Space Rockets - 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’s Rocket by Lucy Cousins (board book)

Themed activity #1: Five Little Astronauts (fingerplay I adapted from one called "Five Little Aliens")

(Hold up fingers of one hand)

One, two, three, four, five
Five little astronauts standing in a row.
They nod their heads to the children just so
They run to the left.
They run to the right.
They stand and stretch in the bright starlight.

 

Themed activity #2: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" fingerplay song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

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: Singing and rhyming together builds listening skills in children.  This helps them hear that words are made up of smaller sounds. 

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: "R” is for rocket

 

 

• Flannelboard: Phases of the Moon 

I cut some paper plates to create four phases of the moon (full, gibbous, half, crescent). I introduced these phases to the children and then read a poem about the moon I found on the Guybrarian blog. 

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