Hello everyone! We hope you are all excited for You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith.
Michelle and I have put together a bunch of fun activities and crafts for the little ones. Starting on Thursday, June 1 (today!), the kits are available to pick up for our online storytime this month!
Enjoy a FREE copy of the book and more!
"You Hold Me Up" by Monique Gray Smith
Encourage children to show love and support for each other and to consider each other’s well-being in their everyday actions. With vibrant illustrations from celebrated artist Danielle Daniel, this is a foundational book about building relationships, fostering empathy and encouraging respect between peers, starting with our littlest citizens.
to watch the story read by the author for Orca Book Publishers. Then, enjoy the activities! Everything is yours to keep!
Kits include:
a FREE copy of You Hold Me Up
information page
colors game (5 colored hands)
2 activity pages
2 coloring pages
rhymes/song pages with weblinks (instrument included)
beach sticker scene craft
3 magnets from the story
beach or flower stickers
*Here are the following pages that you will receive with your kit!*
HANDOUT GAMES – play with included hand handouts
Can You Show Me…?
(Tune: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)
Can you show me the purple hand?
Purple hand, purple hand?
Can you show me the purple hand?
And wave it in the air?
Green… blue… orange… pink
Hold It High – Choose one hand from handouts
Hold your hand high and stand
Now wave it around in gestures grand!
Hold your hand below your chin
Now hold it way up high again
Hold your hand against your nose
Now touch the hand to your toes
Touch your hand to the ground
Now wave that hand all around!
Hold your hand in front of you
Now turn around – one time, two!
Hold your hand and jump up high!
Now let your hand fly fly fly (throw it in the air)
SONGS & INSTRUMENT – use included instruments
Will You Be a Friend of Mine by The Kiboomers
Let’s Be Friends by London Rhymes
Best Friends by Patty Shukla Kids TV
A Family is a Family by Sweet Honey in the Rock
BOUNCE RHYME (bounce along with child in lap)
You Hold Me Up
You hold me up, up, up
You swing me down, down, down
We lean back, back, back
We rock around, round, round
We lean to the left, left, left
We lean to the right, right, right
We bounce fast, fast, fast
Like a bird in flight, flight, flight
We bounce slow, slow, slow
Then down low, low, low
You hold me up, up, up
Now we hug, hug, hug!
ACTION RHYMES
If You’re Friendly...
(Tune: "If You’re Happy and You Know It")
If you’re friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you’re friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you’re friendly and you know it,
and you really want to show it,
If you’re friendly and you know it,
clap your hands!
Stomp your feet…
Wave hello…
The More We Get Together
(Tune: "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")
The more we get together, together, together
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
For your friends are my friends,
And my friends are your friends,
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
Let’s Be Friends With One Another
Let’s be friends with one another
Let’s be friends today!
You can sing with a friend
You can shout with a friend
You can hum with a friend
Let’s be friends today!
You can jump with a friend
You can clap with a friend
You can jump with a friend
Let’s be friends today
Let’s be friends with one another
Let’s be friends today!
Two Little Friends
One little friend came to school one day.
(hold up index finger)
He went to the blocks and began to play.
(bob hand to indicate movement)
A second little friend said, “Can I play, too?”
(hold up second index finger and wiggle it)
The first little friend said, “I’ll share with you!”
(wiggle the first index finger)
So they worked together and built a big town.
(wiggle both fingers)
And when they were finished, they knocked it down!
(clap hands together)
Friend of Mine
(Tune: "Mary had a Little Lamb")
Will you meet a friend of mine?
Friend of mine?
Friend of mine?
Will you meet a friend of mine?
This is my friend _____________. (Fill in Name)
EXTRA LINKS!
Monique Gray Smith’s site:
Danielle Daniel’s site:
Let us know what your little ones thought of You Hold Me Up! What did they think of the activities? Do you have any suggestions for us?