Bananas Unite!

An awesome librarian named Kio taught me this version of “Bananas Unite” a decade ago. The dancing bit was intimidating, but this year I finally started using it in storytimes. It is a big hit!

It goes like this:

“Alright everybody, it is time to go bananas. Kids, you are going to be the little bananas and I’m going to be the big banana.  show them the felt banana

Our arms are going to be the banana peels  drop peels on felt banana

Let’s make sure our peels are ready.

Everyone flop your peels down low…

Flop your peels up high…

Flop them in front of you…

Flop them behind you. ..

All right, get ready…

Bananas unite! put hands and arms together above your head

Bananas split! put arms down at your sides

Now it is time to GO BANANAS!!! 

Dance like crazy(My dance is usually a bit of Travolta from Saturday Night Fever, PeeWee Herman’s “Tequila” bartop antics and things I picked up watching Beyonce’s “Formation” video.)*

Go bananas, go go bananas!  

Go bananas, go go bananas! 

Alright…stop! hold up hand and suddenly stop

Bananas to the left! shuffle stage right (your right)

Bananas to the right. shuffle stage left (your left)

Peel your banana. mimic peeling a banana

And take a bite. mimic eating said banana”

Lastly, I ask what we should do with the imaginary banana peel. I will typically recommend throwing it in the compost, but sometimes I will ignore their recommendations of sanitary behavior and throw it on the ground. Then I do a big pratfall onto the floor as if I slipped on the peel. This is a crowd pleaser. I usually do not actually hurt myself…

* One of my teenage daughter’s friends gave her some awesome dancing tips, which were passed on to me. If you do not know what to do while dancing, think of a common activity and turn it into a dance. Now I do the “putting items in the grocery cart” dance, the “pointing out stars in the sky” dance and the “I’m being attacked by bees” dance.  Also, picking dances based on themes from books presented is good for kicks.  
 
Thanks to Mel's Desk for hosting this week!