Here’s another Book Babies plan! This was the plan for September, 2023. Instead of doing a prop this month, we got up and did some dancing with our little ones! At first, it felt a little awkward – I think grownups felt a little self-conscious. But I used my baby stand-in, Froggie, and demonstrated, and they eventually loosened up. I used my ukulele to do both our lullaby and the Baby Bear Waltz, then finished with some bubbles – another activity this group had not yet done. Two elements reminded me of pirates (Two Little Boats and What Shall We Do with a Grumpy Baby) so I ended up theming the handout as piratey – appropriate since Talk Like a Pirate Day is in September!
I think I will keep putting dancing in the rotation, but perhaps less often that the usual suspects of scarves, shakers, and parachute. I usually switch to a different prop each month, and change out songs and rhymes a few at a time, so there are always a few familiars in the lineup.
As in the last post, I’m also adding a thumbnail of the 11×17″ rhyme sheets I display during programs for adults to join in singing and rhymes. Click on the pictures to get a full-sized non-branded PDF.
The books featured in the photos below are just some of the board books made available for individual reading.
See all the Book Babies plans here.
Early Literacy Tip: Associate songs with fun, and they can help ease a grumpy mood. Try “What Shall We Do with a Grumpy Baby?” when your child is having fun, and it might help them shake an actual grumpy mood later on.
Here is our room setup, with the parachute out for babies to lay on/sit on, with a few chairs for those who prefer them to the floor. My pink short chair is perfect for this – I can move easily from it to the floor if I want to demo one way or another. I wish our parachute was colorful – I think the original idea was that you can write on it. There are some names on there from years ago that are probably grown with their own children by now.
For this and the next song, I use puppets to greet everyone.
Welcome/Puppet Song: Hello, Everybody
(tune of Skip to My Lou)
Hello, everybody and how are you?
Hello, everybody and how are you?
Hello, everybody and how are you?
How are you today?
Hello, [name 1], how are you?
Hello, [name 2], how are you?
Hello, [name 3], how are you?
How are you today?
I finally changed up this hello animal puppet song! I do still start with the dog Scout, then bring out two other random animals.
Song: The Dog Says Hello
(tune of Farmer in the Dell)
The dog says hello, The dog says hello
Woof, woof, Woof-woof, woof-woof
The dog says hello!
Repeat with any other animals; try using puppets!
Source: adapted from the traditional
The familiar tune makes this a good one for parents to jump in. I did have to insert in the “whole baby” verse (to ease my own mind) to wave them (GENTLY) around. All the grownups smiled.
Body Song: The Baby Pokey
(tune of the Hokey Pokey)
You put your arms up,
You put your arms down
You put your arms up,
And you wave them all around
You wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
And you tickle, tickle, tickle
That’s how the baby pokey goes! (clap)
Additional verses:
You put your legs up…
You put your whole baby up…
Source: Westerville (OH) Public Library
For babies, we do fingerplays as “puppet shows” for the child, rather than expecting them to be able to do these fine motor movements. Since it is difficult to hold a baby when you are hiding your hands behind your back, for thumbkin we start with fists out.
Fingerplay Rhyme: Where Is Thumbkin?
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin? (show fists)
Here I am! Here I am! (reveal thumbs)
How are you today, friend? Very well, I thank you! (wiggle thumbs at each other)
Say goodbye. Say goodbye. (tuck thumbs again)
Source: traditional
Bounce: Giddy-Up
Giddy-up, giddy-up ride to town
Giddy-up, giddy-up up and down
Giddy-up fast, Giddy up slow
Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up, WHOA! (lean backwards gently)
Source: Mead Public Library (WI)
Bounce/Lift: Two Little Boats
Two little boats went out to sea (rock forward and back)
All is calm as calm can be
Gently the wind begins to blow (rock side to side)
Two little boats rock to and fro
Loudly the wind begins to shout (bounce up and down)
Two little boats they bounce about
STOP! (freeze)
goes the storm, the wind, and rain
And two little boats sail on again (rock forward and back)
Source: Intellidance
This isn’t a terribly difficult song, but there are a lot more chords (eight) with the bridge part than the typical children’s song. If it’s helpful, it’s totally okay for you to have the songsheet out during your program – that’s what I do! It’s okay to not have songs memorized (and I think that goes for all songs/rhymes. I put words up for caregivers, but I use them, too, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.)
