Tag: parachute

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.

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

Summer Storytimes: All Together Now, Part I

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Welcome back to the blog! My library’s Summer Reading Program is officially over, and I am deep into planning the fall. Summer is so busy that I take a break from blogging, but it was a great season, and I’d love to share it with you. I implemented all I learned in the last couple of years doing outdoor programming, and I think it was the best yet, despite worse weather and air quality this year (boo.)

Our library generally uses the theme and graphics from the Collaborative Summer Library Program, or CSLP, a national initiative that helps libraries plan summer programming. This year’s theme was “All Together Now,” with an emphasis on kindness and community. I focused on a different aspect of this each week for seven weeks in June and July. My program themes then were Community, We Work Together, Kindness, Family, Animal Helpers, and Helping Hands. More detail on how these were interpreted below. I also simplified the usual age requirements that I normally have for my indoor programs through the rest of the year. (So, instead of a Toddler Time for 1-2 year olds on Mondays and a Teddy Bear time for 2-3.5s on Tuesdays, I offered Family Time for 0-3.5 Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.) Siblings are always welcome, and I don’t have a limit to the number of families who can participate, so the programs are open to all.

For each session, we had about 15-20 minutes of storytime rhymes, songs, and a book, then 20 minutes of free play at various sensory stations. We end with bubbles and a goodbye song. Stations are a really great way to promote socializing, practice skills like sharing and being gentle, and allow for unstructured play, which science tells us is so important to learning and development. I added a section of parachute songs weekly, too, which was a treat for everyone. It was easy to do thematically – “A parachute is hard to have fun with by yourself. You need some friends and have to work ‘all together!'”

I also am all about simplicity and repetition over the summer. I have a lot of moving parts, set up and tear down to deal with, so I don’t change a lot in the storytime part and plan everything ahead so I am purely in “execute” mode rather than worrying about planning or learning songs. I changed one song and the book each week, and had a mixture of weekly, rotating, and unique stations. Since so much was the same, I’ll write up the whole summer in two posts: this first one focusing on the storytime half, and the second post focusing on all of the hands-on stations!

And, in addition to being back from hiatus, I finally bit the bullet and bought a domain name and WordPress subscription. Welcome to the ad-free Storytime with Ms. Emily Library experience! Please let me know if anything is wonky or links not working correctly in the transition.

The Plan: Storytime Portion

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends
(tune of Goodnight, Ladies)
Hello, friends! Hello, friends!
Hello, friends, it’s time to say hello!
Hello, [name 1], hello, [name 2]!
Hello, [name 3], it’s time to say hello! (repeat as needed)
(ASL motions: salute for “hello,” then take the index fingers on each hand and you link them together as though they are hugging each other back and forth for “friends”)
Source: Glenside Public Library District

Warm-Up Rhyme: We Wiggle and Stop
(Use the ASL sign for the word “stop” – one hand “chops” across the opposite hand)
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle
And we wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
(We wiggled every week, but then added 2 more motions. Motions we did throughout the summer: jump, twirl, run, splash, hop, swim, stretch, stomp, wave, sway, march, lean, roll [arms,] hug)
Source: Jbrary

Intro: Our summer reading program is “All Together Now” and it is all about how wonderful things can happen when we work together. Short intro to the weekly theme (see below)

Themed Song (see below)

Transition Song: If You’re Ready for a Story
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you’re ready for a story, clap your hands (clap, clap)
If you’re ready for a story, clap your hands (clap, clap)
If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story,
If you’re ready for a story, clap your hands (clap, clap)
Source: Miss Keithia (my predecessor)

Themed Book (see below)

Parachute! A parachute is really hard to have fun with all by yourself. We need friends, and we need to work together!

