Oh My Pets - 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: Dog by Matthew Van Fleet, photography by Brian Stanton (lift-flap, moveable pieces)

Stand-up activity: On My Toes There Is a Flea (action rhyme/fingerplay I found at https://kcls.org/content/on-my-toe-there-is-a-flea/)

On my toe there is a flea,
Now he’s climbing up on me,
Past my stomach, past my nose,
On my head where my hair grows.
On my head there is a flea
Now he’s climbing down on me,
Past my stomach, past my knee,
On my toe,
Take THAT, you flea!

 

Sit-down activity: Five Kittens (fingerplay I picked up somewhere and adapted)

Five little kittens standing in a row
They nod their heads to the children so
They run to the left
They run to the right
They stand up and stretch in the bright sunlight
Now those kitties have the giggles
Those kitties have the wiggles
Those kitties go tickle, tickle, tickle on your little tum!

 

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: Choo Choo (fingerplay that crosses the midline that I found at https://youtu.be/gr4gtVYSAEg?si=ceNiLrI-2BuUbGMC)

Choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Up the railroad track.
Choo, choo, choo, chook, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Then we come right back. 

First, we go to grandma’s house,
Up the railroad track.
Then, we go to monkey’s house,
Then we come right back. 

Choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Up the railroad track.
Choo, choo, choo, chook, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Then we come right back. 

 

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: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

 

Letter of the day: "D” is for Dog

 

 

Flannelboard: Five Little Puppy Dogs (flannelboard I found in my library system’s collection)

Five little puppy dogs barking at the door.
This one chased a cat,
And that left four.

Four little puppy dogs racing around a tree.
This one chased a squirrel,
And that left three.

Three little puppy dogs chewing on a shoe.
This one left to chase a ball,
And that left two.

Two little puppy dogs chewing on a bone.
This one left to find some lunch,
And that left one.

One little puppy dog tired from all the fun.
She went to take a nap,
And that left none.

 

***Literacy tip: Reading books about animals is a great way to build vocabulary around texture, shape, color, and sound.   

Closing song with scarves: “Milkshake” from Songs for Wiggleworms

 

 

 

 

Birds - 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:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, math, 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:

·         Show the word cards for birds.  Talk about what this word means. Be sure to include discussion of feathers and eggs.   

 

 

·         Read: Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward, illustrated by Steve Jenkins

·         Show the common bird photos on the white board. 

·         Hand out the bird silhouettes. Have the children bring them up to the board to the photo they think it matches. 

·         Go over the names of the common birds on the board.  (I used hummingbird, seagull, duck, bald eagle, owl, woodpecker, robin, blue jay, and chickadee.) 

·         Show the word cards for adaptations and habitat.  Talk about the definition of the words.  Be sure to include a talk about beaks and feet. 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Cheerios bird feeder (as seen at https://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2014/07/preschool-lab-birds.html and https://kidscraftroom.com/diy-bird-feeder-craft-kids/)  

The children make a simple bird feeder with pipe cleaners and Cheerio type cereal.          

 

Station #2 – Bird beaks (as seen at https://web.colby.edu/ch151/files/2015/12/Berry-Bird-Beaks-4-8.pdf and https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2079/2015/12/LessonPlan-Bird-beaks.pdf and https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/bird-beak-tool-challenge-adaptation-experiment/)

I created a beak matching worksheet to match birds with the type of beak that matches the tools on the table.  The tools were pipettes, tweezers, large serving spoons, and chopsticks.  I used colored water as nectar, a handful of uncooked rice as grubs in a tree, a bowl of water with large wood beads as small animals/bugs in water, and cut up rubber bands as worms. 

  

Station #3 – Label the bird (as seen at https://www.powerfulmothering.com/animal-worksheets-birds/) 

I enlarged the worksheet and taped it to the magnet/whiteboard side of my flannelboard.  I then made word magnets for the parts of a bird to label. 

  

 

 

Station #4 – Board game

I put out two board games:

-          Hoot Owl Hoot, which is a simple color game, like Candyland 

-          Pengoloo, a color matching penguin game

 

 

 

Passive Craft Table - Fairy Doors

 

 

For this passive program, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of the table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft on a non school day.  

This particular craft was to decorate a wooden fairy doors that I found online at https://www.bakerross.com/rainbow-wooden-fairy-doors-1. 

 

Supplies:

-         Colorful permanent marker pens

-         Glitter Glue

-         Q-tips

-         Gem stickers

-         Paper plates (to put messy, glue covered doors onto to take home) 

 

This was a low staff library event with some fun results!  

Passive Craft Table - Colorful Llamas

 

 

For this passive program, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of the table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft on a day there was no school.  

This craft was to paint ceramic llama ornaments that I found online at https://www.bakerross.com/llama-ceramic-decorations-1.  In addition to the paints and paintbrushes, I also put out paper plates to carry their wet llamas home on. 

This was a low staff activity with some fun results. 

Summer reading presentations 2024 edition

The world feels much more normal this year!  Summer reading presentations were back in full swing the last few weeks.  Man, it feels good, even if my schedule was a little crazy!  It was wonderful to feel supported by my branch staff and coworkers at other branches.  

This year I tried out a new filler for when my presentation does not fill up the entire class period.  I brought the trivia cards from my new Disney trivia game.  I learned which Disney movies and TV series are well known by the students, which are somewhat known and/or remembered, and which movies and series the kids really haven't seen.  

I also got to share a new book (to me) with the Kindergartners, first graders, and second graders.  They totally enjoyed the silly interactions of this book.  

Dandelion Magic: Go Ahead Make Your Wish! by Darren Farrell, illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa 

Baby Cake - 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: Baby Cakes by Theo Heras, illustrated by Renné Benoit (board book)  

Stand-up activity: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” traditional action song from Songs for Wiggleworms

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: Choo Choo (fingerplay that crosses the midline that I found at https://youtu.be/gr4gtVYSAEg?si=ceNiLrI-2BuUbGMC)

Choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Up the railroad track.
Choo, choo, choo, chook, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Then we come right back. 

First, we go to grandma’s house,
Up the railroad track.
Then, we go to monkey’s house,
Then we come right back. 

Choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Up the railroad track.
Choo, choo, choo, chook, choo, choo, choo, choo,
Then we come right back. 

 

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: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

 

Letter of the day: "C” is for cake

 

 

Flannelboard: Ten Little Cookies (I found this one at my system’s office) 

Ten little cookies lying on a plate.
Mom takes two, and then there are eight.

When dad comes home, slamming the door,
He eats two cookies, then there are six.

Brother comes home, stomping on the floor,
He eats two cookies, then there are four.

When sister comes home, there are still a few.
She eats a couple, then there are two.

Baby wakes up. His nap is done.
He eats a cookie, then there is one.

The cat jumps on the table and eats the last one.
The poor dog is too late, he only gets a crumb.

 

***Literacy tip: By using their muscles to act out the motions in a song or rhyme, children develop both their gross motor skills and body self-awareness.        

Closing song with scarves: “Milkshake” from Songs forWiggleworms

Optional book:
Monsters Love CupcakesMonsters Love Cupcakes by Mike Austin