Author: msemilylibrary

Early literacy librarian near Indianapolis, Indiana.

Book Babies Storytime (April)

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I’m slowly adding my backlog of Book Babies plans, so here’s what we did in the month of April, 2023. I do the same themeless plan a month at a time, to get the caregivers familiar and comfortable with the songs and rhymes. 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.

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: Demonstrating the meaning of words with the way we say them reinforces that concept for babies. When we say “slowly” slowly and “quickly” quickly, our babies learn faster. In addition, slowing down our words – “slow-ly, slow-ly, slow-ly” makes it clear that each syllable is a separate sound.

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.

Photo showing Book Babies setup, with a round white parachute spread on a purple rug, with purple chairs to either side. A board book is set on each wedge, and a small pink chair sits at the head, with a dog puppet on the chair and a frog stuffy laying on the parachute. An easel to the side of the chair has song lyrics on it.

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 start this one with the same puppet as above, my floppy-eared dog, Scout. Then I’ll bring out one or two other puppets to say hello.
Welcome/Puppet Song: When Animals Get Up in the Morning
When dogs get up in the morning
They always say hello!
When dogs get up in the morning
They always say hello!
“Woof, woof, woof, woof,” That is what they say
“Woof, woof, woof, woof,” That is what they say
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Body Song: I Wake Up My Hands
I wake up my hands with a Clap, clap, clap,
Clap, clap, clap, Clap, clap, clap,
I wake up my hands with a clap, clap, clap,
And I wiggle my wiggles away!

Feet…stomp, stomp, stomp
Belly…beep, beep, beep
Body…wiggle, wiggle, wiggle
Source: Jbrary

Instead of opening and shutting our fingers, we opened and shut our whole hands in a clapping motion. We talked here a bit about how babies aren’t quite ready for that fine motor manipulation, but as they become older toddlers and preschoolers it will help them with their grip strength.
Fingerplay Rhyme: Open, Shut Them
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap!
Creepy, crawly, Creepy, crawly
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open up your little mouth,
But do not let them in, in, in!
Source: traditional

Since this is a longer song and we’re doing all the verses, I eliminated the second bounce/lift song I usually do.
Bounce & Lift Song: She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain
(bounce baby until the end of each line)
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes (yee haw!) (lift)
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes (yee haw!) (lift)
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain,
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes (yee haw) (lift)

She’ll be ridin’ six white horses… (whoa there) (tilt back)
Oh, we’ll all have chicken and dumplings… (yum, yum) (rub tummy)
Yes, we’ll all go out to meet her… (kiss, kiss)
Source: traditional, baby bounce adaptation from Jbrary

After a fun bounce, we slow it down a bit with a lullaby. I remind grownups that rocking and holding your baby while singing is a great way to calm them, even if it’s not bedtime.
Ukulele Lullaby: I See the Moon
(tune of Hush Little Baby)
I see the moon and the moon sees me
Down through the leaves of the old oak tree
Please let the moon that shines on me
Shine on the ones I love

Over the mountain, over the sea
Back where my heart is longing to be
Please let the moon that shines on me
Shine on the ones I love!
Source: Jbrary

Download a ukulele songsheet for I See the Moon

Thumbnail of I See the Moon ukulele chord sheet

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:
Hello Bugs, What Do You Do? – Loes Botman
Kiss by Kiss/Ocêtôwina – Richard Van Camp & Mary Cardinal Collins
Hey, Baby! – Andrea Pippins

Tickle Rhyme: Slowly, Slowly
Slowly, slowly, very slowly creeps the garden snail
Slowly, slowly, very slowly up the garden rail
Quickly, quickly, very quickly runs the little mouse
Quickly, quickly very quickly into his little house
Source: Jbrary

Prop Songs & Rhymes
Each month is a new prop. This month we moved all the books and babies off the parachute and actually used it with our rhymes and songs.

Any rhyme that has a lot of “up” and “down” are good ones to adapt to parachute time.
Lift/Parachute Rhyme: Grand Old Duke of York
The grand old Duke of York, He had ten thousand men
He marched them up to the top of the hill
And he marched them down again!
And when you’re up, you’re up
And when you’re down, you’re down
And when you’re only half-way uuuuup…
You’re neither up nor down!
Source: traditional

Lift/Parachute Song: Let’s Go Riding On an Elevator
Let’s go riding on an elevator, elevator, elevator
Let’s go riding on an elevator, Ride along with me!
First floor, Second floor, Third floor, Fourth floor, Fifth floor…
And down-down-down-down-down!
Source: Jbrary

The first week we tried to put the babies in the middle of the parachute and the adults held and walked the parachute in a circle around them – the idea being that the babies would slowly rotate in the middle. (Like in this video) Instead, the babies fell over on each other. (Oops!) After that, we held our babies and walked around in a circle holding the parachute.
Parachute/Action Song: Ring Around the Rosie
Ring around the rosie,
Pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes,
We all fall down!
Source: traditional

This is a great way to put the parachute away.
Parachute Song: Parachute Fly
(tune of Skip to my Lou)
(kids go under the parachute and adults raise and lower)
Up, up, up it goes,
Down, down, down so low
Raise our parachute to the sky
Count to 3 and watch it fly
Spoken:
Up on one…
Down on two…
Up on three…
and FLY! (adults let go and leader pulls ‘chute in to themselves)
Source: Gymboree

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:
My Baby and Me – Lynn Reiser & Penny Gentieu
The Seals on the Bus – Lenny Hort & G. Brian Karas
Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown & Clement Hurd
Baby Day! – Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Pat the Bunny – Dorothy Kunhardt
The Neighborhood Mother Goose – Nina Crews
Faces – Shelley Rotner & Ken Kreisler

This storytime was presented in-person on 4/3, 4/10, & 4/17/23.

Storytime Handout:

Storytime: Feeling Thankful (2023)

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I have generally not repeated storytime themes, (at a single library – I have repeated themes I did at my old job!) EXCEPT for my Feeling Thankful theme, which I’ve done every November since 2019. Every year there are a few tweaks, of course. New books, different songs, but the core is there. This year was not very different – just two new scarf songs and different books.

As I’ve written before, holiday themes don’t feel inclusive to me, and American Thanksgiving has a lot more underlying issues beyond that. But I feel that gratitude and feeling thankful and appreciative are universal, and I look forward to celebrating them each year.

Speaking of – THANK YOU for being a reader. I started this blog to document what I’ve done, not even sure if anyone would see it. I owe so much to other library bloggers and sharers that I’ve always hoped readers would find something of use to them, their libraries, and their patrons. Thanks for reading and for doing the work you do.

If you’re looking for more ideas, take a look at the Feeling Thankful themes from every year I’ve done this theme here.

Early Literacy Tip: When we are warm, fed, safe, and snuggled with someone we love, our brains release a chemical called serotonin. This makes us feel good, but it also has the effect of helping us learn. When you snuggle with your child and sing and read together, their brains soak up the language they hear and the serotonin helps make that learning permanent. Snuggling, talking, and singing with your child helps get them ready to read.

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 knees & fingers.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Talk: What does it mean to feel thankful? When someone does something nice for you, saying “thank you” lets them know we appreciate them and are happy they did what they did! We can also think for a moment about all the good things in our lives and feel happy about them, too. Let’s practice saying “thank you” with this rhyme.

Figuring out how to do this rhyme without the middle finger AND using it to do the ASL sign for I love you is one of my proudest moments. 🙂
Fingerplay: Where is Thumbkin? (BB) (TB) (FT)
Where is Thumbkin, Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am, Here I am,
How are you today, Friend?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away, run away.

(repeat with pointer, pinky, then all three)
Where are three friends, Where are three friends?
Here we are, Here we are,
How are you today, Friends?
Very well, we thank you.
I love you, I love you.
Source: adapted from the traditional rhyme by Ms. Emily

Lyrics to Where are Three Friends with silhouettes of two hands with thumbs up and two hands showing the ASL "I Love You" sign.

