toddler – Page 12 – Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

Summer Storytimes: Sharks!

Posted on July 8, 2022July 6, 2022 by msemilylibrary

Sharks are beloved by kids, even the littlest, even though they’re known for death and destruction! I had at least one kid dress in some kind of shark attire (hats, shirts, even shoes!) each of my storytime days. So fun when the parents get into the theme, too.

This was the first week that I did a different song and themed book for my littlest age group, Book Babies (0-2), than for my older groups (up to 3.5). The Shark Song seems to require more interaction to enjoy, whereas I suggested that babies and their caregivers “sway” during the majority of Slippery Fish, then do some bounces or tickles for the “Gulp, gulp, gulp” part to let the babies be involved without having to do hand motions. The book I’m a Shark is really great for the 2.5-3.5 crowd, but it feels like it’s just too much for the younger ones, so I went with Swallow the Leader in Book Babies. It’s been really difficult for me to engage the babies in books, especially in the outdoor setting, so this was another instance of me modelling page skipping is okay if your kiddo is losing interest. I wonder if other librarians are having trouble with the book portions of their storytimes. Chime in the comments if you have, or if you’ve been finding good ways to keep kids’ attention.

For a more in-depth explanation of the structure of this summer’s programs, read the intro to the first session, Ocean Life.

Early Learning Tip: Did you notice the colorful fish in Swallow the Leader? They have different colors and shapes, and although none are exactly the same, there are some that are alike. Seeing patterns and trying to recognize things that are alike and different is fun, but also helps develop mathematical concepts of patterns and relationships.

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 (repeated)
(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
(This week we also “stretched” and “stomped” – I’ll do two new motions in addition to wiggle each week to keep it interesting)
Source: Jbrary

Intro to Weekly Theme: Some of the most interesting (and a little scary) animals in the ocean are sharks! Let’s do a song about some sharks doing what they do best – eating fish!

As a self-confessed pedantic, I had to see if this song was true to life. And yes! Google tells me that indeed some jellyfish eat small fish, some octopuses eat jellyfish, mako sharks have been found with octopus in their bellies, and sperm whales have been found with sharks in theirs! (Also, orca whales will attack and eat sharks, too). I feel better about singing this song.
Themed Song for Book Babies: Slippery Fish
Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through the water,
Slippery fish, slippery fish, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a …

Additional verses:
Jellyfish, jellyfish, squirting through the water…
Octopus, octopus, squiggling in the water…
Mako shark, mako shark, lurking in the water…
Humongous whale, humongous whale, spouting in the water…
… BURP!
(Cover your mouth.) Excuse me!
Source: Jbrary

I took great pleasure in telling the families that we were going to be doing a song about a shark family, but it wasn’t THAT shark family!
Themed Song for Teddy Bears & Family Time: The Shark Song
Oh, there’s a shark, do-do, do-do-do
A baby shark, do-do, do-do-do
Lives in the ocean, do-do, do-do-do
He eats fish, CHOMP-CHOMP, CHOMP, CHOMP!
He’s got a fin, do-do, do-do-do
A dorsal fin, do-do, do-do-do
And that’s the end, do-do, do-do-do
(but that’s not the end! What other kind of shark might there be?)
Mommy, Daddy, Grandma
Source: The Ooey Gooey Lady

Themed book:
I’m a Shark by Bob Shea
OR
Swallow the Leader by Deanna Smith & Kevin Sherry

I adapted the lyrics only slightly from Jbrary’s pirate themed song to be a little more generic ocean. I also let grownups know this could be a lifting song, but only if they’re feeling ambitious! I invite everyone else to do the up and down motions with me.
Repeated Song: The Ocean Song
(tune of The Elevator Song)
Oh, the ocean is great and the ocean is grand!
There are lots of big ships but very little land
And we sleep down deep in a hammock near the floor
And this is what we do when we go out to shore:

(ready?) We… ride… the…
waves going up, we ride the waves going down
we ride the waves going up, we ride the waves going down
we ride the waves going up, we ride the waves going down
And we turn… a-… round!
Source: Jbrary

After the Ocean Song, I’m invariably out of breath, so it’s time for a breathing break. I’d considered doing ocean wave breathing on the theme, but I decided that Five Finger Breathing is an easy one to teach and for kids to remember, which is my point in doing it.
Breathing Break: Five Finger Breathing
Whew, I could use a breathing break! Let’s get out our five fingers and spread our hands out wide. We’re going to breathe in deeply as we trace our fingers up, pause for just a moment at the top of our finger, then breathe out as we trace down. Ready?

I like to mention that this song was adapted by an occupational therapist as a reminder of ways to self-soothe.
Repeated Movement Song: Big Sea Star
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
A big sea star, a big sea star
Little cuddle clam and a big sea star
A big sea star, a big sea star
Little cuddle clam and a big sea star
A pufferfish! A pufferfish!
Little cuddle clam and a big sea star
A pufferfish! A pufferfish!
Little cuddle clam and a big sea star
Source: Jbrary

Release to Stations
I have seven stations each week, which involve a mixture of dry, wet, and an action station. We spend about 20 minutes in free play.

Repeated Stations:
Kinetic Sand (Dry)
I bought some kinetic sand and added it to two plastic bins. In the recycling bin I found some fruit cup containers that had fun shapes and added them plus some plastic shovels. I keep a sheet underneath this station to catch any stray sand that escapes the bins. I didn’t realize until after I planned this station that kinetic sand should not be put in mouths, so I do warn the parents that if their kiddo is still exploring with their mouth, they may want to skip this one.

Kinetic sand station outside - two bins set on a blue sheet, with small plastic containers, plastic shovels, and sand in them

Pouring Station (Wet)
I asked coworkers to collect clean plastic recyclables with wide openings for this station and visited Goodwill for some additional pitchers. We had measuring cups and funnels in our materials, as well as a baby pool, which is the perfect container. I fill the pool with plastic bins and fill them randomly with water from the hose each week. (Also, I must have had some sunscreen on my lens taking pictures outdoors – there’s a weird blur!)

