We are back to indoor storytimes after a lovely summer outside, and I started with a Sports theme. I’m not much of an organized sports person myself, but I recognize all the good that can come from involving kids in sports and promoting physical activity for fun. Add in all the excitement that comes from the 2024 Paris Olympics and it was a great theme to explore. Plus, I found a bunch of kids sports equipment in our library storage from a long-ago grant; I’m always keen to use what we have.
Early Literacy Tip: Early experiences help to form the architecture of the brain and lay a strong foundation for both social and emotional development. Playing with other children at a young age, experiencing the fun of taking turns and sharing, and discovering that it is fun to pass a ball or beanbag to someone else and then get it back are great ways to learn important social and emotional skills. adapted from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Intro: Today our theme is about sports! Sports are games that people play that help them move their bodies (which makes us feel good) and they are fun! Sometimes it can take lots of practice to learn how to play a sport really well. Can we think of some sports? There’s a big worldwide gathering of people who are the very best at their sports called the Olympics. Every four years they do it during the summer, with sports like swimming, soccer, running, gymnastics and much more. On other years, they do it during the winter, with sports like skiing, ice hockey, figure skating, and snowboarding.
Activity: Stretching (TT) (TB) (FT) The first thing an athlete should do before doing any sports is to warm up their bodies with some stretching! Let’s stretch down to our toes, up to sky, to the left, to the right, make a star shape, opposite toe touch.
Many sports use a ball. Let’s do a rhyme and see if we can identify these. This is the first flannel I’ve made in a good while! I made two sets of little, big, and biggest balls – since so many sports balls are different sizes, it was fun to brainstorm which ones to do. After they identified the first three balls, we did the rhyme. Then I got out the second set for them to identify, and we did it again. Lastly, we counted all the balls that were on the board – six! Flannel/Fingerplay: Little, Big, Biggest 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 them? 1 – 2 – 3 (make 3 circles again) Source: Storytime Katie
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
This worked quite well for my active group. Read: Bounce by Doreen Cronin & Scott Menchin (TT) (FT)
I tried this one with my older group, and it was okay. Not as exciting as Bounce – probably would do better with preschoolers. Read: Clothesline Clues to Sports People Play by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook (TB)
Can we train like Olympians? We didn’t do all of the actions, I think I chose four for each session. The flannel was made using graphics from Canva. Action Song: See the Olympians (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb) (act out each verse) See the runners Run, run, run Run run run, Run run run See the runners Run, run, run At the Olympics!
Additional verses: Swimmers swim… Riders jump… Gymnasts twirl… Cyclists pedal… Soccer team kick… Crew row… Source: Storytime in the Stacks
A fun game that isn’t in this year’s Olympics but will be next time is baseball. Action Song: Baseball Player (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Frère Jacques) Baseball player, Baseball player (get in batter’s stance) Swing the bat, Hit the ball (pretend to swing) Run around the bases, Run around the bases (run in place) Home run! Home run! (cheer) Source: Adventures of a Bookworm
I like this rhyme a lot, but I didn’t end up using it in any of my sessions. By this time they were all getting a little squirrely so we skipped ahead to the beanbag activities. Being a good sport means treating each other with respect, win or lose. After a game is done, athletes shake hands with their competitors on a good game. Rhyme: Good Game When all the goals are scored (pretend to kick) And the final score is on the board (point to scoreboard) We go up to the other team who came (step forward) And always shake hands and say, “Good game!” (shake hands) Source: Handley Regional Library System (VA)
Beanbag Intro: Try to balance the bean bags on our hand (palm first, then back), foot, and head. Then try to toss up and catch.
Let’s start by listening to the directions on this song. Beanbag Action Song: The Beanbag Song (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Happy and You Know It) Put your bean bag on your toes, on your toes Put your bean bag on your toes, on your toes Put your bean bag on your toes, Then move it to your nose Put your bean bag on your nose, on your nose
Additional verses: Put your bean bag on your knee… Then shake it just like me…
The original rhyme talks about a tightrope, but because I was tying it to the Olympics, I went with balance beam. To be honest, this one didn’t go great. Our beanbags are very slippery synthetic fabric, not a grippy cotton, so we all had a lot of trouble. I changed the rhyme in my third session! Can you balance the beanbag on your head and walk like a gymnast on a balance beam? Beanbag Rhyme: Balance Beam (TT) (TB) With my bean bag on my head I stand so very tall I walk along my balance beam And will not let it fall Source: adapted from Allegan (MI) District Library
Let’s try tossing and catching by ourselves, and then maybe with a partner (like your grownup!) Beanbag Rhyme: Here Is a Beanbag (FT) Here is a beanbag I keep on the shelf I can toss it and catch it all by myself Here is a beanbag that I toss to you Please catch it and toss it right back to me too Source: Storytime with Ms. Kelly
A classic sports song – all the grownups sang loud for this one! Ukulele Beanbag Song: Take Me Out to the Ballgame (TT) (TB) (FT) (toss and catch the beanbag through the song) Take me out to the ball game Take me out to the crowd Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack I don’t care if I ever get back ‘Cause it’s root, root, root for the home team If they don’t win it’s a shame For it’s one… two… three strikes you’re out At the old ball game Source: traditional
Craft: Olympic Rings Art (TB) (FT) I’ve done this craft before, and I love the simplicity of the process art which turns out looking cool. Instead of toilet paper tubes (another staff member needs them and our stash is low), I used plastic egg halves, which worked just as well.
Play Time Instead of our usual toys, we did some sports conditioning with our bean bags, balls, and some equipment.I think we got the sports equipment from a grant, and it was very nice to use with the group. They had fun, it was a novelty, and (thankfully!) no one complained that they didn’t see the usual toys! I set it up station-style, and let everyone go where they wanted. It was toddler chaos as you can imagine, but in a good way.The stations included Balance Beam, Beanbag Toss, Ball Toss, Catch, Racquet Balance, and Beanbag Slalom.
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) Baller Ina – Liz Casal Jabari Jumps – Gaia Cornwall Jake at Gymnastics – Rachel Isadora Karate Kids – Holly Sterling Maisy Plays Soccer – Lucy Cousins Olympics! – B.G. Hennessy & Michael Chesworth Together We Swim – Valerie Bolling & Kaylani Juanita Watch Me Throw the Ball! – Mo Willems Peanut Goes for the Gold – Jonathan Van Ness & Gillian Reid Olympig! – Victoria Jamieson Goodnight Football – Michael Dahl & Christina Forshay
This storytime was presented in-person on 8/5, 8/6, & 8/7/24.
**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
† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF
Hello, again, readers! I hope you have had a wonderful summer, full of adventures and fun. We certainly did here at the library. I love summer, and everything it means at the library. Sometimes our negative feelings about summer reading as library staff can be in front of mind – it’s a lot of work, we’re out of our routines, we have a lot more people to manage with their needs and quirks and behaviors – it’s easy to get burnt out. But I love the summer reading season and I keep in mind that all that extra work, all that foot traffic and so on means that our library is an important part of our community. That means a lot in these uncertain days. And the smiles and appreciation of our patrons of all ages give me a lift every single day. So, fellow librarians, I hope you were able to take care of yourselves AND enjoy the vibrant chaos.
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 “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” Adventure is a broad theme! I used many of the weekly theme ideas from the CSLP manual and applied them to the framework I’ve been honing in the last couple of years: an outdoor storytime with sensory stations. It’s a big hit and I saw great numbers. All summer, I offered Family Time for ages 0-3.5 Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with siblings welcome. As an organization we have also been working toward more weekend and evening programs, so there were a couple of those sprinkled in as well this year. I do have an indoor backup option when the weather is bad, so I still do registration and am limited by that, but it’s a bigger room than I usually use, so space isn’t generally an issue.
For each session, we had about 15-20 minutes of storytime rhymes, songs, and a book, including parachute play, 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 only did one new station this year (in week 2, see below), the rest were all repeats from the last couple of years, which you can read about in depth at this blog post.
I don’t think I took any photos this year, so here’s one from last year – same set-up!
Repeating Weekly Plan Each week, the structure of the storytime was the same, with only three parts that changed depending on the theme: a themed song, a book, and one fresh parachute song. (Stations also changed weekly.) All the other songs and rhymes were the same:
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 theme this summer is Adventure Begins at Your Library. Are you ready to go on an adventure? 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! What sorts of adventures can we have with our parachute?
Let’s head out on our adventure. Our road is going to start out very smooth. Can we wave the parachute slowly and gently? Parachute: A Smooth Road A smooth road! (repeat x4) (slowly, and gently) [Uh, oh! Our road has turned a little bumpy! Can we wave the parachute medium-fast?] A bumpy road! (x4) (a little faster) [Oh, no! The road has gotten very rough!] A rough road! (x4) (frantic waving of the parachute ensues!) Oh, no! A hole! (lift the parachute up high and then down) Source: Jbrary
Rotating Parachute Song (see below)
Breathing Break Whew, I am 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.