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

I found a new Thank You book this year! This is a board book, so it’s not very big, but it does work for my group. I liked the different ways of saying thank you, both in words and in actions.
Read: The Thank You Book by Danna Smith & Juliana Perdomo (TT) (FT)

This is a fun title, with some unusual things to be thankful for. I am a Spanish learner, so I read the subject for the thanks in Spanish, but not the whole explanation. So for the first page, I read “Para el sol, for the sun that wakes me up…”
Read: Gracias/Thanks by Pat Mora & John Parra (TB)

Gracias mentions bees, but the Thank You Book didn’t. We just glossed over it!
I’m thankful for the bees that pollinate our plants and make us honey!
Tickle Rhyme: Here Is the Beehive (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here is the beehive, but where are all the bees? (make fist)
Hidden away where nobody sees
Watch and you’ll see them come out of the hive:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (open fingers)
They’re alive! Buzz, buzz, buzz! (tickle)
Source: Jbrary

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you – something I love and something I’m always thankful for are books and reading! Here’s a fun song about books.
Song: These Are My Glasses (TT) (TB) (FT)
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: “Whaddaya Think of That?” by the Laurie Berkner Band

Scarf distribution: I am thankful for songs we can sing with our scarves! Will you practice with me – wave high, low, in a circle, throw and catch!

I’m thankful for the weather, even when it rains!
Scarf Rhyme: Rain on the Green Grass (TT) (TB) (FT)
Rain on the green grass (wave low)
Rain on the trees (wave high)
Rain on the roof (hold over head)
But not on me! (let fall to the floor!)
repeat with Sun, Snow, Leaves
Source: Jbrary

I’m thankful for games with our loved ones!
Scarf Song: Let’s Go Riding on an Elevator (TT) (TB) (FT)
Let’s go riding on an elevator, elevator, elevator
Let’s go riding on an elevator – Ride along with me!
First floor, Second floor, Third floor, Fourth floor, Fifth floor…
And down-down-down-down-down!
Source: Jbrary

We did this one three times each session. They loved throwing the scarves up!
Scarf Rhyme: Jack in the Box (TT) (TB) (FT)
Jack in the box (scrunch scarf up in one fist)
Sits so still
Will he come out?
Yes, he will! (throw scarf in the air)
Source: Jbrary

This flannel was made from the template created by Mel at Mel’s Desk! I go over the lyrics first and add the flannel pieces, then play the song (recorded or ukulele). I encourage kids to snuggle with someone they love. Before or afterwards is a good time to mention today’s early literacy tip, whichever flows more naturally for you.
Flannel/Ukulele Song: Thanks a Lot
Thanks a lot, Thanks for Sun in the sky
Thanks a lot, Thanks for clouds so high
Thanks a lot, Thanks for whispering wind
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the birds in the spring
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the moonlit night
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the stars so bright
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the wondering me
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the way I feel
Thanks for the animals, Thanks for the land,
Thanks for the people everywhere
Thanks a lot
Thanks for all I’ve got
Thanks for all I’ve got
Source: From the Album “Baby Beluga” by Raffi

Thanks a lot flannel set with a yellow sun, white cloud, red bird, blue swirl for wind, yellow crescent moon, purple star, single person figure with arms raised, pink heart, elephant, evergreen tree, and group of three people of various skin tones with arms to the side.

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Thanks a Lot” here!

thumbnail of Thanks A Lot ukulele songsheet

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Thankful Wreath (TB) (FT)
I used die-cuts from my library’s collection to make the leaves and asked volunteers to cut out the middle of a paper plate, hole punch it and string it with yarn. If you don’t have a die-cutter, you can use these templates for leaves at firstpalette.com. I encouraged families to write what they’re thankful for on the leaves, being sure to mention that not all leaves need to be filled out right away – this can be a craft “in progress” over time. I also mentioned that it might be easier to glue the leaves to the outer side of the plate (curving out) rather than the inner part (curving in) like I did. I had trouble getting my leaves to stick and had to hold them on there for 20-30 seconds.

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)
Thank You, Omu – Oge Mora
The Thankful Book – Todd Parr
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga – Traci Sorell & Frané Lessac
The Thank You Book – Mo Willems
Thank You, Earth – April Pulley Sayre
The Thank You Letter – Jane Cabrera
When We Are Kind – Monique Gray Smith & Nicole Neidhardt
The Blue Table – Chris Raschka
Thank You, Bees – Toni Yuly
Thank You, Neighbor! – Ruth Chan

This storytime was presented in-person on 11/20, 11/21, & 11/22/23.

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: Robots

Posted on by msemilylibrary

As a theme, robots are fairly neutral – I don’t associate them with any holiday or season, so you can do this one any time of year.

When I shared what I’d be doing this week with my brother, he asked if the kids would even know what robots were! I am happy to report that robots were well received, and I even had one little girl who LOVES robots and was super excited to walk like a robot and do a robot craft. So never underestimate your little ones!

You can see another version of this theme from 2020 here.

Early Literacy Tip: Talk with your child about groups of objects. “Which robots have an antenna?” “Let’s put away all the toys with wheels.” This helps your child in classifying objects, which supports cognitive thinking.

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 & ears.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: What is a robot? It’s a machine that helps do things for people – sometimes it looks like a person, sometimes it doesn’t. It can help out in situations that may be too dangerous for people, or can do things more easily or quickly than people can. We’re going to pretend to be robots during storytime today – one thing that robots have is a button or switch to turn them on or off. Where would your robot button be? Mine is right here on my shoulder. Power UP! Power DOWN!

Action Song: I’m a Little Robot (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little robot, short and strong (muscle pose)
Here are my handles (hands on hips)
Just turn me on (push a “button”)
When I get all warmed up, watch me go (shake body)
Sometimes fast (march in place fast)
Sometimes slow (march in place slow)
Source: AnnesLibraryLife

Fingerplay: Open, Shut Them (Robot Style) (TT) (TB) (FT)
Open, shut them, Open, shut them (make “pincers” with hands and open/shut)
Give a little bang, bang, bang (clap)
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Press your button, clang, clang, clang! (touch “button”)
Turn your gears: now fast, now slow (roll arms)
Blink your lights from high to low! (hands “blink” open and shut, fingers splayed, moving downward)
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Give a little zap, zap, zap (pointer fingers jab outward)
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Power down now, just like that! (sit or slump over slowly)
Source: original, adapted from the traditional rhyme

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

This book only seems to be available in a Little Golden edition right now – my previous library had it in the original full sized hardcover. The little one is small! I do like the fact that this one talks about actual robots, like robot vacuums and the Mars rover, though the last page is a little odd.
Read: Robots, Robots, Everywhere by Sue Fliess & Bob Staake (TT)

Robots, Robots, Everywhere book cover

I found this one and really loved how simple it is – who doesn’t love to sing Happy BIrthday in the middle of a story?! There is a lot of interest in the alien Mars landscape while still celebrating our own curiosity here on Earth. My only complaint is that this is also a very small book!
Read: Birthday on Mars! by Sara Schonfeld & Andrew J. Ross (TB) (FT)

birthday on mars book cover

We did three or four verses each session.
Action Song: The Robot (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The legs of the robot go up and down,
Up and down, up and down.
The legs of the robot go up and down,
As it walks around the room (march around like a robot)

Optional verses:
Head: goes side to side…
Arms: go back and forth…
Buttons: go beep, beep, beep…
Lights: flash on and off…
Feet: go clickity clack…
Antennas: go wiggle, wiggle, wiggle…
Source: Northwest Regional Library System (OH)

This is a fun take on the hiding game. My groups really love when I make a big deal of the reveal – I usually count down and then quickly take a colored gear off. There are “aws” when nothing is there, and excited squeals when they finally find the hidden item! I used the smallest robot from another flannel, Five Little Robots, for this.
Flannel Rhyme: Where Is Robot? (TT) (TB) (FT)
Robot, robot, we know you’re here!
Are you behind the (color) gear?
Source: Lady Librarian Life

flannel showing five different colored gears: yellow, green, red, gray, and blue. The blue one has revealed a small wheeled robot underneath.

