September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage month, and I enjoy taking that opportunity to highlight Latine authors, illustrators, and Spanish language songs and rhymes. I am extremely fortunate to have several regular storytime families who speak Spanish, and who helped suggest some new songs for us to do, and who helped me read the Spanish portions of the two bilingual books we read. I was a French major in college, but have always enjoyed learning a little Spanish here and there. This past year, I got a little more systematic about it and have been doing Spanish lessons on a language learning app consistently. It’s been great to learn more, and I love having some new songs and rhymes to share. I had chosen the theme of “La música” several months ago, not really exploring books yet, but wanting a theme I knew could go with a lot of my songs. It was a very loose theme!
See other versions of this theme from 2020 and 2022.
Early Literacy Tip: Studies show that children raised in bilingual environments develop core cognitive skills like decision-making and problem-solving — before they even speak. If you aren’t already bilingual, that’s okay! You can still expose your child to different languages and cultures. As long as you expose them to foreign words in a consistent way with the same context, they’ll reap the benefits.
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (TT) (TB) (FT)**
Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (TT) (TB) (FT)
This is a repeated song that everyone seems to enjoy. I always begin and end with feet and tummies, but find two other body parts to wiggle in the middle. This week it was shoulders and ears.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (TB) (FT)
Intro: Hispanic Heritage Month just started, and runs from September 15 – October 15. Hispanic means Spanish-speaking. Today we are going to celebrate Spanish and Spanish-speakers, and the contributions they make, including authors who write in both English and Spanish, & illustrators from Spanish-speaking countries.
This is a sweet and simple song that is good to get us started. I ask the kids to take a good look at their hand and admire it – what a pretty hand it is! We do this twice, switching hands on the second repetition.
Song: La linda manita (TT) (TB) (FT)
La linda manita (flip hand back and forth)
que tiene el bebé
qué linda, qué bella
qué preciosa es
Source: traditional, watch: https://youtu.be/OWAunlWlMUI
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
I had a Spanish-speaking volunteer for two of my three sessions. For the first session, I went with the “music” theme and this reinterpretation of Mary Had a Little Lamb. I read the English and she read the Spanish.
Read: Maria Had a Little Llama / María tenía una llamita by Angela Dominguez (TT)
My second session volunteer was the one who was my primary helper. She suggested songs and this book specifically. It’s a little longer than Maria, which is why I chose a different one for the first/younger session. I pointed out that this was written by the musical group 123 Andrés, and that the book was based on a song they could look up.
Read: Hola amigo! / Hello, Friend by 123 Andrés & Sara Palacios (TB)
Alas, though I did put out a email call for anyone signed up in my third session, no one felt comfortable volunteering to read. I chose this book because the majority is in English, with Spanish words sprinkled throughout, which I felt I could handle on my own.
Read: Sonrisas for Baby by Jen Arena & Blanca Gómez (FT)
Let’s bring out the music that’s in our bodies!
Action Song: Mi cuerpo hace música (TT) (TB) (FT)
Mi cuerpo, mi cuerpo hace música
Mi cuerpo, mi cuerpo hace música
Mis manos hacen (clap,clap, clap)
Mis pies hacen (stomp, stomp, stomp)
Mi boca hace: la, la, la! (point at mouth)
Mi cuerpo hace: cha, cha, cha! (dance)
Source: Sol y Canto, from the album El Doble de Amigos. Watch with motions at Jbrary
This was a new one to me, which was suggested by my volunteer. I found lots of videos of it, many of them the strange robotic animated children’s song ones that have taken over YouTube in the last few years. I finally found the one linked below on Mama Lisa’s World, which is a great resource for international music. I love that it’s a home video showing a family doing the song, which sounded natural, so that’s how I learned the tune.
Here’s a circle song, similar to Ring Around the Rosie. I explained the song lyric translation. At the end we fall down and go to sleep! I encouraged grownups to make a circle with their little one (like in the video) rather than trying to wrangle everyone into a big circle.
Circle Song: A la rueda, rueda (TT) (TB) (FT)
(walk in a circle, and fall down and pretend to sleep at the end!)
