My House - 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: My House by Byron Barton

Stand-up activity: Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins similar to "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around") 

Kitty cat, kitty cat turn around
Kitty cat, kitty cat touch the ground
Kitty cat, kitty cat walk on your toes
Kitty cat, kitty cat paw your nose
Kitty cat, kitty cat stretch up high
Kitty cat, kitty cat jump to the sky
Kitty cat, kitty cat start to eat
Kitty cat, kitty cat find your seat

 

Sit-down activity / Bridge: 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.

 

***Literacy tip: Singing rhymes and songs lets your child hear the sounds of language.  Singing songs in any language is a wonderful way to get your child ready to read.    

 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: Roly Poly (hand rolling opposites action rhyme)

Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in.
Roly poly, roly poly, clap, clap, clap.
Roly poly, roly poly, tap, tap, tap.
Roly poly, roly poly, fast, fast, fast.
Roly poly, roly poly, slow, slow, slow.
Roly poly, roly poly, I love you!

 

Lap rhyme #3: 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.

 

Lap rhyme #4: Bumpin’ Up and Down In My Little Red Wagon (lap bounce song)

Bumpin' up and down in my little red wagon. 
(bounce)
Bumpin' up and down in my little red wagon.
Bumpin' up and down in my little red wagon,
Won't you be my darlin'.

One wheel's off and the axle's broken. 
(lean side to side)
One wheel's off and the axle's broken.
One wheel's off and the axle's broken,
Won't you be my darlin'!

I'm fixin' my wagon with my hammer.  
(pound one fist on top of the other)
Fixin' my wagon with my hammer.
Fixin' my wagon with my hammer.
Fixin' my wagon with my hammer.
Won't you be my darlin'!

Bumpin' up and down in my little red wagon. (bounce)
Bumpin' up and down in my little red wagon.
Bumpin' up and down in my little red wagon,
Won't you be my darlin'.

 

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: "H” is for house

 

Flannelboard: A Squirrel Lives In a Tree (to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" that I found at the Program Palooza blog by Carol Simon Levin)

Closing song with Scarves: “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

Optional extra book: The Napping House by Don Wood

 

 

 

Building Up - Family Storytime

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

Opening: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs forWiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

Literacy activity: Stacking colored building blocks

Grab an assortment of many colored building blocks.  Hand one block to each child.  Have the children bring their blocks up to a table when you call their color.  Once all of the blocks are on the table, count the blocks while stacking them into a high tower.

 

  

Book #1: Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale

***Parent literacy tip: Factual books offer opportunities to add to children’s knowledge based on their interests.  It helps them learn about the world around them. 

Stand-up activity: “My Ups and Downs” action song from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi On His Toe Leg Knee by Jim Gill

Sit-down activity: 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.

 

Extra lap rhymes #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!

 

Extra lap rhyme #2: 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.
Eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

 

Extra lap rhyme #3: Roly Poly (hand rolling opposites rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins) 

Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in.
Roly poly, roly poly, clap, clap, clap.
Roly poly, roly poly, tap, tap, tap.
Roly poly, roly poly, fast, fast, fast.
Roly poly, roly poly, slow, slow, slow.
Roly poly, roly poly, I love you!

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) 

 

Book #2: One Big Building: A Counting Book About Construction by Michael Dahl, illustrated by Todd Ouren 

Book #3: Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia 

Closing music with scarves: “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

Art activity: Cut, color, and glue paper shapes to create a shape building

 

Bridges - A Story and STEAM event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts to preschoolers ages 3-6 years old.  

Intro song #1:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Intro song #2: If You Are Ready for Stories... (my adaptation of a Rob Reid storytime rhyme)

If you are ready for stories...
...Count to three.
...Stretch your wings.
...Touch your toes.
...Touch your nose.
...Bark like a dog.
...Snore like a log.
...Sit like a kid at storytime.

Book: 

The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Jerry Pinkney

STEAM questions and concepts:

What problem did the goats need to solve?

What is a bridge?

A bridge is a structure that gets you from one side of something to another.  A bridge is a structure that allows people and vehicles to cross over an open space.  Bridges span, or stretch across, deep pits in the earth, bodies of water, train tracks, and roads. 

Demonstration:

Show photos of different types of bridges. Mention the names of these types of bridges.  

Show the homemade bridge made of out cardboard and two paper cups.  Predict how many toy cars can fit on this bridge before it falls down.  Start piling on the cars as you count them.  

Now make the bridge with three paper cups.  Predict how many cares will fit with the extra support.  Pile on the cars and count.  

Remind caregivers to ask question of the budding engineers so that they will think like scientists.  

Stations: 

Station #1- Encourage children to experiment with the demonstration bridge and cars.

Station #2 - Encourage children to use folded or rolled papers to make a bridge to span the distance between two large blocks.  Next, have them count them count how many glass stones (the type used in flower vases) each different type of bride will hold.  If able, they can also test their own paper bridge.  

Station #3 - Encourage children to create a unique bridge with the art supplies provided.  

Reflection: 

Station #2 did not go as intended.  The children mostly played with the glass stones, both on and off the paper bridges.  One child made a clever pattern with the stones all lined up on table.  

Owls - 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: Night Owl by Toni Yuly

Literacy tip: Learning about and playing with sounds is a fun way for children to learn about language. 

Stand-up activity: Just Like an Owl (action song to the tune of “London Bridges” that I found at the Upper Hudson Library System webpage)

Flap your wings and fly around, fly around, fly around.
Flap your wings and fly around, just like an owl. 

Open your eyes big and wide, big and wide, big and wide.
Open your eyes big and wide, just like an owl. 

Land on the ground and hop along, hop along, hop along.
Land on the ground and hop along, just like an owl. 

Turn your head and say, “Who! Who!”  Say, “Who! Who!” Say, “Who! Who!”
Turn your head and say, “Who! Who!,” just like an owl.

Find your nest and sit right down, sit right down, sit right down.
Find your nest and sit right down, just like an owl. 

 

Sit-down activity / Bridge: Two Little Barn Owls (adaptation of “Two Little Blackbirds” fingerplay rhyme by Carol Hopkins)

Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.
One named Jack.  The other named Jill.
Fly back Jack.  Fly back Jill.
Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.

Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.
One named Jack. The other named Jill.
Fly high Jack.  Fly low Jill.
Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.

 

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: Roly Poly (rolling fists action rhyme)

Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in.
Roly poly, roly poly, slap, slap, slap.
Roly poly, roly poly, tap, tap, tap.
Roly poly, roly poly, go so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, go so slow-ly.
Roly poly, roly poly, I love you!

 

Lap rhyme #3: Pat-a-Cake (traditional clapping nursery rhyme) 

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Pat it 
And roll it 
And mark it with a "B"
Put it in the oven for baby and me 

 

Letter of the day: "O” is for owl

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) 

 

Flannelboard: Night Owls (counting song to the tune of "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" that I found on the Jen In the Library blog)

There was one night owl in the tree:
Hoo!  Hoo!
There was one night owl in the tree:
Hoo!  Hoo!
Oh, he called up to the sky to an owl flying by,
And the owl came and joined him happily:
Hoo!  Hoo!

Repeat with two night owls, three, and four.

Closing song with Scarves: “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner