Flannel Friday:" I Wish I Were" flannel song

The last week of our summer program is Dreams and Wishes week, and I've had a mental block about what to do between stories at storytime.  I couldn't think of a good wishing game that would work with 40+ children, but as I was searching the Internet for inspiration, I came across a song on the Toronto Public Library's web site, and I've written new lyrics to fit my own storytime.  You can find the original song here.  I'm not completely happy with my lyrics yet, so I may revise them before I do the storytime during the second week of July.  I'm thinking this could be adapted for themed storytimes, using all jungle animals or sea creatures or whatever the theme happens to be.

I Wish I Were (sung to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It")
Oh, I wish I were a floating butterfly, (2 x)
I’d go flutter, flutter, fly in the bright blue sunny sky,
Oh, I wish I were a floating butterfly.

Oh, I wish I were a shiny little fish, (2 x)
I’d go swimmy, swimmy, glide in the big blue ocean tide,
Oh, I wish I were a shiny little fish.

Oh, I wish I were a silver airplane, (2 x)
I’d go soar, soar, soar as my engines loudly roar,
Oh, I wish I were a silver airplane.

Oh, I wish I were a tall, tall leafy tree, (2 x)
I’d be a place to rest for the birdies in their nest,
Oh, I wish I were a tall, tall leafy tree.

Oh, I wish I were a green and speckled frog, (2 x)
I’d go croaky, croaky, croak as I jump into the brook,
Oh, I wish I were a green and speckled frog.

Oh, I wish I were a bright and shining star, (2 x)
I’d go twinkle, twinkle, spark in the nighty nighttime dark,
Oh, I wish I were a bright and shining star.

This week's Flannel Friday roundup is being hosted by Sarah at Read It Again!

Flannel Song: Little Sandman

Our summer library program starts in just over a week, and this week’s flannel song is for storytime that week.  We’re using the national theme, Dream Big: Read, and our subthemes are Asleep and Dreaming, Night Owls,  Space Adventures, Night Shivers, and Dreams and Wishes.  My flannel for week 1, Asleep and Dreaming, is “Little Sandman,” the Brahms lullaby.  I’ve seen at least two different versions of the lyrics, but I took my favorite bits from each and combined them into this version.  During the last verse, I'll sprinkle a little clear glitter onto the flannel child's face.

Little Sandman

Beneath the silvery moonlight

Like tiny sparkling gems

The flowers all are sleeping

Upon their slender stems.

The trees wave gently to and fro

And whisper soft and low

Slumber, slumber,

Oh, sleep my little one.

The birds you heard this morning

Have long since gone to rest

And now are close together

Safe in their downy nest

And there they lie so still and warm

Secure from every harm.

Slumber, slumber,

Oh, sleep my little one.

Now comes the little sandman

In every house he’ll peep

To find the wakeful children

Who will not go to sleep

And then a little sand he tries

To sprinkle in their eyes.

Slumber, slumber

Oh, sleep my little one.

I’m going to be brave and try this a cappella…we’ll see how it goes. This is the most subdued flannel song I’ve tried, so I hope my storytime children will enjoy it. 

Check out all of this week's Flannel Friday posts here.