I wanted another activity that was more suitable for younger kids, and inspired by the Curiosity Rover in both books, wrote this little bounce. It was fun!
Bounce: Robot Rover (TT) (TB) (FT)
Robot, robot, roving over Mars (bounce)
Robot, robot up among the stars (lift)
Bouncing here, bouncing there (bounce to left and right)
Finding rocks that are so rare
Robot check your locator
So you don’t fall into a crater! (lower or tilt to side)
Source: original

Action Rhyme: Robot, Robot (TT) (TB) (FT)
Robot, robot, Turn around,
Robot, robot, Touch the ground
Robot, robot, Turn left and right,
Robot, robot, Flash your lights
Robot, robot, Bloop and beep,
Robot, robot, Go to sleep
Source: Storybook Stephanie

I tend to not use a lot of “If You’re Happy and You Know It” songs, since our transition song (“If You’re Ready for a Story”) uses that tune, but I had this one ready in case we needed another song to do. We didn’t need to fill the time, however.
Song: If You’re a Robot and You Know It
If you’re a robot and you know it, clank your coils (clap, clap)
If you’re a robot and you know it, clank your coils
If you’re a robot and you know it
and you really want to show it
If you’re a robot and you know it, clank your coils

Additional verses:
…clunk your gears (stomp feet)
…do a dance (dance like a robot!)
Source: Future Librarian Superhero

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Shape Robots (TB) (FT)
Shape crafts are great – everyone can do their own thing, there’s no pressure to follow a model, and hopefully there are some discussions about “where is the rectangle,” or “which is the bigger circle?” I had construction paper large rectangles, squares, long skinny rectangles, and circles, then also provided smaller random foam piece shapes for buttons and features and short lengths of metallic chenille stems for antennae or arms. There were scissors on the table in case anyone wanted to trim or modify the shapes, but they aren’t necessary. I tried to emphasize that although my robot had wheels, yours might have legs, and you can arrange the shapes however you wanted. We got a lot of variety!

shape robot glued to a piece of black construction paper, with a long orange rectangular body, two blue arms, a light blue square head, purple metallic squiggly antennae, three yellow wheels, and variously colored buttons, eyes, and mouth.

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)
Boy + Bot – Ame Dyckman & Dan Yaccarino
Doug Unplugged – Dan Yaccarino
Bitty Bot – Tim McCanna & Tad Carpenter
Spare Parts – Rebecca Emberley & Ed Emberley
Stop! Bot! – James Yang
Buddy’s Bedtime Battery – Christina Geist & Tim Bowers
Clink – Kelly DiPucchio & Matthew Myers
Fix this Mess! – Tedd Arnold
Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots – Michael Rex
RoboBaby – David Wiesner

This storytime was presented in-person on 11/13, 11/14, & 11/15/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme, and song lyrics.

*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

Book Babies Storytime (March)

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I’m slowly adding my backlog of Book Babies plans, so here’s what we did in the month of March, 2023. I do the same themeless plan a month at a time, to get the caregivers familiar and comfortable with the songs and rhymes. 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.

If you have any control over your schedule, I highly recommend starting your Monday morning with an infant class. It always makes me happy and gives a positive start to the week! 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: With egg shaker songs for babies, we don’t want to overwhelm them or scare them with sound. We don’t expect them to do specific movements, but there are two main ways we can use egg shakers with them: We shake the egg shakers to the steady beat along with the songs we sing, or we can give them to the babies to shake while we sing or listen. The goal here is merely to expose them to the sound of songs. If we’re the ones shaking the beat, they’ll start to build an unconscious awareness of the beat.

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.

Photo showing Book Babies setup, with a round white parachute spread on a purple rug, with purple chairs to either side. A board book is set on each wedge, and a small pink chair sits at the head, with a dog puppet on the chair and a frog stuffy laying on the parachute. An easel to the side of the chair has song lyrics on it.

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 start this one with the same puppet as above, my floppy-eared dog, Scout. Then I’ll bring out one or two other puppets to say hello.
Welcome/Puppet Song: When Animals Get Up in the Morning
When dogs get up in the morning
They always say hello!
When dogs get up in the morning
They always say hello!
“Woof, woof, woof, woof,” That is what they say
“Woof, woof, woof, woof,” That is what they say
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Body Song: These Are the Toes of My Baby
(tune of Take Me Out to the Ballgame)
These are the toes of my baby,
These are the toes of my sweet
These are her feet and her tiny knees
I can’t help it I’ll give them a squeeze!
And she’s got two arms just for hugging
And hands that clap and wave
But it’s her eyes, ears, nose and her chin
That really draw me in!
(big smooch!)
Source: Jbrary

Instead of opening and shutting our fingers, we opened and shut our whole hands in a clapping motion. We talked here a bit about how babies aren’t quite ready for that fine motor manipulation, but as they become older toddlers and preschoolers it will help them with their grip strength.
Fingerplay Rhyme: Open, Shut Them
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap!
Creepy, crawly, Creepy, crawly
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open up your little mouth,
But do not let them in, in, in!
Source: traditional

Rhythm Rhyme: Hippopotamus on a City Bus
(bounce until the last line of each verse)
A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus
Got on, got on, got on a city bus
And all, and all, and all the people said,
“You’re squishing us!” (hug baby)
A cow… “Mooooove over!” (lean far to one side)
A snake…“Sssssssssit down!” (fall thru knees)
A sheep…“Baaaack up!” (lean far back)
Source: Jbrary

We generally got up to three repetitions.
Lifting Rhyme: Tick Tock
Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock
Tick tock, tick tock, Now I’m striking one o’clock
Cuckoo! (count up and increase lifts!)
Source: Jbrary

After a fun bounce, we slow it down a bit with a lullaby. I remind grownups that rocking and holding your baby while singing is a great way to calm them, even if it’s not bedtime. I would do Spanish to start, but then ask if anyone knew how to say “I love you” in any other languages. If not, I had a cheat sheet on my ukulele songsheet!
Bilingual Lullaby with Ukulele: Yo te amo / I Love You
Yo te amo, yo te amo
All day long I’ll sing this little song to you.
Yo te amo, yo te amo
Darling, I love you!
Source: Jbrary
Thanks to Storytime Ukulele, who published the chords to this song. I made my own PDF version that you can download.

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail for yo te amo ukulele songsheet

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:
Peekaboo Planet – John Hutton & Candice Hartsough
Maisy’s Bus – Lucy Cousins
City Baby – Laurie Elmquist & Ashley Barron

After reading, we do a rhyme that’s good for “on your back.” I saw this modification for the traditional nursery rhyme from Intellidance, which uses leg movements for each line.
Action Nursery Rhyme: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
1, 2, Buckle my shoe (“walk” feet on numbers, tap feet together)
3, 4, Shut the door (open and close legs)
5, 6, Pick up sticks (lift legs up)
7, 8, Lay them straight (stretch legs out)
9, 10, A big fat hen! (tickle!)
Source: Intellidance

Prop Songs & Rhymes
Each month is a new prop. This month I shared today’s early literacy tip and gave two egg shakers to each child/caregiver pair.

Shaker Song: Shake Your Shaker
(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

Shaker Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake
…give a tap
…clap your egg!
Source: Jbrary

After doing the traditional rhyme earlier, I thought it would be fun to reinforce it with the shaker egg version.
Shaker Song: 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

Shaker Song: The Milkshake Song
You take a little milk – pour some milk!
And you take a little cream – pour some cream!
You stir it all up, You shake it and you’ll sing…
Milkshake, milkshake shake it up, shake it up!
Milkshake, milkshake shake it all up! (x2)
Source: Old Town School of Folk Music, via 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:
Maisy Big, Maisy Small – Lucy Cousins
Te amo, Bebé, Little One – Lisa Wheeler & Maribel Suárez
Baby Day – Jane Godwin, Davina Bell, & Freya Blackwood
Moo-Moo, I Love You! – Tom Lichtenheld & Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Animals Here We Grow! – Shelley Rotner
Hand in Hand – Rosemary Wells

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/6, 3/13, & 3/20/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme, and song lyrics.

Storytime: Mistaken Identity!

Posted on by msemilylibrary

So, yes, this is a kind of weird storytime theme. But- when you look at the literature, there’s actually a lot of picture books that incorporate a character being mistaken for someone/something else – a classic example is the wolf dressed as granny in Little Red Riding Hood. So really, the hard part is explaining what it is and finding some good extension activities to incorporate into the program.

Once upon a time I did this theme on Facebook live early in the pandemic, but three years later I wanted to revisit it. I ended up using the same two books as read alouds, but changed out and added some rhymes and songs.

