Spring Animals - 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: It’s Spring by Samantha Berger and Pamela Chanko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Themed activity #1: “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,
Then 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,
Then the great big hairy spider went up the spout again.

 

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: We’re Making a Purple Stew (story time song I saw a in a video from New York Public Library)

We’re making a {_purple_} stew,
Whip-whip-, whip-whip.
(pretend to stir a big pot in front of your body)

We’re making a {_purple_} stew,
Scooby-dooby-doo.

With {_purple_} potatoes,
(use one hand to pretend to throw potatoes from your shoulder into the pretend pot)

And {_purple_} tomatoes,
(use your other hand to pretend to throw tomatoes from your shoulder into the pretend pot)

And even a {_purple_} you!
(tickle baby’s tummy)

**What other colors should we do?
(repeat the song with other colors)

 

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: When singing, children hear the same short sentences over an over.  This helps them recognize simple sentence structures and patterns.            

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: "S” is for spring

 

 

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

Closing song with egg shakers: “Bublebee Buzz Buzz” from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner