Wake Up & Good Morning! – Toddler Storytime

Posted on April 30, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

Nothing gets you up and at ’em in the morning like a good toddler storytime!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Wake Up, Me! by Marni McGee

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider

COUNTING SONG:*

Suns

FLANNELBOARD:
Millie Wants to Play

Story from Millie Wants to Play by Janet Pedersen.
Pattern for figures from “Good Morning Cow” in 2′s Experience Felt Board Fun by Liz & Dick Wilmes

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

BOOK:

Waking Dragons by Jane Yolen

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

VIDEO:

“Good Morning” and “Night Music” from Classical Baby: The Music Show

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

Wake Up Engines by Denise Dowling Mortensen
One Magical Morning by Claire Freedman
A Child’s Good Morning Book by Margaret Wise Brown
Polar Bear Morning by Lauren Thompson

HOW IT WENT:
I really love books like Wake Up, Me! that encourage interaction with the audience. It makes the book go really nicely. Waking Dragons was a newer book, so I thought that might be fun to try out. And I absolutely adore the Classical Baby series of DVDs. So pretty, calming, and engaging.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 53 (!) people 11 am: 32 people

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

Wake Up & Good Morning! – Infant Storytime

Posted on April 30, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

Since the infants and toddlers I share stories with on Tuesdays make my mornings good, I thought this would be an appropriate theme.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Ride a Little Pony*

BOOK:

Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel

MOVEMENT: “Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

FLANNELBOARD:
Millie Wants to Play

Story from Millie Wants to Play by Janet Pedersen.
Pattern for figures from “Good Morning Cow” in 2’s Experience Felt Board Fun by Liz & Dick Wilmes

BOUNCE: “Smooth Road to London Town” from A Smooth Road to London Town: Songs from the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program by Kathy Reid-Naiman

BOOK:

Llama Llama Wakey-Wake by Anna Dewdney

TICKLE: Chicken in the Barnyard*

SONG & MOVEMENT: “Babies Little Self” from the album Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

NURSERY RHYME:
Hickory Dickory Dock

Template and Rhyme from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra

MOVEMENT: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

MOVEMENT: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Good Morning Toucan by Dwell Studios
Wake Up, Me! by Marni McGee

HOW IT WENT:
I thought this was a fun theme to use. We made a lot of animal noises with both Hello, Day! and the flannelboard. I liked Llama Llama, Wakey-Wake, but I think the board book might have been too small to use successfully. And it was very short, so I added the song “Baby’s Little Self” in there. I put on the music and then had the parents touch the different parts mentioned in the song. It worked really well. It also helped because the children were a little antsy and the song seemed to be soothing to them. Maybe I will add that in.

ATTENDANCE: 44 people

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

Pigs – Preschool Storytime

Posted on April 27, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Jump Jump” from I’m a Rock Star by Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights

BOOK:

My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza

FINGERPLAY:
Two Mother Pigs
Two mother pigs live in a pen. (Put both thumbs up)
Each had 4 babies and that made 10. (Show all fingers and thumbs)
These 4 babies were black as night. (Hold up 1 hand, thumb in palm)
These 4 babies were black and white. (Hold up other hand, thumb in palm)
But all 8 babies loved to play,
And they rolled and rolled in the mud all day (roll hands over each other)
At night with their mother, they curled in a heap (make fists, palms up)
And squealed and squealed till they went to sleep.

FLANNELBOARD:
This Little Piggy

MOVEMENT: “Shake My Sillies Out” from More Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi

FLANNELBOARD:
Old MacDonald

BOOK:

Z-Z-Zoink! by Bernard Most

VIDEO:

“The Pigs’ Wedding” from Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type …and More Fun on the Farm

MOVEMENT:
If You’re a Pig and You Know It
(To Tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re a pig and you know it say “Oink Oink”
“Oink Oink”
If you’re a pig and you know it say “Oink Oink”
“Oink Oink”
If you’re a pig and you know it,
Then you really ought to show it.
If you’re a pig and you know it say “Oink Oink”
“Oink Oink”

If you’re a pig and you know it wiggle your tail…
trot your feet….

