Story Time Starter: Alligators and Crocodiles

This month's story time starter is full of snapping crocodiles and toothy alligators!

From alligators at bedtime to crocodiles at mealtime, here are some of our favorite fiction books to share:

• Alan's Big Scary Teeth by Peter Jarvis

• I'd Really Like to Eat a Child by Sylviane Donnio

• The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett

• Open Very Carefully by Nicola O'Byrne

• Solomon Crocodile by Catherine Rayner

• There's an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer

• What's Next Door by Nicola O'Byrne

• The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner

Pair any of the above listed stories with these stellar nonfiction titles to round out your story time:

• Alligators and Crocodiles by Gail Gibbons

• The Truth About Crocodiles by Maxwell Eaton III

• Who Lives in an Alligator Hole? by Anne Rockwell

Next up are the rhymes and finger plays!

Crocodile, Crocodile Turn Around

Crocodile, crocodile, turn around.                      
Crocodile, crocodile, touch the ground.             
Crocodile, crocodile, dance on your toes.          
Crocodile, crocodile, touch your nose.               

Crocodile, crocodile, jump up now.
Crocodile, crocodile, take a bow.
Crocodile, crocodile, stomp your feet.
Crocodile, crocodile, take a seat.

5 Little Monkeys

Five little monkeys, sitting in a tree.
Teasing Mr. Alligator "Can't catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Alligator, as quiet as can be
And SNAPPED that monkey right out of the tree!

Four little monkeys, sitting in a tree.... etc.
Three little monkeys, sitting in a tree…etc.
Two little monkeys, sitting in a tree…etc.
One little monkey, sitting in a tree…etc.

Last verse:
No more little monkeys sitting in the tree
‘Cause Mr, Alligator caught them all, you see
All alone is Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be
With only the wind blowing that tree!

Little Baby Gator

Little baby gator swimming through the swamp   (hands together, swim gator-like)
Eating lots of fish with a CHOMP, CHOMP, CHOMP!   (chomp hands open and closed)
Along came a hunter with a great big net   (pretend to raise net)
Gator went SPLASH!   (splash loudly and enthusiastically)
And the hunter got wet!   (shake hands and self)
So he went home and put on dry underwear!   (hands on hips, then shake finger)

Some of our favorite songs include the following: 

• Dr. Jean Sings Silly Songs, song: Alligator Chant (#2)

• Six Little Ducks, song: Never Smile at a Crocodile (#3)

• Where is Thumbkin?, song: Crocodile Song (#16)

And, finally, some awesome crafts to extend the stories:

• A is for Alligator

• Alligator Visor

• Crocodile Paper Craft