Parachute Song: Let’s Go Riding in an Elevator
Let’s go riding in an elevator, Elevator, elevator (parachute up and down)
Let’s go riding in an elevator, Ride along with me!
First floor, Second floor, Third floor, Fourth floor, Fifth floor… (shake parachute low, and get progressively higher)
And down, down, down, down, down! (lower parachute)
Source: Jbrary

I remind everyone to start rowing very gently, then after the first verse, say, “Oh, the wind is picking up, can we row more firmly?” and before the third verse, “Oh, no, there’s a storm! Row as strongly as you can!”
Parachute Song: Row Your Boat (3 verses)
Row, row, row your boat
Gently/Firmly/Strongly down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream
(Wave the parachute gently, then firmly, then wildly!)
Source: traditional

Breathing Break
Whew, all that rowing got me out of breath! I’m ready for a breathing break. Let’s take a big breath in and lift the parachute up, then breathe out and lower it. We’ll repeat a few times.

Most people know the first verse, but the second verse is probably newer and much less well known. It was a fun way to get us “up” from falling down. We did this one twice, walking in one direction and then the other.
Parachute Song: Ring Around the Rosie
(walk in a circle with parachute)
Ring around the rosie,
Pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes,
We all fall down! (fall and stay seated)

Cows are in the meadow, (crouching by the ‘chute)
Eating buttercups
Thunder, lightning, (shake the parachute)
we all stand up! (stand)
Source: traditional

It actually took a few weeks for the adults to “get” this one. Repetition is good for them, too. 🙂
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

Release to Stations
I have eight stations each week, which involve a mixture of dry, wet, and art/creativity stations. We spend about 20 minutes before I ring the bell to call everyone back to the grassy area. We’ll go into further detail on these in the next blog post.

Everybody loves bubbles! The trick to doing bubbles outside, I’m finding, is to figure out which way the wind is blowing and get upwind of your group!
Recorded Bubble Song: Pop, Pop, Pop by Nathalia
From the album “Dream a Little,” available on Spotify

CD album cover for Nathalia's Dream a Little

Goodbye Song: See You Later, Alligator
(tune of Clementine)
See you later, alligator (wave with one hand, then the other)
In a while, crocodile (open and shut arms like a croc’s mouth)
Give a hug, ladybug (hug yourself or a loved one)
Blow a kiss, jellyfish! MWAH! (move hand like a jellyfish then blow a kiss!)
Source: King County Library System

Weekly Themes

Week 1: Friends 6/6, 6/7/23

Intro: Friends are the people who we love to play and hang out with, and who help us out when we need it. I love making new friends!

Themed Song: All Together Now I played this one on my ukulele, and asked the group to participate by doing the “response” part of the “all together now” chorus. If you don’t want to sing this one, play the original recording by the Beatles or the cover by Caspar Babypants.
I got the chord sheet from Jim’s Ukulele Songbook. It’s a great resource since he’s got a lot of functionality built into the site and among other things you can change the key of any of the songs and print sheets very easily. I prefer to play and sing this one in the key of G.

Themed Read: Who Has Wiggle Waggle Toes? by Vicky Shiefman & Francesca Chessa This is a story of friends having fun together. Can you join in?

Week 2: Community 6/12, 6/13, 6/14/23

Intro: We live in a community of people, and the people in our community help each other. Some people have jobs that let them help others every day.

I played this one on my ukulele and took suggestions from the group. I prompted them by asking, “who helps us when we’re feeling sick?” if there was a lull.
Themed Song: Community Helpers Song
(tune of Farmer in the Dell)
The teachers teach the kids
The teachers teach the kids
Heigh-ho, they help us so
The teachers teach the kids

Choose 3-5 verses!
The firefighters put out the fires….
The crossing guards help us cross…
The librarians find us books….
The dentists check our teeth…
The doctors keep us well…
The farmers grow our food…
The mail carriers deliver the mail…
Custodians keep us clean…

Click for a ukulele songsheet for “Farmer in the Dell”

I encouraged the group to give a cheer for every page to keep interest up.
Themed Read: Cheer: A Book to Celebrate Community by Uncle Ian Aurora & Natalia Moore

Week 3: We Work Together 6/19, 6/20, 6/21/23

Intro: Working together really makes things go smoother.

