LIBRARY BLOG
Story Time at Home: Pirates
Ahoy, mateys! Have you’ve been missing story time at the library? Well, we have been missing you! Since we aren’t able to gather together in person to share our favorite books, songs, and activities, we’ve put together story times that you can do right in the comfort of your living room!
Each month we will search high and low for great books and songs for babies and toddlers and PreK to third graders. In celebration of Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th, this month’s theme will take you on adventures on the high seas searching for treasure as we read and sing about pirates!
Below we’ve listed our favorite swashbuckling tales for babies to toddlers and PreK to third graders, along with finger plays, songs, and a craft for each age group. We’ve even included a fun language game for you to try.
And if you want to learn how to really talk like a pirate, check out our free language learning software, Mango Languages. Mango offers over seventy different languages to choose from and all you need is a device with access to the internet and your library card. Start learning today at bit.ly/terrebonnemango.
We hope you enjoy your story time at home and can’t wait to see you all back at the library!
Books for Babies and Toddlers
Books for PreK and Up
Fingerplays and Songs
Baby Shark
Baby shark, doot, doot, doot, doot, (open and close thumb and fingers)
baby shark, doot, doot, doot, doot. (open and close thumb and fingers)
Brother shark, doot, doot, doot, doot, (open and close hands, palms touching)
Brother shark, doot, doot, doot, doot. (open and close hands, palms touching)
Mama shark, doot, doot, doot, doot, (open and close arms, elbows touching)
Mama shark, doot, doot, doot, doot. (open and close arms, elbows touching)
Daddy shark, doot, doot, doot, doot, (open and close arms really wide)
Daddy shark, doot, doot, doot, doot. (open and close arms really wide)
Now we swim, doot, doot, doot, doot, (swimming motions)
now we swim, doot, doot, doot, doot. (swimming motions)
From the shark, doot, doot, doot, doot, (backstroke motions)
from the shark, doot, doot, doot, doot. (backstroke motions)
GOTCHA!!! (tickle each other’s bellies
If You’re a Pirate and You Know It
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck, swish, swish. (pretend to mop the floor)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck, swish, swish. (pretend to mop the floor)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, then you’ll hear the sea winds blowin’.
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck, swish, swish. (pretend to mop the floor)
Verses Two and Three:
If you’re a pirate and you know it, walk the plank (stomp, stomp)…
If you’re a pirate and you know it, say ahoy, “Ahoy!” (salute)…
The One-Eyed Pirate
The one-eyed pirate, (cover one eye)
he’s fierce and he’s tough. (clench fists and scowl)
He digs for buried treasure, (digging motion)
but it’s never enough. (shake head)
He lives one a ship (hold up hand, palm facing you)
Way out on the sea (rock other hand under the boat)
Way out on the sea. (rock other hand under the boat)
His parrot is his only friend, (perch hand on opposite shoulder)
except for me! (point to self)
A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea. (salute at each “sea”)
to see what he could see, see, see. (point to eyes at each “see”)
But all that he could see, see, see (point to eyes at each “see”)
was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea. (salute at each “sea”)
Ten Little Pirates
Ten little pirates stood in a row. (hold up all ten fingers)
They bowed to their captain so. (lower and raise fingers)
They marched to the left (march hands to the left)
They marched to the right (march hands to the right)
They shouted yoo hoo! (cup hands over mouth)
And gave their captain a fright. (act scared, cover mouth with hands)
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Hunting for Doubloons!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re hunting for doubloons. (hand over eye, searching)
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re hunting for doubloons. (hand over eye, searching)
If you’d like to take a trip, climb aboard my pirate ship. (climbing motion)
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re hunting for doubloons. (hand over eye, searching)
5, 4, 3, 2, 1…AHOY!
Parrot Craft for Babies and Toddlers
Supplies:
- a piece of construction or copy paper
- washable paint
- googly eye
- stick glue
- feathers
Directions:
- Paint your child’s foot and press it on to the paper.
- Using a paintbrush or finger, paint the rest of the parrot (beak, feet, etc.).
- Let the paint dry.
- Glue the googly eye onto the head of the parrot.
- Glue feathers onto the tail part.
Parrot Craft for PreK and Up
Game Time
Pick a favorite song and use our own words to turn into a song about pirates! Just like “If You’re a Pirate and You Know It” takes the familiar song “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and makes it new. Using a familiar rhythm is comforting for the kids and allows them to pick up new words easily.
– Naomi Hurtienne Magola, Youth Services Librarian, and Gretchen Avet, Youth Services Clerk