Pouring station, with a faded red baby pool filled with various plastic containers of all shapes and sizes

Rotating Stations:
Pompom Sort (Dry)
A really easy station to put together: I just saved a couple of egg cartons, then poured a handful or two of different colored/sized pompoms into them. Provide some plastic tongs and you’re done. (And again, weird blur)

Pompom Sorting station: two shoebox sized plastic bins hold two natural cardboard egg cartons with various shaped and colored pompoms and plastic tongs.

Colored Ball Sort and Drop (Dry)
This was inspired by a Pinterest post from Taming Little Monsters. I made two, from our ubiquitous Baker & Taylor boxes, but oriented them different ways so one was tall and skinny and one was low and squat.

Ball sort and drop station: two cardboard book boxes hold plastic "ball pit" balls. Both have holes cut into the top with an open space below for the balls to be retrieved.

Walk the Plank (Action)
Rather than capital punishment, I framed this walk the plank activity as going between two ships. But the “waters” are definitely shark-infested! I used the rubber dots I had from Ocean Boulder Leap to attach shark fins to, and there is a sturdy rubber balance beam in the same active play set my library has. This one looks cool from across the yard, when the shark fins really look like they’re swimming in the grass!

Walk the plank sign: "Get your wiggles out! Balance on the plank and don't fall into the ocean!" Shows two ship decks with barrels, a small pile of gold, and a cartoony bomb with the jolly roger on them. A seagull dressed as a sailor and a pirate sits on each deck's rail.

Unique Stations:
Ice Rescue (Wet)
Inspired by this blog post from Teaching Mama, I used the plastic ocean animals previously used with the Animal Washing Station two weeks ago to freeze into some large containers. The first one was a quart sized container, and the second a wide square bowl. With both containers, I realized that the animals would float, so it took some doing to keep them at the bottom of the container. For the quart sized one, the opening was narrow enough that a few medium sized rocks kept the animals down.

Quart sized ice block showing sharks, an orange sea star, and rocks trapped in ice.

However, the wider bowl was much trickier. I ended up freezing them in shallow layers. Of course, the ice didn’t stick to the bowl very well so IT floated to the top when I added some layers, but since it was all one big chunk, adding rocks to the top was easier to keep it down. When it was a lot of little items floating in water, the rocks slipped between them to the bottom. So, trial and error and eventually it worked.

Two ice blocks inside their containers sitting on the grass - one a tall skinny quart sized container, the other a pink square bowl. Both have rocks and plastic shark fins sticking out of the ice.

I filled the big trays with just an inch or two of water from the hose, then provided the orange pails and squeeze bottles filled with water as hot as I could get it from the tap. By the time we released to stations 20 minutes into the program, the water was warm but not too warm. The kids really worked diligently to get the animals out, and they had fun playing with them once they were released.

Dot Painting (Art/Messy)
In an effort to keep the crafts this summer simple and minimal, I put out our basket of dot painters (that has been sitting lonely on the supply shelf since 2020) and some ocean animal dot coloring sheets from The Artisan Life blog.

After about 20 minutes exploring stations, I rang the bell to call everyone back to the storytime area. 20 minutes felt like a good time – kids had generally found their way to all the stations and were winding down.

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 cover of Nathalia's "Dream A Little" album.

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

My second group wiped out almost all of my books (yay!), so I had to try and find some more for the third group, who ended up not taking any (boo!)
Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Shark Dog! by Ged Adamson
Gilbert the Great by Jane Clarke & Charles Fuge
Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies & James Croft
Misunderstood Shark by Ame Dyckman & Scott Magoon
Clark the Shark (series) by Bruce Hale and Guy Francis
Hide! by Steve Henry
I Am the Shark by Joan Holub & Laurie Keller
The Shark Who Was Afraid of Everything by Brian James & Bruce McNally
Sharko and Hippo by Elliott Kalan & Andrea Tsurumi
Big Shark, Little Shark (series) by Anna Membrino & Tim Budgen
Dude! by Aaron Reynolds & Dan Santat
Nugget & Fang by Tammi Sauer & Michael H. Slack
Chomp: A Shark Romp by Michael-Paul Terranova
Shark and Lobster’s Amazing Undersea Adventure by Viviane Schwarz & Joel Stewart
Meet the Shark Family and Friends by Alexandra West

This storytime was presented in-person on 6/27, 6/28, & 6/29/22.

Summer Storytimes: Arctic & Antarctic

Posted on June 25, 2022November 6, 2025 by msemilylibrary

It’s summer, and we all want a little chill, right? What better way than to imagine ourselves in the ice and cold of the earth’s poles, and to play with ice water?

Last summer, I did an outreach to the local parks camp where they chose the themes and I presented a story, song, and craft for it. One of their themes was the Arctic, which I also coopted for one of my regular storytimes. This year, I wanted to revisit that theme (adding the Antarctic) and use it as an excuse to integrate ice play into our summer stations.

I bought an inflatable globe to point out where the Arctic and Antarctic are in relation to us, which was a bonus toy to play with during the unstructured station time. I’m always frustrated when polar bears and penguins get lumped together when they live so far away from each other!

view of my storytime cart, with the speaker, my water, a stack of books (If You Were a Penguin on top) and an inflatable globe showing NASA images of the earth (land, sea, and clouds) — The globe!

This week my two unique stations were ice play and painting with ice. I had a new action station as well – dodge the seaweed!

For a more in-depth explanation of the structure of this summer’s programs, read the intro to the first session, Ocean Life.

Early Literacy Tip: One way of learning is with movement, which is called kinesthetic learning. When we act out what is happening on the pages of a book, it can more concretely connect new vocabulary words with their meanings. When we use meaningful gestures to explain words, we help build your child’s vocabulary.

