Dinosaur R-O-A-R-!

Book:  How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen

Then use five dinosaurs and a bed with a big, big 'D' (for dinosaur) for jumping up and down with the children:

Five little dinosaurs jumping on the bed.  One fell off and broke his head!
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:  "No more dinosaurs jumping on the bed!"                
Work your way down until the doctor says, "Put those dinosaurs back in bed!"

Of course, you know the actions that match the words to this song:  jumping up and down, banging on your head, calling on the telephone, and shaking your finger like you're a doctor.
Take a dinosaur off the flannel board with each round and hide them on the back of the board.

Then we try this action rhyme:

Dinosaurs Lived Long Ago

Dinosaurs lived long ago.

Some walked.  (Walk in place.)

Some swam.  (Swimming motions)

Some flew you know.  (Flying motions)

Some were big.  (Be big.)

And some were very small.  (Be tiny.)

Some were gigantic.  (Arms wide.)

Very, very tall.  (Be tall.)

Then it's time to settle the children down with this song:

   Dinosaur, Dinosaur

Dinosaur, Dinosaur turn around!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch the ground!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Reach up high!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, wink your eye!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch your nose!
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch your toes!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, slap your knees!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, sit down please!

I find it effective to point to a different child each time we sing 'dinosaur, dinosaur'.

Then it's time for the special visitor from the library.  I pull Bob the T Rex out of the bag and talk for him. 

 "Hi!  I'm Bob!"  Then I explain to the children that Bob has a problem.  He came to school today without eating breakfast.  Bob's hungry!  Do they know what Bob eats?  Dinosaur bones!  We have to sing a song to help Bob find Dinosaur bones and it goes like this:

Bob’s Song:

Dinosaur Bones!  Dinosaur Bones!

I’m gonna get me some dinosaur bones!

Bob's tiny little hands clap in rhythmn to the song.  At the end of the song, Bob dives into my library bag. 

 This is where it's important to pause because for some reason, the children think that it is hilarious to see Bob's tail wiggling around in the air while he tries to find bones in the bag.  Of course, Bob finds all sorts of crazy things in the bag.  First he could pull out pizza.  "Oh, Bob!  That's not a dinosaur bone!  That's pizza!"  Big laugh.  Then, we must sing the song again.  Bob pulls out a baby bottle.  "Oh Bob!  Baby bottle starts with B like bones, but Bob!  That's a baby bottle!"  

So after several mishaps (lemon, or whatever you may have laying around), Bob finally pulls out a PRESENT!  I have to help him open it because his little arms are so tiny. 

It's a bone!  Success!

Bob says, "Happy!  Happy!" and sings a celebratory song:

Dinosaur Song:

Oh, I’m a Dinosaur!

Just listen to me roar!  ROAR!

I’m not so neat whenever I eat

I always want more and more!  SLURP!

Special thanks to my friend and fellow librarian Joy Feldman who taught me this dinosaur puppet fun.

Then Bob explains the bookmobile rules to the children:
1.  "You have very long arms!  You can hold onto the railings, but I can't because my arms are so small.  Use your big arms!"
2.  "If you pull a book off the shelf that you don't want, give it to her!  (Bob points to me).  She can put it back for you!"
3.  "Don't climb on the benches.  You could fall and hurt yourself."

Then it's time to Say goodbye, Say goodbye, and I see them out in the Bookmobile.