At this point the kids are usually darting under the parachute, so I go with it! Okay, if grown-ups can grab the edges of the parachute, kids can go underneath if they want (if you prefer to just watch from the outside, that’s always fine!) This was originally intended to be a song where we walk around in a circle, but with the age of the kids, grown ups generally wanted to stay kind of close to where their kid was and not walk around. So we just waved up and down until the very end, where we pulled the parachute down (briefly) around the kids underneath. I also originally intended to do a second verse where we stood up, but I didn’t think it was a good idea for the kids to be trapped under the parachute for the length of a verse, so I never did it. It’s included here in case you were curious! Parachute Song: Merry Go Round (tune similar to Mulberry Bush, see link below for a recording) The merry go round goes round and round (walk in a circle with parachute or wave it up and down) The children laugh and laugh and laugh So many were on the merry go round The merry go round collapsed! (fall to the ground or bring parachute down)
(stand up verse) Fishies in the ocean (stay crouched/fallen) Fishies in the sea We all jump up with a 1 2 3! (stand up) Source: Read Sing Play
Okay, grown ups – for our last parachute song we’re going to let the parachute fly – so let go at the very end after we count down and I say “FLY.” 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. See more detail here.
Everybody loves bubbles! The trick to doing bubbles outside 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
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
Intro: This week we’re talking about travel adventures. Sometimes you think the adventure will happen when you reach your destination, but adventures can happen on the way, too!
I varied whether I did the themed song or the book first, just depending on what made the most sense to me.
Themed Read: Go, Go, Go! by Bob Barner There are lots of ways of going on an adventure! This is a very simple book – a beginning reader – but I had the group do a noise and motion for each kind of vehicle, which made it very interactive.
Let’s get our own adventures underway! Themed Song: Row, Row, Row Your Boat/Car/Plane/Bus Row, row, row your boat (row arms) Gently down the stream Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream!
Additional verses: Drive, drive, drive your car (steering wheel arms) Gently down the street…Life is but a treat
Fly, fly, fly your plane (airplane arms) Gently in the sky…Watch the clouds go by
Drive, drive, drive your bus (big wide steering wheel) Gently down the way Stop to let some people out To ride another day Source: Grandview Heights Public Library (this is the source I had in my notes, but I’m not finding a link now)
Parachute Song: The Wheels on the Bus I used the verses that worked well with the parachute: Wheels: we just flapped the parachute Horn: We held the parachute taut and “beeped” our hand on it Wipers: we swished the parachute from side to side People: again, flapped the parachute up and down Source: traditional
Week 1 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Pool Noodle Soup Fly Swatter Slap Kinetic Sand Sort Beanbags Sort Craft Sticks Color the Parachute Ice Painting
Week 2: Adventures Close to Home 6/10, 6/11, 6/12/24
Intro: This week we’re talking about adventures close to home. You can have an adventure in your backyard or close to home – camping, exploring, and more!
This is a fantastic book with a lot of opportunity for interaction. Whenever we said “Roll, roll, little pea” they joined and rolled their arms. They called out the animals on each page and we made their noise. Great storytime book. This story is about a little pea who finds adventure wherever it rolls Themed Read: Roll, Roll, Little Pea by Cécile Bergame & Magali Attiogbé
Let’s do a fingerplay about five plump peas. Themed Rhyme: Five Plump Peas Five plump peas in a peapod pressed (make a fist and cover with the other hand) One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest (raise all fingers on first hand one by one) they grew, and they grew, and they grew, and never stopped (hands get wide) They grew SO BIG that the peapod… POPPED! (hands spread wide, then CLAP!) Source: Jbrary
Since eyes, ears, mouth, and nose are all in the same place, I changed that line. We did this three times, getting faster! Parachute Song: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (move parachute to correct height) Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes Wave the parachute up and down Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes (repeat, faster) Source: traditional
Week 2 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Lemon Sensory Bin Mystery Water Kinetic Sand Pool Noodle Sort Feed the Croc Color the Parachute Spray Silhouettes
New Station: Spray Silhouettes! I used liquid watercolors in spray bottles and provided a myriad of shapes to create negative image artwork. Some of the shapes were plastic food, big puzzle pieces, the shapes from a baby toy sorter, and duplos. Basically anything I could find that could lay mostly flat and be okay getting wet. It was important to set the spray bottles to “mist” instead of “stream,” and we still had kids who just saturated the paper, but it’s all about the process and not the product! Idea and photo on the sign from Picklebums.
Week 3: Adventures in Imagination 6/17, 6/18, 6/19, 6/20/24
Intro: This week we’re talking about adventures in imagination. When we imagine, we can make adventures anywhere with anything.
To start, we all pretended we had a stick. Then we did some kind of action for each imagined use as we read. Themed Read: Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
Let’s put our imagination hats on and get some practice. Themed Rhyme: Can You Pretend? Let’s hear you roar like a lion Let’s see you jump like a frog Let’s see you snap your jaws like a crocodile Let’s hear you howl like a hound dog Pretend you’re an elephant with a big, looooong, trunk Pretend you’re a monkey Let’s see you jump, jump, jump And now you’re a mouse Just let me see How very, very quiet you can be Source: YouthScope
Teddy Bear is going on an adventure – up and down a hill with LOTS of friends. Parachute Song: Funny Teddy Bear (tune of Grand Old Duke of York) Funny teddy bear Bear had a thousand friends Bear marched them up to the top of the hill and Marched them down again And when you’re up you’re up And when you’re down you’re down And when you’re only halfway up you’re neither up nor down Source: Storytime Katie via ALSC Blog
Week 3 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Sponge Play Scooping Blocks Kinetic Sand Colored Ball Sort Pompom Sort Color the Parachute Fly Swatter Painting
Intro: This week we’re talking about animal adventures. Can you imagine going to see amazing animals in the wild?
Themed Read: It’s a Tiger! by David Larochelle & Jeremy Tankard
Can you imagine being a tiger? A SLEEPING tiger?! Themed Song: Sleeping Tigers (tune of Sleeping Bunnies) See the fearsome tigers sleeping till it’s nearly noon Shall we wake them with a merry tune Oh so still! Are they ill? Wake up, wake up, wake up sleeping tigers! Wake up, wake up, wake up sleeping tigers! Wake up tigers and roar, roar, roar (repeat, second time: pounce, pounce, pounce)! Source: adapted from the traditional
Even tiny animals might go on an adventure. Parachute: Itsy Bitsy Spider (move parachute up and down as indicated in lyrics) The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout Down came the rain and washed the spider out Up came the sun and dried up all the rain So the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again Source: traditional
Week 4 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Pool Noodle Soup Whisking Bubbles Kinetic Sand Beanbag Sort Craft Stick Sort Color the Parachute Shape Sorter Stamping
Intro: This week we’re going out to sea – get your lifejackets on!
I tried this book at the first session as a “sing aloud” but it just did not go over well, even with several pages clipped to shorten it. I ditched it for the other two sessions. Themed Read: Port Side Pirates by Oscar Seaworthy & Debbie Harter(Monday only)
This one worked much better – we did some kind of motion or noise for each page to make it interactive. I wish the book itself was bigger and the illustrations were more vibrant, though. Themed Read: Sheep on a Ship by Nancy Shaw & Margot Apple(Tuesday and Wednesday)
When the ocean gets rough, that’s an adventure! Themed 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
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: Row Your Boat (repeat 3 times) 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
Week 5 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Ping Pong Fishing Ice Play Kinetic Sand Pool Noodle Sort Feed the Croc Color the Parachute Dot Painting
Intro: This week we’re celebrating books, and all the adventures we can have in them!
Here’s a song about someone who wears glasses getting ready to read. I’ve found that if I set this one up right, it’s very fun, and if I don’t, it’s a little awkward. We practice making glasses, putting them on and taking them off. Then we make a book and practice opening and closing it (several times!) THEN we sing. Themed Song: These Are My Glasses These are my glasses, this is my book I put on my glasses and open up the book Now I read, read, read And I look, look, look I put down my glasses and Whoop! Close up the book! Source: “Whaddaya Think of That?” by the Laurie Berkner Band
I’ve used this book for years in outreach and for library tours, so I was a little disappointed that it didn’t go over quite as well with the toddler set as the preschoolers. A good reminder that developmental age matters! Another good option for this week would have been Hooray for Books! by Brian Won, but I wasn’t able to get it last minute.The parents enjoyed the jokes, but the kids got antsy. Themed Read: Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss & Tiphanie Beeke
Teddy Bear is going on an adventure – up and down a hill with LOTS of friends. Parachute Song: Funny Teddy Bear (tune of Grand Old Duke of York) Funny teddy bear Bear had a thousand friends Bear marched them up to the top of the hill and Marched them down again And when you’re up you’re up And when you’re down you’re down And when you’re only halfway up you’re neither up nor down Source: Storytime Katie via ALSC Blog
Week 6 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Flower Sensory Bin Scooping Blocks Kinetic Sand Colored Ball Sort Pompom Sort Color the Parachute Finger Painting
Week 7: Adventures in the Dark 7/14, 7/15, 7/16, 7/17, 7/18/24
Intro: This week is about adventures you might have after dark. Have you ever taken a walk with your family after sunset in your neighborhood? Or maybe gone outside to chase fireflies after dark? I love fireflies. Did you know that the Indiana State Insect is the firefly?
Let’s do a rhyme about some fireflies. Can you make your hands “blink” like a firefly light? (Open and close fingers) Themed Song: Two Little Fireflies (like Two Little Blackbirds) Two little fireflies, Blinking in the sky (open and close hands) One blinked low, And one blinked high Fly away low, Fly away high Come back low, Come back high
Other options, choose 2 or 3 more: …Blinking in the grass…one blinked slow And one blinked fast… …blinking by the car. . .1 blinked near, one blinked far… …blinking by a gate… 1 flew wobbly and the other flew straight… …blinking by the lilies, 1 was serious, the other was silly… Source: adapted from the traditional
I love doing this one. It’s so silly. And thanks to a librarian friend, I can do the song with my ukulele, which always captures the group’s attention. Themed Read: Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
In honor of our brave cowboy, let’s sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider! Parachute: Itsy Bitsy Spider (move parachute up and down as indicated in lyrics) The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout Down came the rain and washed the spider out Up came the sun and dried up all the rain So the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again Source: traditional
Week 7 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Sponge Play Fly Swatter Slap Kinetic Sand Beanbag Sort Craft Stick Sort Color the Parachute Chalk Art
Let’s talk feelings! I think a lot of adults (myself included) were taught that sad or angry feelings are “bad” and we should try not to feel them, or to “get over” them as soon as possible. Research is showing that this attitude is not the healthiest. All feelings are valid and they actually give us important information about ourselves and help us process the world and our place in it. (If you’re interested in reading more, I recommend the book Permission to Feel by Marc A. Brackett.)
All this to say, I hope this generation of kids gets permission to be more in tune with their feelings, learning strategies to process them and not simply hide or bottle them up. That starts with us normalizing talking about them, being able to identify them in yourself and others, and teaching ways to process without hurting yourself or others. I can’t say that this storytime is going to solve all the problems, but I hope it was one small step in the right direction.
Early Literacy Tip: Grown-ups, talking about both our own feelings and other people’s feelings is so important! Research shows that kids with emotional intelligence do better in school and life because they can self-regulate and build strong relationships. When you read books, talk about how the characters are feeling and make connections. This helps your child build the vocabulary they need to better recognize their own feelings and communicate with you. I’m trying to be better about sourcing my early lit tips, at least here on the blog. This one came whole cloth from Jessica at Storytime in the Stacks, who always includes excellent early lit/early development tips!
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Intro: Today we are talking about our feelings! Our feelings help us process the world around us. It’s okay to feel all the feelings. What are the names of some feelings?
Activity: Identify Feelings (TT) (TB) (FT) Show emotions on cartoon faces, and/or photos of kids’ faces. What might they be feeling? Sometimes it’s hard to tell what others are feeling. We can share our feelings to help others understand. (OPTIONAL – Read: I Feel by Juana Medina) I used the cartoon feelings faces from (now defunct) Sunflower Storytime, as well as feelings cards of photographs of actual kids that I put together from Canva images. I like that some of them are not cut and dried – what I labeled as “excited” could be read as “happy.” The tired yawning baby could be interpreted as crying. Feelings aren’t always easy to read! I didn’t use the Juana Medina book, but it is another good resource with lots of feelings and great illustrations of diverse kids.
Action Rhyme: Feelings (TT) (TB) (FT) Sometimes on my face you’ll see How I feel inside of me A smile means happy, a frown means sad And when I grit my teeth, I’m mad When I’m proud I beam and glow But when I’m shy, my head hangs low Source: North Olympic (WA) Library System
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Read: Mad, Mad Bear by Kimberly Gee (TT) (FT) Bear gets very mad, but some breathing, a snack, and a nap help him feel better.
Read: Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won (TB) This is a good one for interactivity – there are repeated phrases that the whole group can help yell out.
Here’s a silly song about being grumpy. Who looks sleepy? Who looks grumpy? Flannel Song: Five in the Bed (TT) (TB) (FT) There were five in a bed, and the little one said (5 fingers up) “Roll over, roll over” (make rolling motion) And they all rolled over and one fell out. There were four in a bed… (continue down to one)
There was one in the bed and the little one said, (tune of He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands) “Ahhhhhhhh. I’ve got the whole bed to myself! I’ve got the whole wide bed to myself! I’ve got the whole bed to myself, I’ve got the whole bed to myself! Goodnight!” Source: traditional
[My friend Rebecca at Oconee County Library cued me in to connecting the songs Five in the Bed and He’s Got the Whole World; I think it’s a brilliant mashup! I made my own copy of Five in the Bed flannel using inspiration from Adventures in Storytime for the faces and Making Learning Fun for the bed. The faces flip to show their sleeping and surprised faces (the little one starts out grumpy)]
Sometimes when I get hurt, I feel sad or mad or scared. We clapped and patted in rhythm through most of this. Rhyme: Boo Boo (TT) (TB) (FT) One, two, I’ve got a boo-boo Three, four, oh, it’s sore! Five, six, blow it a kiss Seven, eight, put the bandage on straight Nine, ten, now it’s better again! Source: North Olympic (WA) Library System
Breathing can help us feel, and it’s a great way to work through big feelings. Ukulele Song: Take a Breath (The Self-Reg Song) (TT) (TB) (FT) Verse 1: When I’m not doing fine, I keep this in mind I can take a breath or two When I want to feel well, I can be still I can take a breath or two Breathing in, Breathing out, Breathing in, Breathing out When I am still, I can be fine, Breathing in and out
Additional verses: …I can sing a song or two… …I can move my arms around…
Last verse: To change how I feel, I keep this in mind I can take a breath – I can hum a song – I can move my arms – And feel all right. Source: Raffi, from the album Dog on the Floor
We didn’t end up doing this one for any of the sessions. Whatever we feel, it’s good to remember our grownups love us no matter what. Action Song: I’ll Hug You (tune of Farmer in the Dell) I’ll hug you when you’re sad I’ll hug you when you’re glad, I’ll hug you when you’re feeling scared I’ll hug you when you’re mad Source: Librionyian
Let’s shake it out now with some shaker egg songs! Shaker Song: Shake It to the East (TT) (TB) (FT) Shake it to the east, Shake it to the west Shake it all around and Then you take a rest Shake your shakers up, Shake your shakers down Shake it, shake it, shake it, and Then you settle down! Source: Jbrary
We shook our eggs along with the motions. Shaker Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It (TT) (TB) (FT) If you’re happy and you know it shout hooray… …grumpy…stomp your feet… …sad…have a cry (boo hoo!)… …silly…wave your arms… …surprised…shout “oh my!”… …scared…cover your eyes… Source: Rain City Librarian
Craft: Feelings Flower (TB) (FT) I looked around for a feelings craft that my little ones could do, but the ones I saw were generally too complex, requiring them to draw faces, or just didn’t fit quite what I wanted. So, finding inspiration in a couple of places, I created my own. The flower concept came from this video from Gru Languages, but they didn’t have a free printable and it involved both drawing faces as well as didn’t include all of the emotions I’d prefer. I also saw a feelings spinning wheel from Super Simple Songs, but again, it was a little more complex. So I created my own flower shape, labeled it with the feelings I wanted, and used the round tokens from Super Simple Songs. That way, the kids just needed to match the right feeling to the right petal (with their grown-up’s help), glue it down, and decorate by coloring. The kids really liked it – the faces were recognizable to them, and they liked how the petals folded in. I mentioned that it might be a good tool for them to use anytime they’re feeling big feelings and they’re having trouble putting them in words.(I did resize and place the Super Simple Songs tokens on a page to maximize how many could be printed without wasting paper, but because this isn’t my IP, I don’t feel comfortable sharing that sheet.)
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 Feel! – Juana Medina I’m Sad – Michael Ian Black & Debbie Ridpath Ohi Grumpy Pants – Claire Messer How Do You Feel? – Lizzy Rockwell The Rabbit Listened – Cori Doerrfeld The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh – Supriya Kelkar & Alea Marley When Sadness Is at Your Door – Eva Eland When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry – Molly Bang I Am a Tornado – Drew Beckmeyer I Want to Be Mad for a While! – Barney Saltzberg
This storytime was presented in-person on 4/29, 4/30, & 5/1/24.
**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
Dancing is such a broad topic, you could really do a series on dance! This theme really seemed to work especially well for each of my sessions. I think having a lot of gross motor opportunities plus music appealed to them. Plus, we got out our wrist ribbons for the first time. Everyone loved waving theirs around.
Early Literacy Tip: By integrating movement and literacy, children use more of their senses to retain information. Movement stimulates the brain and memory.
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Intro: I love to dance! How about you? It’s so fun to listen to music and move your body. Before we do some moving and grooving, let’s loosen up with some stretching.
Stretch: We stretched down and touched our toes, stretched high up, out to the sides, made a big star shape with our arms and legs out, then lastly crossed the midline by touching opposite hands to opposite feet. (Next level stretching!) I added another quick development tip here about how crossing the midline develops some key brain functions!
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* I just mentioned in the last blog post that I rarely do this rhyme anymore, but I actually made it a part of this week’s plan. It was a good next step after stretching.
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Read: Everybunny Dance! by Ellie Sandall (TT) (TB) (FT) This was extremely interactive and fun. The kids followed along as I did the motions and sound effects. We talked about how fox was feeling and how it’s always nice to clap at the end of a performance.
Read: Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig & Marc Brown I do love this title and its companion book, Farmyard Beat, but Everybunny Dance was so good I used it for all three sessions.
