Storytime: Superheroes

Books

Princess Super Kitty by Antoinette Portis

Superhero ABC by Bob McLeod

Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

*Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom  by John Rocco

Super Jumbo by Fred Koehler

*Ten Rules of Being a Superhero by Deb Pilutti*

Books marked with * are the ones I used in my storytime. Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom was recommended in a post on the Storytime Underground Facebook Page. Finding superhero themed books with diverse characters is difficult. The majority of them are about white boys. This one, however, is abut a diverse group of friends and is a really fun read! Highly recommended!

For more superhero ideas click read more!

Songs and Rhymes

No matter what the theme, we start every storytime with "Hello Bubbles" and end with "Goodbye Bubbles." Songs and rhymes marked with a * are the ones I ended up using for my storytime. We made extensive use of scarves for our songs, often using them as capes!

*Song: “Did You Ever See a Hero?”

(Tune: The More We get Together)

Did you ever see a hero, a hero, a hero,

Did you ever see a hero, flying through the sky?

Fly this way and that way, and that way and this way

Did you ever see a hero flying through the sky?

Verses: Putting on their cape, hopping on one foot, saving the day, twirling around

*Song: “Superhero”

(Tune: Wheels on the Bus)

The Superhero’s arms flex and lift,

Flex and lift, flex and lift,

The superheroes arms flex and lift,

All around the town.

Verses: Eyes go zap, zap, zap; Legs run very fast; Legs jump super high; Flies zoom zoom zoom;

The person in trouble yells help help help; The superhero goes to save the day

Song: “Super Pokey”

(Tune: Hokey Pokey)

We put our right glove in

We put our right glove out

We put our right glove in

And we shake it all about

You do the Super Pokey and you fly yourself around

That’s what it’s all about!

Verses: Left glove, Right boot, Left boot, Mask, Cape, Super Self!

Song: “I’m a Superhero”

(Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)

I’m a superhero with no fear

(put fists on hips)

I help people far and near

(gesture pointing far away and up close)

If you have a problem, call on me

(make phone with hand)

I will be there 1, 2, 3

(count to three on fingers)

Song: "If You’re a Hero and You Know It!"

(Tune: If you’re happy and you know it)

If you’re a hero and you know it, flex your muscles

If you’re a hero and you know it, flex your muscles

If you’re a hero and you know it then your pose will surely show it (heroic pose)

If you’re a hero and you know it flex your muscles.

Verses: Jump up high, Fly around, Run real fast

*Transition Rhyme: “Superman”

Put your hands way up high

(raise arms up in air)

Like Superman flying across the sky.

(assume flying position)

Fly to the left, now fly to the right’

(lean to your right, then left)

Now show me your muscles with all your might!

(make arm muscles)

Now Superman’s putting his suit away,

(bring arms down slowly)

So he can go flying another day

(rest hands in lap)

Transition Rhyme: “Superhero, Superhero”

Superhero, superhero, turn around

Superhero, superhero, touch the ground

Superhero, superhero, put on your suit

Superhero, superhero, put on your boots.

Superhero, superhero, jump up high,

Superhero, superhero, fly, fly, fly!

Superhero, superhero, bend your knees,

Superhero, superhero, sit down please!

Flannelboards and Fingerplays

I went a little over the top with my felt pieces for this storytime. I had a ton of fun designing and making them all though. If I have time I might make five more in the future so I have a set of 10 to do the "Ten Superheroes" rhyme if I use this theme again. I made sure to have a variety of skin tones in my characters. Each one uses a different color of felt!

I hope to get some better pictures of my flannelboards soon, but I wanted to share what I had for now.

Flannelboard: “Ten Superheroes”

(Tune: Ten Little Indians*)

One super, two super, three superheroes

Four super, five super, six superheroes

Seven super, eight super, nine superheroes

Ten heroes ready to fly!

Ten super, nine super, eight superheroes,

Seven super, six super, five superheroes,

Four super, three super, two superheroes,

One hero in the sky!

*The original song should definitely be avoided in storytimes. Some people even prefer to not use this tune at all. I think it is still a great tune for counting forwards and backwards from 10, but I will only use versions of the song with modified lyrics.

*Flannelboard/Song: “Superhero Colors”

(Tune: Bubble, Bubble Pop)

One superhero flying in his/her (color) cape,

Flying in his/her (color) cape,

Flying in his/her (color) cape.

Once superhero flying in his/her (color) cape.

Up, up, up, up, up, up, up away!

*Flannelboard/Fingerplay: “Five Superheroes”

Five superheroes ready to fly,

(hold up five fingers on one hand)

Here comes a villain. Stop that guy!

(hold up one finger on the other hand, then shake as if saying no)

This superhero can save the day.

(hold up one finger and point to a hero on the board)

Off he/she flies – up, up, away!

(Take hero off of the board and make it "fly" away)

Verse: Count down to one

Craft

Superhero masks! I found some templates for superhero masks that I printed out on cardstock. I got out markers and crayons and the kids decorated their masks. Parents helped cut them out and attach string so the kids could wear their creations!

How it Went

This storytime was so much fun! The kids loved playing with the scarves and flying around like superheroes and telling me different things that heroes could do around the town. The flannel board I had planned was a big hit. They had a lot of fun naming the colors of the different superheroes' capes and when it was time for the heroes to fly off of the board and go away to save the day, one little boy couldn't resist helping me make them fly off. Afterwards a few of kids could be heard running around the children's area yelling "save the day!" while wearing their masks.