Warm-Up Rhyme: We Wiggle and Stop (repeated)
(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
(This week we also “waddled” like a penguin and used our flippers to “swim” like a walrus – I’ll do two new motions in addition to wiggle each week to keep it interesting)
Source: Jbrary

Intro to Weekly Theme: It’s time to chill! Let’s explore some animals that live in places that are cold. [Show the globe.] Here’s where we live, in Indiana. Way up here is the north pole, or the Arctic. That’s where animals like polar bears, caribou (also known as reindeer), and walruses live. Here’s a silly song about the walrus.

I recently saw Reading Rena’s video of this song, and really liked how she does the ending. I didn’t do different articles of clothes like she did, but that’s a good option. I wanted to keep it to two verses, so I just did “shakes” and “turns.” It is, of course, a perfect song for a scarf or shaker prop, but for these outdoor sessions I’m streamlining.
Themed Song: The Walrus Washes His Winter Coat
Oh, the walrus washes his winter coat (rub hands together)
Down by the wavy ocean (make a waving motion)
He adds some water and he adds some soap (pretend to pour)
and he waits…and he waits…and he waits. (point to wrist)

Then the laundry shakes, shakes, shakes (shake arms)
The laundry shakes and shakes and shakes
The laundry shakes, shakes, shakes
until it’s clean. (repeat)

Additional verses:
The laundry turns … until it’s clean (roll arms)
Last time:
Well, the walrus washed his winter coat
Down by the wavy ocean
He shakes it out (shake out your coats!)
And he hangs it up to dry (hang it on the clothesline!)
And now his coat is clean!
Source: Brytani Fraser via Jbrary and Reading Rena

Now let’s travel all the way to the other end of the earth, the south pole, or Antarctica, where a lot of penguins live!

Themed book:
If You Were a Penguin by Wendell & Florence Minor
OR
Walrus Song by Janet Lawler & Timothy Basil Ering
Obviously to get to to the south pole, we’d need to do a penguin story, but the Walrus Song book is very cool as well. If you stayed in the Arctic, that would be a great choice. If You Were a Penguin was the shortest and most interactive penguin book I could find, which I’m learning is really a requirement for my group.

Release to Stations
I have seven stations each week, which involve a mixture of dry, wet, and an action station. We spend about 20 minutes in free play.

Rotating Stations:
Craft Stick Sort (Dry)
I noticed in my storage bin that I had these boxes of dot painters that have small holes already in the top. I colored a ring around each hole a different rainbow color and added colored craft sticks for a fine motor and color identification station.

Craft stick sort station with small cardboard boxes with eight small holes in each, ringed in color, and a pile of colored craft sticks in front of them

Beanbag Sort (Dry)
We had these beanbags from Lakeshore Learning that are different colors and shapes. They’re a super easy station where kids can play and sort with them in several ways.

Beanbag sort station, with shiny plastic beanbags in cube, sphere, and pyramid shapes in rainbow colors.

Dodge the Seaweed (Action)
We had some small cones in our action set, so I duct taped a paint stirrer to the tops of them, then haphazardly added green crepe paper to look like seaweed. For the amount of time it took me, I think they look pretty good! I was fully expecting them to get kind of torn up after the first week of use, but they held up. That might partly be because it was pretty hot out and I’m not sure a lot of kids were running around, though. 🙂

Dodge the seaweed station, with green and blue cones topped by green crepe paper "seaweed"

Unique Stations:
Ice Play (Wet)
I filled a medium sized bin with water, a bowl or colander, a few plastic animals like orcas, seals, and a whale shark, scoops and slotted spoons. I kept a 20 lb bag of ice in a cooler in the shade nearby, then when we released to stations I emptied the ice into the bins. This was a popular station since it was pretty hot all three days. This picture was taken at the end of the program, so almost all of the ice had melted by that time! Nevertheless, the kids seemed to enjoy scooping and feeling the ice.

Ice play station with two plastic bins half filled with water and ice. a teal colander is in one and a pink bowl is in another, with various slotted spoons, scoopers, and plastic whales and seals.

Ice Painting (Art/Messy)
Darn, I didn’t get a picture of this. I made the ice “paints” using some liquid watercolor we have, mixed with water in ice cube trays and with one of the mini-craft sticks in each cube for a handle. I made two trays, thinking I might have to make more each day, but they actually lasted me through all three days. I had a second cooler and put some ice in the bottom of it, then put the ice cube trays on top. I got the cooler out when we released to stations and kept the trays in the cooler in between uses. Outside of a few kids wanting to eat them (nontoxic paint, but still yucky), this was fun. Several grownups said how neat an idea it was and asked how I made the cubes (and I let them know that they could probably also use food coloring) and I overheard one say they were going to do this at a birthday party later that summer!

Ice painting sign:
"Get creative: use an ice cube to paint! Let the watercolor paint melt on your paper. Use the stick to hold the cube (or not!) Enjoy the process and see what your child makes!

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Penguin Problems by Jory John & Lane Smith
If Wendell Had a Walrus by Lori Mortensen & Matt Phelan
A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis
Polar Bear Morning by Lauren Thompson & Stephen Savage
Polar Bear Night by Lauren Thompson & Stephen Savage
Poles Apart by Jeanne Willis & Jarvis
Don’t Be Afraid, Little Pip by Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman
What’s in the Egg, Little Pip? by Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman

This storytime was presented in-person on 6/20, 6/21, & 6/22/22.

Summer Storytimes: At the Beach

Posted on June 17, 2022June 16, 2022 by msemilylibrary

Another sub-theme for Summer Reading 2022 Oceans of Possibilities! Going to the beach is one of the most common and enjoyable ways that humans get to experience the ocean, so it seemed like a natural theme. Several of the kids in this week’s programs had been to the beach or would be going later this summer.