Can we count some ballet dancers on our fingers? I didn’t end up using this one, purposely for the first session, and then realizing that adding it to the agenda for the other sessions would make everything run too long. The graphics for this flannel I got many many years ago, and am not sure of the source. Counting Rhyme: Five Ballet Dancers Five ballet dancers, prancing on their toes They twirl and spin and jump then off the stage one goes (count down) No ballet dancers are left – what do we do now? We applaud! Source: Jen in the Library
Our fingers can do their own dancing! Fingerplay: Dance Your Fingers (TT) (TB) (FT) Dance your fingers up, Dance your fingers down Dance your fingers side to 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 (tuck under arms) Source: Storytime Katie
Now we need to warm up our feet. Action Rhyme: Walking, Walking (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Frère Jacques) (each line 2x) Walking, walking Hop, hop, hop Running, running, running Now we stop! (ASL sign for stop)
Tiptoe, tiptoe Hop, hop, hop Dancing, dancing, dancing Now we stop! Source: adapted from Jbrary
Pass out wrist ribbons. I believe we got these from Lakeshore Learning – they are nice and silky and just the right length for kiddos.
Here are my ribbons drying after the program. PS – I wash my scarves, ribbons, and any other fabric with Soak. I’ll put them in the sink, fill with cold water, add a small squeeze of Soak Unscented, and let them sit for about 15 minutes. No need to rinse, I just squeeze out the water and let them air dry. It’s wonderful, baby safe and really works. I don’t think these ribbons had ever been washed before, and the first sinkful of cloudy water showed it. By the third day, the water was clear and the ribbons were looking brighter.
Who is this? A sheep! A sheep who likes to dance… Puppet Song: Dancing Sheep (TT) (TB) (FT) Shh! It’s time to go to sleep But into my bedroom one sheep creeps “Don’t go to bed,” the one sheep said “I would rather dance instead!”
Soon he was…
Dancing on the ceiling! Dancing on the floor! Dancing on the window! Dancing on the door!
He kept on… (repeat the chorus, speeding up)
“Stop that dancing, silly sheep It is time to go to sleep!” Soon the sheep lay on the floor Soon the sheep began to snore Then I started… (repeat chorus until tired) Source: Jen in the Library, video at Deschutes Public Library
Well, that was silly! I think the thing for us to do now is… a silly dance contest! I rely pretty heavily on my flip chart of song lyrics to remind me what to do next, so even though there are too many words to print for this song, I still made a sheet for it. Recorded Song: Silly Dance Contest (TT) (TB) (FT) Source: Jim Gill, from the album Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes
Breathing Break: 5 Finger Breathing (TT) (TB) (FT) Whew! I need a breathing break. Will you breathe with me? We’ll take a big breath in while we trace up our finger, and let it out as we trace down.
How about a nice slow song? A waltz! A waltz is a dance of threes. It goes, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 (demo a box step). A waltz is also a partner dance! If you have someone you’d like to dance with, now’s the time! Many of our grownups picked up their little ones to dance, which was exactly what I hoped would happen! Ukulele Song: Baby Bear Waltz (TT) (TB) (FT) 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltzing with bears 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Dance ‘round the chairs 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 That’s what we’ll do 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltzing with you 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltz round the room 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Dance ‘round the moon 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Glide past the stars 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltzing to Mars Source: Kathy Reid Naiman, from the album Say Hello to the Morning
It’s time to shake the sillies out! Recorded Song: Shake My Sillies Out (TT) (TB) (FT) Source: Raffi, from the album In Concert with the Rise and Shine Band
I let them keep their wrist ribbons for this one, and collected them after. Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Ribbon Sticks (TB) (FT) Now they get to make their own ribbons for dancing! I cut lengths of crepe paper streamers to about 2.5 feet, then cut them down the length to get them a bit thinner and get more material out of what I had. (You can stack 6-8 streamers and cut them together easily.) I used jumbo craft sticks and had grownups staple the streamers to the sticks. (Did you know staplers go through craft sticks?!) They were very excited to make their own ribbons and everyone wanted to show them to me as soon as they were done! (My example one was a little sad – I took the reject streamers that were too short or a little crumpled.)
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) Firebird – Misty Copeland & Christopher Myers Hilda Must Be Dancing – Karma Wilson & Suzanne Watts John’s Turn – Mac Barnett & Kate Berube I Got the Rhythm – Connie Schofield-Morrison & Frank Morrison Boys Dance – John Robert Allman & Luciano Lozano Amy Wu & the Ribbon Dance – Kat Zhang & Charlene Chua Duck Sock Hop – Jane Kohuth & Jane Porter How Do You Dance? – Thyra Heder Téo’s Tutu – Maryann Jacob Macias & Alea Marley Bea at Ballet – Rachel Isadora
This storytime was presented in-person on 4/15, 4/16, & 4/17/24.
**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
I don’t generally post my storytime plans until after they have occured, but I thought this one might be helpful to anyone else doing an eclipse program for the April 8, 2024 event.
We are in the path of totality, so my library is holding a lot of programming for all ages and making a big event of the day. I’ll be holding these Sun, Moon, Eclipse sessions the week before to get our little ones excited for the upcoming event.
I had done Moon storytimes before, so I figured I could adapt that and add some sun activities. I’m not usually good at coming up with original material, but I did think up a rhyme and a song to directly discuss the eclipse – “Eclipse-a-Boo” and “These Are My [Eclipse] Glasses.” You can see my renditions of these on my virtual program, Storytime Shorts (available to view April 1, 2024 at 9:00 am EDT). I also got a lot of inspiration from Lady Librarian Life, who did an eclipse themed storytime in 2017, when the last eclipse was visible from the US.
Early Development Tip: Hearing rhymes and patterns in sounds helps to trigger speech. Scientific evidence shows that early exposure to nursery rhymes and songs with strong sound patterns significantly enhances a child’s ability to hear the smaller sounds that words are made up of, which in turn helps develop early reading skills. When you engage your child with rhymes and songs, you help your child build a strong foundation for learning to read.
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (TT) (TB) (FT)**
Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (TT) (TB) (FT) This is a repeated song that everyone seems to enjoy. I always begin and end with feet and tummies, but find two other body parts to wiggle in the middle. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)
Intro: Our theme today is a special one – we’re preparing for an amazing and rare astronomical event, a total solar eclipse. This will happen one week from today, April 8, and we are in the right place to see it in its totality. This means that the moon will get in between the earth and the sun, casting its shadow and blocking our view of the sun for just a few minutes. Today we’re celebrating the main players – the sun and the moon.
So how do the sun and moon usually work? Who’s out in the daytime/at night? Fingerplay: Sun and Moon (TT) (TB) (FT) (One hand is the moon as a crescent and the other is the sun – spread five fingers for sun’s rays) Moon comes out, Sun goes in Here is a blanket to cuddle your chin (tickle chin) Moon goes in, and Sun comes out Throw off the blankets and bustle about! (fling arms wide and wiggle) Source: Sunflower Storytime (no longer published)
Apparently this is adapted from a Romper Room tune, which is before my time. To get the tune, I found the link to a video of it being performed by Dany Rosevear of Singing Games for Children. She’s a great resource for songs and guitar/ukulele chords. Let’s stretch up to the sky. Stretch: Sky Stretch (TT) (TB) (FT) Bend and stretch, reach for the moon! Sway back and forth to our little tune Bend and stretch, reach for the sun! Sit down slowly now, our song is done Source: Lady Librarian Life
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Read: Our Friend Moon by Lea Redmond (TT) (FT) It would be great to be able to read Eclipse, but I don’t think it will come in on time for me. I’m 3rd on the holds list right now and there’s only one week to go! Instead, I plan to read Our Friend Moon for the Monday and Wednesday groups, a lovely little board book that I helped Kickstart!
Read: A Day in the Sun by Diana Ejaita (TB) A newer title with lovely illustrations, showing daytime activities around the world.
Have you ever seen the moon during the daytime? Rhyme: Ms. Moon (TT) (TB) (FT) Ms. Moon, Ms. Moon You’re up too soon! The sun is still in the sky Go back to your bed, And cover up your head, And wait till the day goes by In the morning the sun wakes up, And marches all the day At noon he stands straight overhead And at night? He goes away Source: Lady Librarian Life
Flannel: Eclipse (TT) (TB) (FT) This isn’t a rhyme or song, but I just made a simple sun and a black circle to represent the moon to try to show what the eclipse would look like. I pulled out a moon flannel from my “Five Coyotes” set, too. The plan is to just explain what happens and show the moon eclipsing the sun.