Instead of the ukulele this week, we did the ASL motions.
Themed Song: The More We Get Together
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… (ASL for read)
We’ll read big books and small books
Read short books and tall books…

The more we work together the stronger we’ll be… (ASL for work)
Source: traditional, ASL for verse one

Themed Read: Blocks by Irene Dickson

Week 4: Kindness 6/26, 6/27, 6/28/23

Intro: One important way to work together is to show kindness. Being kind means thinking of others and doing what you can to be a good neighbor.

The root of all kindness, I believe, is love. Here’s a traditional song your grownups might remember from their childhoods!
Themed Song: Skinnamarink
Skinnamarinky-dinky-dink, Skinnamarinky-doo, I love you!
Skinnamarinky-dinky-dink, Skinnamarinky-doo, I love you!
I love you in the morning, and in the afternoon
I love you in the evening, underneath the moon
Skinnamarinky-dinky-dink, Skinnamarinky-doo, I love you!
Source: traditional, motions from Jbrary

Themed Read: How Kind! by Mary Murphy

Week 5: Family 7/3, 7/5/23

Intro: We can start working together with the people who are closest to us – our families! Who are the people in your family?

Here’s a song for all the people in our families – listen carefully! I included some different iterations to try to be as inclusive as possible. To keep things from getting too long, I sometimes combined (grandma and grandpa). Pairing it with a silly action (and telling grown-ups that they count, too) increases the fun.
Themed Song: If You Have a Brother
(tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man)
If you have a brother
A half-brother, a step-brother
If you have a foster-brother
Please stand up!
Repeat with other family members: sister, mommy, daddy, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandpa, grandma, etc. Ask for suggestions!
Pair with other silly actions: raise your hand, stick out your tongue, wiggle your foot, jump up and down, pat your head, etc.
Source: Abby the Librarian (though I changed the tune)

Themed Read: The Family Book by Todd Parr

Week 6: Animal Helpers 7/10, 7/11, 7/12/23

Intro: Does anyone have a pet at home? Did you know that some animals have important jobs, helping their humans? Some animals help humans who need them to get around or keep them safe. Some animals help soothe people who are lonely or need an animal to help them calm down. Today we are celebrating these animal helpers.

I talked briefly about different helper animals and what they do – including miniature horses, who can be used for the visually impaired! Cats and bunnies are generally therapy animals. I used puppets for each, and asked what sound each one made – including the rabbit! “You’re right, rabbits are quiet! But they can be helpful by being snuggly!”
Themed Song: Animal Helpers Song
(tune of The Wheels on the Bus)
The dog helps his owner with a woof, woof, woof
Woof, woof, woof
Woof, woof, woof
The dog helps his owner with a woof woof
All day long!

The cat helps her owner with a meow, meow, meow…
The horse helps their owner with a neigh, neigh, neigh…
The bunny helps her owner with a snuggle, snuggle, snuggle…
Source: adapted from the traditional

So, I kind of realized after planning that this dog was not a working dog but a pet – the vest threw me off. It still seemed like the best option as far as length. If you know a better option, please let me know in the commets!
Themed Read: Best Day Ever! by Marilyn Singer & Leah Nixon

Week 7: Helping Hands 7/17, 7/18, 7/19/23

Intro: Who likes to be a helper? What are some ways you might help at home? Putting toys away, set the table, put laundry in the hamper, play with a younger sibling, etc.

Since we use this tune for our transitional song, which comes right after this one, I saved the “clap” action for that one and went right into it. I also played ukulele for this one!
Themed Song: If You’re Helpful and You Know It
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you’re helpful and you know it, stomp your feet
If you’re helpful and you know it, stomp your feet
If you’re helpful and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re helpful and you know it, stomp your feet

If you’re friendly and you know it, peekaboo…
If you’re thoughtful and you know it, shout hooray…
Then go right into “If you’re ready for a story, clap your hands”
Source: adapted from the traditional

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail for ukulele songsheet

Themed Read: Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer

Tune in to the next post to learn more about all the sensory stations – like the Fly Swatter Slap, Pool Noodle Sort, Ping Pong Fishing, Mystery Water, Feed the Croc, and more!

