Tap, tap, tap goes the woodpecker (Children make a beak using their thumb and first finger.) As he pecks a hole in a tree (Children make a ‘tree’ with their other arm and taps on it with their ‘beak.’) He is making a house with a window To peep at you and me (Children form…

Animals Underground By Lucia Kemp Henry Here is the mole that lives underground. (Close eyes and put hands under your chin.) Here are the ants in their underground town. (Use fingers to scurry on the back of the other hand.) Here is a mouse in her warm little den. (Wrap arms around torso.) Here are…

Turtle This is a turtle (make a fist with one hand) He lives in a shell He likes his home Very, very well He pokes his head out when he wants something to eat (stick out your thumb) And puts it back in when he goes to sleep (fold the thumb back in) There Once…

(Sung to the tune of “Noble Duke of York”) The queen of all the ants, she had 10,000 men She marched them up the hill and she marched them down again (slap hands on thighs) And when they’re up, they’re up (stand up) And when they’re down, they’re down (sit down) But when they’re only…

I saw an owl He sat in a tree He opened one eye He winked at me. Activity provided by: Fontenelle Forest 1111 N. Bellevue Blvd. Bellevue, NE 68005 fontenelleforest.org 2015

(sung to “Clementine”) It’s like magic, seasons changing Summer, fall to winter, spring Summer, fall to winter, spring Changing seasons can be seen In the summer sun is shining Butterflies dancing on a breeze Insects buzzing, fish a jumping Little fawns run through the trees In the fall time days get colder Geese are flying…

Up high in the sky The little birds fly And down in the nest The little birds rest With a wing on the left And a wing on the right The little birds sleep All through the night (shhh…..they’re sleeping!) Then up comes the sun And the dew falls away Good Morning! Good Morning! The…

Sung to the tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home The ants go softly ’round and ’round. Sh! Sh! The ants go softly ’round and ’round. Sh! Sh! The ants go softly ’round and ’round, They creep and crawl upon the ground, And they all move closer, Eyeing the picnic feast Activity provided by: Story…

Snakes can’t open and close their eyes now that’s a surprise. (Child points to their eyes.) Snakes have no ears like you and me. They listen through their bones for sounds you see. (Child points to their ears.) You smell with your nose. A snake smells with its tongue. Its tongue goes in and out…

Sammy snail is slowly moving See him slide across the grass He leaves a silver path behind him We all know when he has passed. Sammy snail is never worried Though he wanders far and wide For on his back his house he carries And when he’s tired he pops inside. Activity provided by: Fontenelle…

Yellow and black are my eyes (Child points to their eyes.) My four green legs are just the right size (Child holds up four fingers) My body has black spots, lots and lots (Child points to imaginary spots all over their body) I swing my tail that’s covered with dots. (Child makes swinging motions with…

I’m a little pumpkin orange and round (The child joins their hands out in front of their tummy to make a round pumpkin shape.) Here is my stem and there is the ground (The child touches their head with a closed fist to make a stem then points to the ground.) When you come and…

Over in the meadow in a pond in the sun Lived an old mother duck and her little duck one Quack said the mother, quack said the one And they quacked and were happy in the pond in the sun Over in the meadow in a stream so blue Lived an old mother fish and…

Raccoon, raccoon, what do you see? “I see ripe berries ready for me.” Barred owl, barred owl, what do you see? “I see little mice ready for me.” Striped skunk, striped skunk, what do you see? “I see juicy insects ready for me.” Little mouse, little mouse, what do you see? “I see lots of…

My friend tree, my friend tree Roots on you are like feet on me. My friend tree, my friend tree Trunk on you is like trunk on me. My friend tree, my friend tree Bark on you is like skin on me. My friend tree, my friend tree Branches on you are like arms on…

My deer is very tall, (Ask the children to stand tall.) His antlers touch the sky, (The children make antlers with their hands.) They make a very good resting place, For birdies passing by! (The adult pretends that their hand is a bird and lands on the child’s “antlers”.) Activity provided by: Fontenelle Forest 1111…

