Where do elephants live? What kind of animals do you see at the zoo?
Stories:
1. Too Many Elephants in this House; by Ursula Dubosarsky; illustrated by Andrew Joyner; c. 2012A gorgeous tale about Eric and his many elephants. What can he do when his mother tells him there are too many?
Chosen as the 2014 National Simultaneous Storytime book, this book is a joy to read aloud, and the pictures are simply delightful.
There are lots of troubles with elephants - they stand on your feet, they take up too much room in the bath, they eat all the picnic food... Enjoy exploring more troubles with the fun illustrations, and see if you can think up a few of your own!
Also recommended:
1. Dear Zoo; by Rod Campbell; c. 1982
2. The Saggy Baggy Elephant; by Kathryn and Byron Jackson; illustrated by Gustaf Tenngren; c. 1947
3.Dumbo; by R H Disney; illustrated by Disney Storybook Artists; c. 1947
4. Elmer; by David McKee; c.1968
5. One Elephant Went Out to Play; illustrated by Sanja Rescek; c. 2008
Finger rhymes:
Circus
Elephant
Author unknown
A circus elephant I went to see (Hold hand over eyes like binoculars)
A circus elephant I went to see (Hold hand over eyes like binoculars)
He had
four legs and was bigger than me. (Hold up four fingers and then point to
self)
He had two ears big and round (Show two fingers and make a circle with hands)
And one long nose that made a sound errrrr (Make elephant trunk with arm)
He had two ears big and round (Show two fingers and make a circle with hands)
And one long nose that made a sound errrrr (Make elephant trunk with arm)
Author unknown
What is that
noise (cup hand to ear)
Up in the attic (point
over your head)
It is an
elephant (make a trunk with your
arm)
Cycling round and
round. (cycling motion with
legs)
It is an
elephant (make a trunk with your
arm)
All chic and
elegant (fashion model pose)
With one tail
here (make trunk with your
arm)
And one behind. (point
to where your tail would be if you had one!)
Five Gray Elephants
Author unknown
Five gray elephants, marching through the glade, (hold up five fingers on one hand, bounce like marching)
Decide to stop and play like they are having a parade. (stop bouncing)
The first swings his trunk and announces he'll lead; (swing arm like a trunk)
The next waves a flag which of course they need. (wave a pretend flag)
The third gray elephant trumpets a song; (trumpet)
The fourth beats a drum as he marches along. (beat a pretend drum)
While the fifth makes believe he's the whole show (spread out arms)
And nods and smiles to the crowd as they go. (nod, smile, wave)
Five gray elephants, marching through the glade, (hold up five fingers, bounce like marching)
Having a lot of fun during their parade.
Louise
Author unknown
Way down deep in Africa (hand above eyes, looking around)
Underneath the bamboo trees (arms out like branches)
There lived a lady elephant (interlock arms like a trunk, swinging)
Who's maiden name was Louise (limp wrist)
Now Louise was mighty fond of (point on each word)
An elephant named Joe (make a bicep muscle)
And every night by the pale moonlight (moon overhead with arms)
He serenaded her so:
Louise, Louise, (call with hands at sides of mouth)
Come out from under those trees! (make a pulling motion)
Don'tcha gimme none of that bunky bunk (wave finger "no")
I just wanna hold your trunky trunk (interlock arms, swinging)
Louise, Louise, (call with hands at sides of mouth)
Come out from under those trees! (make a pulling motion)
You've got the skin I love to touch (count points on fingers])
I love you oh so much (continue to count)
Oh, oh, oh, Louise! (make an "O" with hand, go up with each "oh")
Way down deep in Africa (hand above eyes, looking around)
Underneath the bamboo trees (arms out like branches)
There lived a lady elephant (interlock arms like a trunk, swinging)
Who's maiden name was Louise (limp wrist)
Now Louise was mighty fond of (point on each word)
An elephant named Joe (make a bicep muscle)
And every night by the pale moonlight (moon overhead with arms)
He serenaded her so:
Louise, Louise, (call with hands at sides of mouth)
Come out from under those trees! (make a pulling motion)
Don'tcha gimme none of that bunky bunk (wave finger "no")
I just wanna hold your trunky trunk (interlock arms, swinging)
Louise, Louise, (call with hands at sides of mouth)
Come out from under those trees! (make a pulling motion)
You've got the skin I love to touch (count points on fingers])
I love you oh so much (continue to count)
Oh, oh, oh, Louise! (make an "O" with hand, go up with each "oh")
Miss Mary Mack
Author unknown
(a great clapping rhyme)
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack
All dressed in black, black, black.
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back.
She asked her mother, mother, mother,
for fifty cents, cents, cents,
To see the elephant, elephant, elephant,
jump the fence, fence, fence.
He jumped so high, high, high,
he reached the sky, sky, sky,
And didn't come back, back, back,
till the fourth of July, July, July.
He fell so fast, fast, fast,
He fell so hard, hard, hard,
He made a hole, hole, hole,
in her back yard, yard, yard.
He went bumpy thump, thump, thump!!
Action songs:
Do Your Ears Hang Low?
Author unknown
Do your ears hang low? (gently pull on earlobes)
Do they wobble to and fro? (wobble earlobes)
Can you tie 'em in a knot? (tie a pretend knot)
Can you tie 'em in a bow? (draw a big bow)
Can you toss 'em o'er your shoulder (toss over shoulder)
Like a continental soldier (salute)
Do your ears hang low? (gently pull on earlobes)
(faster and faster)Do they wobble to and fro? (wobble earlobes)
Can you tie 'em in a knot? (tie a pretend knot)
Can you tie 'em in a bow? (draw a big bow)
Can you toss 'em o'er your shoulder (toss over shoulder)
Like a continental soldier (salute)
Do your ears hang low? (gently pull on earlobes)
An Elephant Walks Like This and That
Author unknown
Oh! An
elephant walks like this and that. (Walk
heavily and stomp feet loudly)
He’s terribly tall and terribly fat. (Puff up cheeks and stretch out arms)
He has no fingers, he has no toes. (Wiggle fingers; wiggle toes)
But goodness gracious, what a nose! (Stick arms out like a long trunk.)
He’s terribly tall and terribly fat. (Puff up cheeks and stretch out arms)
He has no fingers, he has no toes. (Wiggle fingers; wiggle toes)
But goodness gracious, what a nose! (Stick arms out like a long trunk.)
Author unknown
(get everyone to balance and walk on a line on the floor)
(get everyone to balance and walk on a line on the floor)
One grey elephant balancing (pretend to balance on a string)
Step by step on a piece of string
He thought it was such a wonderful
stunt
That he called for another elephant (beckon)
Two grey elephants balancing (balance)
Step by step on a piece of string
They thought it was such a
wonderful stunt
That they called for another
elephant (beckon)
Three grey elephants balancing (balance)
Step by step on a piece of string
They thought it was such a
wonderful stunt
That they called for another
elephant (beckon)
Four grey elephants balancing (balance)
Step by step on a piece of string
They thought it was such a
wonderful stunt
That they called for another
elephant (beckon)
Five grey elephants balancing (balance)
Step by step on a piece of string
They thought it was such a
wonderful stunt
That they called for another
elephant (beckon)
And what do you think happened
next?
They all…fell…off! (fall to the floor)
One
Elephant
Author unknown
(tune: Five Little Ducks)
One elephant went out
to play, (hold up one finger)
Upon a spider's web one day. (bounce finger along)
He had such enormous fun,
That he called for another elephant to come! (put up two fingers)
Upon a spider's web one day. (bounce finger along)
He had such enormous fun,
That he called for another elephant to come! (put up two fingers)
Two elephants went out
to play...
Too Many Elephants
by Susan Stephenson
(tune: Wheels on the bus)
Too many elephants in the house,
in the house, in the house (wave your trunk)
Too many elephants in the house, what will Eric do? (question hands)
Too many elephants said Eric’s Mum, Eric’s Mum, Eric’s Mum, (scolding finger)
Too many elephants said Eric’s Mum, They have got to go! (point out a door)
Eric created an elephant house, elephant house, elephant house, (hammer fists together)
Eric created an elephant house and the elephants moved in.
All of the elephants loved that house, loved that house, loved that house (hold hands to heart)
All of the elephants loved that house, the house that Eric made.
Too many elephants in the house, what will Eric do? (question hands)
Too many elephants said Eric’s Mum, Eric’s Mum, Eric’s Mum, (scolding finger)
Too many elephants said Eric’s Mum, They have got to go! (point out a door)
Eric created an elephant house, elephant house, elephant house, (hammer fists together)
Eric created an elephant house and the elephants moved in.
All of the elephants loved that house, loved that house, loved that house (hold hands to heart)
All of the elephants loved that house, the house that Eric made.
Elephant
by Iram Khan
(tune: "Here we go 'round the Mulberry Bush")
(tune: "Here we go 'round the Mulberry Bush")
This is the
elephant's tail so thin, (use a hand as a tail, swish hand back and forth)
Tail so thin, tail so thin,
This is the elephant's tail so thin,
Swish, swish, swish.
Tail so thin, tail so thin,
This is the elephant's tail so thin,
Swish, swish, swish.
These are the
elephant's feet so huge, (stomp feet)
Feet so huge, feet so huge,
These are the elephant's feet so huge,
Stomp, stomp, stomp.
Feet so huge, feet so huge,
These are the elephant's feet so huge,
Stomp, stomp, stomp.
This is the
elephant's nose so long, (make trunk with arm)
Nose so long, nose so long,
This is the elephant's nose so long,
Blow, blow, blow.
Nose so long, nose so long,
This is the elephant's nose so long,
Blow, blow, blow.
These are the animals
all around, (look around)
All around, all around,
These are the animals all around,
Run, run, run! (run on spot)
All around, all around,
These are the animals all around,
Run, run, run! (run on spot)
The Animal
Fair
Author unknown
I went to
the animal fair, the birds and beasts were there.
The big baboon by the light of the moon, was combing his auburn hair.
You ought to have seen the monk, he climbed up the elephants trunk,
The elephant sneezed and fell to his knees
And what became of the monk, the monk, the monk.
The big baboon by the light of the moon, was combing his auburn hair.
You ought to have seen the monk, he climbed up the elephants trunk,
The elephant sneezed and fell to his knees
And what became of the monk, the monk, the monk.
Nellie the Elephant
Written by Ralph Butler and Peter Hart
Nellie
the Elephant packed her trunk
And said goodbye to the circus
Off she went with a trumpety-trump
Trump, trump, trump
Nellie the Elephant packed her trunk
And trundled back to the jungle
Off she went with a trumpety-trump
Trump, trump, trump
Off she went with a trumpety-trump
Trump, trump, trump
Nellie the Elephant packed her trunk
And trundled back to the jungle
Off she went with a trumpety-trump
Trump, trump, trump
Did You Ever
See an Elephant?
Author unknown
(Tune: Did You Ever See a Lassie?)
Did you ever see an elephant
An
elephant, an elephant,(Tune: Did You Ever See a Lassie?)
Did you ever see an elephant
Did you ever see an elephant
Spray water with her trunk?
Spray water all over,
Spray water all over,
Did you ever see an elephant
Spray water with her trunk?
Did you ever see an elephant
An elephant, an elephant,
Did you ever see an elephant
Eat peanuts with her trunk?
Throw peanuts in her mouth,
Throw peanuts in her mouth,
Did you ever see an elephant
Eat peanuts with her trunk?
Did you ever see an elephant
An elephant, an elephant,
Did you ever see an elephant
Hug her baby with her trunk?
Wrap it this way and that way,
And this way and that way,
Did you ever see an elephant
Hug her baby with her trunk?
Elephants,
I like elephants. Elephants, I like elephants. I like how they swing through trees,
elephants.....
No.....
elephant's don't swing through trees
They
don't? Well what am I thinking of?
Monkeys
Oh well in
that case - Monkeys , I like monkeys. I like how they swim in the
ocean........
No, that's
fish
Oh I
see. Fish, I like fish. I like how they scratch at
fleas
No
and sniff at trees and bark
at the mailman
No,no.no
- Those are dogs
Aww, gotta
like dogs, right?
Ya
curled up on the windowsill
purring
No
and chasing mice
No
Well what
then?
Cats
Cats, of
course. Cats - I
like cats. I like how they say COCK - A - DOODLE - DOO
No, no, no
- They go "meow"
They
do?
You're
thinking of roosters
Roosters,
I like roosters. I like how they reach into beehives for the honey -
Hmm?
No, bears
do that
Oh yes,
yes. Bears, I like bears, I like how they jump up high, to catch a
fly
No
and sit on a lily
pad
No, no,
no, no, no, no - Frogs
Gotta like
frogs
Ya
running through a maze for
some cheese
No, that's
mice
Oh mice -
mice, I like mice. I like how they say "hehaw"
No, they
go "squeak, squeak" That's a donkey.
Donkeys, I
like donkeys. I like how they stomp through the jungle with their great big
trunks
No that's
an elephant.
Well
right, that's like I said, Elephants, I like
elephants.......
You don't
know anything about animals
I do
so
You're
silly
Am
not...........
Silly rhymes:
Silly rhymes:
Eletelephony
by Laura Richards
Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant-
No! No! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone-
(Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I've got it right.)
Howe'er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee-
(I fear I'd better drop the song
Of elephop and telephong!)
by A. A. Milne
There are lions and roaring tigers,
and enormous camels and things,
There are biffalo-buffalo-bisons,
and a great big bear with wings.
There's a sort of a tiny potamus,
and a tiny nosserus too -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
There are badgers and bidgers and bodgers,
and a Super-in-tendent's House,
There are masses of goats, and a Polar,
and different kinds of mouse,
And I think there's a sort of a something
which is called a wallaboo -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
If you try to talk to the bison,
he never quite understands;
You can't shake hands with a mingo -
he doesn't like shaking hands.
And lions and roaring tigers
hate saying, "How do you do?" -
But I give buns to the elephant
when I go down to the Zoo!
There are lions and roaring tigers,
and enormous camels and things,
There are biffalo-buffalo-bisons,
and a great big bear with wings.
There's a sort of a tiny potamus,
and a tiny nosserus too -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
There are badgers and bidgers and bodgers,
and a Super-in-tendent's House,
There are masses of goats, and a Polar,
and different kinds of mouse,
And I think there's a sort of a something
which is called a wallaboo -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
If you try to talk to the bison,
he never quite understands;
You can't shake hands with a mingo -
he doesn't like shaking hands.
And lions and roaring tigers
hate saying, "How do you do?" -
But I give buns to the elephant
when I go down to the Zoo!
The
Elephant
Author unknown
The elephant has a
trunk for a nose,
And up and down is the way it goes;
He wears such a saggy, baggy hide;
Do you think two elephants would fit inside?
And up and down is the way it goes;
He wears such a saggy, baggy hide;
Do you think two elephants would fit inside?
Elephants are great animals to explore and act out. Stomp around, wave your arm as the trunk, flap your big elephant ears, trumpet loudly. Talking and reading about elephants can lead to other jungle animals, the environment, noises, memory games (elephants never forget, right?), and loads of other topics. You could explore an alphabet of animals (A for ant, B for bear...), count the elephants balancing on a string, talk about colours (Elmer is a great introduction to colours).
Craft
This craft is super easy, super cute, and super fun!
Requirements:
Elephant picture
Colouring in things - pencils, textas, crayons, stickers, coloured paper and glue, etc, etc.Scissors
Party blower (optional)
Steps:
1. Print elephant
2. Colour elephant and decorate however you like
3. Cut out elephant, including the circle in the middle for the trunk (that is the only tricky bit)
4. Put party blower in circle, and blow! Or, if you don't have a party blower, you can use your finger as the trunk of the elephant.
Visit Newcastle Region Library's Catalogue and Website.