Storytime: Big & Little

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Usually the songs and rhymes that I plan for my Toddler Time (ages 1-2) and my Teddy Bear (ages 2-3.5) sessions are very similar, with just two or three different extension activities that differ between the two. Family Time (ages 0-3.5) is usually a judgement call between the two plans based on the ages that show up. However, because of the books I chose to read, the two plans for this storytime were quite different!

I also was in love with the craft for this week – and I got gasps from the crowd when I revealed my sample both days! It was very simple, but made a BIG impact.

Early Literacy Tip: Children love to talk about how “big” they are. While they’re smaller than many people and things they interact with, they find joy in being bigger than younger siblings or a pet. Their learning and understanding of big and small are important for math readiness as it lays the foundation for understanding and comparing sizes. It sets them up to learn the concepts of less vs. more, smaller than vs. larger than, and equal to. Additionally, the frequent use of vocabulary like “large” and “small,” “big” and “little” helps increase your children’s spatial language.

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 and chins.

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

We just had to do this one!
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Intro: Let’s talk about size. What is big? [spread arms out!] What is little? [pinch fingers together] Can we practice?

I’ve done this one with bubbles, but not with balls. The flannel is super simple, and we do the rhyme three times, then say I have one more to add, now let’s count, and it makes an even 10.
Flannel Rhyme: Little Ball, Big Ball (TT) (TB) (FT)
A little ball (make a circle with your fingers)
A bigger ball (make a larger circle with your hands)
A great big ball I see (make a large circle with your arms)
Can you count the [yellow] balls? 1 – 2 – 3 (make 3 circles again)
Source: Jen in the Library

Flannelboard showing three balls of increasing size in yellow, green, and blue, plus one small pink ball to make ten total.

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

This is a board book, and I *still* skipped some pages for the wiggly toddler time group!
Read: Big Little by Leslie Patricelli (TT)

book cover for Big Little

Classic storytime book. I got some raised eyebrows and nervous titters from grownups when the squid’s tentacles are hanging out of the whale’s mouth, but everyone liked the twist!
Read: I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry (TB) (FT)

Book cover for I'm the biggest thing in the ocean

The next four activities were only for Toddler Time, then the next two were just for Teddy Bears and Family Time.

I pointed out that we’re doing a small, medium, and large sized jumping animal to reinforce our theme for this one.
Bounce: Grasshopper (TT)
There was a little grasshopper
Always on the jump
Because they never looked ahead
They always went BUMP! (tilt to side, drop between knees, or lift)
Repeat with bunny, kangaroo
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Action Rhyme: Tall as a Tree (TT)
Tall as a tree (arms over head)
Wide as a house (arms out to the side)
Thin as a pin (arms straight down by side)
And small as a mouse (crouch low)
Source: Dogeared Storytime

The little Folkmanis mouse finger puppet is the cutest, so it’s always exciting to find a new use for her!
Story Rhyme: Little Mousie Brown (TT)
(Index finger is mouse, opposite arm is candlestick)
Up the tall white candlestick
Went little Mousie Brown
But when she got up to the top
She could not get back down
She called for Mama, “Mama, Mama!”
But Mama was in town
So she called for daddy, “Daddy, Daddy!”
But Daddy wasn’t around
So little Mousie curled right up
And rolled right down!
Source: Jbrary

Photo of Folkmanis finger puppet mouse - brown with a white tummy and beige inner ears, with a beige rope tail.
Mousie Brown is the cutest

Rhythm Rhyme: The Elephant (TT)
(stomp feet rhythmically)
Right foot, left foot see me go
I am grey and big and slow
I come walking down the street
With my trunk and my four big feet
(extend arms in front of face, trumpet like an elephant!)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

We did this one every week last summer as part of the Oceans of Possiblities theme, and it was nice to revisit it.
Action Song: A Big Sea Star (TB) (FT)
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
A big sea star, a big sea star (stretch arms & legs out)
Little cuddle clam (hug yourself and get small)
and a big sea star (x2)

A pufferfish! (big breath and blow out)
A pufferfish!
Little cuddle clam and a big sea star (x2)
Source: Jbrary

Action Song: Slippery Fish (TB) (FT)
Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through
the water, Slippery fish, slippery fish,
Gulp, Gulp, Gulp! Oh, no!
It’s been eaten by …

A jellyfish, a jellyfish, floating in the water …
An octopus, an octopus, squiggling in the water …
A mako shark, a mako shark, lurking in the water …
Humongous whale, humongous whale, spouting in the water… Gulp, Gulp, Gulp – BURP! Excuse me!
Source: Jbrary

Flannelboard for "Slippery fish." Pictured is a small green and blue fish, a pink jellyfish, a gray and pink octopus, a white and pink tuna fish, a gray shark, and a blue whale
I didn’t use the white and pink “tuna fish” this time

Parachute Intro: Let’s get out our biggest prop, the parachute! Let’s practice by lifting it up and down, shaking fast and slow. (TT) (TB) (FT)

Parachute Song: Very, Very Tall (TT) (TB) (FT)
I’m very, very tall (reach up high)
I’m very, very small (reach down low)
Tall!
Small!
Now I’m a little ball (curl up)
Source: Old Town School of Folk Music, from the album Wiggleworms

I mean, I guess it’s big…
Parachute Song: London Bridge (TT) (TB) (FT)
London bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down
London bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

Build it up with sticks and stones…
Source: traditional

Parachute Song: Parachute Fly
tune of Skip to My Lou
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 1…
Down on 2…
Up on 3, and Fly! (adults release while you gather up the ‘chute)
Source: Gymboree

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

Craft: Giant Squid (TB) (FT)
As I said, this was a craft that inspired gasps of delight when revealed, but the elements are really quite simple. I freehand drew a squid’s head on our largest size of blue construction paper (12″ x 18″) and asked a volunteer to trace and cut those out. I also drew large white circles for the eyes and a smile mouth on white construction paper – them being a little wonky really added to the fun look. We had small dark blue stickers for the pupils (black would have worked, too, but I used what I found), and I pre-cut lengths of blue crepe paper streamers for the tentacles. I put out glue sticks, tape, and staplers and let everyone choose what worked well for them, and we ended up with adorable giant squids that in most cases were bigger than the children that made them! I was inspired by a picture I saw on Pinterest from the Share and Remember blog.

Our craft - a blue squid made of construction paper and blue streamers. In full, it measures about 4 feet long

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 Not Small – Nina Crews
Tiny Little Fly – Michael Rosen & Kevin Waldron
Who’s the Biggest? – Delphine Chedru
Marta! Big & Small – Jen Arena & Angela Dominguez
Big and Small and In-Between – Carter Higgins & Daniel Miyares
Jump! – Scott M. Fischer
Little Mouse – Alison Murray
You Are (Not) Small – Anna Kang & Christopher Weyant
The Crayola Comparing Sizes Book – Jodie Shepherd
What Will Fit? – Grace Lin
Big and Small with Northwest Coast Native Art – NativeNorthwest.com

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/6, 3/7, & 3/8/23.

Storytime Handout:

Storytime handout with book suggestions, 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

Posted on by msemilylibrary

As mentioned in my previous post, this year I’m tweaking my age groups and looking to offer something a little different for pre-walking babies and their caregivers. Book Babies is for ages twelve months and under, with a concentration on pre-walkers (so kiddos over twelve months but still not walking are welcome, too.)

I’ve advertised this program as a themeless session, letting them know that we’ll be repeating a lot of our activities, songs, and rhymes. This lets me keep the same schedule most of the weeks, rotating out one or two songs per month and changing props when it seems like the right time to try something new. It eases the prep time for an extra program, while still allowing some flexibility. Time always seems to be a sticky point for me. I only have 20-30 minutes for this group due to back-to-back programming, so I had to take a breath and NOT include all that I wanted to.

Before splitting the under-ones from their older counterparts, I worried about using props like the parachute with runners and walkers with the crawlers, so having them on their own makes it easier to make sure no one is getting hurt. I also have limited this class to 10 babies, so it’s easier for everyone to fit on the parachute and be close to each other and their little one.

Early Literacy Tip: Let your baby take the lead when it comes to books. Even if they sit still for only a minute or two, don’t give up! Keep books a positive time, and engage them with pictures and words, even if they aren’t the words written in the book. When they get fussy or seem finished, set it aside and try again later.

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.

Trying a new/old welcome song! This is the one my predecessor passed on to me, that I stopped using in favor of a quicker “Hello, Friends.” With a smaller group of babies, though, I like the slower pace of this one. 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

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

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

I learned this one as “roll it and pat it,” but I like the physicality of “stretch it” better. I found some videos by Intellidance showing some different ways of interacting with an infant for several traditional nursery rhymes, which was really great for offering different options for lap babies, laying down babies, and standing babies. Check out their channel for additional videos.
Fingerplay Rhyme: Pat a Cake
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake,
Baker’s man
Bake me a cake
As fast as you can
Roll it, And stretch it
And mark it with a “B” (can substitute first initial and name)
And put it in the oven
For baby and me!
Source: traditional

Let’s go on a little trip!
Bounce: A Smooth Road
A smooth road! (x4)
(slowly, and sway baby gently back and forth)
A bumpy road! (x4)
(a little faster, bouncing gently up and down)
A rough road! (x4)
(even faster, bouncing slightly harder and adding erratic swaying)
Oh, no! A hole!
(tip baby over, lift up, and/or let them fall safely through your knees)
Source: Jbrary

After all that excitement, let’s slow it down with a lullaby. Holding your baby close to your chest lets them hear your heartbeat, which is what they heard before they were born. It’s soothing and reminds them they are safe.
Ukulele Lullaby: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
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

Download a Ukulele Songsheet here!

Thumbnail for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ukulele songsheet

These first two times I read aloud to the group, but I plan to intersperse that with a couple minutes of individual reading. I may also use regular picture books in the future, but I’m starting by modelling board books.
Read: choose an age-appropriate board book such as:
Read, Read, Baby! by Anna W. Bardaus & Christine Grove
Whose Toes Are Those? by Jabari Asim & LeUyen Pham
BIG Little by Leslie Patricelli
Where’s Ellie? by Salina Yoon

Are you ready for a tickle? I’m ready for a little laughing! Let’s try this rhyme about bees.
Tickle Rhyme: Here Is the Beehive
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)

Prop Songs
For the first month, we’ll do the same ones, with the parachute. Later I’m thinking I’ll keep the parachute for the program setup (as a “mat” of a sort), but switch to other props like scarves and shaker eggs.

Parachute Song: The Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again
Source: traditional

Parachute Song: Come Under My Umbrella
tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie?
Come under my umbrella, umbrella, umbrella (lift up)
Come under my umbrella, it’s starting to rain (shake)
With thunder and lightning, and lightning and thunder (big shakes!)
Come under my umbrella, it’s starting to rain
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Parachute Song: Dance Like Snowflakes
tune of Frère Jacques
Dance like snowflakes, dance like snowflakes
In the air, in the air
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Everywhere, everywhere
Source: Jbrary

Parachute Song: Parachute Fly
tune of Skip to My Lou
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 1…
Down on 2…
Up on 3, and Fly!
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:
All of Baby Nose to Toes – Victoria Adler & Hiroe Nakata
Brown Baby Lullaby – Tameka Fryer Brown & AG Ford
Nose to Toes, You Are Yummy! – Tim Harrington
Kitty’s Cuddles – Jane Cabrera
I Love You, Baby Burrito – Angela Dominguez
Up, Up, Up, Down – Kimberly Gee
“More More More,” Said the Baby – Vera B. Williams

This storytime was presented in-person on 1/9, 1/16, & 1/23/23.

Storytime Handout:

Thumbnail for Book Babies handout with suggested books and rhyme and song lyrics.

Storytime: Let it Snow

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Regular storytimes are back! After a couple week’s break over the winter holidays, we’re back for a new year, with a few tweaks to the Itty Bitty programs at my library. I took the plunge and have started a program for pre-walking babies, who had been lumped together with toddlers in the past. It’s new for me, so I spent a lot of those three weeks off (and some time earlier, too…) figuring out what and how I’ll do things differently now that the age groups I’m serving have shifted a bit.