Early Literacy Tip: Moving to music, dancing, swaying, running, and jumping help young children feel rhythm and begin to understand how their bodies work. Such movements also help them gain muscle control and improve balance. All of this contributes to a child’s gross motor development.

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 thighs & heads.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: It was a case of mistaken identity! Wait, what does that mean? It means that a person or an animal is mistaken for something they’re not. Maybe they were in disguise, or maybe someone just didn’t see them well and made a mistake! There are lots of fun books about mistaken identity, and I thought it would be fun for us to pretend to be other things today, too. Let’s start by pretending to be a teapot!

Action Song: I’m a Little Teapot (TT) (TB) (FT)
I’m a little teapot
Short and stout
Here is my handle,
Here is my spout
When I get all steamed up
Then I shout:
“Tip me over and Pour me out!”
Source: traditional

Action Rhyme: Animal Movement (TT) (TB) (FT)
Can you hop like a rabbit?
Can you jump like frog?
Can you waddle like a duck?
Can you run like a dog?
Can you slither like a snake?
Can you swim like a fish?
Can you sit down now and
Be as still as this?
Source: adapted from Jen in the Library

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

I thought that my younger class (1-2s) would like the pop up element of this book, but they were just as distracted as usual. Oh, well.
Read: The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner & Jonathan Lambert (TT)

book cover for the wide mouthed frog

This one went over a little better!
Read: Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld (TB) (FT)

book cover for duck rabbit

I thought I was pretty clever to adapt this classic song for Duck! Rabbit! Additionally, I had a bunny and duck puppet to put on for each of those parts of the song, which the littles loved. Everyone loves puppets! For the group that didn’t read that title, we instead did the green frog and bear verses, and skipped the sniff sniff verse.
Action Song: Sniff Sniff (TT) (TB) (FT)
Sniff, sniff went the little white rabbit one day,
Sniff, sniff went the little white rabbit
Sniff, sniff went the little white rabbit one day,
And they all went sniff, sniff, sniff!
But… We know ducks go (clap) quacky, quacky, quack!
Quacky, quacky, quack! Quacky, quacky, quack!
We know ducks go Quacky, quacky, quack!
They don’t go sniff, sniff, sniff!

Additional Verses:
Grrr, grrr went the big brown bear one day… (make claws)
But… We know bears go huggy, huggy, hug (hug self)

Mm-ah went the little green frog one day… (stick out tongue)
But… We know frogs go sha-na-na-na-na… (wave arms)
Source: Jbrary (v 1 original)

At this point we handed out shaker eggs, and pretended they were various things like popcorn and milkshakes. Anything to relate to the theme, right?

Shaker Rhyme: Shake It On Your Shoe (TT) (TB) (FT)
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

Shaker Rhyme: Pop, Pop, Pop (TT) (TB)
Pop, pop, pop, Put the corn in the pot
Pop, pop, pop, Shake it ’til it’s hot
Pop, pop, pop, Lift the lid and what have you got?
Popcorn!
Source: Jbrary

Shaker Song: Shake Your Shaker (TT) (FT)
(tune of London Bridge)
Shake your shakers in the air, Shake it here, shake it there
Shake your shakers in the air, Shake your shakers!

Additional verses:
Shake it high and shake it low, Shake it yes, shake it no…
Shake it up and shake it down, Shake your shaker on the ground…
Shake it near and shake it far, Drive your shaker like a car…
Shake it fast and shake it slow, Shake it stop, shake it go…
Source: Jbrary

Shaker Song: Milkshake Song (TT) (TB) (FT)
You take a little milk – pour some milk!
And you take a little cream – pour some cream!
You stir it all up, You shake it and you’ll sing…

Milkshake, milkshake
shake it up, shake it up!
Milkshake, milkshake
shake it all up! (x2)
Source: Old Town School of Folk Music, from the album Songs for Wiggleworms

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Magic Crayon Resist Painting (TB) (FT)
This was a suggestion from Mandy on the Storytime Solidarity Facebook group, and it was a very fun and easy craft. I encouraged the group to draw as much as possible on their sheet of white construction paper with the white crayons provided, then they could use watercolor paints to “reveal” their drawings like magic! On my picture, it is hard to see. Based on that experiment, I really encouraged everyone to load up their brushes with a lot of paint to make it darker than I did.

craft showing white crayon drawings revealed by pastel watercolors.

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)
I’m a Unicorn – Helen Yoon
Kitty – Rebecca Jordan-Glum
Wolfie the Bunny – Ame Dyckman & Zachariah OHora
Little Red Riding Hood – Saviour Pirotta & Olivia Beckman
Bad Dog – Mike Boldt
Niblet & Ralph – Zachariah OHora
Mother Bruce – Ryan T. Higgins
I Am a Tiger – Karl Newson & Ross Collins
Vampenguin – Lucy Ruth Cummins
Where’s Walrus – Stephen Savage

This storytime was presented in-person on 11/6, 11/7, & 11/8/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout including suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

*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: Cats & Bats

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Coming closer to the end of October, I chose a theme that incorporated some classic Halloween animals, without being overtly Halloweeny. The rhyming was incidental but welcome!

I thought that I had a book (or could find a book) that incorporated both animals in a story, but alas, no luck. There was a title I got hopeful about, Oscar and the Bat: A Book About Sound by Geoff Waring, but unfortunately it was developmentally a little beyond my group. And Bat Wings! Cat Wings? by Laura Gehl isn’t a story about cats with bat wings as I anticipated. Instead, I used a nonfiction title to show some photographs of bats, and read Denise Fleming’s Mama Cat Has Three Kittens to great success.

Early Literacy Tip: Encourage and support your child’s pretend play – they are developing their symbolic thinking. This helps them to visualize what is not present, helps with problem solving, and with reading where pictures and text represent real things.

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 arms & chins.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: Today we are talking about two nocturnal animals – animals that (mostly) sleep during the day and are active at night, just like the owl that we learned about last week. But this week we’re talking cats and bats! Does anyone have a pet cat at home? Do they like to sleep during the day? Does anyone have a pet bat at home? Bats are mostly wild animals. Has anyone seen a bat in person or up close before? I showed some of the pictures from the nonfiction title, including a bat eating some fruit, bats roosting in a cave, and a bat flying with their wingspan clearly showing.

Share: Bats by Julie Murray

Bats book cover

Let’s do some rhymes about bats and cats! Bats like to sleep upside down, right? So here are our bats! (point index fingers downward)
Fingerplay: Two Little Friends (TT) (TB) (FT)
Two little bats hanging in a cave
One named Dora, and one named Dave
Fly away, Dora, Fly away, Dave
Come back, Dora, Come back, Dave!

Now cats – cats have two pointy ears, can you make two pointy ears?
(put fingers in V shape)
Two little cats prowling under the moon
One named Jasper, and one named June
Jump away, Jasper, Jump away, June (I jumped my finger-cats as well as jumping my body!)
Jump back, Jasper, Jump back, June!
Source: verse 1-Door2Door Librarian, Verse 2-original

I think I need a stretch. Will you stretch with me?
Action Rhyme: My Kitten Stretches (TB) (FT)
My kitten stretches one paw high
With the other she’ll touch the sky
Then say “meow” and turn around
Then fold her paws and sit right down
Source: Lady Librarian Life

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

A simple but very funny story that worked very well for all of my sessions.
Read: Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming (TT) (TB) (FT)

Mama Cat has Three Kittens book cover

Time for scarves! Some of these were a bit of a stretch with the scarves, but it worked.

Action/Scarf Song: The Old Gray Cat (TT) (TB) (FT)
The old gray cat is sleeping, Sleeping, sleeping
The old gray cat is sleeping in the house

The little mice are creeping…
The little mice are nibbling…
The old gray cat is creeping…
The little mice are hiding…
So the old gray cat is sleeping…
Source: King County (WA) Library System

We held our scarves with two corners upside down, then held them in the middle to fly them around.
Scarf Song: Bats Are Sleeping (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Bats are sleeping, Bats are sleeping
Upside down, upside down
Sleeping in the morning sun
Waiting for the night to come
Then they’ll fly around, Then they’ll fly around
Source: Child Care Lounge

Whenever we say the word “pounce” throw your scarf up in the air and try to catch it! Let’s practice: 1, 2, 3, POUNCE!
Scarf Rhyme: Kitty Cat POUNCE (TT) (TB) (FT)
Kitty cat, kitty cat sneaks out of the house
Kitty cat, kitty cat creeps up to a mouse And… POUNCE!