A la rueda, rueda, De pan y canela
Dame un besito, Y vete para la escuela
Spoken: Si no quieres ir, Acuéstate a dormir!
To the wheel, wheel, of bread and cinnamon
Give me a kiss, and go to school
If you don’t want to go, Lay down to sleep!
Source: traditional, watch here: https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=2792
Confession: I am not a big fan of this song, in any language. I know the kids like it, though, so we did it in English first and then in Spanish.
Action Song: Cabeza y hombros, rodillas y pies (TT) (TB) (FT)
(Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes)
Cabeza y hombros, rodillas y pies (rodillas y pies)
Cabeza y hombros, rodillas y pies (rodillas y pies)
Ojos, orejas, boca y nariz
Cabeza y hombros, rodillas y pies (rodillas y pies)
Source: traditional
This was another suggestion from my volunteer. I showed the video for one session, and I think it would have gone better just singing. It runs a bit long, with lots of instrumental breaks, and the group got restless. I ended up skipping it for the last two sessions.
Action/Body Song: Con tu dedito (TT)
Con tu dedito, con tu dedito, con tu dedito: tap, tap, tap!
Ponlo hacia arriba,
Ponlo hacia abajo,
Ponlo en tu cabeza
Continue moving your finger and tapping different parts of your body. Try:
Nariz = Nose
Mentón = Chin
Brazo = Arm
Pierna = Leg
Pie = Foot
Source: Canta con Jess
We then got out shakers. We have regular shaker eggs that we use regularly, but I noticed we also have some maraca style shakers with a handle, clear bowl and multicolored pieces inside which I’d never used before. OMG, they are LOUD. So loud. It was difficult to hear myself think, much less sing. I nixed them for the last session.
Shaker Practice: Shake Your Shaker High (TT) (TB)
(tune of Grand Old Duke of York)
You shake your shaker high
You shake your shaker low
You shake your shaker fast, fast, fast
And then you shake it slow!
Source: Harris County (TX) Public Library
This one I heard about from another library at a conference this year. I showed the video, and encouraged them to dance with their shakers (for the group that had them).
Body Song: Baila, baila (TB) (FT)
Cuando un amigo baila, baila, baila, baila!
Pies = Feet
Rodillas = Knees
Caderas = Hips
Manos = Hands
Cabeza = Head
Source: Baila, Baila
And we ended with bubbles. This is the bubble song I use every session in the summer, so my groups were familiar with it.
Recorded Song: Pop, Pop, Pop (TT) (TB) (FT)
by Nathalia From the album “Dream a Little”
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Papel picado Craft (TB) (FT)
I’ve seen instructions on how to make simplified papel picado, but that’s still too advanced for my group. Instead, I printed out papel picado coloring sheets from the Greenville (SC) County Library and provided dot markers and tissue paper squares to decorate them with. It was a hit! In both sessions, I had kids working on their craft for much longer than they usually do, even after I’d gotten the toy bins out! I had saved coloring sheets from a previous year from Greenville, which I’m not seeing on their website. I’ve uploaded them here for you to use.
Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!
Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Goodbye Rhyme: Tickle the Stars* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Fiesta Babies – Carmen Tafolla & Amy Có rdova
Los pollitos dicen / The Baby Chicks Are Singing – Ashley Wolff
Marta! Big & Small – Jen Arena & Angela Dominguez
Gracias / Thanks – Pat Mora & John Parra
My Name is Celia / Me llamo Celia – Monica Brown & Rafael López
A Song of Frutas – Margarita Engle & Sara Palacios
Paletero Man – Lucky Diaz & Micah Player
Brrrum, brrrum, brrrum / Zoom, Zoom, Zoom – Annie Kubler
Eso es mio / That’s Mine – Sumana Seeboruth & Ashleigh Corrin
Nosotros Means Us – Paloma Valdivia
Téo’s Tutu – Maryann Jacob Macias & Alea Marley
Just Ask! – Sonia Sotomayor & Rafael López
¡Pío Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes – Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy, Alice Schertle, & Viví Escrivá
This storytime was presented in-person on 9/18, 9/19, & 9/20/23.
Storytime Handout:
*Lyrics to these songs can be found on the Repeated Songs & Rhymes page.
**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 