This week we were outside on Monday, but had a heat advisory for the Tuesday and Wednesday classes. With the heat index above 90 and the humidity brutal, I moved my outdoor session into our two large meeting rooms. It was another curveball, but I had the rooms booked all summer in case of rain or heat, so I’m glad the space was available. The rooms I used are separated by a collapsible wall, so I opened it only about 5 feet and put my storytime table in front of the opening. We did the storytime portion of the program in one room, then I wheeled my table out of the way so they could get to the stations room. It was a great way to keep their interest from getting distracted by the stations until we were ready to play with them. (Outdoors, I cover the stations with sheets until we release to them. So far I haven’t had any kids peeking, which is nice while it lasts!)

view of the grassy storytime area with the library building in the background, with a cart to the left with a speaker and other supplies, and four sheet-covered stations shown on the ground around the perimeter.

Psst: wanna know a secret? I structured my summer storytimes around the idea for outdoor free play stations, and minimized the planning I’d need to do for the actual storytime part. In fact, I’m changing only two aspects of each storytime from week to week/theme to theme in order to keep myself sane. Repetition is not a bad thing. Kids and grownups are enjoying knowing the repeated songs and what comes next, while I still get to have one song and one book set to the theme. Setting up the stations each week takes a lot of my brain (and muscle) power, so it feels nice to know that I’ve got a handle on the storytime portion and don’t need to worry about it.

For a more in-depth explanation of the structure of this summer’s programs, read the intro to the first session, Ocean Life.

Early Literacy Tip: Sometimes we think in order to read a book to a child, we must read all the words, in order, front to back. But really, there’s lots of ways to experience reading, and young children may not have the attention span to listen to a book all the way through. It’s okay to skip pages, just “read” the pictures, or start and stop as needed. Make it a positive experience, and your child will develop the staying power to eventually listen to a whole book when they’re ready.

I originally debated doing a song with names over summer – would it take too long? Could I get them right? I decided to go with it and I’m so glad I did. The smiles on the kids and caregivers when they hear their name is worth it!
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 (repeated)
(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
(This week we also “ran” across the sand (in place) and “splashed” – I’ll do two new motions in addition to wiggle each week to keep it interesting)
Source: Jbrary

Intro to Weekly Theme: One way to enjoy the ocean is to go to the beach. Has anyone been? What do you remember? If you have more time to play with a discussion, I loved Jessica’s idea of unpacking a beach tote on her blog.

Themed Song: The Waves on the Beach
(tune of The Wheels on the Bus)
The waves on the beach go in and out (arms swoop back and forth in front of you)
In and out, in and out
The waves on the beach go in and out
All day long!

Additional verses:
The crabs on the beach go pinch, pinch, pinch… (pinch fingers and thumbs together)
The clams on the beach go open and shut… (hands cup together vertically and open/shut on a hinge)
The kids on the beach go splash, splash, splash… (slap hands downward)
Source: adapted from Storytime in the Stacks

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:
Jules Vs. the Ocean by Jesse Sima
OR
Little Hoo Goes to the Beach by Brenda Ponnay
I used Little Hoo for my baby program, as it is extremely simple (and I even skipped the seaweed pages to shorten it). Jules worked best for my 2-3.5 group, but we were indoors so it was much easier for them to see the pictures, which are brilliant and help tell this story really well. I’ve used books like Hello, Ocean and I also considered My Ocean is Blue, but I’ve been noticing that my group just can’t handle longer picture books. I don’t know if it’s because I’m more used to preschoolers, or if it has something to do with the pandemic, but the little ones just don’t seem interested in books with more than a sentence per page. I’m still figuring this out and experimenting, so it was good to see that Jules worked, at least in the indoor setting.

Release to Stations
I have seven stations each week, which involve a mixture of dry, wet, and an action station. This week I was indoors, so used old flannel sheets for under the “wet” stations. They worked pretty well, absorbing spilled water enough that I didn’t have to mop the floor after.

Ocean Boulder Leap (Action)
This started out in my head as a lily pad leap, but adapted to the ocean theme. We had the rubber dots from an active play set and I cut out some crab graphics to tape on for flavor.

Unique Stations:
Animal Washing (Wet)
Based on another Pinterest idea from Coffee Cups and Crayons, I bought some plastic ocean animals and stuck them in a bin of dirt. (I had trouble finding dirt at the store that didn’t have fertilizer mixed in with it, so had to get this organic coconut husk dirt, which isn’t as “dirt-y” as real dirt, but it worked.) A second bin was filled with clean water and had toothbrushes and dish brushes in it for washing. I meant to put a little detergent in to make bubbles, but it didn’t happen, and it was fine.

Sponge Painting (Art/Messy)
I reused the ocean animal shaped sponges I made from last week’s sponge play station and put out small trays of tempera paint (recycled Lean Cuisine trays work great). Kids could stamp the shapes onto plain white construction paper in our messy trays for the simple craft. Our rinse station was set up to one side with a couple buckets of water and towels for cleaning up hands. All of my craft stations this summer are simple process-focused art with different media.

sponge painting and rinse station in the indoor setting, with painting supplies set on a square table and two chairs facing outward on each side. Six chairs hold a messy tray and paper on them, and two hold buckets of water and towels for rinsing.

Table with a display of the books listed below.

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Surf’s Up by Kwame Alexander & Daniel Miyares
Bea by the Sea by Jo Byatt
This Beach Is Loud! by Samantha Cotterill
At the Beach by Shira Evans
Here Comes Ocean by Meg Fleming & Paola Zakimi
Beach Day! by Patricia Lakin & Scott Nash
My Ocean Is Blue by Darren Lebeuf & Ashley Barron
Noah’s Seal by Layn Marlow
Hum and Swish by Matt Myers
Hello Ocean/Hola mar by Pam Muñoz Ryan & Mark Astrella
What If? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
A Beach Tail by Karen Lynn Williams & Floyd Cooper
Harry by the Sea by Gene Zion & Margaret Bloy Graham

This storytime was presented in-person on 6/13, 6/14, & 6/15/22.

