Friends of All Shapes - Family Storytime

A Wednesday 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.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Bird Shapes (a fun shape and color rhyme I found in my library’s flannelboard collection, it is very similar to this Bird House flannelboard I found at https://fallingflannelboards.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/flannel-friday-bird-houses/ )

 

  

 

Book #1: All Kinds of Friends by Shelley Rotner & Sheila M. Kelly 

Theme activity #1: Let's Be Friends Today (action song to the tune of "The More We Get Together" written by Carol Hopkins)

(teach the sign language for "friends")

Let's be friends with one another, together forever,
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can ju-ump, go jumping, go jumping.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can cla-ap, go clapping, go clapping.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can ru-un, go running, go running.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can spi-in, go spinning, go spinning.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can si-it, go sitting, go sitting.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

  

Theme activity #2: "The Goldfish" action song from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner 

Transition: Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family)

 

***Parent literacy tip: Rhymes and songs help children learn the cadence of language.  

Book #2: Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond 

Book #3: Where Are Maisy's Friends? by Lucy Cousins (lift-flap, board book) 

Closing music with scarves: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill    

  

 

Art activity:  Cut up straws as the beads for a friendship bracelet on a pipecleaner

Optional other books:
Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
The Button Book by Sally Nicholls, illustrated by Behtan Woollvin 

 

 

 

 

The Art & Crafts Table at Playtime

According to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburg, the benefits of art in early childhood learning include Physical Development (Fine Motor Skills and Multisensory Engagement), Cognitive Development (Visual Processing and Creative Thinking/Imagination), plus Social-Emotional Learning (Self-Esteem, Cultural Education & Perspective-Taking, as well as Self-Expression & Emotional Development). 

Some open-ended art activities that I introduced on the Playtime art table:

-          Paper plate snowflake collage – Drew a simple star on the paper plate that the children then glued on cotton balls, q-tips, and shortened straws

-          Dinosaur scales – glue tissue paper scales onto a dinosaur drawing

-          Polar bear snow scene – snowflake stamping with receipt cores and polar bear cut-outs

-          Paper plate cookie - bingo dabber pens onto a paper plate

Friends Together - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Wednesday 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 places to stick the gum)

 

 

Book: One Bear, One Dog by Paul Stickland 

Themed activity #1:  The Great Big Bear (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

The great big bear,
(sing language for bear)
Gives a warning with a soft little growl.
(growl)
Waves its paws in the air.
(move hands like claws)
Shakes its great big head
(shake head)
Rubs its furry little ears
(rub ears)
Gives a great big roar
(loud roar)
Then goes to sleep in its lair.
(hands to side of face for sleep)

 

Themed activity #2: "If You're Happy And You Know It" traditional 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: A Hippopotamus Got on a City Bus (lap bounce rhyme I found at Jbrary at https://youtu.be/OZOq5Wiiox8?si=guAfW8ip2WPwZAtq)

A sheep, a sheep, a sheep got on a city bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"Baaaack up!"

A cow, a cow, a cow got on a bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"Mooooove over!"

A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus got on, got on, got on a city bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"You're squishing us!"
(hug baby)

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional 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: Rhymes and songs help children learn the cadence of language.  

Transition: Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family)

 

Letter of the day: “T” is for together

Flannelboard: Six Little Ducks (traditional song used on a flannelboard with six felt ducks)

Six little ducks that I once knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones, too.
But the one little duck with the feather on his back,
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack!
Quack, quack, quack, quack!
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Down to the river they would go,
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble, to and fro.
But the one little duck with the feather on his back,
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack!
Quack, quack, quack, quack!
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Back from the river they would come,
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble, hum, hum, hum.
But the one little duck with the feather on his back,
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack!
Quack, quack, quack, quack!
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Closing song with scarves: "Nelly Go Cross the Ocean" from More Tickles & Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman 

 

 

 

 

Playing with Toys at Playtime

Toys are learning tools for all children at all ages. Playing with toys promotes cognitive, social, and physical development by encouraging children to safely practice real-world skills, experiment with cause and effect, and navigate feelings. 

