I usually keep a list of new books that come in that I think would be good picks for infant/toddler storytimes.  Then, when it’s time for me to lead a session, I go back and look at that list for inspiration for themes and books.  Today’s theme was inspired by one of the books I wrote down, and I thought HELLO! would be a great storytime for the first one of the ten week session.

SONG: Welcome Song

MOVEMENT: “Wake Up Toes” from Morning Magic by Joanie Bartels

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: sign for “Hello”

taken from Costello, Elaine Ph.D.  Random House Webster’s American Sign Language Dictionary.  1994.

BOOK:

Say Hello Like This! by Mary Murphy

MOVEMENT: “Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett & Elaine Bueffel

COUNT & RHYME SONG:

10 Hands

Counting time, it’s counting time
So let’s all sing a simple rhyme

Ten little hands here we go
Let’s all count them as I put them in rows.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Ten little hands, again we go
Now let’s count them nice and slow
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Ten little hands, in neat rows
Let’s count them as away they go
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

FLANNELBOARD:

Can We Find?

Idea take from Sunflower Storytime, who found it at storytime katie. I used the houses and the gray mouse from my Little Mouse, Little Mouse flannelboard set, and then the bear and bird are from ArtFelt.

(to the tune of “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”)
Can we find the brown bear
brown bear, brown bear?
Can we find the brown bear?
We want to say “Hello”!

MOVEMENT: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: The Itsy Bitsy Spider

BOOK:

How Hippo Says Hello! by Abigail Samoun, illustrated by Sarah Watts

MOVEMENT: “Two Little Blackbirds” from Fingerplays and Footplays by Rosemary Hallum and Henry “Buzz” Glass

VIDEO:

“Hello Little Cat” from Baby’s First-Word Stories: Pets

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:
     

Book: Hello, Hello by Miriam Schlein, illustrated by Daniel Kirk
Book: Hello World by Michael Foreman
Book: Hello World! Greetings in 42 Languages Around the Globe by Manya Stojic
Book: Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel
Book: Hello Baby! by Mem Fox, illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Book: Hello, Sun! by Dayle Ann Dodds, illustrated by
Book: “Hi, Pizza Man!” by Virginia Walter, pictures by
Book: Say Hello! by Rachel Isadora (probably better for preschoolers)
DVD: “Hello Snow” from Little Bear: Winter Games
DVD: “Max Says Hello” from Max and Ruby: Sweet Siblings

GREAT RESOURCES FOR MORE IDEAS:
Literacious – Family Storytime Theme: Say “Hello”
The Wielded Pen – Hello, Goodbye – A Storytime Outline
storytime katie – Toddlers: Hello – storytime
storytime katie – Hello, Goodbye!
Literary Hoots: Hello/Goodbye Songs

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
This was a really fun one!  The kids and parents all enjoyed making animal sounds along with Say Hello Like This! so that was a hit.  And, even though Hippo says Hello was a board book, I thought it was large enough so that kids could see the illustrations.  And I wanted to put that multicultural spin on it as well, but I thought Isadora’s book might be too long for the first storytime of the session (I figure listening ability grows throughout the session.)

I was a little worried about doing a new counting song, but I wanted to try something different.  I’m not sure it’s perfect, but I’ll continue to adjust as necessary – stay tuned!

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  58 people      11 am: 45 people

* For these songs, please see my Storytime Movements & Music page