Celebrate National Pig Day: Stories, Songs, and More!

Pig and Pepper
from Alice's Wonderland Adventures
Illustration by Andrew Rackham, 1922

March 1 is National Pig Day; a day devoted to celebrating their place as one of man’s most intellectual and domesticated animals. Below you will find stories, songs, fingerplays, crafts and book suggestions to make the  most of this day!

STORIES

The Dog and the Pig - Indiahttp://tinyurl.com/oa5r8hu

The Enchanted Pig – Andrew Lang
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/lfb/re/refb11.htm

The Pig That Went to Church - United Stateshttp://tinyurl.com/oo9bznc

The Old Woman and Her Pig - England
http://tinyurl.com/8yagce3

The Sheep and the Pig Who Set Up House - Norway http://oaks.nvg.org/ntales47.html

The Story of the Three Little Pigs - England
http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-16.html

The Three Green Men of Glen Nevis - Scotland
http://tinyurl.com/osz569v

FINGERPLAYS

Two Mother Pigs
Two mother pigs lived in a pen (show thumbs)
Each had four babies, and that made ten (show fingers and thumbs)
These four babies were soft and pink (hold up one hand, four fingers up)
These four babies were black as ink (hold up other hand, four fingers up)
All eight babies loved to play
And they rolled, and they rolled, in the mud all day. (roll hands over each other)
At night, with their mothers, they curled up in a heap, (make fists)
And squealed and squealed until they went...to...sleep. (turn fists over, palms up)

Five Little Pigs
Five little pigs rolled in the mud, (hold up five fingers then roll hands over each other)
Squishy, squashy, felt so good. (squish hands together left and right)
The farmer took one pig out. (pretend to take one out)
Oink, Oink, Oink, the pig did shout.  (Repeat with4,3,2,1)

No little pigs rolled in the mud, (shake head and index finger “no.”)
They all looked clean and good. (look at self and smile)
The farmer turned his back and then, (look behind)
Those pigs rolled in the mud again! (roll hands over each other)

SONGS/STORY STRETCH

Barnyard Song (Tune: If you're happy and you know it)

If you're a pig and you know it say oink, oink
If you’re a pig and you know it say oink, oink
If you’re a pig and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re a pig and you know it say oink, oink 

If you’re a cow and you know it say moo, moo…
If you’re a cat and you know it climb a tree…
If you’re a horse and you know it gallop around…
If you’re a dog and you know bark out loud…
If you’re a bird and you know it flap your wings…
If you’re a pig and you know roll in the mud…

Three Pigs Rap
This is the story about three pigs
Who needed to go out and get new digs.
Each set out on his own way
To build himself a place to stay
“I'm a lazy pig. I need time to play.
I am building a house of hay!”

Now that didn't work out for too long
Soon he heard the wolf sing his song
“I'll huff and I'll puff” (He'll huff and he'll puff)
“I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!”

Then the pig heard this real loud sound.
He blew the house downOff he went, off he ran
To see if his brother had a better plan

“When I saw my brother and heard him cry,
I said, Let's give a house of wood a try‟
They built the house; they built it strong,
But soon the wolf came along

“I'll huff and I'll puff” (He'll huff and he‟ll puff)
“I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down”
Then the pigs heard this real loud sound.
He blew the house down.
Off they went, Off they ran
To see if their sister had a better plan.
“Now come my brothers, you look so sick.
Come and stay in my house of brick

The wolf can blow, but it will do no good.
You can't blow stone like hay or wood.”
The wolf came. He gave a huff and puff.
Soon he learned that it wasn't enough
It's best he learned to leave others alone
When they are safely in their homes!
http://freesongsforkids.com/audios/three-pigs-rap

Three Pigs In A Bed
There were three pigs in a bed,

And the little one said,

"Roll over, roll over".
So they all rolled over and one fell out!

Repeat with two pigs

One pig in the bed,
And you know what he said?
I've got the whole mattress to myself!

To Market, To Market
To Market, to market to buy a fat pig
Home again, home again jiggity jig.
To market, to market to buy a fat hog
Home again, home again, jiggity jog.

BOOKS

Children’s Books About Pigs: Funny Bedtime Stories
http://hubpages.com/family/The-10-Best-Childrens-Books-About-Pigs-Funny-Bedtime-Stories

CRAFTS

Dltk- kids – Lots of fun pig crafts here that will have you squealing in no time at all.http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/pigs.htm


SOMETHING EXTRA

Literacy Tip: Pack a book. Tuck a storybook or two in the diaper bag and in the car for the older infant, toddler, and preschooler. The habit of filling in life's spaces with books and always having books handy helps a child see them as a regular part of life. 
http://www.pampers.com/Ready-to-Read:-Literacy-Tips-for-Toddlers--and-Preschoolers                                                                          

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Karen Chace 2016 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.