Asleep On the Bed - 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: Five On the Bed by Addie Boswell

Stand-up activity: During the Night (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

During the night I know that... 
Stars twinkle in the sky 
Bats fly and swoop through the air 
Owls flap their wings before saying, "Who-Who" 
Cats jump from place to place 
Opossums climb up trees 
Raccoons run across the grass 
Wolves howl at the moon 
And I lie in my bed to sleep

 

Sit-down activity: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (fingerplay song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo)

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: Frog Jump Over the Great Big Stick (lap bounce action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Frog be nimble, frog be quick,
Frog jump over the great big stick.
(lift baby/arms up)

Frog be nimble, frog be slick,
Frog swim under the great big stick.
(make swimming motions with arms)

Frog be nimble, frog go click,
Frog almost falls off the great big stick.
(pretend to fall off lap)

Frog be nimble frog be fine,
Frog gets a kiss at storytime.
(blow kisses)

 

Lap rhyme #3: 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 #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.

 

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 sleep

 

 

Flannelboard: Playing Drums On the Mat (clapping rhyme found in the book Artsy Toddler Storytimes: A Year's Worth of Ready-To-Go Programming by Carol Garnett Hopkins) 

Closing song with Scarves: “Around and Around” from Welcome from Miss Carole by Carole Peterson

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-up: Building Challenge Marble Run

 This was my first Homeschool Meet-up event!  I think it was a great success.  Six families showed up and worked on some problem solving skills as they tried out my building challenge.  

Goals:

• Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.
• Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.
• Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

Name tag table: 

Invite participants to create a name tag using the die cut shapes, tape, and pens.  

Getting to know you board:

Invite participants to answer the question on the white board so that we can get to know each other.  

QUESTION: What is your favorite ice-cream flavor?

CATEGORIES: Vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, other (please tell us what it is)

Activity of the day: Build a marble run using only the supplies provided

Supplies:

• Paper cups
• Duct tape
• Playdough
• Craft sticks

In the Bath - 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: Pop, Pop Bubble Numbers (number literacy flannelboard chant written by Carol Hopkins)

I like to pop.
I like to pop.
I like to pop, pop bubbles!
Soapy bubbles, soapy bubbles,
With a {_one_} on them. 

(Repeat with other numbers. Finish by counting how many bubbles were placed on the board)

 

***Parent literacy tip: Counting objects is a good way to learn one-to-one correspondence.  You can count anything: Fingers, toys, food, so many things!   

  

  

Book #1: Bears In the Bath by Shirley Parenteau, illustrated by David Walker

Stand-up activity: Bubbles (action chant written by Carol Hopkins to use with bubble machine)

I like to pop, I like to pop, I like to pop, pop bubbles.
I like to pop, I like to pop, I like to pop, pop bubbles.
I like to pop, I like to pop, I like to pop, pop bubbles.
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles.

(Repeat with different action words such as jump, spin, stomp, sit, etc.)

 

Sit-down activity: This Is the Way We Wash (action song to the tune of "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush" that I adapted)

This is the way we wash our hands,
Wash our hands, wash our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands,
When we get all dirty.

This is the way we scrub our face...
This is the way we rub our ears...
This is the way we rinse our hair...
This is the way we sponge our tummies...

 

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: Bathtime with Theo & Beau by Jessica Shyba

Book #3: Bath Time! by Sterling Children’s Books (board book)

Closing music with rhythm sticks: “Goin’ On a Bear Hunt” from Kids in Action by Greg & Steve

   

Art activity: Stamping paint bubbles onto a bathtub coloring sheet using receipt roll cores. With an option to glue a yellow rubber duck cut-out onto the picture. 

 

 

 

November Preschool Library Lady

 Just before the November holiday, I visited one of the preschool classes in my community.  We read books, sang songs, and danced with scarves.  

Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming

More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt, illustrated by Troy Cummings

What's Next Door? by Nicola O'Byrne 

Gravity - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

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

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

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.  

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·       Have the children jump into the air.

·       Question: Why did you fall back to the ground?  Why didn’t you stay in the air? 

·       Answer: Because gravity pulled you back down. Gravity is what keeps your feet on the ground.  It’s why objects fall to the ground. 

·       Show gravity word card.  Talk about the definition of gravity.

·       Hand out beans bags.

·       Question: Do bean bags fall back to the ground?

·       Throw beans bags into the air and let them drop to the ground.

·       Question: Do a penny and a bean bag fall as the same speed?

·       Demonstrate a speed test of a penny and a bean bag falling from the same height. 

·       Question: What about ramps? What causes a ball to roll down a ramp? 

·       Demonstrate a ball rolling down the ramp. 

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.

 

·       Read:

Ouch! Tales of Gravity by Kate Simpson, illustrated by Andy Hardiman or Baby Loves Gravity by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Irene Chan (board book)

·       Instruct children on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- What types of objects roll down ramps?

The children experiment with a variety of objects to which will and will not roll down a simple ramp.   

 

Station #2 – Gravity painting

Children tape a sheet of paper to a table.  Then use pipettes with paint in them to squeeze paint onto the paper and let gravity direct the paint downwards. 

 

Station #3 – Marble maze

The children use a marble maze toy set to create mazes that use gravity to pull the marble. 

Station #4 – Keepy uppy game

Encourage the children to use energy from their body to stop the balloon from falling back to earth.