No matter what theme you might be doing for the summer reading program, picnics are a great topic for a storytime. Sing “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic,” and “The Ants Go Marching.” Bring your books to storytime in a picnic basket! Craft ideas that go with this theme include: Teddy bear puppets: www.first-school.ws/THEME/teddybears.htm Ant puppets: www.daniellesplace.com/HTML/bugs.HTML Paper flowers: www.dltk-holidays.com/spring/crafts-flowers.htm
Alborough, Jez. IT’S THE BEAR! In this sequel to Where’s My Teddy?, Eddie and his mother run into a huge bear while on a picnic in the woods.
Butler, M. Christina. PICNIC PANDEMONIUM. The jungle animals take turns carrying the picnic basket to the river, but the food keeps disappearing.
Daugherty, James. THE PICNIC: A FROLIC IN TWO COLORS AND THREE PARTS. In this longer story by the author of Andy and the Lion, a lion interrupts the mouse family’s picnic.
Goldstone, Bruce. A BEASTLY FEAST. A rhyming list of animals and the food they bring to a picnic, with striking block print illustrations.
Hayes, Sarah. THIS IS THE BEAR: AND THE PICNIC LUNCH. A dog tries to interfere with the picnic of a boy and his teddy bear.
Hutchins, Pat. WE’RE GOING ON A PICNIC. Hen, Duck, and Goose cannot decide where to stop for their picnic.
Jarrett, Clare. BEST PICNIC EVER. Jack invites several animals to go with him on a picnic.
Kasza, Keiko. THE PIGS’ PICNIC. To get ready for his picnic date, Mr. Pig tries on the attributes of several other animals.
Kasza, Keiko. READY FOR ANYTHING. Raccoon is worried about all the things that could spoil the picnic.
Kennedy, Jimmy. THE TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC. There are several picture book versions of this song.
Mahy, Margaret. RATTLEBANG PICNIC. A large family piles into their old car to go on a picnic.
Morton, Christine. PICNIC FARM. Children enjoy a picnic that offers food made from things grown on the farm.
Pinczes, Elinor. ONE HUNDRED HUNGRY ANTS. While marching to a picnic, the ants divide into smaller groups. A fun math lesson.
Tsutsui, Yoriko. BEFORE THE PICNIC. Toddler Sashi makes a mess while trying to help the family get ready for a picnic.
Woodson, Jacqueline. WE HAD A PICNIC THIS SUNDAY PAST. Bright color cartoons depict a large African-American extended family on a picnic.
Also see the previous Picnics storytime ideas page from March 2000.