Kitty cat, kitty cat creeps up to a bird
Kitty cat, kitty cat is not even heard And… POUNCE!

But the mouse ran, and the bird flew away,
So kitty cat found a ball of yarn to play And… POUNCE!
Source: Literary Hoots

I have three colors of scarves – red, yellow, and blue. I asked the kids to take a look at their scarf and notice what color it is before we did this. I did the first part of the rhyme for each color. But when it was time to put them away, everyone came up at once so I ended up just saying, Let’s bring our bats back to the cave to roost! I put the colored bats on the board as a visual cue.
Scarf or Flannel Rhyme: Color Bats (TT) (TB) (FT)
The sun is setting, the moon’s rising high
Now all the red bats start to fly! (wave red scarf, or add red bats)

(repeat, changing colors)
The moon has gone, the sky’s getting light
And all the red bats say goodnight! (put away red scarves)
Source: Abby the Librarian

Color bats flannel - three yellow bats, three red, and three blue bats on a black background.

Didn’t end up using this one, but I reworded a couple of parts to make it flow a little better, so I’ll post it here!
Fingerplay Rhyme: Five Little Bats
(wiggle each finger)
Five little bats hanging in a cave
First one said, “Tonight I’m feeling brave”
Second one said, “There are mosquitoes in the air”
Third one said, “Let’s eat them here and there”
Fourth one said, “I’m ready to see the sky”
Fifth one said, “Let’s fly, fly, fly”
Then WHOOSH went the wind And out went the light (clap!)
And the five little bats flew off in the night (hook thumbs together and flap hands)
Source: adapted from Esther Storytimes

I made this flannel last year for a pumpkin storytime, and since it included both a cat and a bat thought it would be a nice closer.
Felt Rhyme: Orange Pumpkin (TT) (TB) (FT)
Orange pumpkin, Orange pumpkin
What do you see?
I see a red leaf looking at me!

Continue with:
Red leaf > Black cat > Gray owl > Brown bat > Yellow moon > Orange Jack-o-Lantern
Source: original

Flannel with various items: orange pumpkin, Red leaf, Black cat, Gray owl, Brown bat, Yellow crescent moon, and an inset shows that the orange pumpkin can be flipped over to reveal a Jack-o-Lantern face on the back (yellow eyes and mouth)

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Cut Out Cats and Clothespin Bats (TB) (FT)
We have a die cut for the clothespin bats, and I’ve used the adorable cut out cat craft from Literary Hoots (I think originally from Storytime Katie) before at another library. This is the first time I’ve put out scissors for a craft at this library. Mostly the adults did the cutting, but this was during a fall break so I actually had some older siblings who did their own cutting. I let everyone know they could do both crafts if they wanted, but if they choose just one, that’s fine, too. The clothespin bats were just gluing the cardstock to the pins and drawing a chalk face on. Because the directions to make the cats are a little more involved than just looking at a sample, I made tent cards with the how-to to put on each table. (Photos on the instructions from Literary Hoots.)

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)
Baby Bat’s Lullaby – Jacquelyn Mitchard & Julia Noonan
How to Be a Cat – Nikki McClure
Fiona the Fruit Bat – Dan Riskin & Rachel Qiuqi
Atticus Caticus – Sarah Maizes & Kara Kramer
Bats at the Library – Brian Lies
Bat Wings! Cat Wings? – Laura Gehl & Monique Felix
Cat’s Very Good Day – Kristen Tracy & David Small
Little Lost Bat – Sandra Markle & Alan Marks
Gato Guapo – Anika Aldamuy Denise & Zara González Hoang
Little Bat Up All Day – Brian Lies
Cookie’s Week – Cindy Ward & Tomie dePaola

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/23, 10/24, & 10/25/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

*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: Owls

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Here’s another theme with an animal that just feels autumnal, even though yes, of course, owls are around all year. Perhaps it’s their big eyes and the way they show up in Halloween illustrations. In any case, it was very fun to flap our wings and hoot a lot this week. I even heard from a grown-up the following week that their child had been singing “If You Want to Be an Owl” on repeat – yes!

I read the book Owl Babies for two groups, and I wasn’t sure how it would go over. It’s a little longer than the books I usually do, and I’d read mixed reviews on storytime blogs where it worked for some people and didn’t for others. My kids LOVED it. The room was quieter than it ever is, and their eyes were glued to the illustrations. Perhaps I should try more plot-driven titles with a bit of suspense?

Early Literacy Tip: When we say rhymes, play rhyming games with children, and point out the rhyming words, it helps them hear the smaller sounds in words which will help them later when they try to sound out words to read.

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 hips & noses.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (TB) (FT)

Intro: (With owl felt) Whooo is this? Do you know what he says? Today we are going to talk about owls. They have sharp beaks – that is their nose & mouth, and very sharp claws or talons. They sleep during the day and hunt for food at night.

Rhyme: The Owl (TT) (TB) (FT)
There’s a wide eyed owl (circle fingers around eyes)
With a pointed nose, (forefinger makes a v at end of nose)
Two pointed ears, (point fingers up on top of head)
and claws for toes, (curl fingers like claws)
When he sits up in the tree (point up)
and he looks at you, (point out)
he flaps his wings, (fold arms and flap)
and he says “Whoo, Whoo”
Source: Johnson County Library (Kansas)

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

This is a pretty cool book – there are just four words per page, and it reads a little like a palindrome – once you get to the middle, the words are repeated in backwards order, giving it a slightly different meaning and making the story circular.
Read: Owl Sees Owl by Laura Godwin & Rob Dunlavey (TT)

Book cover for Owl Sees Owl

As mentioned above, this one mesmerized both groups I read it too. They helped me by joining in with Bill’s plaintive, “I want my mommy!” which I did in a higher-pitched voice.
Read: Owl Babies by Martin Waddell & Patrick Benson (TB) (FT)

book cover for Owl Babies

Okay, let’s pretend to be owls!
Action Song: If You Want to Be an Owl (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie)
If you want to be an owl, an owl, an owl
If you want to be an owl, then flap your wings
Flap this way and that way, and that way and this way
If you want to be an owl, then flap your wings

Additional verses:
…blink your eyes!
…say hoot-hoot!
Source: original

Fingerplay: Owl’s Eyes (TT) (TB)
Owl’s eyes open wide at night (circle eyes with fingers)
He looks to the left, he looks to the right
He turns his head around and around
And then he makes a most curious sound!
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!
Source: King County (WA) Library System

What do you think owls see when they are flying around? The sun? No, the stars!
Song: Twinkle, Twinkle (TT) (TB) (FT)
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Source: traditional

I’ve had good luck with flannels that work like the book “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” This is my take on what the Hoot Owls sees in the tree, using flannels from a variety of other sets.
Flannel Rhyme: What Do You See? (TT) (TB) (FT)
Hoot Owl, Hoot Owl, what do you see?
I see a brown squirrel in the old tree

Brown squirrel-red apple
Red apple – green worm
Green worm – orange leaf
Orange leaf – black crow
Black crow – yellow moon (above tree)
Yellow moon – Hoot owl hooting at me (Hoo, hoo!)
Source: original

Flannel tree with various flannel items in the canopy - black crow, brown squirrel, orange leaf, red apple, green inchworm, and gray owl. A yellow crescent moon is in the sky to the side.

This was a fun rhyming game from Jessica at Storytime in the Stacks. I decided just to use words that end in “oo,” but of course you could use rhymes that aren’t spelled the same, too, like “blue” or “shoe.”
Flannel Rhyme: Little Baby Owls (FT)
Little baby owls learning how to “hoo.”
They flap their wings and then say… “boo!”
(how many rhymes can you make before the little owls get it right?)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

My owl flannel set was modeled on Storytime Katie’s.
Ukulele/Flannel Song: One Night Owl Went Out to Play (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Five Little Ducks)
One night owl went out to play under the moon so far away
He had such enormous fun,
That he called out for another owl to come! HOOT! HOOT!

