Fun and Learning with Lucille Colandro Stories

Are you looking for silly, engaging stories that get children laughing while learning? Books by Lucille Colandro are a fantastic choice for young learners.

From There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly to seasonal favorites like There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!, her stories are full of humor, repetition, and surprising twists that keep children entertained from beginning to end.

Whether you’re teaching in an ESL classroom, homeschooling, or working in a primary school, these stories are interactive, memorable, and easy to bring to life.

Lucille Colandro is best known for her playful retellings of the classic cumulative tale There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Her books build on this familiar structure, adding seasonal themes, humorous elements, and repetitive patterns that children love.

Her stories are ideal for encouraging participation, laughter, and language development.

Why Use Lucille Colandro Stories?

Perfect for Repetition and Memory
The cumulative structure helps children remember and retell the sequence easily.

Great for ESL Learners
Repeated phrases and predictable patterns support comprehension and speaking confidence.

Highly Engaging and Funny
The silly concept keeps children motivated and eager to participate.

Builds Sequencing Skills
Each new element adds to the story, making it perfect for practicing order and recall.

Rich Thematic Vocabulary
Seasonal and thematic books introduce vocabulary in fun, meaningful contexts.

Favorite Lucille Colandro Books to Explore

These silly and energetic stories are packed with repetition, rhyme, and laugh-out-loud humor that make them favorites for interactive read-alouds. Lucille Colandro’s books encourage participation, prediction, sequencing, and imaginative play while helping young readers build confidence and listening skills.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

A playful retelling of the classic cumulative rhyme following the old lady’s increasingly silly choices. Children love predicting what she will swallow next while practicing sequencing and memory skills.

Great for: Rhyming, sequencing, prediction skills, repetition, interactive read-alouds
You can extend this story with: retelling cards, sequencing games, puppet play, rhyming activities, and story basket creations.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves!

A festive autumn-themed version of the beloved series featuring leaves, pumpkins, and seasonal surprises. The repetitive text and silly storyline make it perfect for fall classroom fun.

Great for: Fall themes, pumpkins, sequencing, seasonal vocabulary, repetition
You can extend this story with: leaf sensory bins, pumpkin crafts, autumn scavenger hunts, sequencing activities, and fall dramatic play.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover!

A lively St. Patrick’s Day story full of shamrocks, rainbows, and magical surprises. The engaging repetition and playful illustrations make it a fun seasonal classroom favorite.

Great for: St. Patrick’s Day, sequencing, rhyme, holiday celebrations, prediction skills
You can extend this story with: rainbow crafts, shamrock sorting games, gold coin hunts, sensory bins, and festive art activities.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell!

A cheerful Christmas-themed story featuring festive holiday objects and playful cumulative storytelling. Children enjoy the predictable structure and holiday humor throughout the story.

Great for: Christmas themes, holiday traditions, sequencing, rhyme, winter read-alouds
You can extend this story with: holiday crafts, jingle bell music activities, sequencing cards, Christmas dramatic play, and festive storytelling prompts.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!

A funny Halloween adventure filled with spooky items, playful rhymes, and silly surprises. This seasonal favorite creates excitement for Halloween while remaining lighthearted and fun for young children.

Great for: Halloween themes, rhyme, sequencing, spooky fun, seasonal celebrations
You can extend this story with: Halloween sensory bins, costume activities, bat crafts, retelling games, and spooky dramatic play.

Sequencing Practice

After reading, ask students to:

• Order the items the old lady swallowed
• Draw or match each step
• Retell the story using simple sentences

This works well for both ESL learners and native speakers.

Act It Out

Turn the story into a fun role-play:

• Assign roles (old lady, objects, animals)
• Use simple props or picture cards
• Act out each part of the sequence

This builds confidence and comprehension.

Retell with Props

Use real or classroom objects:

• Place items in order as you retell the story
• Let students “feed” the old lady in sequence

This adds a hands-on and visual element to learning.

Draw and Tell

Ask students to:

• Draw their favorite part
• Create a new version of the story
• Illustrate a different item the old lady could swallow

Then have them explain their ideas.

Vocabulary Practice

Choose key words from the story:

• Match words to pictures
• Act them out
• Use them in simple sentences

You can group vocabulary by themes such as seasons, objects, or animals.

Create Your Own Version

Follow the pattern:

• “There was an old lady who swallowed a ___…”

Students can invent their own funny and creative versions of the story.
This is great for speaking and early writing.

Rhyming and Repetition

Focus on repeated phrases:

• Encourage students to join in
• Pause and let them complete sentences
• Practice rhythm and intonation

Hands-On Activities

If possible:

• Create a paper “old lady” craft with a pocket
• Use cut-outs to retell the story
• Do seasonal crafts connected to the book

These activities make learning interactive and memorable.

Create a Fun Storytime Environment

• Cushions, rugs, and a lively reading space
• Props or visuals to support the story
• Opportunities for movement and participation

These elements help keep energy high and students engaged.

Stories by Lucille Colandro are more than just funny—they are powerful tools for building language, memory, and sequencing skills. With their repetitive structure and playful themes, they encourage participation and make learning enjoyable.

Whether you focus on speaking, vocabulary, or storytelling, these books are a perfect addition to any classroom.

So pick your favorite version, gather your students, and get ready for a storytime full of laughter and learning.

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