Here is my turkey. (Hold up hand with fingers stretched apart and thumb at the side.) Listen he will speak. (Ask your child to say, “gobble, gobble, gobble”.) These are my feathers. (Your child wiggles their fingers.) This is my beak. (Your child wiggles their thumb.) Thanksgiving is for sharing and having fun. For you…

Ten little eggs on leaves all about (show ten fingers spread out) Look, there are caterpillars starting to come out (wiggle fingers) First they will eat ‘cause their life’s not complete (make hands move in eating motion) Next a chrysalis they’ll try (put one fist on top of the other) And we know why They’ll…

I stuck my head in a little skunk’s hole The little skunk said, “Well bless my soul Take it out Take it out Remove it.” Well I didn’t take it out and the little skunk said, “If you don’t take it out you’ll wish you had Take it out Take it out Remove it.” PHSSHHHSHSHHSH…

Fall The leaves are green, and the nuts are brown, They hang so high they will never fall down, Leave them alone till the bright fall weather And then they will all come down together Leaves are Floating Down Leaves are floating softly down (Flutter fingers) They make a carpet on the ground (Spread hands…

(sung to London Bridges) I’m a ladybug, yes I am, yes I am, yes I am I’m a ladybug, yes I am I’m good for your garden! Tiny aphids suck plant juice, suck plant juice, suck plant juice (make sucking noises) Tiny aphids suck plant juice They’re bad for your garden! I eat aphids, yum,…

I see the wind when the leaves dance by. (dance hands around) I see the wind when the trees wave “Hi!” (wave hand) I see the wind when the kites fly by. (raise arms high) I see the wind when the clouds float up high. (wave hand gently) I see the wind when it blows…

(Played like the “Farmer in the Dell”) The acorn’s on the tree The acorn’s on the tree Hi-ho the oak tree grows The acorn’s on the tree The acorn falls kerplop The acorn falls kerplop Hi-ho the oak tree grows The acorn falls kerplop The squirrel plants the seed The squirrel plants the seed Hi-ho…

(tune “Have You Ever Seen a Lassie”) Have you ever seen a tadpole, a tadpole, a tadpole? Have you ever seen a tadpole with a long fat tail? Have you ever seen a tadpole, a tadpole, a tadpole? Have you ever seen a tadpole with just two back legs? Have you ever seen a tadpole,…

The groundhog poked his head up And peeking all around Saw his little shadow Lying on the ground The groundhog knew that winter Would last for six weeks more And so he pulled himself back down Inside his little door Activity provided by: Fontenelle Forest 1111 N. Bellevue Blvd. Bellevue, NE 68005 www.fontenelleforest.org 2015

Grey squirrel, grey squirrel swoosh your bushy tail. Grey squirrel, grey squirrel swoosh your bushy tail. Hold a nut between your toes. Wrinkle up your little nose. Grey squirrel, grey squirrel swoosh your bushy tail. Mommy squirrel, mommy squirrel swoosh your bushy tail. Mommy squirrel, mommy squirrel swoosh your bushy tail. Hold a nut between…

I See the Green Grass I see the green grass (look down and point to the ground) Under my feet (lift up one foot at a time) It tickles my toes (wiggle toes) And it smells so sweet (Sniff and smile) It feels so soft (Stroke arm with finger tips) Like a bed, you know…

Little Brown Seed I’m a little brown seed in the ground Rolled up in a tiny ball (sitting on heels, on the floor, drop head over knees) I’ll wait for the rain and sunshine (same position, place arms over head and wiggle fingers downward for rain, then place both hands in a large circle over…

From Ranger Rick Naturescope, Wading Into Wetlands (Sing to the tune of Froggie Went A-Courtin’ ) Froggie was a-floatin’ in a big ol’ pond, uh-huh Froggie was a-floatin’ in a big ol’ pond, uh-huh He was one black spot in a jelly glob; One small egg in a great big blob, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. Soon…

5 little ducks went swimming one day Over the pond and far away Mother duck said, “quack quack, quack quack” And 4 little ducks came swimming back 4 little ducks went swimming one day Over the pond and far away Mother duck said, “quack quack, quack quack” And 3 little ducks came swimming back 3…