I’ll do a separate blog post for that baby program, but shifting there also means that one of my other programs has also shifted. What used to be “Book Babies” is now “Toddler Time” serving kids ages 1-2. The other two sessions remain the same: “Teddy Bears” is ages 2-3.5, and “Family Time” still serves 0-3.5. My resolution this year was was to expand my repertoire by incorporating some new hands-on props beyond shaker eggs and scarves – instruments, rhythm sticks, ribbon bracelets, etc. I jumped in with two feet by starting with the parachute!

In the past I’d been hesitant to incorporate parachute play where we had very mobile three-year-olds in the same room as crawlers or unsteady walkers. Separating them (in most classes) means I feel better about using the parachute with both groups.

You may also notice that there aren’t a ton of activities marked (TT) – that group was super wound up this week! I didn’t do half of what I’d planned, but we got out the parachute and they enjoyed that, and they spent a little extra time during free play, so it all evened out.

This week was a very common January theme, snow. We danced like snowflakes and made a blizzard with the parachute and some cotton balls, too!

Early Literacy Tip: Seeing patterns and trying to recognize things that are alike and things that are different is a fun game for children. Such activities help them develop the mathematical concepts of patterns and relationships.

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 was knees and cheeks.

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

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: This is the season for snow! Does anyone like to play in the snow? Let’s pretend it’s snowing right now.

Action Song: Watch the Snowflakes (TT) (TB) FT)
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Watch the snowflakes, Watch the snowflakes
Floating down, Floating down
Oh so very slowly, Oh so very slowly
To the ground, To the ground
(repeat: from so very high, quickly, twirly)
Source: Jen in the Library

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

Read: Mouse’s First Snow by Lauren Thompson & Buket Erdogan (TT) (FT)

book cover for Mouse's First Snow, showing little mouse next to a mouse made of snow.

This is such a beautiful book, with stunning crisp photographs and a very simple, lyrical text. This group was fascinated. Bonus, it’s by an Indiana author!
Read: Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayre (TB)

book cover for best in snow, showing a bluejay sitting on a snowy branch

I loved that Mouse got to do lots of fun things in the snow, like sledding! Here’s a rhyme about sledding.
Rhyme: Here’s a Hill (TT)
Here’s a hill (tilt one arm diagonally)
And here’s a hill (tilt other arm diagonally)
All covered with snow (wiggle fingers downward)
I’ll put on my coat, (mime putting a coat on)
And jump on my sled (hold the rope of a sled)
And ZOOM, down the hill I go! (clap, slide hands)
Source: Storytime Katie

For this one, we really emphasized going slow at the beginning, and fast at the end.
Bounce: Sledding (TT) (FT)
(tune of Row Your Boat)
Crunch, crunch, Crunch, crunch, crunch (sway slowly)
Up the hill so slow
Sliding, sliding, Sliding, sliding (bounce quickly)
Down the hill we go!
Source: Yogibrarian

I think it’s getting ready to snow again!
Action Song: A Snowy Sky (TB) (FT)
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
A big white sky, A big white sky
Snowflakes falling from a big white sky
A big white sky, A big white sky
Snowflakes falling from a big white sky
A winter breeze – BRRR!
A winter breeze – BRRR!
And snowflakes falling from a big white sky!
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

I see some colors through the snow.
Flannel Activity: Colors in the Snow (TB) (FT)
Based on this post by Abby Johnson on the ALSC Blog (and in turn, inspired by Mel’s Desk!), we looked at some colorful shapes.
The idea is to lay out several shapes of one color, saying something like, “I see a white snowflake. And a white cloud. And a white rabbit. And a white pumpkin!” The kids will likely correct you that no, that is an ORANGE pumpkin, thank you very much. Then you start again with orange things, messing up at the end of each line. When all your items are out, you can say you see something that has all those colors, what could it be? A snowman!
My shapes were mostly die cuts, though I did search for a few shapes online like the cat, crow, cloud, rabbit, and leaf.

colors in the snow felt. Shapes in different colors are lined in a grid shape: white: snowflake, cloud, rabbit orange: pumpkin, butterfly, leaf black: cat, bat, crow red: ladybug, apple, fire truck a snowman with a black hat, orange nose and red scarf sits to the side.

I was so enamored with this snowman with his jaunty eyebrows that I copied it exactly from Storytime in the Stacks!
Flannel/Puppet Rhyme: A Chubby Little Snowman (TB) (FT)
A chubby little snowman
Had a carrot nose
Along came a bunny,
And what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny,
Looking for some lunch
Ate that snowman’s nose,
With a nibble, nibble, crunch!
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Chubby Little Snowman felt and puppet - the snowman's nose has been caught by the pink bunny puppet, who holds the carrot shape. The snowman felt is just the head, with eyes, a mouth and eyebrows.

This is a very catchy tune – fair warning, it’s been stuck in my head all week!
Action Song: Once there Was a Snowman (FT)
Once was there was a snowman, a snowman, a snowman
Once there was a snowman – Tall, tall, tall!
In the sun he melted, he melted, he melted
In the sun he melted – Small, small, small!
Source: Jbrary

Parachute Time!
We started by practicing a bit, lifting up and down, shaking fast and shaking slow

After one repetition through this song, I threw a couple of handfuls of cotton balls in the middle – fun! After a couple of songs when most of them had “jumped” off, we took a short break to collect them and throw them back in the middle. After Parachute Fly, I asked the kids to find and bring up the scattered cotton balls, which they were very happy to do.
Parachute Song: Snowflake in the Sky (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)
Snowflake, snowflake in the sky,
Love to watch you floating by
Down you fall upon the ground,
Down you fall without a sound
Snowflake, snowflake in the sky,
Love to watch you floating by
Source: Jbrary

I accidentally planned two songs that use Frère Jacques. Oops.
Parachute Song: Dance Like Snowflakes (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Dance like snowflakes, Dance like snowflakes
In the air, in the air
Whirling twirling snowflakes, Whirling twirling snowflakes
Everywhere, everywhere
Source: Jbrary

I watched a bunch of YouTube videos of using parachutes with kids to prepare, and saw this song used by several Gymboree classes. It seems like a good one for putting the parachute away. Hopefully in time I can teach the adults to actually let go at the end – this first time took us a couple tries!
Parachute Song: Parachute Fly (TT) (TB) (FT)
tune of Skip to My Lou
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 1…
Down on 2…
Up on 3, and Fly!
Source: Gymboree

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

Craft: Puffy Snow Paint (TB) (FT)
Sometimes it’s nice to do a messy craft – it may inspire some families to try it at home, and it might be the one chance kids from more fastidious families might have to be messy! This really cool puffy paint is easy to make, stores easily in between uses, and dries actually puffy. It’s made with equal (ish) parts foam shaving cream and white school glue. I mixed and kept it in a large zip-top bag with the air squeezed out, and it stayed good for 3 days. There was white chalk to draw with as well, and I free-hand cut out some small black circles and orange triangles in case they wanted to make snowpeople. Fun and cute!

craft showing snowflakes drawn on black construction paper with white chalk, and a snowman made of white puffy paint with two black paper eyes, three black paper buttons, and a orange paper nose.

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)
The Snowman Shuffle – Christianne Jones & Emma Randall
In the Snow – Sharon Phillips Denslow & Nancy Tafuri
Winter Is Here – Kevin Henkes & Laura Dronzek
One Snowy Morning – Kevin Tseng & Dana Wulfekotte
The Snowy Day – Ezra Jack Keats
A Big Bed for Little Snow – Grace Lin
In My Anaana’s Amautik – Nadia Sammurtok & Lenny Lishchenko
Making a Friend – Tammi Sauer & Alison Friend
Ten on the Sled – Kim Norman & Liza Woodruff
Over & Under the Snow – Kate Messner & Christopher Silas Neal

This storytime was presented in-person on 1/9, 1/10, & 1/11/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhymes 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