Summer Storytimes: Ocean Life

Posted on June 12, 2022July 25, 2022 by msemilylibrary

We’re back doing outdoor summer programming! I love outdoor programming. It’s novel and fun and just seems more sensory than indoor programs. I started doing outdoor programs in 2013, when our regular indoor summer storytimes always seemed to be full, and we were getting interest from daycares bringing 5-10 kids. That would have wiped out most of one class’s registered openings, so we decided to offer a once a week outdoor class with no registration and no limit to accommodate them. The regular programmers were super busy, so I took that on as the manager. It was my first foray into programming for little ones (previously I’d been the Teen Services Librarian), and I really fell in love with it. Of course, I came back to it after a break when the pandemic hit and the safest way to offer programs was outdoors in 2021.

This year we’re all about the CSLP 2022 theme, Oceans of Possibilities. I have a weekly sub-theme and am presenting an outdoor program for the littles three days a week. Monday is Book Babies, for ages 0-2 (which we didn’t have the first week since our big Kick-Off party was Monday). Tuesday is Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5, and Wednesday is Family Time, for ages 0-3.5. I’m welcoming siblings as well, so we’ve had a few older kids join us, too. The program is basically the same for each age group, but I might adjust my book selection for the older or younger group.

For each session, we’re doing about 15-20 minutes of storytime rhymes, songs, and a book, then there is 20 minutes of free play at our seven sensory stations. We end with bubbles and a goodbye song. I’ve never done stations like this before, so it was a lot of planning (and anxiety – “will this work!?”). My goal is to give kids and grownups some ideas of things they could do at home, plus give the kids (and caregivers) an opportunity to socialize with others. Many of them were born during or right before the pandemic started and have not had a chance at “normal” socialization. They’re very much still learning about sharing, appropriate interactions, friendship. I’m happy to report that stations were a total hit our first week, with lots of “This is such a great idea!” “You’re so well organized!” “I could totally do this at home” comments from caregivers. So gratifying!

Sign that says "Storytime Area. Gather here at 10 AM for storytime. We will release to stations during the program. Thank you to grown-ups for keeping stations clear until the time is right!" and the Oceans of Possibilities icon

Our first week is all about Ocean Life – fish, crabs, sea turtles, octopuses, etc. I’d planned a “paint with water” activity as one of the stations, but we had overcast skies and that works best on a hot, sunny day to dry out the concrete, so I switched it with a sponge play activity I’d originally planned for later in the summer.

I’m relying heavily on repetition this year, with only one themed song and a themed book changing each week. Our other songs and rhymes will be repeated, to ground us in consistency. Additionally, two stations are repeated each week, with three others rotating and two additional ones unique each week. I’ll indicate each below.

Early Literacy Tip: My goal is for your children to have positive experiences and thoughts about the library and reading, so if you’re having a rough day or not having fun, it’s completely okay to step away for a bit to calm yourself and come back when you’re ready. If you need to leave early for any reason, that’s fine, too. That goes for reading at home, too. It’s better to take breaks and come back when the mood is right rather than force a child to sit through a book when they’re not enjoying it.

In our winter/spring indoor programs, I’d been doing a song where each child was named in a verse of the song. Due to spacing and distancing concerns, I only had 7 kids then. Now that we’re outside, I’m having 15-20 kids, so this welcome song, which lets me do three names each verse, goes a little faster!
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends (repeated)
(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 (repeated)
(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
(This week we also “jumped” and “twirled” – I’ll do two new motions in addition to wiggle each week to keep it interesting)
Source: Jbrary

Intro to Weekly Theme:
Our summer theme this year is “Oceans of Possibilities!” This week we’re looking at what lives in the ocean. Can anyone think of something that lives in the ocean? (hopefully “fish” is mentioned!) Here’s a song about some of those animals!

Every single time I try to sing this melody the way Caspar Babypants does, but it always seems to come out more like Michael Finnigan (the way Jbrary does it). I keep trying!
Themed Song: All the Fish
All the fish are swimming in the water, (hands zig-zag in front of you)
Swimming in the water, swimming in the water
All the fish are swimming in the water,
Bubble, bubble, bubble, POP! (corkscrew fingers up then CLAP)

Additional verses:
All the crabs are snapping in the water… (pinch with hands as pincers)
All the sharks are chomping in the water… (arms snap together vertically like jaws)
Source: adapted from Jbrary, Caspar Babypants, from the album “I Found You”

CD album cover of Caspar Babypants I Found You.

Themed Book:
Little White Fish by Guido van Genechten
OR
Hooray For Fish by Lucy Cousins
I ended up only doing Little White Fish, but had Hooray for Fish as a backup.

Release to Stations
I have seven stations each week, which involve a mixture of dry, wet, and an action station.

Repeated Stations:
Kinetic Sand (Dry)
I bought some kinetic sand and added it to two plastic bins. In the recycling bin I found some fruit cup containers that had fun shapes and added them plus some plastic shovels. I keep a sheet underneath this station to catch any stray sand that escapes the bins. I didn’t realize until after that this one should not be put in mouths, so I do warn the parents that if their kiddo is still exploring with their mouth, they may want to skip this station.

Kinetic Sand sign.
"Feel it! Mold it! Can you build a sand castle? What sea creature can you sculpt? Can you write your name or draw a picture in the sand? Please dry off before playing with the sand to prevent mold."

Pouring Station Sign:
"Simply pour water from one container to another! Do some containers sound different? Can you guess how much water you need to fill a particular one? Is it easier to pour from a round lip or one with a spout? How many containers have a handle?"

Craft Stick Sort sign:
"Sort the craft sticks! Can you insert the colored sticks into the holes that match? Please dry off before playing at this station."

Beanbag Sort (Dry)
We had these beanbags from Lakeshore Learning that are different colors and shapes. They’re a super easy station where kids can play and sort with them in several ways.

