sensory play ideas for more engagement and fun in your next Toddler or Sensory Storytime. Visit The Youth Desk’s Sensory Storytime page for additional songs and more detailed guidance.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
A family of five and their dog travel through long, wavy grass, a deep, cold river, a big, dark forest, a swirling, whirling snowstorm, and a narrow, gloomy cave in search of a bear. Along the way, the singsong refrain will delight listeners as much as the opportunities for swaying, stomping, tiptoeing, and more. Make your reading more interactive and accessible by adding elements, such as:
Nature Flannel/Magnet Pieces
Create flannel or magnet board versions of each obstacle the family faces (grass, water, mud, trees, snow, dark cave) and place them on the board as they appear in the story to help children follow along. These make a great reminder at the end of the book when the characters (and your attendees!) run back through each one.
Swishy Swashy Movement
The text includes excellent sounds for each obstacle (“swishy swashy,” etc.) and illustrations help guide corresponding movements (arms high and sway, etc.) children will enjoy performing. Movement examples include:
- Swishy swashy – Arms up high over the grass and sway side to side
- Splash splosh – Pretend to swim
- Squelch squerch – Stomp and slowly pull weighted feet up
- Stumble trip – Hands over eyes (it’s a dark forest!) and pretend to fall side to side
- Hoooo woooo – Sway arms high over head while making wind sounds
- Tiptoe – Tiptoe through the dark cave!
More Snow Sensory Storytime Books
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt pairs beautifully with these other storytime books. Supertruck is one of my favorites to round out a snow-themed storytime:
Snow Sensory Storytime Movement Songs
There’s Something in the Snow Puppet Rhyme
Hide puppets in a bucket or bag and pull each out when appropriate. Children love the suspense! If kiddos clamor to touch the puppets during or after the rhyme, let them know you’ll set them out during playtime at the end of storytime, and that the puppets need to rest (out of view) in their bucket until then. The original song “There’s Something in the Garden” can be found on SurLaLune Storytime.
There’s something in the snow, now what can it be?
There’s something in the snow that I can’t really see
I hear its funny sound…WHOO WHOO WHOO
An owl is what I found!
WOOF WOOF WOOF…dog
GRR GRR GRR…bear
Snowball Toss Song
Use fake snowballs (balls of white paper or these Soft Snowball Fight Balls) with this snowball version of Hap Palmer’s The Bean Bag Song:
Toss your snowball and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp stamp stamp
Toss your snowball and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp stamp stamp
Put it on your head and walk around the room
Walk around the room, walk around the room
Put it on your head and walk around the room
Walk around the room with me
Wave your snowball and stop
Turn around, turn around, stamp stamp stamp…
Blowing in the Wind (Snowflake Version)
Stephanie Leavell’s “Blowing in the Wind” scarf song lends itself beautifully to a snowflake version! Distribute snowballs or cardstock snowflakes to children to sway and dance along to the snowflake version I’ve written below.
Blowing in the wind, blowing in the wind
My snowflake is blowing in the wind
Falling down, falling down
With a woosh and plop
Dancing in the wind, dancing in the wind
My snowflake is dancing in the wind
Falling down, falling down
With a woosh and plop
Gather the snow, put it in a ball
Make it so, tiny and small
Gather the snow, put it in a ball
Now ready, set, throw!
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 up, I can not stay
Slowly, I just melt away
(Credit: Jbrary)
Hat, Coat, Pants, and Boots
Sing to the tune “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.”
Hat, coat, pants, and boots, pants and boots
Hat, coat, pants and boots, pants and boots
Mittens (wiggle hands), earmuffs (hands over ears), scarf (hands swipe neck), and we’re ready
Hat, coat, pants, and boots, pants and boots
Snow Sensory Play Activities
Ending Sensory Storytime with free play provides children and their caregivers with an excellent opportunity to explore and socialize. Here are great play activities to enjoy with We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and other snowy stories:
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Sensory Bottles
Fill plastic bottles with grass, mud, blue water, sticks, and cotton balls (or powdered sugar) to represent the different elements the characters experience in the story. Be sure to hot glue or duct tape the caps on each bottle! Visit the blog Teacher Types for more craft and activity ideas.
Snowballs
If you have the budget, this 30-pack of Snowball Fight Balls from Amazon is $16 and worth every penny, as you can use them in various winter-themed programs. Children like to hold, toss, and catch them. You can set out a pile of them or challenge kids to throw them into a bucket.
Puppets
Set out the animal puppets used in the storytime (Owl, Dog, Bear) for kiddos to enjoy.
Visit The Youth Desk’s Sensory Storytime page for more books, songs, crafts, and play ideas to incorporate into your next Sensory or Toddler Storytime!