Repeat: 2… 3… 4…
Five night owls went out to play under the moon so far away
They had such enormous fun,
That they played until they saw the sun!
…then what did they do? (I put my head in my hands and started to snore)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet (words to One Dinosaur, same tune) here!

Thumbnail of ukulele songsheet for One Dinosaur Went Out to Play

Flannel tree with five expressive owls in neon colors, some with eyes wide open, some half shut, and looking in different directions.

I didn’t end up using this one for time, but it’s always good to have a little extra in your back pocket.
Action Song: Hoot, Hoot
Hoot hoot went the little brown owl one day,
Hoot hoot went the little brown owl
Hoot hoot went the little brown owl one day,
And they all went hoot hoot hoot!
But… We know owls go (clap) la de la de la (wavy arms)
la de la de la, La de la de la! We know owls go la de la de la
They don’t go hoot, hoot, hoot!
Additional Verses:
Jump jump went the little red squirrel one day…
But… We know squirrels go rub a dub a dub (running arms)
Grrr, grrr went the big brown bear one day…
But… We know bears go huggy, huggy, hug (hug self)
Source: Jbrary

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Cupcake Liner Owl Puppets (TB) (FT)
After looking at scores of owl crafts, I saw a Pinterest pin from Julia Hull District Library for these cupcake liner owls and knew that was our craft. There’s no blog, it’s just an image pin, but I made a template based on the photo. You can get two owl bodies on a piece of brown construction paper, and I printed the eyes, beaks, and feet on goldenrod paper. I added the craft stick to make it a puppet, and just used white mini cupcake liners for the eye feathers. It was simple to put together and the kids loved it – several came up to show me their creations!

Download a template for the owl body, beak, eyes, and feet!

Owl puppet made of brown construction paper with eyes made from white cupcake liners with smaller yellow and black pupils glued to the middle, with a triangular beak and three toed feet, glued to a jumbo craft stick.

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)
Little Hoot – Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Jen Corace
Hooray for Today! – Brian Won
Don’t Blink! – Amy Krouse Rosenthal & David Roberts
Little Owl’s Night – Divya Srinivasan
A Book of Sleep – Il Sung Na
“I’m Not Cute!” – Jonathan Allen
Good Night Owl – Greg Pizzoli
Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise – Sean Taylor & Jean Jullien
Owl Love You – Matthew Heroux & Wednesday Kirwan
Whoo Goes There? – Jennifer A. Ericsson & Bert Kitchen

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/16, 10/17, & 10/18/23.

Storytime Handout:

Handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

*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

STEM Storytime: Windy Days

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Every so often it’s nice to mix things up a little! This week, I went back to a training I’d attended in 2019 about incorporating STEM into storytimes, created by the Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia. They put together a packet of material called “Leap into Science” and made it available for free! This focused on plans for a preschool, elementary, and family program that incorporated literacy/storytime with the science of wind. Since then, there have been two other topics, Light & Shadow and Balance. You can find the free materials, including training videos and the full PDF curricula, at http://leap.fi.edu/resources.

In the past, I had presented this to a slightly older audience, more preschool age, as well as a separate program for families with all ages of child, and basically followed the outline in the curriculum for these programs. With my current group of kids up to age 3.5, I simplified, and ran the program as a half-storytime, half-science-station situation. It worked well, and I think my kids enjoyed the novelty and the hands-on elements.

Early Literacy Tip: You can encourage scientific thinking by asking children to observe, ask questions, make predictions, test their ideas, and learn from repeated attempts. These practices strengthen critical thinking skills that are essential in both science and literacy learning. Focusing on the process of science rather than a specific product or outcome frees children and to explore and take risks.

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 knees & fingers.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (TB)

Intro: A few years ago I had the opportunity to do a training on incorporating STEM into storytime. The science part of today’s storytime was developed by the Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia. Our goal today is to have fun exploring the wind and to feel like scientists. So KIDS get to be scientists- explore and ask questions, make predictions, and test and explore possible answers. Caregivers –your job today is to help your scientists.  Ask them open ended questions, give them help if they need it, but allow your kiddos to take the lead!

Science Talk: Breeze Vs. Gust (TT) (TB) (FT)
We had a discussion about what they already know about wind, and introduced the vocabulary of “breeze” vs. “gust.”
Have you ever been outside on a windy day?
How did it feel?
What did you see?
Let’s make our own wind! – hold your hand in front of your face and blow into it – 3, 2, 1, GO!
What did you notice?  How did it feel?
Who made a soft, gentle wind?  What did that feel like? A soft, gentle wind is called a breeze.
Who made a strong, hard wind?  What did you notice? A strong, hard wind is called a gust.
Okay, everyone blow a breeze – gentle. 
Now everyone blow a gust – strong.
Stand up – let’s see what kind of wind we can make with this. I used a large plastic tub lid to wave a gentle breeze at the group.
How did that feel?  What did you see?
Look at clothes and hair as I do it again.
Predicting – if I wave a strong gust toward you, how will it feel different?

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

As I introduced both books, I asked if the group could tell it’s supposed to be windy, and what clues on the cover let them know.
Read: Like a Windy Day by Frank Asch & Devin Asch (TT)

book cover of "Like a Windy Day"

This one is great since it uses the language of breeze and gust. And the illustrations are gorgeous.
Read: Windy Days by Deborah Kerbel & Miki Sato (TB) (FT)

Book cover of "windy Days"

We handed out scarves for our rhymes.
Scarf Rhyme: Wind, Oh Wind (TT) (TB) (FT)
Wind, oh wind, Oh wind I say
What are you blowing away today?
Scarves, scarves, scarves, I say
I am blowing the scarves away, today
What else might the wind blow? Leaves, hats…?
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Scarf Rhyme: Windmills (TT) (TB) (FT)
The wind blows high (wave scarves/hands high)
And the wind blows low (wave scarves low)
Round and round the windmills go (roll arms or wave scarf in a circle)
Sometimes fast, and sometimes slow (roll fast, then slow)
And that is how the wind blows (wave scarf/hands)
Source: Adventures in Storytime

Scarf Rhyme: I See the Wind (TT)
(mime the object with scarves)
I see the wind when the leaves dance by
I see the wind when the clothes wave “Hi!”
I see the wind when the trees bend low
I see the wind when the flags all blow
I see the wind when the kites fly high
I see the wind when the clouds float by
I see the wind when it blows my hair
I see the wind ‘most everywhere!
Source: Mild-Mannered Librarian

Scarf Song: Noisy Wind (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
I like the noisy wind, I like the noisy wind
It roars and mutters and shakes the shutters
I like the noisy wind!

I like the noisy wind, I like the noisy wind
It flaps the flag and rustles my bag
I like the noisy wind!
Source: Mild-Mannered Librarian

Science Stations
After doing a few songs and rhymes, we brought our scarves back to put away, and I explained the stations. My Toddler Time group doesn’t usually do a craft, so they had the first three stations only, but Teddy Bears and Family Time also included making wind detectors.

Station 1: Leaf Blower (TT) (TB) (FT)
Fabric leaves, foam leaves, flat paper, and crumpled paper were available to move using a paper fan, a folded fan, squeeze bottles, and fish squirter bath toys. I also provided a yardstick in case they wanted to measure how far their leaves blew.

Station 2: What Moves? (TT) (TB) (FT)
Using the same tools (paper fan, folded fan, squeeze bottles and fish squirters), kids could test different objects and sort them into “easy to move” and “hard to move” bins. I collected random objects such as plastic eggs, tissues, pompoms, cotton balls, feathers, and fabric leaves for the “easy to move” items, and rocks, large 2″ buttons, binder clips, plastic turtles, clothespins, little bottles of bubble solution, and trees and signs from our train set for the “hard to move” items.

Station 3: Race the Wind (TT) (TB) (FT)
Boats with different kinds of sails float in a plastic tub of water. Handheld battery powered fans were available to test them out (not pictured). This was a science experiment on my part – I originally made boats with household sponges (which I’d seen instructions for online), but unfortunately my boats just instantly absorbed water and sank. I guess there are different densities of sponge and mine just didn’t work. Instead, I used these small plastic yogurt containers that I had a large stash of. After taping the mast and sail to the front, I had to counterbalance them with coins taped to the other side. It was a bit of a nail-biter to figure it all out, but in the end, the boats worked well for our station. Definitely reinforces the fact that programmers need to try it out before putting it out for the kids!