Beanbag Sort sign:
"Sort the beanbags! Create piles for different colors or shapes. Try tossing or rolling the beanbags to a friend. Please dry off before playing at this station."

Ocean Boulder Leap sign:
"Get your wiggles out! Leap from one boulder to another and don't fall in!"

Unique Stations:
Sponge Play (Wet)
Based on this Pinterest idea from Little Lifelong Learners, I just had sponges in bins of water for little ones to play with. Of course, I have to do some theme stuff, so in addition to simple shapes (sticks, triangles, circles), I cut out some ocean animals as well. These sponges will be reused in a craft later in the summer. This was the only station I snapped a picture of outdoors – but I’ll be sure to do more pictures in upcoming posts.

Sponge Play sign:
"Free play with sponge shapes in the water! How does it feel to squeeze them? What colors do you see? How many are simple shapes, and how many are animals you recognize? Are they heavier before or after you squeeze them?"

Photo of two white bins filled with colorful sponge shapes, including skinny rectangles, circles, triangles, fish, seahorses, dolphins, sharks, sea stars, clamshells, seaweed, and wave shapes.

Finger Painting (Art/Messy)
I simply put out pieces of paper in our messy trays with finger paints in recycled plastic containers. There was a rinse station nearby with a couple buckets of water and towels for cleaning up hands. All of my craft stations this summer are simple process-focused art with different media.

Finger Painting sign:
"Get creative! Let your child enjoy the process and sensation of painting with their hands, without any expectation of the end product. Explore color and form!"

Rinse Station sign:
"Messy hands? Rinse and dry off here!"

CD album cover for Nathalia's Dream a Little

Sign:
"Books are available to look at here OR take home, in which case they MUST be CHECKED OUT INSIDE the library. Please dry off before looking at books."

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
In the Sea by David Elliott & Holly Meade
The Old Boat by Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey
Secret Seahorse by Stella Blackstone & Clare Beaton
Ocean Counting by Janet Lawler & Brian Skerry
Little White Fish Deep Beneath the Sea by Guido van Genechten
Little White Fish and His Daddy by Guido van Genechten
Oscar the Octopus by Matthew Van Fleet
Dolphin Baby! by Nicola Davies & Brita Granström

This storytime was presented in-person on 6/7/22 & 6/8/22.

Baby & Toddler Storytime: Welcome to Virtual

Posted on November 2, 2020 by msemilylibrary

This was my first ever virtual storytime! My library shut down March 16, 2020 with all staff staying safer at home. I decided I needed to reach out to my storytime kids (and keep myself occupied!) with some virtual programming, so I inventoried my personal collection of picture books and put together a loose plan to share some familiar stories and songs online by the next week, March 24. At this point I wasn’t even thinking about activity or craft suggestions, and the video went live on Facebook but we weren’t yet offering a song and rhyme only version on YouTube as we eventually did.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Transition: We’re in a different place than usual! This is my house. We’re all staying safer at home, but I’m so glad that we can still connect with each other like this. Let’s play a game about colors. Can you find something blue in the room you’re in, or on the screen where I am? Green? Red?

Read: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle

Song: Hoot, Hoot Went the Little Brown Owl
Hoot, hoot went the little brown owl one day (cup hands around mouth)
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) lah-di-dah-di-dah! (wiggle arms up and down)
(Clap) lah-di-dah-di-dah, (clap) lah-di-dah-di-dah!
We know owls go (clap) lah-di-dah-di-dah!
They don’t go hoot, hoot, hoot!

Jump, jump went the little red squirrel one day (jump!)
Jump, jump went the little red squirrel
Jump, jump went the little red squirrel one day
And they all went jump, jump, jump.
But… We know squirrels go (clap) rub a dub a dub! (arms “run” in front of you)
(Clap) Rub a dub a dub, (clap) rub a dub a dub!
We know squirrels go (clap) rub a dub a dub!
They don’t go jump, jump, jump

Grrr, grrr went the big brown bear one day (make claws and scary face)
Grrr , grrr went the big brown bear
Grrr, grrr went the big brown bear one day
And they all went grrr, grrr, grrr
But… We know bears go (clap) huggy, huggy, hug! (hug yourself)
(Clap) Huggy, huggy, hug, (clap) huggy, huggy, hug!
We know bears go (clap) huggy, huggy, hug!
They don’t go grrr, grrr, grrr
Credit: Jbrary

Bounce Song: Bumping Up and Down
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
Won’t you be my darlin’?

One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken
Won’t you be my darlin’?
(Can continue with other “vehicles” – little black stroller, shiny green tricycle, etc.)
Credit: Raffi, via Jbrary

Fingerplay: Dance Your Fingers
Dance your fingers up,
Dance your fingers down
Dance your fingers to the side,
Dance them all around
Dance them on your shoulders,
dance them on you head
Dance them on your tummy,
and put them all to bed!
Credit: Storytime Katie

Song: The Handwashing Song
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms
In between, in between
Scrub them all together, scrub them all together
Now we’re clean, squeaky clean.
Credit: Jbrary

Read: We Belong Together by Joyce Wan

A song for quarantine. This one was suggested on Storytime Underground for virtual storytimes. The original goes “I am here and you are here.” You can also add motions to extend the song.
Action Song: I Am Here and You Are There
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we’re going to have some fun.
I’m going to clap my hands.

Repeat, clapping hands throughout verse 2
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we’re going to have some fun.
I’m going to clap my hands.
I’m going to stamp my feet.

Repeat, clapping hands AND stomping feet throughout verse 3
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we’re going to have some fun.
I’m going to clap my hands.
I’m going to stamp my feet.
I’m going to nod my head.

Repeat, clapping hands AND stomping feet AND nodding head throughout verse 4
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we have had some fun!
Credit: King County Library System

Ukulele Song: Mr. Sun
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Hiding behind a tree
These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Credit: Raffi (from the album Singable Songs for the Very Young)
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 3/24/20.

Baby & Toddler Storytime: Eggs

Posted on October 17, 2020 by msemilylibrary

Well, this was a very loose theme. I believe it was near Easter, and I was using only my own personal books during lockdown. It was just past my own birthday, so that’s how I looped in The Birthday Box. It was slim pickin’s at that point! I also did a bit of talking during this storytime about mask wearing, so that took up some time I would normally have done some more rhymes. This was a storytime I did exclusively on Facebook Live, and do not have a permanent YouTube version available. With everyone staying safer at home, we weren’t providing handouts or Take and Make packets at that time. I tried to suggest either crafts made with household materials or activities caregivers could do with their child.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

I’d used the printable flannelboard for this rhyme from Sunflower Storytime before, but at home I had to do without. Instead I made it a fingerplay.
Fingerplay: Ten Fluffy Chickens
Five eggs and five eggs (show hands, one at a time, with fingers wide)
And that makes ten (bring hands together)
Sitting on top is Mother Hen (fold one hand over other)
Cackle cackle cackle (clap, clap, clap)
What do I see? (questioning pose)
Ten fluffy chickens (all fingers out)
Yellow as can be (wiggle fingers)
Credit: Sunflower Storytime

Read: Good Egg by Barney Saltzberg
This is such a fun novelty book – it includes tabs and pop-up elements and compares an egg getting ready to hatch to a dog. In the end, the egg “speaks” – “peep, peep!”

Earlier in the spring, we talked about how caregivers could make a simple shaker at home using rice or beans in a closable container their child could grip (mine is a 4 oz plastic food container secured with tape). I always say that even if you don’t have a shaker, you can participate by getting out your “magic shaker” – an invisible shaker you can shake and make noise with a “cha-cha” sound.
Shaker Song: We Shake and We Shake and We Stop
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we shake and we shake
and we shake and we shake and we STOP
Additional verses:
We circle…
We tap…
We roll…
Credit: Jbrary

Shaker Song: Shake Your Shaker
(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

Shake it high and shake it low
Shake it yes, shake it no
Shake it high and shake it low
Shake your shakers

Shake it up and shake it down
Shake your shaker on the ground
Shake it up and shake it down
Shake your shakers

Shake it near and shake it far
Drive your shaker like a car
Shake it near and shake it far
Shake your shaker

Shake it fast and shake it slow
Shake it stop, shake it go
Shake it fast and shake it slow
Shake your shaker
Credit: Jbrary

Read: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli
Another book that uses a cardboard box to discuss imagination, à la Not a Box by Portis.

And now a transition from imagination to going on an imaginary trip to the moon…
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Zoom, zoom, zoom (scrape hands past each other rhythmically)
We’re going to the moon.
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We’re going to the moon.
If you want to take a trip (walk fingers up opposite arm)
climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We’re going to the moon.
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (count on fingers and crouch progressively lower)
Blast off! (jump up!)
Credit: Jbrary

Discussion: Masks
I made a small sized mask to fit on my Scaredy Squirrel puppet, who “attends” all my virtual storytimes, and talked about mask wearing.
I know we’re mostly staying in the house right now, but if you go out to a store or on a walk, you may see people who look a little different – they’re wearing a mask! Here’s Scaredy Squirrel’s mask. It covers his nose and mouth, and is held in place with these loops that go behind his ears. It may look a little funny and different, but it’s not scary! It is just hiding those parts of his face so that his germs can’t go out to others, and others’ germs don’t come in to his nose or mouth to make him sick. Ms. Emily has a mask, too – see how it goes over my ears and covers my nose and mouth. I’m still here underneath, and it looks a little silly, like I’m hiding. But I’m not hiding from friends, I’m hiding from GERMS! So, if you see people wearing masks while you’re out, there’s no reason to be scared. It just helps protect us if we have to go out. Your grown up might ask you to wear a mask, too. It takes some getting used to, but it isn’t hard! Grownups, remember, the CDC recommends that kids under the age of 2 shouldn’t wear a mask, but older kids can.

Ukulele Song: Down by the Bay
Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow
Back to my home I dare not go!
For if I do, my mother will say:
“Did you ever see a goose kissing a moose?”
Down by the bay!
Additional verses:
… a whale with a polka dot tail?
… a fly wearing a tie?
… a bear combing his hair?
… a llama eating pajamas?
Did you ever have a time when you couldn’t make a rhyme?
Credit: traditional, as popularized by Raffi on the album Singable Songs for the Very Young

Download a ukulele songsheet for Down By the Bay

Activity Idea: Design an Egg
Grownups can draw egg shapes on paper, then kids can draw and design fanciful patterns. You can also draw what might be inside an egg – a chicken? A duck? An alligator?!

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 4/7/20.

Baby & Toddler Storytime: Firefly Award

Posted on September 12, 2020May 10, 2021 by msemilylibrary

Since 2015, the Indiana State Library has had an annual reader’s choice award for excellent picture books called the Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award. Libraries around the state are encouraged to present the five nominated books and collect votes from kids ages 0-5. Even in lockdown, there were ways to promote the program. The ISL got permission to do a read-aloud video for each title available during the voting period. I promoted two of those titles during this storytime and encouraged parents to watch the remaining three and vote. (I have/will be featuring the other titles in other storytimes.) We learned later that the winning title for 2020 was Don’t Blink! The ISL does a great job promoting this program, and creates a programming guide with suggested extension activities for each title, which I drew from to create this storytime. Read more about the Firefly Award here! This was also a storytime I did exclusively on Facebook Live, and do not have a YouTube version available. With everyone staying safer at home, we weren’t providing handouts or Take and Make packets at that time. I tried to suggest either crafts made with household materials or activities caregivers could do with their child.