I was trying to think of a simple way to incorporate the eclipse into a rhyme, and the image just struck me of the sun and moon playing, and the rhyme practically wrote itself (except that last line, which, I realize, is a little awkward…) During an eclipse, the sun and moon seem like they’re playing peek-a-boo! Action Rhyme: Eclipse-A-Boo (TT) (TB) (FT) The sun is playing peek-a-boo Oh, look, the moon is playing, too Peek a boo, goodbye, sun Hide and seek is so much fun! Peek a boo, hello, moon I didn’t expect to see you so soon Peek a boo, sun returns Much fun with sun and moon in turns Source: original
Another one that just came in a flash of inspiration. I was thinking about eclipse glasses, and Laurie Berkner’s song popped into my head. It took a little wrangling to make it work, but I am very pleased with the end rhymes of both verses! It’s very important to protect our eyes while we’re watching the eclipse. There are special glasses we’ll wear to keep our eyes safe from the brightness of the sun. Song: These Are My [Eclipse] Glasses (TT) (TB) (FT) These are my glasses, There is the sun I put on my glasses before I look above And I look, look, look and I see, see, see I take off my glasses When we reach totality! …Oooh! Aaah!…
These are my glasses, There goes the moon I put on my glasses as the moon moves on And I look look look Until down the moon slips I take off my glasses – What a cool eclipse! Source: original, to tune of Laurie Berkner’s These Are My Glasses
At this point I’m thinking I’ll get out shaky eggs for the group to accompany us as we sing. Here’s a song I love to sing about the sun. Another librarian wrote some lyrics to celebrate the last eclipse, so listen carefully! Song: Mr. Sun (TT) (TB) (FT) 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 Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun Please shine down on me
Additional verses: Ms. Moon, Moon, Ms. Silver Moon please shine down on me…
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun Please come out real soon Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun Hiding behind the moon… Source: Raffi, with vs 2-3 by Lady Librarian Life
I’ll probably put my ukulele down for this one to do the hand motions. This song mentions the daytime and nighttime, but I love that it says you’re loved always Song: Skinnamarink (TT) (TB) (FT) 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! Boo-boopee-doo! Source: traditional, see Jbrary doing motions
We only ever do the chorus in storytime, but the verses of this song really made me dislike it. It’s very controlling/unhealthy relationship! In my songsheet, I found some alternative lyrics from the children’s musician Bill Crosby (not Bill Cosby) that I like. BUT, for this storytime, I plan to just do the chorus a couple times. Help me by shaking your shakers! Ukulele Song: You Are My Sunshine (TT) (TB) (FT) You are my sunshine, My only sunshine You make me happy When skies are gray You’ll never know, dear How much I love you Please don’t take my sunshine away Source: traditional
Craft: Chalk Eclipse (TB) (FT) It’s a simple craft, and not original, but it still makes a beautiful presentation. Use some black or dark construction paper, white or yellow chalk, and some thin cardboard or cardstock. Cut out a circle with the cardstock – I used a die cut, but you can also trace around a bowl to make a nice circle. Hold down the circle on your construction paper, or tack it down with a little bit of tape. Then draw a thick line around the circle with your chalk, and use your finger to smudge the chalk outward. Always start from the circle outward, then pick up your finger to do it again (don’t go back and forth). Then remove the cardstock circle and you have this cool image of an eclipse!
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) Hello, Moon – Evan Turk Kitten’s First Full Moon – Kevin Henkes Moonlight – Helen V Griffith & Laura Dronzek Moonday – Adam Rex The Moon Remembers – EB Goodale A Day in the Sun – Diana Ejaita Sun Flower Lion – Kevin Henkes May There Always Be Sunshine – Jim Gill & Susie Signorino-Richards Sunny Days – Deborah Kerbel & Miki Sato Stella Keeps the Sun Up – Clothilde Ewing & Lynn Gaines
This storytime will be presented in-person on 4/1, 4/2, & 4/3/24.
**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
I started doing a separate infant program (0-12 months or pre-walking) in January 2023. By October, I noticed that the individual families in my group were completely different from the ones that started in January – those had moved on to my toddler sessions. So, I started recycling my previous plans, though I did switch a couple of things out, wanting to try new activities occasionally.
So for this post, I’ll show my general outline, and list just the new rhymes/songs since October. Going forward, I won’t list individual program plans, but maybe an update post with new stuff every few months. You can always go back and see the previous full plans here.
I’d love to hear your feedback and any rhymes/songs/activities that you do for this age group that you think work particularly well! As always, please leave a comment – I’m always happy to see what you think.
The books featured in the photos below are just some of the board books made available for individual reading.
I use a puppet as well as singing each child’s name in the song
Animal Hello
Use several animal puppets, with animal noises incorporated in the song
Body Song
Fingerplay
If too complex for babies (i.e., anything more involved than Pat-A-Cake), encourage grownups to do the motions as a kind of “puppet show” for babies.
Bounce
Lift
Occasionally there’s a song that incorporates bounces and lifts, of course. Any combination will do, or one longer song with multiple verses may be substituted for both
Lullaby
I always play this on ukulele
Reading time
Currently doing individual reading for 2-3 minutes, but have read board books to the group before
Tickle/On Your Back
Often good for post-diaper change, usually uses leg motions
Propsor Dancing
Include 3-4 songs and rhymes that go with the month’s prop
Lifting Song – Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Consistent at each program
Goodbye Rhyme
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.
Fingerplay: Popcorn, Popcorn Popcorn, popcorn Put it in the pan, (swish hands back & forth) Shake it up! Shake it up! (shake hands) (pause) BAM! BAM! BAM! (clap hands) Source: Westerville (OH) Public Library
Bounce/Lift
Bounce/Lift: Bug Bounce 1, 2, 3, Baby’s on my knee Fuzzy, buzzy bumblebee… Tickles me! 1, 2, 3, Baby’s on my knee Grasshopper hops… Up he pops! 1, 2, 3, Baby’s on my knee Ants march down and… All around! (tickle) 1, 2, 3, Baby’s on my knee Ladybug flies… (lift) Says goodbye! (wave hands) Source: I found this one in my predecessor’s files!
Lullabies
This was a very special one for me. I remember my dad singing this to me. I modified the second verse to secularize it, but also learned that there are quite a few more verses than I knew about. It was originally written in the 1920s and as all folk songs, there are lots of lyric variations. Ukulele Lullaby: Down in the Valley Down in the valley, The valley so low Hang your head over, Hear the wind blow Hear the wind blow, dear, Hear the wind blow Hang your head over, Hear the wind blow
Lullaby: Sleep, Sleep, My Baby Sleep, sleep, my baby Sleep, sleep, my love Fall asleep my little dove Dream of the ocean, dream of the stars Rest your head in my strong arms
Sleep, sleep, my baby Sleep, sleep, my love Fall asleep my little dove Dream of the whales, dream of the fish Don’t forget to make a special wish
Sleep, sleep, my baby Sleep, sleep, my love Fall asleep my little dove Dream of the mountains, dream of the sea You will always, always, be with me Source: Jbrary
Tickle: Round the Garden Round and round the garden (draw circle on belly) Goes the teddy bear One step, two step (walk fingers up torso) Tickle baby bear! (tickle under arms or chin) Ten little piggies (walk fingers down legs) On two tiny feet (grasp feet) Wiggle once (wiggle one foot) Wiggle twice (wiggle other foot) Good enough to eat! (legs together and nibble toes!) Nom, nom, nom, nom! Source: Intellidance
Leg Rhyme: Charlie Chaplin Charlie Chaplin went to France (legs dance side to side) To teach the babies how to dance! First he did the rumba, the rumba, the rumba (legs together, circular motion) Then he did the kicks, the kicks, the kicks (kick out) Then he did the samba, the samba, the samba (legs crisscross rapidly) Then he did the splits, the splits, the splits! (legs apart) Source: Vancouver Public Library
Props
Action/Parachute Song: Autumn Leaves (tune of London Bridge) Autumn leaves are Falling down, Falling down, falling down Autumn leaves are Falling down All around the town
The wind will blow them round and round… Round and round, round and round The wind will blow them round and round All around the town Source: King County (WA) Library System
Scarf Song: Let’s Go Riding in an Elevator Let’s go riding on an elevator, elevator, elevator Let’s go riding on an elevator – Ride along with me! First floor, Second floor, Third floor, Fourth floor, Fifth floor… And down-down-down-down-down! Source: Jbrary
Scarf Rhyme: Jack in the Box Jack in the box (scrunch scarf up in one fist) Sits so still Will he come out? Yes, he will! (throw scarf in the air) Source: Jbrary
We’d done another version of peek-a-boo, but this one is simpler. Scarf Rhyme: Peek A Boo Peek a boo! Where are you? Hiding in your place! Peek a boo! I see you! With your smiling face! Source: traditional
Dancing (instead of props)
Dancing Song: In and Out the Window (swing baby to the center of the circle) Go in and out the window, Go in and out the window, Go in and out the window, As we have done before
Stand up and face your partner… (swing baby close to another) Source: Jbrary
Lifting/Dance Song: The Elevator Song Oh, the city is great and the city is grand There are a whole lot of people on a little piece of land And we live way up on the fifty-seventh floor And this is what we do when we go out the door: We take the elevator up, we take the elevator down We take the elevator up, we take the elevator down We take the elevator up, we take the elevator down And we turn around! Source: Jbrary
Okay, so I know that pink isn’t officially on the color wheel (and according to Pink Is Not a Color by Lindsay Ward isn’t even a color but just a “tint”), but I had plenty of ideas for pink and I was able to schedule it during the week of Valentine’s Day, so it got added to our color wheel!
In planning these color-based themes, I brainstorm objects/animals/plants that are generally the color in question and songs and rhymes that work with those things. Here’s this week’s list:
This was an odd week for me – I ended up getting a cold and stayed home on Monday and Tuesday, and thankfully my colleagues covered for me. So I only presented the program once on Wednesday. I realize that presenting three times really does help me get a good feel for what works best and how to adjust a bit here and there. Doing just one didn’t really do that for me, so it would be interesting to see how different groups react to some of the activities. I know a few things my colleagues weren’t familiar with just got skipped, which is fine! It all worked out in the end.
