Hello, readers. I am realizing that my new part time schedule with more programming responsibilities is reducing my ability to blog as much. I am still juggling and hopefully it will all settle sooner rather than later. In the meantime I’ll continue plugging away at my back log of themes.
I haven’t done a books and reading theme for a while, so I thought I’d celebrate ALA’s Library Card Sign Up Month in September with a “Library Love” theme. I discovered The Library Cheer on The Librarian Is on the Loose blog, and had a lot of fun creating my own flannelboard version of it. All in all, it was a plan that went very smoothly for me!
Early Development Tip: When you enjoy a book, let your children know that you like it and why. Sharing your enjoyment gives them a positive attitude toward books. This positive attitude will influence them when they get to school and learn to read. Let your child choose books and tell you why they like them. –from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends*†
Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*
Intro: September is Library Card Sign Up Month and I thought it would be fun to celebrate libraries, books, and reading in our storytime today. If you and your grownup don’t have a card and would like one, let’s talk during play time!
Here’s a song about a person who wears glasses when they read
We practice putting our glasses on and off, and opening and closing our books before we start.
Action Song: These Are My Glasses
These are my glasses, this is my book
I put on my glasses and open up the book
Now I read, read, read
And I look, look, look
I put down my glasses and
Whoop! Close up the book!
Source: The Laurie Berkner Band, “Whaddya Think of That?”
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*
Lola is a great story to introduce library use as well as storytime! I change some details in the story to better fit my library’s policies (our loan period is three weeks rather than two, for example). We don’t have a cafe, so I skipped that page spread, too. When I read a page, I relate it to our experience. “Wow, TODAY is Tuesday!” “Did anyone walk to the library? Did you ride in a car? Did anyone get here another way?” It was a good way to keep the book engaging and the audience interested.
Read: Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw
A new title with a lot of enthusiasm from Library Advocate and social media star Threets. Sweet but I liked the more specific details in Lola.
Backup Read: I’m So Happy You’re Here by Mychal Threets & Lorraine Nam
The library is full of great books – it makes me want to cheer!
I had so much fun designing my book covers for this flannel! It was very helpful to have the handful in my hand and ready to put up as we did the rhyme – I consider not dropping any a win! For the refrain, we did a pat, pat, clap rhythm. Download a copy of the flannel at the link below.
Flannel Rhyme: Library Cheer
Refrain: Books are good! Books are great!
I want books! I WILL NOT WAIT!
Bird books, bug books, bear books too
Words and pictures through and through [Refrain]
Books in color, black and white
Skinny books, fat books, day and night [Refrain]
Sad books, glad books, funny books too
Books for me and books for you [Refrain]
Source: Brod Bagert, from the book Shout: Little Poems that Roar via Librarian on the Loose
Download the printable flannel here!
Look at all these books! Lets choose our five favorites for a game with my friend Bookworm.
I took suggestions from the group so we weren’t so overwhelmed with choices for the hide and seek game. Instead of calling them the x color book, we went with “bird book” or “banana book” as a description.
Flannel Game: Where Is Bookworm?
Bookworm, bookworm, where should we look?
Are you in the ___ book?
Source: Storybook Stephanie
I love reading! And I love being with you. Let’s sing.
We go over the ASL signs before getting started.
Action Song: The More We Get Together
See ASL movements here: https://youtu.be/YZLlZoD3gU8
The more we get together, together, together
The more we get together the happier we’ll be
For your friends are my friends
and my friends are your friends
The more we get together the happier we’ll be
The more we read together, together, together
the more we read together the happier we’ll be
Read big books and small books
Read short books and tall books
The more we read together the happier we’ll be
Source: Traditional, Verse 2: Story Time Secrets
One of my favorite things to do at the library (other than reading) is playing in storytime – this week let’s play with our shaky eggs!
So not a ton that actually is themed to books and reading, but I’ve found that the group really doesn’t care, especially when it’s our props. They’re just happy to play with them.
Shaker Rhyme: Egg Shakers UP
Egg shakers up! Egg shakers down!
Egg shakers dancing all around the town
Dance them on your shoulders
Dance them on your head
Dance them on your knees
and tuck them into bed
Source: adapted from the traditional Tommy Thumbs
Shaker Rhyme: 1 – 2, Shake it on Your Shoe
1, 2 – Shake it on your shoe
3, 4 – Shake it on the floor
5, 6 – Stir and mix
7, 8 – Stand up straight
9, 10 – Wave to your friends!
Source: Jbrary
This one starts with a very quiet egg. Can you make your egg quiet?
Shaker Rhyme: Egg So Quiet
Egg so quiet (keep shaker egg still)
Egg so still
Will it hatch?
Yes, it will! (shake vigorously!)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks
Recorded Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Source: Raffi (from the album Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band)
I also have this one as a ukulele songsheet. Download it here!
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*
Craft: Bookmarks
This was a super simple craft and used one of those craft supplies that we have a huge tub of (stickers) that hardly ever get used up. Every novelty book that has a sticker page in it tech services cuts out and adds to our tub, so there was a wide variety of different kinds to choose from. That plus crayons on cardstock bookmarks. I also provided some yarn/twine in a hole punch if they wanted it. Everyone’s bookmark looked different!
And I remembered to take a picture of the setup, too!
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*
Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
This Is a Story – John Schu & Lauren Castillo
The Book Hog – Greg Pizzoli
Bunny’s Book Club – Annie Silvestro & Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Dinosaur vs. the Library – Bob Shea
Hooray for Books! – Brian Won
A Library – Nikki Giovanni & Erin K. Robinson
¡Vamos! Let’s Go Read – Raúl the Third & Elaine Bay
The Library Book – Tom Chapin, Michael Mark, Chuck Groenink
Orson & the World’s Loudest Library – Laura Gehl & SR Sisson
Leo Loves Baby Time – Anna McQuinn & Ruth Hearson
This storytime was presented in-person on 9/8 & 9/9/26.
Storytime Handout:
*Lyrics to these songs can be found on the Repeated Songs & Rhymes page.
† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF
