Busy Squirrel - 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: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

Stand-up activity: Brown Squirrel (action rhyme that I found at Adventures of a Bookworm blog but have also seen versions elsewhere) 

Brown squirrel, brown squirrel
Shake your bushy tail
(wiggle bottom)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel
Shake your bushy tail
Wrinkle up your little nose
(tap nose)
Put a nut between your toes
(hold hands up like claws)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel
Shake your bushy tail. 

  

Sit-down activity: Falling Leaves (scarf song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" I found at My Storytime Corner blog at https://www.mystorytimecorner.com/fall-leaves-preschool-storytime/)

Leaves, leaves, leaves will fall
(stand up and sway) 

Gently all around

Falling left falling right
(arms move left and right with fluttering fingers)

Fluttering to the ground.
(fall to the ground)

 

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 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: It takes 5 to 12 seconds for children to respond.  We need to be patient after asking a question.    

Transition: Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

 

Letter of the day: "S” is for squirrel

 

 

Flannelboard: Four Little Apples (counting down rhyme found in Ready to Go Storytimes: Fingerplays, Scripts, Patterns, Music, & More by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis)    

Four little apples hanging on a tree,
The wind blew hard and now there are three.

Three little apples a worm began to chew,
Another apple hit the ground and now there are two.

Two little apples hanging in the sun,
Along came a hungry bird and now there is one.

One little apple left upon the tree,
I saw it before it was gone, I guess that one's for me!

  

Closing song with scarves: “Alabama, Mississippi” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Songs by Jim Gill