Early Development Tip: The song Sticky Bubblegum incorporates cross-lateral movement (crossing the midline of the body, which promotes brain/body development and gross motor skills), body part identification, pretend/imaginative play, vocabulary, and listening and doing.
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (TT) (TB) (FT)**
Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (TT) (TB) (FT) This is a repeated song that everyone seems to enjoy. I always begin and end with feet and tummies, but find two other body parts to wiggle in the middle. This week it was thighs & heads.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)
Intro: Look at these beautiful colors on this color wheel! Today’s color is pink! Can you think of anything that is pink? Write answers on whiteboard in red pen. Is anyone wearing pink today?
I made this color wheel, using the “chart” feature in Canva, since I wanted an unusual seven-wedge pie, including pink, which I couldn’t find already made.
I plan to do this rhyme at the beginning of all of the color sessions. Just in case someone doesn’t wear a particular color, I gave out small colored dot stickers (that my library already had) to each kid as they arrive. Action Rhyme: The Color I See (TT) (TB) (FT) Pink, pink is the color I see If you’re wearing pink, then show it to me Stand up, take a bow, turn around Show me your pink and sit back on the ground Source: Librarian vs. Storytime
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
I believe that both of my colleagues chose this book to read. My Wednesday group was a little young, so I chose it, too. It’s silly and very short, with very bold graphics, so a great storytime choice. Read: The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli (TT) (TB) (FT)
I’d planned to read this one to my slightly older group on Tuesday. It’s a bit longer, but has lots of animals in it, plus a seek and find feature. But because I was out sick, it didn’t get a reading. Read: Pinky Got Out! by Michael Portis & Lori Richmond
Can you pretend you have a great big watermelon in your arms? Action Song: Watermelon (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Frère Jacques) Watermelon, Watermelon, On the vine, On the vine, Sweet and pink and yummy, Sweet and pink and yummy, Please be mine! Please be mine!
Watermelon, Watermelon, Thump, thump, thump, Thump, thump, thump, I think you are ready, I think you are ready Big and plump! Big and plump! Source: King County (WA) Library System
Let’s do a silly fingerplay about a small pink animal who lives in the soil and likes to wiggle around. What is it? An earthworm! But oh, no, these worms have lost their wiggle! Fingerplay: The Worm Wiggle (TT) (TB) (FT) Here are some worms who are, oh, so sad (limp fingers) They’ve lost all the wiggles that they once had They wonder if you, just for today Would lend them your wiggles so they can play? Wiggle them up and wiggle them down Wiggle the worms around and around Wiggle them high and wiggle them low Wiggle them fast and wiggle them slow Wiggle them over your shoes and your socks Then wiggle them back into their box (fold into other hand) Source: Storytime with Miss Tara
I really wanted a flamingo rhyme, but couldn’t find one other than “If You’re a Flamingo and You Know It.” So I wrote this one to be a little shorter but still action based. (It might work a little better if we had read the flamingo book and knew some facts about flamingos) I can think of two other animals that are pink. Can you think of one with wings? Action Rhyme: Pink Flamingo (TT) (TB) (FT) I’m a pink flamingo, flapping to the coast (flap arms) I stand on one leg, straight as a post (stand on one leg) I wade in the water and search for a bite (hand nibbles downward) These pink shrimp taste just right (rub tummy) When the day is over and the sun gets low I tuck my head under my wing and sleep just so (cover head with arm, AND stand on one leg if you can!) Source: original
Maybe you’ve done this nursery rhyme on your toes before, but let’s try it on our fingers. Fingerplay Rhyme: This Little Piggy (TT) (TB) (FT) (wiggle each toe or finger on one side, starting with the thumb) This little piggy went to market This little piggy stayed home This little piggy had roast beef And this little piggy had none And this little piggy cried “wee wee wee” all the way home (tickle!)
(now try on the other hand or foot, starting with the pinky) This little piggy had a rub-a-dub-dub And this little piggy had a scrub-a-dub-dub This little pig-a-wig ran upstairs And this little pig-a-wig cried out ‘BEARS!’ Down came the jar with a big slam bam (clap or pat foot) And this little piggy had all the jam Source: traditional, second verse found with King County (WA) Library System
I would have done this one with the Tuesday group, but my colleague decided to nix it for This Little Piggy. I have used this in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever blogged about it before! I got the flannel printout pieces from the now-defunct Sunflower Storytime. Since they don’t have it online anymore, I feel okay posting it here for you. (If you are the Sunflower original and want me to desist, please just let me know!) The flannel is fun because it’s reversable – the pigs flip and the dirty side shows! The other animal I am thinking of is pink – lives on a farm, likes to take mud baths, says OINK! Counting Song: Five Pigs So Squeaky Clean (tune of Five Green and Speckled Frogs) Five pigs so squeaky clean, Cleanest you’ve ever seen Wanted to go outside and play, Oink! Oink! (clap, clap) One jumped into the mud Landed with a great big thud Then there were four clean squeaky pigs (count down) Source: Sunflower Storytime (no longer online)
Not sure if this got done on Monday, but it was crossed off my Tuesday sheet! Song: Sticky Bubble Gum (TT) (FT) (Spoken intro) Did you bring your bubble gum? What about pretend bubble gum? Can you find some pretend bubble gum in your pocket? Reach in and get it out. Unwrap it, and stick the wrapper back in your pocket – we don’t want to litter! Is your gum pink like mine is? Let’s pop it in and start chewing Is it soft and squishy? Is it yummy? Let’s blow an imaginary bubble – show me with your hands as you blow it Bigger, bigger – oh, no it popped! There’s sticky bubble gum everywhere. Pull it off your forehead, nose, chin… Now squish it all together in a big sticky ball of bubble gum. And SMASH IT! Oh, no, it’s so sticky that my hands are stuck together. The only way I know to get them unstuck is to sing the sticky bubblegum song. (Singing) Sticky sticky sticky sticky bubble gum Bubble gum, Bubble gum Sticky sticky sticky sticky bubble gum Sticking your hands to your knees! and UN-STICK! Source: Carole Peterson (see her perform this, including the guided intro, at https://vimeo.com/95412823)
What color is a hug? Hugs aren’t really a color, but when people think of love, a lot of times they think of pink! Pink can be a love color. Action Rhyme: Up and Down (TT) (TB) (FT) Put your arms up, Put your arms down Put them in the middle, Move them all around One arm to the left, One arm to the right Give yourself a hug, And hold on tight! Source: Mansfield/Richland County (OH) Library (storytime page no longer functional)
I like making up Down By the Bay rhymes! Here are the ones I came up with that have to do with the pink things we talked about today. Silly Song: Down By the Bay (PINK Edition!) (TT) (TB) (FT) 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 pig wearing a fancy wig, Down by the bay?”
Additional verses: …flamingo doing the limbo… …worm watering his fern… …slug giving another slug a hug… …have a time you couldn’t make a rhyme… Source: adapted from the traditional
Craft: Pink Hearts (FT) Very simple – I used our die-cutter to make big pink hearts that they could decorate with crayons or dot markers. I didn’t make a sample, but pictured below is a sample I made for an “I Love Me” program, just to see the shape of the heart.
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 Account of the Gum – Adam Rex Pink Is Not a Color – Lindsay Ward Pig Takes a Bath – Michael Dahl & Oriol Vidal Have You Ever Seen a Flower – Shawn Harris Pink is for Everybody! – Ella Russell & Udayana Lugo How to Say Hello to a Worm – Kari Percival Fussy Flamingo – Shelly Vaughan James & Matthew Rivera The Book Hog – Greg Pizzoli I Love My Tutu Too! – Ross Burach Ice Cream Face – Heidi Woodward Sheffield
This storytime was presented in-person on 2/12, 2/13, & 2/14/24.
**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
Here’s another Book Babies plan! This was the plan for September, 2023. Instead of doing a prop this month, we got up and did some dancing with our little ones! At first, it felt a little awkward – I think grownups felt a little self-conscious. But I used my baby stand-in, Froggie, and demonstrated, and they eventually loosened up. I used my ukulele to do both our lullaby and the Baby Bear Waltz, then finished with some bubbles – another activity this group had not yet done. Two elements reminded me of pirates (Two Little Boats and What Shall We Do with a Grumpy Baby) so I ended up theming the handout as piratey – appropriate since Talk Like a Pirate Day is in September!
I think I will keep putting dancing in the rotation, but perhaps less often that the usual suspects of scarves, shakers, and parachute. I usually switch to a different prop each month, and change out songs and rhymes a few at a time, so there are always a few familiars in the lineup.
As in the last post, I’m also adding a thumbnail of the 11×17″ rhyme sheets I display during programs for adults to join in singing and rhymes. Click on the pictures to get a full-sized non-branded PDF.
The books featured in the photos below are just some of the board books made available for individual reading.
Early Literacy Tip: Associate songs with fun, and they can help ease a grumpy mood. Try “What Shall We Do with a Grumpy Baby?” when your child is having fun, and it might help them shake an actual grumpy mood later on.