Toys the children at my Playtimes enjoyed:

-          Popsicle alphabet/counting toy

-          Threading or lacing beads

-          Box of polar animal puppets and stuffies

Wood and velcro pizza cutting toy 

Color Dance Day - Family Storytime

A Wednesday 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.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard:  Dog’s Colorful Day (a flannelboard adaptation of the picture book by Emma Dodd)

 

  

 

Book #1: Color Dance by Ann Jonas 

Theme activity #1: "The Grand Old Duke of York" action song from Where Is Thumbkin?: Action Songs for Every Month by Kimbo 

Theme activity #2: Colored Shoes (action chant written by Carol Hopkins) 

Walking in my red shoes, red shoes, red shoes
Walking in my red shoes, here at storytime.

Running in my blue shoes, blue shoes, blue shoes,

Running in my blue shoes, here at storytime.

Sliding in my green shoes, green shoes, green shoes,

Sliding in my green shoes, here at storytime.

Twirling in my pink shoes, pink shoes, pink shoes,

Twirling in my pink shoes, here at storytime.

Sitting in my white shoes, white shoes, white shoes,

Sitting in my white shoes, here at storytime.

 

Transition: Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family)

 

***Parent literacy tip: Talk about putting toys in ordinal number order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) to expand your child's vocabulary and knowledge about numbers.  This can be done in any lnaguage!  

Book #2: One Red Sock by Jennifer Sattler 

Book #3: Press Here by Hervé Tullet 

Closing music with scarves: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill    

  

 

 

Art activity:  Cut, color, and glue traffic lights 

Optional other books:
Cat's Colors by Jane Cabrera 
Pete the Cat, I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean 

 

 

 

 

Flannelboards at Playtime

Flannelboards are an interactive and hands-on tool for reinforcing narrative storytelling skills, for practicing fine motor control, as well as for teaching concepts such as sequencing and counting.

I love watching a caregiver and child tell a story together using the felt pieces. 

I usually bring out two flannelboard sets at each playtime.  Some of the popular sets include:

-          Five Little Penguins

-          Counting Pets

-          Color Butterflies

-          Five Enormous Dinosaurs

-          Dino Colors

Colorful Stuff - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Wednesday 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 places to stick the gum)

Book: Freight Train by Donald Crews (BIG BOOK)

Themed activity #1:  Choo Choo Choo Choo (fingerplay that crosses the midline that I found at https://youtu.be/gr4gtVYSAEg?si=ceNiLrI-2BuUbGMC)

Choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Up the railroad track.
Choo, choo, choo, chook, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Then we come right back. 

First, we go to grandma’s house,
Up the railroad track.
Then, we go to monkey’s house,
Then we come right back. 

Choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Up the railroad track.
Choo, choo, choo, chook, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Then we come right back. 

 

Themed activity #2: "Little Red Wagon" action lap bounce song from Wiggleworms Love You 

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: A Hippopotamus Got on a City Bus (lap bounce rhyme I found at Jbrary at https://youtu.be/OZOq5Wiiox8?si=guAfW8ip2WPwZAtq)

A sheep, a sheep, a sheep got on a city bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"Baaaack up!"

A cow, a cow, a cow got on a bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"Mooooove over!"

A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus got on, got on, got on a city bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"You're squishing us!"
(hug baby)

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional 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: Talk about putting toys in ordinal number order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) to expand your child's vocabulary and knowledge about numbers.  This can be done in any language!  

Transition: Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family)

 

Letter of the day: “C” is for colors

  

 

Flannelboard: Hens of a Different Color (color rhyme I picked up somewhere many years ago)

 

Closing song with scarves: "Nelly Go Cross the Ocean" from More Tickles & Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman