Songs and Stories for Storytime

Teaching children traditional songs and reading books about each of them is a wonderful way to extend learning and encourage critical thinking.

In this post, we will look at four traditional songs and suggest picture books for each of them. We can use these books or others to encourage children to compare illustrations and listen for differences in the language in each book. Songs like these are great for a preschool or kindergarten circle time.

You’ll find many resources for a kindergarten or preschool storytime or circle time on our “printable downloads” page. You will find rhymes, songs, chants and fingerplays here.

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad

Lyrics –

  I've Been Working on the Railroad

Lyrics for the traditional song include 'Fee–fi-fid–lee-i-o, Fee–fi-fid–lee-i-o, Fee–fi-fid–lee-i-o' Switch up the initial consonant sound to help children develop phonemic awareness: 'Ree–ri-rid–lee-i-o, Ree–ri-rid–lee-i-o, Ree–ri-rid–lee-i-o'

I’ve been working on the railroad,
All the livelong day,
I’ve been working on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.

Can’t you hear the whistle blowing?
Rise up so early in the morn.
Can’t you hear the captain shouting,
“Dinah, blow your horn?”

Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah,
Strumming on the old banjo and singing,
Fee–fi-fid–lee-i-o, Fee–fi-fid–lee-i-o,
Fee–fi-fid–lee-i-o, Strumming on the old banjo

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad Picture Books

She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain

She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain written by Jonathan Emmett and illustrated by Deborah Allwright

Lyrics –

  She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain

Lyrics for the traditional song

She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes,
Toot! Toot!
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes,
Toot! Toot!
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain, She’ll be comin’ round the mountain, She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes.
Toot! Toot!

She’ll be driving six white horses when she comes,
Whoa back!
She’ll be driving six white horses when she comes,
Whoa back!
She’ll be driving six white horses, She’ll be driving six white horses, She’ll be driving six white horses when she comes.
Whoa back! Toot-toot!

We’ll all go out to meet her when she comes,
Hi-Babe!
We’ll all go out to meet her when she comes,
Hi-Babe!
We’ll all go out to meet her, We’ll all go out to meet her, We’ll all go out to meet her when she comes,
Hi-Babe!

She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain Picture Books

The Bear Went Over the Mountain

Lyrics –

  The Bear Went Over the Mountain

Add actions when you sing this song

The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see,
To see what he could see,
To see what he could see.
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain was all that he could see.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain Picture Books

Over in the Meadow

Over in the Meadow written by Olive A Wadsworth and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats

Lyrics –

  Over in the Meadow

Can be adapted for a felt board story

Over in the meadow, in the sand, in the sun,
Lived an old mother frog and her little froggie one.
“Croak!” said the mother, “I’ll croak!” said the one,
So they croaked and they croaked in the sand, in the sun.

Over in the meadow, in the stream so blue,
Lived an old mother fish and her little fishes two.
“Swim!” said the mother, “We swim!” said the two,
So they swam and they swam in the stream so blue.

Over in the meadow, on the branch of a tree,
Lived an old mother bird and her little birdies three.
“Sing!” said the mother, “We sing!” said the three,
So they sang and they sang on the branch of a tree.

Over in the Meadow Picture Books

Tags: early learning, preschool circle time, songs, storytime