*EDIT: I’ve realized that the tune “Shortnin’ Bread” is rooted in racism and can be harmful. I’ll no longer be using “Every Little Cell” during storytime, as it uses this tune.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Tickle song: Spots, Spots, Spots
Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots
A leopard has lots of spots
What a lot of spots he got
A tiger’s stripes are always nice
But a leopard has lots of spots
Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots
Credit: Jbrary

Read: B Is for Baby by Atinuke & Angela Brooksbank

Ukulele Song: My Bonnie
(Stand up or sit down (or raise or lower arms) every time you hear a word beginning with “B”!)
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
My Bonnie lies over the sea,
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.

Bring back, bring back, Oh bring back my Bonnie to me, to me:
Bring back, bring back, Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.
Credit: Traditional, actions as described on the album Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi on His Toe Leg Knee.
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

Thumbnail of ukulele songsheet for "My Bonnie"

Many people in African countries are experts at carrying items on their head. These could be anything from a basket of fruit to a sewing machine! This leaves their hands free for other tasks and for greeting friends. (Point out illustration on the B is for Bougainvillea page) How far can you go with a beanbag, pillow, or stuffed animal on your head?

Action Song: The Bean Bag
Verse 1
Throw the bean bag and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp, stamp, stamp
Throw the bean bag and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp, stamp, stamp

Chorus
Put it on your head and walk around the room (4 times)

Put it on your shoulder, Put it on your elbow
Put it on your knee, Put it on your back now
Put it on your stomach, Put it on your finger
Put it on your foot, Put it on your arm now
repeat chorus
repeat verse 1
Credit: Hap Palmer, from the album Can a Jumbo Jet Sing the Alphabet?

Have you ever tried to skip bedtime? What did you do? Did it work? What is you usual bedtime routine? Here’s a story about skipping bedtime.

Read: Don’t Blink! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & David Roberts

Lullaby: Over the Ocean
Sailing, sailing over the water
Sailing, sailing over the sea
Sailing, sailing over the ocean
Sail back home to me
Credit: Kathy Reid Naiman from the album A Smooth Road To London Town

*SEE EDIT ABOVE* Ukulele Song: Every Little Cell
(tune of Shortnin’ Bread)
Every little cell in my body is happy
Every little cell is healthy and well
Every little cell in my body is happy
Every little cell is healthy and well

Cells on my left, cells on my right
All my cells are doing just fine
Cells from my top all the way down my spine
My cells work together to keep me in line
Credit: Mick Jeffries taught me the first verse, I wrote the second
(I also saw Allison Davies perform it with a different second verse)

Activity Suggestion: Beading
We saw beautiful, colorful beads in B is for Baby. Spend some time this week beading! Beading is a great activity for fine motor skills. You can make big beads by cutting sections of cardboard tubes (and children can decorate them, too). Older children may enjoy beading with pasta or large wooden beads. For the string, use yarn, shoelaces, or household twine. Wrap tape around the ends of yarn and twine to make it easier to thread.

Also check out the other Firefly Award nominees!
Firefly Home by Jane Clarke & Britta Teckentrup
Pirate Jack Gets Dressed by Nancy Raines Day & Allison Black
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 4/21/20.

Baby and Toddler Storytime: Opposites

Posted on August 13, 2020August 13, 2020 by msemilylibrary

I’m not sure what sparked this theme – I think I was pondering that so many of our rhymes and songs feature opposites, and I found and loved the book Up, Up, Up, Down. Then it just all came together. This is the last of my Baby and Toddler themes for spring. During the summer, it seemed like the fairytale theme worked better with longer books, so they were all preschool oriented. I did try to offer bounces and motion alternatives for younger kids during that time. I probably should start alternating again! When I planned this program in mid-May, we weren’t providing handouts or Take and Make packets. I tried to suggest either crafts made with household materials or activities caregivers could do with their child.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Helping children understand the concept of opposites helps give them more information about the world around them. They’re building background knowledge which means they’ll have better comprehension when they start learning to read independently.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Action Rhyme: Roly Poly
(Roll hands and change voice to coordinate with the lyrics)
Roly poly, roly, poly, up, up, up (arms up, voice higher)
Roly poly, roly, poly, down, down, down (arms down, voice low)
Roly poly, roly, poly, out, out, out (arms far from chest, voice expansive)
Roly poly, roly, poly, in, in, in (arms close to chest, voice and lips collapsed)
Roly poly, roly, poly, BIG, BIG, BIG (large movements, voice loud)
Roly poly, roly, poly, very, very small (roll only index fingers, voice quiet)
Roly poly, roly, poly, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast! (roll quickly, voice frenetic)
Rol…ly… po…ly… in… your… lap (roll very slowly, then lay hands down, speak in slow motion)
Credit: Rebecca Jane Flanagan

Action Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big (hold arms out to side)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (flat hand lowers)
This is tall, tall, tall (flat hand reaches up)
This is fast, fast, fast (circle fists quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (circle fists slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Read: Up, Up, Up, Down by Kimberly Gee

Lifting Song: The Elevator Song
Oh, the city is great and the city is grand!
There’s a whole lot of people
On a little piece of land
And we live way up on the 57th floor
And this is what we do when we go out the door:

We take the elevator up and the elevator down,
Take the elevator up, take the elevator down
Take the elevator up and the elevator down
And we turn around.
Credit: Jbrary

Read: Don’t Wake Up the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup

Ukulele Song: Shake My Sillies Out
I gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away!

Additional verses:
I gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out…
I gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out…
I gotta stretch, stretch, stretch my stretchies out…
I gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out…
Credit: Raffi (from the album Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band)
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

Activity Suggestion: Opposites Scavenger Hunt
Spend some time this week searching for and pointing out opposites with your child in your everyday life. Remember to look for things that can be felt (rough/smooth, soft/hard, wet/dry) as well as those that can be seen (tall/short, round/square, black/white). Explore movement opposites with our rhymes or a game of your own (fast/slow, loose/rigid, over/under, in front/behind.)

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 5/19/20.