Station 4: Flying Colors (TB) (FT)
This station acted as our craft, and the idea is to make something that detects a breeze and a gust in different ways. The example I made and was featured in the curriculum is a craft stick with a feather, crepe paper streamer, and piece of yarn. The idea being that maybe only the feather will move in a very light breeze, and the heavier yarn may only move in a strong gust. For older kids, I may not have created an example, letting them be creative and test different designs, but our group only had a limited amount of time and I wanted them to leave with a finished wind detector. There was a larger fan with variable speeds available for them to test their creations.

Science Debrief:
How did you move things with wind today?
How did you make a breeze?  A gust?
Did anything happen that surprised you?
How did you feel like a scientist today?  When did you make a guess about something and test it?  Was there a time when you tried something over and over?  Did you have fun?
Thank you for doing great work as scientists.  In the next few weeks – remember to keep your scientist hats on and notice and observe how objects move in the wind outside or at home.

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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)
Kite Day – Will Hillenbrand
The Wind Blew – Pat Hutchins
Gusts and Gales – Josepha Sherman & Omarr Wesley
Kate, Who Tamed the Wind – Liz Garton Scanlon & Lee White
I Am the Wind – Michael Karg & Sophie Diao
Wild Is the Wind – Grahame Baker-Smith
Windblown – Édouard Manceau
The Windy Day – G. Brian Karas
Someone Bigger – Jonathan Emmett & Adrian Reynolds

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/9, 10/10, & 10/11/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhymes and songs, questions to encourage your scientist, and try it at home: bathtime sponge sailboats.

*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

Book Babies Storytime (February)

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I wrote up my plan for my very first Book Babies sessions in January of this year, but I’m realizing I haven’t updated it at all. I do the same themeless plan a month at a time, to get the caregivers familiar and comfortable with the songs and rhymes. 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.

This has really turned out to be a great program, and I consistently get eight to twelve babies, which seems just right. We have a lot of fun bouncing, singing, tickling, and giggling. After the first month, I instituted a few minutes of individual reading instead of reading aloud to the group. The books I’ll feature in the photos below are just some of my favorite board books I’ve passed around.

Early Literacy Tip: Singing to your child is important, and it doesn’t matter if you sing in English or another language. In one scientific study, babies as young as one week could distinguish their mother’s voice from a group of other female voices. Singing helps trigger speech development, and children love hearing their grownups’ voices, so sing aloud to your children at home in any language you like.

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.

Photo showing Book Babies setup, with a round white parachute spread on a purple rug, with purple chairs to either side. A board book is set on each wedge, and a small pink chair sits at the head, with a dog puppet on the chair and a frog stuffy laying on the parachute. An easel to the side of the chair has song lyrics on it.

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 start this one with the same puppet as above, my floppy-eared dog, Scout. Then I’ll bring out one or two other puppets to say hello.
Welcome/Puppet Song: When Animals Get Up in the Morning
When dogs get up in the morning
They always say hello!
When dogs get up in the morning
They always say hello!
“Woof, woof, woof, woof,” That is what they say
“Woof, woof, woof, woof,” That is what they say
Source: King County (WA) Library System

One last rhyme with Scout the puppet, adapted from one about “Teddy.” I have looked for the source that I got this one and unfortunately I did not record it. I tried googling but nothing came up. If anyone knows the source, I’m happy to give credit!
Puppet Rhyme: Where’s Scout?
Let’s clap our hands for Scout,
Scout’s come to play
Cover up your eyes
While Scout hides away! (hide puppet behind back)
Where’s Scout? Here he is! (reveal puppet)

Light brown dog hand puppet named "Scout." Scout is a hound dog with big floppy ears and jowls on the sides of his mouth.

I feel that a body part song is an important part of baby programming. This one can be repeated with any body parts, and I started jotting down some different options to do each time. I’m currently doing three verses, always starting with “nose.”
Body Song: Hello, Everybody, Can You Touch Your Nose?
Well, hello, everybody,
Can you touch your nose?
Touch your nose,
Touch your nose?
Well, hello, everybody,
Can you touch your nose?
Touch…your…nose!

Other verses:
Touch your toes, rub your tummy, pat your back, touch your chin, touch your ears, squeeze your knees, touch your hands, pat your head, clap your hands, tickle your neck, etc.
Source: Jbrary

This is such a really fun rhyme! The person who posted it to the Storytime Solidarity Facebook Group didn’t have a source, so if anyone knows where it came from or who wrote it, please let me know!
Bounce/Lift: Fishy, Fishy, Fishy
Fishy, fishy, fishy goes swishy, swishy, swishy (bounce)
Flip flop, flip flop, flip flop (rock side to side)
Uuuuup, (lift baby high in air) 
KERPLOP! (return baby to lap)
Source: Storytime Solidarity

This is a hit with every group I try it in, and the babies are no exception!
Bounce: Toast in the Toaster
I’m toast in the toaster,
I’m getting very hot
Tick tock, tick tock,
UP I pop!
Source: Jbrary

After a fun bounce, we slow it down a bit with a lullaby. I remind grownups that rocking and holding your baby while singing is a great way to calm them, even if it’s not bedtime. I asked the group if anyone knows how to say “I love you” in another language, and we did do several different versions in the weeks that we sang this one!
Bilingual Lullaby with Ukulele: Yo te amo / I Love You
Yo te amo, yo te amo
All day long I’ll sing this little song to you.
Yo te amo, yo te amo
Darling, I love you!
Source: Jbrary
Thanks to Storytime Ukulele, who published the chords to this song. I made my own PDF version that you can download.

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail for yo te amo ukulele songsheet

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: Ten Little Birds/Diez Pajaritos – 123 Andrés & Sara Palacios
Whose Knees Are These? – Jabari Asim & LeUyen Pham
Opposites – Sandra Boynton
I Love All of Me – Lorie Ann Grover & Carolina Búzio

After reading, we do a rhyme that’s good for “on your back” – maybe one to do after a diaper change. It ends in a tickle!
Tickle Rhyme: Wiggle Waggle Went the Bear
Wiggle, waggle went the bear (open and close baby’s legs)
Catching bees in his underwear
One bee out, (open) one bee in (close)
One bee bit him on his big bearskin!
Bzz! Bzz! Bzz! (tickle)
Source: Jbrary

Prop Songs & Rhymes
Each month is a new prop. This month we got out the scarves.

Fingerplay/Scarf Song: Rain Is Falling Down
Rain is falling down, SPLASH (wiggle fingers/scarf down, then to ground)
Rain is falling down, SPLASH
Pitter patter, pitter patter (softly drum ground)
Rain is falling down, SPLASH

Sun is peeking out, PEEK (hide behind scarf)
Sun is peeking out, PEEK
Peeking here, peeking there
Sun is peeking out, PEEK
Source: Jbrary

Action/Scarf Song: Come Under My Umbrella
(tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie?)
Come under my umbrella, umbrella, umbrella (scarf over head)
Come under my umbrella, it’s starting to rain (wiggle scarf)
With thunder and lightning, and lightning and thunder (wave scarf dramatically in the air)
Come under my umbrella, it’s starting to rain
Source: traditional, see it used with scarves here

Action/Scarf Song: This Is the Way We Wash
(tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)
This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face, wash our face!
This is the way we wash our face, When we take a bath!
(arms, legs, back, tummy, etc.)
Source: Greenville Library

Scarf Song: Peek a Boo
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo
I see you, I see you
I see your button nose
I see your tiny toes
I see you! Peek-a-boo!
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:
B Is for Baby – Atinuke & Angela Brooksbank
Knock at the Door – Kay Chorao
Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy – Denise Fleming
Hello Baby! – Mem Fox & Steve Jenkins
Bright Brown Baby – Andrea Davis Pinkney & Brian Pinkney
Jazz Baby – Lisa Wheeler & R. Gregory Christie
Ten Tiny Tickles – Karen Katz

This storytime was presented in-person on 2/6, 2/13, & 2/20/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

Storytime: Autumn

Posted on by msemilylibrary

This week we dove into the new fall season with an autumn theme, even if the temperatures were still in the 80s! I highlighted a little nonfiction as well as our picture books, and we had lots of fun with our parachute and some fabric fall leaves. Leaves were a throughline, but we also touched on apples, pumpkins, and rainy autumn weather.

