Early Bird - 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: Early Bird by Toni Yuly

Stand-up activity: Little Bird (action rhyme I have seen in many places, I got this one from Toddle On Over by Robin Works Davis)

I saw a little bird go hop, hop, hop.
I told the little bird to stop, stop, stop.
I went to the window to wave, “How do you do?”
He wagged his little tail and away he flew. 

 

Sit-down activity: Two Little Blackbirds (traditional fingerplay)

Two little blackbirds sitting on a fence
One named Jack, the other named Jill
Fly away Jack
Fly away Jill
Come back Jack
Come back Jill
Two little blackbirds sitting on a fence

 

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: 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.

 

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: "B” is for birds

 

 

Flannelboard: Five Little Chickadees (I found this rhyme in a Wild Animal Baby magazine Dec/Jan 2009). 

***Literacy tip: To help your child practice listening skills, talk about what you are going to do – for storytime or for your day’s activities.  This can be done in any language!    

Closing song with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band by Laurie Berkner

 

 

 

 

Favorite Storytime Books - 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: “Blue Bird Through My Window” (traditional song)

{Blue Bird, blue bird} through my window.
{Blue Bird, blue bird} through my window.
{Blue Bird, blue bird} through my window.
Oh, Johnny, I’m tired.
(Night, night.)

(Substitute other colors as needed.)

  

  

Book #1: My Garden by Kevin Henkes

Stand-up activity: “The Goldfish” from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner

Sit-down activity: Two Little Hands (action chant I picked up many years ago) 

Ten little fingers go wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.
Two little hands go clap, clap, clap.
Two little feet go tap, tap, tap.
Two little fists go thump, thump, thump.
Two little legs go jump, jump, jump.
One little body turns around,
And everyone sits quietly down. 

 

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: Silly Sally by Audrey Wood

Book #3: Ice Cream Face by Heidi Woodward Sheffield

Closing music with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band by Laurie Berkner

   

Art activity: Cupcake wrapper flower glued onto blue paper, with green craft foam strips for stem, and craft foam sprinkle stickers (leftover from another craft program) as seeds.   

Optional other books:
Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming
 

 

 

 

 

Yummy Food - 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 Makes Lemonade by Lucy Cousins

Stand-up activity: I’m a Little Teapot

I'm a little teapot, short and stout.
Here is my handle,
Here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up hear me shout:
Tip me over and pour me out!

I'm a very special pot, this is true.
Here's an example of what I can do.
I can change my handle and my spout.
Tip me over and pour me out!

 

Sit-down activity: Alligator Pie (an action rhyme I found many years ago that I have seen on many websites)

Alligator, alligator, alligator pie, 
(Open and close arms like the jaws of an alligator)

If I don't get some, I think I'm gonna cry.
(Rub eyes like you are crying)

You can take away the grass,
(Point to the ground)

You can take away the sky,
(Point to the sky above)

But don't take away my alligator pie!
(Open and close arms like an alligator)  

 

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: 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.

 

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: "L” is for lemonade

 

 

 

Flannelboard: Five Little Kernels (a counting down rhyme I found on the Storytime Katie blog)

Five little kernels sizzling in the pot
All of a sudden, one went POP!

Four little kernels… etc.

 

Closing song with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band by Laurie Berkner