Boats Float - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

 

 

Book: Boats Float by Rebecca Glaser (board book)  

Themed activity: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” action song from Songs for Wiggleworms

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Gregory Griggs (lap bounce rhyme I first saw as a Jbrary video at https://youtu.be/ntrcaKL_esA?si=twwqYr0wAanW2hrJ)

Gregory Griggs, Gregory Griggs,
Had 27 different wigs. 
He wore them up. (lift baby up)
He wore them down. (bring baby back down)
To please the people of the town.
He wore them east. (tip baby to one side)
He wore them west. (tip baby to the other side)
But which one did he love the best?
This one! (hug or tickle baby)

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

***Literacy tip: Use multiple senses when counting objects for a bigger impact.  Whenever you are counting, reinforce the numbers by tapping on your child’s shoulder, leg, or arm.          

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

 

Letter of the day: "F” is for float

 

 

Flannelboard: This Little Boat Went (ordinal number chant I found at Anne’s Library Life blog at https://anneslibrarylife.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/boats/)

The first little boat went chug, chug, chug.
The second little boat went tug, tug, tug.
The third little boat went row, row, row.
The fourth little boat went oh sooo slooooow.
Here comes the sailboat, watch it go!

 

Closing song with scarves: “The Ponies Are Walking” from Baby’s Boat: The Best of Kathy Reid Naiman   

 

 

 

 

Passive Craft Table: Decorate a Butterfly

For this passive program, I wanted to set up a craft table on a no school day.  I found these wood butterflies online at Baker Ross.  They were a little difficult to put together so that they stay together, but the children did not seem to mind.        

Supplies:

-         Wood butterfly craft kits

-         Coloring pens

-         White glue

-         Gem stickers

-         Googly eyes

-         Tablecloth

Hedgehog Party #2

Our Hedgehog Party last year was so successful, we did it again!

Station #1 - Pet expert

A coworker found this hedgehog pet expert while working at a community event.  She works with a Hedgehog Rescue group to help pet hedgehogs that were not well cared for or kept illegally.  The pet expert brought in couple of her pets to show off.  There was no touching of these hedgehogs as they are very shy and can become sick easily.  The pet expert patiently answered all questions that came her way.  She was fabulous!

Station #2 - Craft table

I found a hedgehog craft kit online.  I added a gem stickers and glitter glue to what came in the kit.  Participants made some very creative hedgehogs.  

 

Station #3 - Games

I created a spikey ball toss game: I got a portable bean bag toss game, and switched out the bean bags for plastic spikey balls.

I also bought a children's board game where you place the spikes on the hedgehog after rolling a pair of dice.  

Station #4 - Scavenger hunt

One of my coworkers creates a scavenger hunt for the children every month.  This month, she created a hedgehog themed scavenger hunt to go along with my party theme.  The reward for finishing the hunt was a hedgehog sticker.

Station #5 - Building

I set out straw connector toys and a sign suggesting that participants create prototype hedgehog cages.  And they did!!!

Station #6 - Education boards

I set out two poster boards with information about hedgehogs.  One board listed what hedgehogs eat in the wild and as pets.  The other board was a map showing where hedgehogs can be found in the wild.  

Small Critters - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

 

 

Book: Maisy Goes on a Nature Walk by Lucy Cousins  

Themed activity #1: Two Moths (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

I see two moths flying toward the light
They fly around in circles
Sometimes they fly fast
Sometimes they fly slow
But never do they touch that light as they fly out of sight

 

Themed activity #2: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” traditional fingerplay

The itsy bitsy spider crawled up the water spout. Down came the rain, and washed the spider out. Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain, and the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.

The great big hairy spider crawled up the water spout. Down came the rain, and washed the spider out. Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain, and the great big hairy spider went up the spout again.

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Gregory Griggs (lap bounce rhyme I first saw as a Jbrary video at https://youtu.be/ntrcaKL_esA?si=twwqYr0wAanW2hrJ)

Gregory Griggs, Gregory Griggs,
Had 27 different wigs. 
He wore them up. (lift baby up)
He wore them down. (bring baby back down)
To please the people of the town.
He wore them east. (tip baby to one side)
He wore them west. (tip baby to the other side)
But which one did he love the best?
This one! (hug or tickle baby)

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

***Literacy tip: Repeat, repeat, repeat!  Children learn through repetition because it give them many chances to “figure things out”.        

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

 

Letter of the day: "B” is for bugs

 

 

Flannelboard: Bugs In a Rug (an ordinal order rhyme I adapted from a rhyme I found in Mailbox Preschool magazine, August/September 2007, page 6)

A bunch of little bugs sitting on a rug
First is the bee.  Buzz, buzz, buzz!
Second is the firefly.  Blink, blink, blink! 
Third is the ant.  Work, work, work!
Fourth is the grasshopper.  Hop, hop, hop!
Fifth is the butterfly.  Flap, flap, flap!
Now we have
(count the bugs)
Five bugs sitting all snug,
All rolled up in a rug!  