Ukulele Lullaby: You’re My Rainbow
(tune of Love Me Tender)
You’re my rainbow, you’re my star,
You’re my bright red cookie jar
You’re my goldfish, you’re my pie,
You’re the apple of my eye
You’re my rainbow, you’re my star
You’re my bright red cookie jar
You’re my daisy, you’re my vine,
You’re my own true Valentine
Source: Dany Rosevear
Download a ukulele songsheet for You’re My Rainbow.
I place a book on each wedge on the parachute , so I encourage grownups to take a few minutes to grab a book that is nearby and looks interesting, and to interact with the book however they’d like with their baby. They can read the text, but they don’t have to – they can describe the pictures, colors, or even just let their baby practice turning pages. We generally do this for 2-3 minutes, or until the group as a whole seems to be nearing a stopping point.
Read: choose a board book that’s nearby and looks interesting to you!
Pictured:
Global Babies – “A Global Fund for Children book”
Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby – Tracy C. Gold & Adèle Dafflon
Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi & Maple Lam
Prop Songs & Rhymes
Instead of a prop, we moved the parachute and our books out of the way (so no one would trip), stood up and danced with our babies.
Dance: London Bridge
(either carry baby and lean or lower baby on the “down” or, for those steady on their feet, stand facing each other, holding hands and shift weight from one foot to the other in a bridge shape)
London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair baby!
Build it up with love and hugs…
Source: adapted from the traditional
Dance: What Shall We Do with a Grumpy Baby?
(tune of What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor)
What shall we do with a grumpy baby?
What shall we do with a grumpy baby?
What shall we do with a grumpy baby early in the morning!
additional verses:
Up in the air and safely down again…
Tickle ‘em here to watch ‘em laugh again…
Give ‘em a hug because we love ‘em…
Source: I cobbled the verses together from multiple sources, I believe. One is Rainbow Songs
Ukulele Dance: Baby Bear Waltz
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltzing with bears,
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Dance ‘round the chairs
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, That’s what we’ll do
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltzing with you
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltz round the room,
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Dance ‘round the moon,
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Glide past the stars
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltzing to Mars
Source: Kathy Reid Naiman
Bubbles: Bubbles in the Air
(tune of Happy and You Know It)
There are bubbles in the air (In the air)
There are bubbles in the air (In the air)
There are bubbles in the air,
There are bubbles in my hair
There are bubbles in the air (In the air!)
additional verses:
There are bubbles way up high… in the sky
Way down low… on my toe
Source: Jbrary
To adapt this for babies, we bounce or clap rather than scraping our hands past each other, and walk fingers up and down baby’s body, arms, or legs for the “if you want to take a trip” part.
Lifting Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon
Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon
If you want to take a trip climb aboard my rocket ship
Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Blast off!
Source: Jbrary
I find it really helpful to finish with a rhyme that definitively says that storytime is over. This one is short and sweet.
Goodbye Rhyme: Hands Up High
Hands up high! (Put your hands in air)
Now give a big sigh (sigh and bring hands down)
Our storytime’s over
So wave bye-bye (wave)
Source: Pasadena Public Library
And that’s it! We don’t have time for free play at the end, but I encouraged grownups to take a little time in the children’s department to play and socialize together.
Suggested books are a little different on my handout since at my library board books are not able to be held if they’re checked out. My handout says:
Check out our board book selections – they cannot be held or requested, so see what’s available anytime you visit the library! Here are some other titles that *can* be requested:
Good Night, Good Night – Sandra Boynton
Who’s That Baby? – Sharon Creech & David Diaz
Bounce – Doreen Cronin & Scott Menchin
Applesauce Is Fun to Wear – Nancy Raines Day & Jane Massey
Barnyard Banter – Denise Fleming
Get Happy – Malachy Doyle & Caroline Uff
This storytime was presented in-person on 9/11, 9/18, & 9/25/23.
Storytime Handout:
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 