I’m starting to lean toward having the same plan for all three of my age groups, rather than planning several songs and rhymes that are different. I might drop one or more activities for the younger or a more wiggly group or perhaps include one counting song for the older group, but in general I’ve been keeping to the same plan and that’s been working well for now. I can always adjust as needed!

See other versions of this theme from 2020 and 2025.

in the middle of fall book cover, showing a squirrel on a branch with orange, yellow, and brown leaves.
Why is it fall book cover, showing kids throwing leaves up in the air.

Early Literacy Tip: Factual books are a great way to expand children’s knowledge about the world, especially when you can see and experience something in their world, like the changing of the seasons. You can read the whole book or choose certain pages your child might be interested in. In fact, it’s perfectly okay to read only parts of any book, or to just focus on the pictures. You can adapt the experience to your child’s interest and attention span. The important thing is to make reading together a positive experience.

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 knees & fingers.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (TB) (FT)

Intro: Oh, the air is turning crisp (kind of), the days are getting shorter, and the leaves are starting to change colors. We’ve just changed to a new season – autumn, or fall! Have you ever wondered why the leaves turn colors? Here’s an explanation I found in an informational book called Why Is it Fall? by Sara L. Latta. I read the two-page spread about why leaves turn colors, then mention our early literacy tip for the day.

book cover for Why Is it Fall?

I have used this rhyme from Mel’s Desk for many programs, and have even adapted it for a winter theme. It’s very simple but cozy and comforting. My flannel was made using Mel’s photo as a template.
Flannel Rhyme: Blue is the Sky (TT) (TB) (FT)
Blue is the sky, Yellow is the sun
Silver are the stars, When the day is done
Orange is the leaf, Brown is the tree
Red is the apple, For you and me
Source: Mel’s Desk

flannel showing the parts of the rhyme. A sky-blue blob, a yellow sun, stars covered with aluminum foil to be silver, an orange leaf, a brown tree with bare branches, glued to a light tan piece of felt, and a red apple with a small green leaf at the stem.

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Mouse’s First books seem to to be tailor made for the toddler set.
Read: Mouse’s First Fall by Lauren Thompson & Buket Erdogan (TT)

book cover for Mouse's First Fall

This one touches on several different aspects of fall, and I love that the frisky squirrels were a callback to our theme from two weeks ago. The page where all of a sudden everything is orange and yellow and red has a lot of great dramatic potential!
Read: In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes & Laura Dronzek (TB) (FT)

book cover for In the Middle of Fall

I think my kiddos like any iteration of Wheels on the Bus, ever.
Action Song: The Leaves on the Trees (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The leaves on the trees turn orange and red, (flip hands)
Orange and red, orange and red
The leaves on the trees turn orange and red,
All around the trees

The leaves on the trees come twirling down… (twirl fingers downward)
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish… (flick hands back and forth)
People in the yard go rake, rake, rake… (scoop hands inward)
The kids in the yard go jump, jump, jump… (jump!)
Source: Jbrary

This one got cut for time, but I included it on our handout and have had good luck with it for other sessions.
Action Song: Pumpkin, Pumpkin
(tune of Twinkle Twinkle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
Once you were a seed so small (pinch fingers together)
Now you are a great big ball (make a big circle overhead)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
Source: Storytime Katie

Tired of “Way Up High in the Apple Tree?” Here’s another apple tree rhyme to try, courtesy of Storytime in the Stacks. She has a really great “Math Talk” video on her page, talking through how to share four apples fairly. I highly recommend watching. I did a simplified version with my groups. I also changed “Four Red Apples” to “Four Juicy Apples” since my flannel apples were different colors.
Flannel Rhyme: Four Juicy Apples (TT) (TB) (FT)
Four juicy apples growing in a tree
Two for you and two for me! (hold up two fingers on each hand)
Help me shake the tree just so, (make a shaking motion)
And all the apples will fall below!
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Flannel showing a large simple tree with green foliage and four large apples of different colors: dark red, yellow, light green, and light red.

At this point we got out the parachute! We did this rhyme twice, getting low and high with the ‘chute, and waving it gently in the breeze. The second time, I dropped a bunch of fabric leaves on the parachute at the last line, and launched into Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down right away.
Scarf Rhyme: Once I Was a Seed (TT) (TB) (FT)
Once I was a seed and I was small, small, small (crouch low)
I grew into a tree and now I’m tall, tall, tall! (stand up and stretch out arms like branches)
My branches sway in the breeze so soft (sway and wave hands/’chute like a leaf)
And when it’s autumn, all my leaves fall off! (lower ‘chute)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Parachute Song: Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of London Bridge)
Autumn leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down
Autumn leaves are falling down
All around the town
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Almost the same title as the previous song, but a different tune and feel. We slowed it down for this one and did “slowly” and “quietly” before doing “loudly” and changing our “shh” to a “whoosh!”
Parachute Song: Leaves are Falling Down (TT) (TB) (FT)
Leaves are falling down – shh! (slowly lower the parachute)
Leaves are falling down – shh!
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
Leaves are falling down
(try other ways of falling – quickly, quietly, loudly!)
Source: Library Village

At this point in the program they were just enjoying waving the parachute up and down with the leaves on top, so I just said this rhyme, not expecting us to change motions or anything during it.
Rhyme: Autumn Winds
Autumn winds begin to blow
Colored leaves fall fast and slow
Whirling, twirling, all around
Until at last they touch the ground
Source: Library Village

A parachute on a purple rug, with autumn colored fabric leaves scattered on top.

I next invited adults to hold the parachute while the kids got underneath. Another thing that can come with autumn is rain and storms. Let’s get under the umbrella!
Action/Parachute Song: Come Under My Umbrella (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie?)
Come under my umbrella, umbrella, umbrella (move parachute up and down)
Come under my umbrella, it’s starting to rain
With thunder and lightning, and lightning and thunder (wiggle ‘chute more strongly)
Come under my umbrella, it’s starting to rain
Source: traditional

This is a great way to put the parachute away. I ask for only grownups to hold on, and then let them know they are letting go at the end. Once the parachute was whisked away, I asked the kids to help me pick up all the fabric leaves that were scattered about.
Parachute Song: Parachute Fly (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Skip to my Lou)
(kids go under the parachute and adults raise and lower)
Up, up, up it goes,
Down, down, down so low
Raise our parachute to the sky
Count to 3 and watch it fly
Spoken:
Up on one…
Down on two…
Up on three…
and FLY! (adults let go and leader pulls ‘chute in to themselves)
Source: Gymboree

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Leaf Rubbing (TB) (FT)
Back to basics! I went on a nature walk and found leaves of different species, with different shapes and even tried varying the colors that they were, including a few green leaves. I hadn’t done this craft since I was a child, so a few tips: make sure you pick leaves that are not completely dried out – they need to still be supple. That might mean plucking them from low branches instead of finding them on the ground. They also dry out really fast! We did great on the first day, but there were some crunchy ones the second day. I unwrapped the labels from leaf-colored crayons: red, orange, yellow, brown, and green, and demonstrated for everyone. Not all the adults knew what to do. The leaf goes UNDER the paper, and you need to use the FLAT side of the crayon. But the rubbings themselves are like magic – you see the delicate veins and outline come through the paper and it’s amazing.

leaf rubbings on a white sheet of paper, showing an orange beech leaf, a brown tulip tree leaf, a red maple leaf, and a green oak leaf.

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)
On a Gold-Blooming Day – Buffy Silverman
Leaf Man – Lois Ehlert
Leaves – David Ezra Stein
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn – Kenard Pak
Autumn Babies – Kathryn O. Galbraith & Adela Pons
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt – Steve Metzger & Miki Sakamoto
The Very Last Leaf – Stef Wade & Jennifer Davison
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves – Julia Rawlinson & Tiphanie Beeke
Wonderfall – Michael Hall

This storytime was presented in-person on 9/25, 9/26, & 9/27/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics

*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