Ask the children to form a circle, let one child be the fish in the middle 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Once I caught a fish alive (Have the fish swim around the circle) 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Then I let it go again. (Have the fish swim out of the circle and choose…

Have you ever been fishin’ on a bright and sunny day? With all the little fishies swimmin’ up and down the bay With your hands in your pockets and your pockets in your pants All the little fishies do the hoochie-koochie dance! Extended version: Tra-la-la-la-la Tra-la-la-la-la Tra-la-la-la-la Tra-la-la-la-la With your hands in your pockets and…

I’m a Little Fishy Sung to “I’m a Little Teapot” I’m a little fishy, I can swim Here is my tail, here is my fin When I want to have fun with my friends I wiggle my tail and dive right in Three Silver Fish Sung to “Three Blind Mice” Three silver fish, three silver…

Play Billy B.’s song Do the Dragonfly and dance around the room like dragonflies. Have the children stretch out their arms like the wings of the dragonfly. Activity provided by: Story County Conservation Board Nature Boxes for Early Childhood Educators Debbi Williams 56461 180th St. Ames, IA 50010 Story County Conservation 2015

Dinosaurs Subtracting Numbers (Use dinosaur cutouts, puppets, or felt pieces.) Five enormous dinosaurs let out a roar. (ROAR!) One went away, and then there were four. Four enormous dinosaurs crash down a tree. (CRASH!) One went away, and then there were three. Three enormous dinosaurs eat tiger stew. (SLURP!) One went away, and then there…

Chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee Chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee Chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee See that little chickadee Way up in that big oak tree Always hopping, never stopping Funny little chickadee Activity provided by: Story County Conservation Linda R. F. Zaletel 56461 180th Street Ames, IA 50010 Story County Conservation 2015

(Sung to Frere Jacques) Little egg, little egg On your leaf, on your leaf Growing very quickly, growing very quickly What will you be? What will you be? Funny caterpillar, funny caterpillar Wearing stripes, wearing stripes Eating, eating, eating; Eating, eating, eating Milkweed leaves, milkweed leaves Magic chrysalis, magic chrysalis Green and gold, green and…

There was a bunny who lived in the wood. He wiggled his ears as a good bunny should. (Make bunny with fingers) He hopped by a squirrel (Take one jump down your arm) He hopped by a tree (Take another jump) He hopped by a duck (Take another jump) And he hopped by me (Take…

Oh, I’m being eaten By a boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, I’m being eaten by a boa constrictor, And I don’t like it–one bit. Well, what do you know? It’s nibblin’ my toe. Oh, gee, It’s up to my knee. Oh my, It’s up to my thigh. Oh, fiddle, It’s up to…

Six Little Ducks Six little ducks that I once knew Fat ones, skinny ones, short ones, too But the one little duck with the feather on his back He lead the others with his quack, quack, quack! Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack! He lead the others with his quack, quack, quack! Activity provided by:…

Bees Here is the beehive, where are the bees? (Hold two hands together.) Hidden away where nobody sees. (Shake head no.) Now they come creeping out of the hive: One, two, three, four, five, buzzzzzzz (Count out each finger, buzz, and fly.) The Buzzing Busy Bee The bee is such a busy soul. She buzzes…

Be kind to your web-footed friends, For a duck may be somebody’s mother Be kind to your friends in the swamp Where the weather is always cold and damp Well you may think that this is the end And it is Activity provided by: Story County Conservation Linda R. F. Zaletel 56461 180th Street Ames,…

Five Nocturnal Animals Five nocturnal animals. Sitting by the door. The firefly flashed away. And then there were four. Four nocturnal animals. Sitting by the tree. The beaver started gnawing. Then there were three. Three nocturnal animals. Sat on tractor new. Bat hung upside down. Then there were two. Two nocturnal animals. Looking for some…

I have a little turtle (put hands together in a fist) He lives in a box (make a box with both hands) He swims in the water (make swimming motions) And he climbs on the rocks (use your fingers to crawl up your arm) He snapped at a minnow (clap hands) He snapped at a…