Here is our room setup, with the parachute out for babies to lay on/sit on, with a few chairs for those who prefer them to the floor. My pink short chair is perfect for this – I can move easily from it to the floor if I want to demo one way or another. I wish our parachute was colorful – I think the original idea was that you can write on it. There are some names on there from years ago that are probably grown with their own children by now.
For this and the next song, I use puppets to greet everyone. Welcome/Puppet Song: Hello, Everybody (tune of Skip to My Lou) Hello, everybody and how are you? Hello, everybody and how are you? Hello, everybody and how are you? How are you today?
Hello, [name 1], how are you? Hello, [name 2], how are you? Hello, [name 3], how are you? How are you today?
I finally changed up this hello animal puppet song! I do still start with the dog Scout, then bring out two other random animals. Song: The Dog Says Hello (tune of Farmer in the Dell) The dog says hello, The dog says hello Woof, woof, Woof-woof, woof-woof The dog says hello! Repeat with any other animals; try using puppets! Source: adapted from the traditional
The familiar tune makes this a good one for parents to jump in. I did have to insert in the “whole baby” verse (to ease my own mind) to wave them (GENTLY) around. All the grownups smiled. Body Song: The Baby Pokey (tune of the Hokey Pokey) You put your arms up, You put your arms down You put your arms up, And you wave them all around You wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, And you tickle, tickle, tickle That’s how the baby pokey goes! (clap)
For babies, we do fingerplays as “puppet shows” for the child, rather than expecting them to be able to do these fine motor movements. Since it is difficult to hold a baby when you are hiding your hands behind your back, for thumbkin we start with fists out. Fingerplay Rhyme: Where Is Thumbkin? (tune of Frère Jacques) Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin? (show fists) Here I am! Here I am! (reveal thumbs) How are you today, friend? Very well, I thank you! (wiggle thumbs at each other) Say goodbye. Say goodbye. (tuck thumbs again) Source: traditional
Bounce: Giddy-Up Giddy-up, giddy-up ride to town Giddy-up, giddy-up up and down Giddy-up fast, Giddy up slow Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up, WHOA! (lean backwards gently) Source: Mead Public Library (WI)
Bounce/Lift: Two Little Boats Two little boats went out to sea (rock forward and back) All is calm as calm can be Gently the wind begins to blow (rock side to side) Two little boats rock to and fro Loudly the wind begins to shout (bounce up and down) Two little boats they bounce about STOP! (freeze) goes the storm, the wind, and rain And two little boats sail on again (rock forward and back) Source: Intellidance
This isn’t a terribly difficult song, but there are a lot more chords (eight) with the bridge part than the typical children’s song. If it’s helpful, it’s totally okay for you to have the songsheet out during your program – that’s what I do! It’s okay to not have songs memorized (and I think that goes for all songs/rhymes. I put words up for caregivers, but I use them, too, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.) Ukulele Lullaby: You’re My Rainbow (tune of Love Me Tender) You’re my rainbow, you’re my star, You’re my bright red cookie jar You’re my goldfish, you’re my pie, You’re the apple of my eye You’re my rainbow, you’re my star You’re my bright red cookie jar You’re my daisy, you’re my vine, You’re my own true Valentine Source: Dany Rosevear
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 bookthat’s nearby and looks interesting to you!
Pictured: Global Babies – “A Global Fund for Children book” Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby – Tracy C. Gold & Adèle Dafflon Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi & Maple Lam
Prop Songs& Rhymes Instead of a prop, we moved the parachute and our books out of the way (so no one would trip), stood up and danced with our babies.
Dance: London Bridge (either carry baby and lean or lower baby on the “down” or, for those steady on their feet, stand facing each other, holding hands and shift weight from one foot to the other in a bridge shape) London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down, My fair baby! Build it up with love and hugs… Source: adapted from the traditional
Dance: What Shall We Do with a Grumpy Baby? (tune of What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor) What shall we do with a grumpy baby? What shall we do with a grumpy baby? What shall we do with a grumpy baby early in the morning!
additional verses: Up in the air and safely down again… Tickle ‘em here to watch ‘em laugh again… Give ‘em a hug because we love ‘em… Source: I cobbled the verses together from multiple sources, I believe. One is Rainbow Songs
Ukulele Dance: Baby Bear Waltz 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltzing with bears, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Dance ‘round the chairs 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, That’s what we’ll do 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltzing with you 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltz round the room, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Dance ‘round the moon, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Glide past the stars 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, Waltzing to Mars Source: Kathy Reid Naiman
Bubbles: Bubbles in the Air (tune of Happy and You Know It) There are bubbles in the air (In the air) There are bubbles in the air (In the air) There are bubbles in the air, There are bubbles in my hair There are bubbles in the air (In the air!)
additional verses: There are bubbles way up high… in the sky Way down low… on my toe Source: Jbrary
To adapt this for babies, we bounce or clap rather than scraping our hands past each other, and walk fingers up and down baby’s body, arms, or legs for the “if you want to take a trip” part. Lifting Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon If you want to take a trip climb aboard my rocket ship Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Blast off! Source: Jbrary
I find it really helpful to finish with a rhyme that definitively says that storytime is over. This one is short and sweet. Goodbye Rhyme: Hands Up High Hands up high! (Put your hands in air) Now give a big sigh (sigh and bring hands down) Our storytime’s over So wave bye-bye (wave) Source: Pasadena Public Library
And that’s it! We don’t have time for free play at the end, but I encouraged grownups to take a little time in the children’s department to play and socialize together.
Suggested books are a little different on my handout since at my library board books are not able to be held if they’re checked out. My handout says: Check out our board book selections – they cannot be held or requested, so see what’s available anytime you visit the library! Here are some other titles that *can* be requested: Good Night, Good Night – Sandra Boynton Who’s That Baby? – Sharon Creech & David Diaz Bounce – Doreen Cronin & Scott Menchin Applesauce Is Fun to Wear – Nancy Raines Day & Jane Massey Barnyard Banter – Denise Fleming Get Happy – Malachy Doyle & Caroline Uff
This storytime was presented in-person on 9/11, 9/18, & 9/25/23.
Here’s another Book Babies plan! This was the plan for August, 2023. This month’s prop was egg shakers, and we did a lullaby to the tune of “Love Me Tender” on ukulele. I do the same themeless plan three weeks each month at a time, to get the caregivers familiar and comfortable with the songs and rhymes. I usually switch to a different prop each month, and change out songs and rhymes a few at a time, so there are always a few familiars in the lineup.
The books featured in the photos below are just some of the board books made available for individual reading.
Early Literacy Tip: Making up new lyrics to songs you already know (as in our lullaby, You’re My Rainbow) is a great way to be creative and introduce your child to popular music.
Here is our room setup, with the parachute out for babies to lay on/sit on, with a few chairs for those who prefer them to the floor. My pink short chair is perfect for this – I can move easily from it to the floor if I want to demo one way or another. I wish our parachute was colorful – I think the original idea was that you can write on it. There are some names on there from years ago that are probably grown with their own children by now.
For this and the next song, I use puppets to greet everyone. Welcome/Puppet Song: Hello, Everybody (tune of Skip to My Lou) Hello, everybody and how are you? Hello, everybody and how are you? Hello, everybody and how are you? How are you today?
Hello, [name 1], how are you? Hello, [name 2], how are you? Hello, [name 3], how are you? How are you today?
I finally changed up this hello animal puppet song! I do still start with the dog Scout, then bring out two other random animals. Song: The Dog Says Hello (tune of Farmer in the Dell) The dog says hello, The dog says hello Woof, woof, Woof-woof, woof-woof The dog says hello! Repeat with any other animals; try using puppets! Source: adapted from the traditional
This tune follows a major scale from one octave to the next and back again. I think it’s great for babies to hear it since it’s the basis of most Western music and having those tones in your head will help with musicality. Body Song: Creeping Little Flea (sing up and down a scale) Creeping, creeping, little flea, Up my leg and past my knee To my tummy, on my nose To my head where my hair grows! (top of scale) Now he’s creeping down my chin, To my tummy once again Down my leg and past my knee To my toe that little flea – GOTCHA! (tickle foot) Source: King County (WA) Library System
A classic. I encourage parents to do the motions in front of their baby like a “puppet show.” Since it’s hard to put your arms behind your back when holding a baby, when the birds fly away, I just wiggle and then tuck my fingers away. Fingerplay Rhyme: Two Little Blackbirds Two little blackbirds, sitting on a hill One named Jack, and one named Jill Fly away, Jack; fly away, Jill Come back, Jack; come back, Jill Source: traditional
Bounce: Giddy-Up Giddy-up, giddy-up ride to town Giddy-up, giddy-up up and down Giddy-up fast, Giddy up slow Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up, WHOA! (lean backwards gently) Source: Mead Public Library (WI)
Bounce/Lift: Acka Backa Acka backa soda cracker, Acka backa boo! Acka backa soda cracker, Up goes you! (lift) Acka backa soda cracker, Acka backa boo! Acka backa soda cracker, I love you! (hug) Source: traditional
This isn’t a terribly difficult song, but there are a lot more chords (eight) with the bridge part than the typical children’s song. If it’s helpful, it’s totally okay for you to have the songsheet out during your program – that’s what I do! It’s okay to not have songs memorized (and I think that goes for all songs/rhymes. I put words up for caregivers, but I use them, too, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.) Ukulele Lullaby: You’re My Rainbow (tune of Love Me Tender) You’re my rainbow, you’re my star, You’re my bright red cookie jar You’re my goldfish, you’re my pie, You’re the apple of my eye You’re my rainbow, you’re my star You’re my bright red cookie jar You’re my daisy, you’re my vine, You’re my own true Valentine Source: Dany Rosevear
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 bookthat’s nearby and looks interesting to you!
Pictured: Bath! Bath! Bath! – Douglas Florian & Christiane Engel How Are You?/¿Cómo estás? – Angela Dominguez How Kind! – Mary Murphy
We did this last month, but I liked it so much we kept it for this month. Song: I’m Riding on My Bicycle (Lay baby on their back, and cycle their legs like they’re riding a bike!) I’m riding on my bicycle, I’m riding on my bicycle, I’m riding on my bicycle, All around the town!
Verses: My bike goes up, up, up… My bike goes down, down down… (legs go up or down) My bike goes slow… My bike goes fast… (cycle fast and slow) My bike goes twist… My bike goes turn… (cross legs both ways) My bell goes ding-a-ling-a-ling! (tickle!) Source: Nancy Kopman(this link is to the full song)
Prop Songs& Rhymes Each month is a new prop. This month is shaker eggs! Babies love their shakers.
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: 1 – 2, Shake it On Your Shoe 1, 2 – Shake it on your shoe 3, 4 – Shake it on the floor 5, 6 – Stir and mix 7, 8 – Stand up straight 9, 10 – Wave to your friends! Source: Jbrary
This was one that sounds traditional, but I had never heard before. I like the tune. Shaker Song: Cobbler, Cobbler Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe Get it done by half past two, Tu-la-roo-la-roo Half past two is much too late Get it done by half past eight, Tu-la-roo-la-roo Source: Dynamic Music Room
Shaker Song: Shake it to the East Shake it to the east, Shake it to the west Shake it all around and Then you take a rest Shake your shakers up, Shake your shakers down Shake it, shake it, shake it, And then you settle down! 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: Go! Go! Go! Stop! – Charise Mericle Harper You Are New – Lucy Knisley After the Buzz Comes the Bee – Rachel Isadora & Robie Rogge Good Morning, Good Night – Anita Lobel Leo Can Swim – Anna McQuinn & Ruth Hearson 5 Little Ducks – Denise Fleming
This storytime was presented in-person on 8/7, 8/21, & 8/28/23.
Starting our Color Wheel series with the primary colors, last week was Blue, this week is RED. There are lots of great red things to build our storytime around.
First off, I brainstorm what is red (usually or always) and songs and rhymes that work with those things. Here’s what I came up with for red:
Berries: Strawberry, raspberry, cherry Apples Cardinal bird Tomato/Spaghetti/Pizza Fire engines Crabs Ladybugs Stop signs Caboose Barn Hot/Bell Peppers
And thinking of extension activities, here are ones that came to mind:
One Red Sock flannel Five Fat Sausages (my flannel shows the sausages as red) Five Little Apples Four Juicy Apples Great Big Apple Tree Green Means Go (? – uses three colors) Little Apple Seed Little Red Caboose Little Red Train Going Down the Track Hurry Drive the Fire Truck Pat a Cake Pizza Pick Berries High Picked a Strawberry Pretty Ladybug
I also searched other blogs for a red theme and got a few other ideas, then wove together a plan. I think I’m learning that the transitions are very important for these – it feels a little cheap to say, “oh, here’s another thing that’s red.” I didn’t do a great job with that this week, and I felt it during the program. It was a little disjointed and not as satisfying for me. Next week, yellow, I concentrated more on how to move from one topic to another and was a lot happier with the result.
Early Development Tip: Songs and rhymes that focus on body parts and their actions increase children’s awareness of how different parts of the body can start specific movements. By using their muscles to make the motions in a song, children develop both their gross motor skills and body self-awareness.
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (TT) (TB) (FT)**
Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (TT) (TB) (FT) This is a repeated song that everyone seems to enjoy. I always begin and end with feet and tummies, but find two other body parts to wiggle in the middle. This week it was arms & chins.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)
Intro: Look at these beautiful colors on this color wheel! In the next couple of months, we’re going to get to know each of these colors in our storytimes. Today’s color is red! Can you think of anything that is red? Write items on whiteboard in red pen. Is anyone wearing red today?
I made this color wheel, using the “chart” feature in Canva, since I wanted an unusual seven-wedge pie, including pink, which I couldn’t find already made.
I plan to do this rhyme at the beginning of all of the color sessions. Just in case someone doesn’t wear a particular color, I gave out small colored dot stickers (that my library already had) to each kid as they arrive. Action Rhyme: The Color I See (TT) (TB) (FT) Red, red is the color I see If you’re wearing red, then show it to me Stand up, take a bow, turn around Show me your red and sit back on the ground Source: Librarian vs. Storytime
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
A definite classic. Read: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don & Audrey Wood (TT)
A much newer book, but one that really worked well. I decided to repeat it for my third session, even though they skew younger. Read: Firefighter Flo! by Andrea Zimmerman & Dan Yaccarino (TB) (FT)
I changed the song order around depending on which book I read – we did “Picked a Strawberry” first after the Little Mouse book, and “Hurry Drive the Firetruck” after Firefighter Flo.
Song: Picked a Strawberry (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Clementine) Picked a strawberry, picked a strawberry That was growing in the sun Then I washed it, and I ate it And I picked another one Repeat with other red foods: apple, tomato, raspberry, etc Source: Jbrary
This was a new to me apple rhyme, and a nice change from my usual Two Little Apples. Action Rhyme: Little Red Apple (TT) (TB) (FT) A little red apple grew high in a tree (raise fist above head) I looked up at it, It looked down on me “Please, please, please come down,” I said And that little red apple fell right on my head! (bonk your own head with fist) Source: Librarian vs. Storytime
I can think of another food that doesn’t grow on a tree or a bush, but it has a delicious red sauce on it. Pizza! Tickle Rhyme: Pizza Pickle Pumpernickel (TT) (TB) (FT) Pizza, pickle, pumpernickel, (bounce) My little one shall have a tickle! (tickle) One for your nose, And one for your toes, And one for your tummy, where the pizza goes! Source: King County (WA) Library System
Oh, there’s a tiny red bug over here. Do you know her name? I used a flannel ladybug that I made for a bug storytime to fly around and land on my parts. Body Rhyme: Ladybug, Ladybug (TT) (TB) (FT) Ladybug, ladybug, Fly out of the farm and land right on my little arm Pair other rhyming places/body parts like: Tree/Knee, Bed/Head, Rose/Nose Source: Storytime Secrets
This one uses a problematic tune, so I try to sing it more like Old Town School of Folk Music. The actions are a lot of fun, and I always enjoy slowly driving back to the station. Wee-oo, I hear a siren! What red vehicle uses a siren? Action Song: Hurry, Hurry (TT) (TB) (FT) Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!
Additional verses: …turn the corner; …climb the ladder; …spray the water; Slowly, slowly, to the station… Source: Old Town School of Folk Music
There’s another vehicle that’s usually painted red, and it’s at the end of a train. This is always a fun song, which I play on ukulele, and use a wooden train whistle to do the Woo-woos at the end of each verse, encouraging the kids to woo along. Ukulele Song: Little Red Caboose (TT) (TB) (FT) Little red caboose chug, chug, chug, Little red caboose chug, chug, chug, Little red caboose behind the train, train, train, train Smokestack on its back, back, back, back Coming down the track, track, track, track Little red caboose behind the train, Woo-woo!
Little red caboose chug, chug, chug, Little red caboose chug, chug, chug, Little red caboose behind the train, train, train, train Always at the end, end, end, end Comin’ round the bend, bend, bend, bend Little red caboose behind the train, Woo-woo!
Always on time, time, time, time Comin’ down the line, line, line, line Little red caboose behind the train, train, train Never running late, late, late, late Comin’ through the gate, gate, gate, gate Little red caboose behind the train, Woo-woo! Source: Lindsay Munroe
So this one we’ll do at the end of each color session, too – so there are some familiarity bookending this series. I have rainbow colored scarves, and pass them out for everyone to wave around while we sing. Scarf Song: Rainbow Colors (TB) (FT) (tune of Twinkle Twinkle) Rainbow colors way up high, Happy colors in the sky Red and pink and green and blue Yellow, orange, and purple, too Rainbow colors way up high, Happy colors in the sky Source: adapted from King County (WA) Library System
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Red Abstract Art (TB) (FT) Another process art craft to focus more on creativity than on a finished product. I provide some art supplies (all red!) and let the kids do what they wish. Each week, I’ll plan to use slightly different media, but hope to keep the craft very open ended. This week I provided red crayons, red tempera paint, and red stickers.
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) Mine! – Candace Fleming & Eric Rohmann Apple Farmer Annie – Monica Wellington One Fox – Kate Read Yoo-Hoo, Ladybug! – Mem Fox & Laura Ljungkvist Firefighter Duckies! – Frank W. Dormer One Red Sock – Jennifer Sattler Pete’s a Pizza – William Steig Llama, Llama Red Pajama – Anna Dewdney Pizza Day – Melissa Iwai
This storytime was presented in-person on 1/15, 1/16, & 1/17/24.
**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for: (TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2 (TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5 (FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 