 

Closing song with scarves: “The Ponies Are Walking” from Baby’s Boat: The Best of Kathy Reid Naiman   

 

 

 

 

Bugs Go Marching - Family Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: “The Ants Go Marching” (traditional children’s counting song)

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two,
The little one stops to tie his shoe
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three,
The little one stops to climb a tree
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four,
The little one stops to shut the door
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

 

  

Book #1: In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming (BIG BOOK)

Stand-up activity: "Baby Bumblebee" from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids 

 Activity: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” traditional fingerplay

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

  

***Parent literacy tip:  Repeat, repeat, repeat!  Children learn through repetition because it gives them many chances to “figure things out”.       

Book #2: Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi, illustrated by Brendan Wenzel  

Book #3: Butterfly, Butterfly: A Book ofColors by Petr Horáček (pop-up)

Closing music with bean bags: “Rocketship Run” from Rocketship Run by The Laurie Berkner Band  

  

Art activity: Bingo dabber markers and dot stickers on caterpillar cut outs

Optional other books:
Hustle Bustle Bugs by Catherine Bailey, illustrated by Lauren Eldridge
The Very Lazy Ladybug by Isobel Finn, illustrated by Jack Tickle

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Nearby Animals - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

 

 

Book: Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steve Jenkins  

Themed activity #1: “Gray Squirrel” action song from WhenIt’s Autumn by Kathy Reid-Naiman

Themed activity #2: Quiet Mouse (adapted from a fingerplay rhyme I found at Mel’s Desk blog at http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/baby-storytime-noisy-and-quiet/)

Here’s a quiet little mouse that goes
“Squeak! Squeak!”
(Show fist and sign language for “mouse”)

Living in a quiet house
(Place fist inside other hand)

When all was quiet as could be…
Out they popped!
To tickle you under there…

 

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Gregory Griggs (lap bounce rhyme I first saw as a Jbrary video at https://youtu.be/ntrcaKL_esA?si=twwqYr0wAanW2hrJ)

Gregory Griggs, Gregory Griggs,
Had 27 different wigs. 
He wore them up. (lift baby up)
He wore them down. (bring baby back down)
To please the people of the town.
He wore them east. (tip baby to one side)
He wore them west. (tip baby to the other side)
But which one did he love the best?
This one! (hug or tickle baby)

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

***Literacy tip: Animals are a great topic for exploring non-fiction books.  There are so many interesting facts to learn!    

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

 

Letter of the day: "S” is for squirrels

 

 

Flannelboard: Five Green and Speckled Frogs (traditional counting down song) 

Five green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs (yum yum)
One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool
Then there were four green speckled frogs.

Four green and speckled frogs…

(continue counting down to zero)

 

Closing song with scarves: “The Ponies Are Walking” from Baby’s Boat: The Best of Kathy Reid Naiman   

 

 

 

 

Animals In the Forest - Family Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Night Animal Sounds Camping Chant (adapted from a rhyme I found a rhyme I found in a storytime kit at my library’s central office)

 I was laying in my sleeping bag
I couldn’t go to sleep
I looked at my watch and wanted to weep
I rolled to my left
I rolled to my right
But all I could hear were animal noises in the night.

I heard a {Owl} go {Hoo, hoo, hoo}... 

(continue with other night noise animals like cricket, frog, dog, bear, etc.)

 

  

Book #1: Trunk Goes Thunk: A WoodlandTale of Opposites by Heather C. Morris, illustrated by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne

Stand-up activity: “If I Was a Bird” action song from Wiggleworms Love You  

 Activity: Slithering, Sliding Snake (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Here comes a slithering, sliding, slinking snake
Her mouth goes "Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"
Here eyes go blink, blink, blink
Her tongue goes "Thrp, thrp, thrp."
First she slinks to the right
Then she slides to the left
And finally she slithers out of sight

 

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

  

***Parent literacy tip:  Animals are a great topic for exploring non-fiction books.  There are so many interesting facts to learn.      

Book #2: The Big Storm: A Very SoggyCounting Book by Nancy Tafuri

Book #3: We All Play by Julie Flett

Closing music with bean bags: “Rocketship Run” from Rocketship Run by The Laurie Berkner Band  

  

Art activity: Chalk drawing on black bear cut out plus cut green grass paper fringe to glue bear onto

Optional other books:
Over In the Forest: A Woodland Baby Animal Counting Book by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jill Dubin (board book)
Ten Little Squirrels by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson, illustrated by Nathalie Beauvois