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Ping Pong Pig by Caroline Jayne Church
Book: Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
Book: If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
Book: Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira
Book: Pepo and Lolo and the Red Apple by Ana Martin Larranaga
Video: Any Peppa Pig Movie

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
I had a mix of ages for this storytime. I thought since there were some older kids in the audience I would start with My Lucky Day and see how that went over, especially since it is one of my favorite books to read-aloud. But I think that was too long for the group as a whole, and one of the younger girls in the group kept getting really scared whenever the pig got into the roasting pan. So after I finished that one I went into a fingerplay and then the flannelboard This Little Piggy so that things could be a little less terrifying for the audience. I thought Z-Z-ZOink! was a really good read aloud. Also, “The Pigs’ Wedding” might be a bit of an older video as well, but it is just so fun.

ATTENDANCE: 32 (adults and children)

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page

Eggs – Toddler Storytime

Posted on April 23, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

Today we explored the many creatures that come from eggs! I saw the book What Will Hatch? a while ago and just knew I needed to do an infant toddler storytime using it. I find that some of my best storytimes come when I am really inspired by a new title.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

What Will Hatch? by Jennifer Ward

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider

COUNTING SONG:*

Eggs

FLANNELBOARD:
5 Little Eggs

Template & Story from Preschool Favorites by Diane Briggs

This story originally calls for ten eggs, but I thought that might be a little long for the toddlers. I shortened things to ten, and changed the rhyme a bit to fit what I needed. Start with all the baby animals covered with eggs. Remove the egg as indicated in the rhyme for each.

There are 5 little eggs
And what do we see
They’re about crack open
“My goodness me!”
said Mother Hen.

The first egg cracks open
And what do we see
It’s a little purple dinosaur.
“My goodness me,”
said Mother Hen.

The second egg cracks open
And what do we see
It’s a little fuzzy owl.
“My goodness me,”
said Mother Hen.

The third egg cracks open
And what do we see
It’s a funny little platypus.
“My goodness me,”
said Mother Hen.

The fourth egg cracks open
And what do we see
It’s a green little turtle.
“My goodness me,”
said Mother Hen.

The fifth egg cracks open
And what do we see
It’s a little yellow chicken.
“My goodness me,”
said Mother Hen.

“This one looks like me!”
Said the mother hen.
“But I love them all equally!”

In between each of the verses I ask if this is the Hen’s baby. When the audience answers no I continue on to the next verse.

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

FLANNELBOARD:
Five Eggs and Five Eggs

Template and Rhyme taken from Storytime Katie who got it from Mel’s Desk

Five eggs and five eggs
(Add a clutch of eggs each time you say “five eggs”)
And that makes ten
Sitting on top
(Add the hen)
Is Mother Hen
Cackle cackle cackle
(Clap hands as you say Cackle!)
What do I see?
Ten fluffy chickens
(Flip over each clutch of eggs.)
Yellow as can be.

BOOK:

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

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

VIDEO:

“The Most Wonderful Egg in the World” from Giggle Giggle Quack…and More Funny Favorites

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett
Hurry! Hurry! by Eve Bunting
Eggs 1 2 3 by Janet Halfmann
Whose Chick Are You? by Nancy Tafuri

DVD: “Eggs” from Good Night, Maisy

HOW IT WENT:
This was a great storytime, and I’m really happy it went well. The books seemed to work, and both flannelboards went over nicely too. When I turned over the eggs in Five Eggs and Five Eggs all the audiences went “awwww” so that was a fun reveal. I wasn’t sure the Video I picked worked, because the first group seemed a little restless, but the second group did better, so maybe it was ok. Maisy might be a better option for next time though.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 41 people 11 am: 34 people

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

Eggs – Infant Storytime

Posted on April 23, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

As I was planning for my infant toddler storytime sessions, I was also working on a storybox to send around to the branches. Since my theme for the storybox was eggs, I thought I would just use all the hard work I did twice and do an egg infant and toddler storytime theme as well.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Ride a Little Pony*

BOOK:

Hurry Hurry by Eve Bunting

MOVEMENT: “Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

FLANNELBOARD:
Five Eggs and Five Eggs

Template and Rhyme taken from Storytime Katie who got it from Mel’s Desk

BOUNCE: “Smooth Road to London Town” from A Smooth Road to London Town: Songs from the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program by Kathy Reid-Naiman

BOOK:

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

TICKLE: Chicken in the Barnyard*

NURSERY RHYME:
Hickety Pickety My Black Hen

Template and Rhyme from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra

Hickety pickety, my black hen, (place hen on board)
She lays eggs for gentlemen. (place gentlemen on board)
Gentlemen come every day
To see what my black hen doth lay.
Sometimes nine and sometimes ten,
Hickety, pickety, my black hen.

How many eggs did the hen lay today? (place either 9 or 10 eggs on board)
Count the eggs with the audience.

MOVEMENT: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

MOVEMENT: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Whose Chick Are You? by Nancy Tafuri

HOW IT WENT:
Eggs is a great theme for a spring storytime! Everything went well and I would use all these again.

ATTENDANCE: 33 people

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

Horses – Toddler Storytime

Posted on April 16, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

Yee-haw! It’s time for this Tuesday’s Toddler Roundup!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

THEMED MOVEMENT:
Ponies in a Meadow
10 Little ponies in a meadow green (hold up 10 fingers)
Friskiest ponies I’ve ever seen (wiggle fingers)
They go for a gallop, they go for a trot (“gallop” and “trot” fingers)
They come to a halt in the big feed lot. (hold hands up like “stop”)
10 little ponies fat and well fed
Curl up together in a soft straw bed (interlace fingers and hands into lap)

BOOK:

Noni the Pony by Alison Lester

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider

COUNTING SONG:*

Horses

FLANNELBOARD:
I Gave My Horse an Apple

Template and idea from In the Children’s Room
Rhyme from here

I gave my horse an apple,
(pretend to give something)
And she gave me a neigh.
(neigh)
I gave my horse a carrot,
(pretend to give something)
And she moved her head this way.
(move head up and down)
I gave my horse a sugar lump,
(pretend to give something)
She gave me a smile.
(smile big)
And then she took me for a ride,
For more than half a mile.
(slap hands on thighs like galloping)

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

THEMED MOVEMENT:
Ten Galloping Horses
Ten galloping horses (hold up 10 fingers)
Came galloping through the town (slap hands on legs)
Five were white (hold up 5 fingers)
Five were brown (hold up 5 fingers on other hand)
They galloped up (slap hands on thighs then move them up)
They galloped down (move hands down)
Ten galloping horses
Came through the town.
Then WHOA!
They all slowed down (place hands in lap).

BOOK:

Clip-Clop! by Nicola Smee

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

VIDEO:

“Spot’s Hobby Horse” from Storytime with Spot

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

Hush Little Horsie by Jane Yolen
Horses: Trotting! Prancing! Racing! by Patricia Hubbell
A is for Amos by Deborah Chandra

HOW IT WENT:
There was a lot of activity in today’s storytime. To combat this, I tried adding in a few more fingerplays, both of which ended in a soothing manner. I hoped this would prepare the audience for the stories that were to follow, but it didn’t go quite as well as I planned. I actually picked a horse theme because I wanted to read Noni the Pony and I think it went over pretty well, it was just a tad long (which could have been just because attention spans were short today).

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 39 people 11 am: 39 people (I had 39 at all three storytimes today!)

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

Horses – Infant Storytime

Posted on April 16, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Ride a Little Pony*

BOOK:

Giddy-up! Let’s Ride! by Flora McDonnell

MOVEMENT: “Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

FLANNELBOARD:
I Gave My Horse An Apple

Template and idea from In the Children’s Room
Rhyme from here

BOUNCE: “Smooth Road to London Town” from A Smooth Road to London Town: Songs from the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program by Kathy Reid-Naiman

BOOK:

Clip-Clop! by Nicola Smee

TICKLE: Round and Round the Garden*

NURSERY RHYME:
Humpty Dumpty

Pattern and Rhyme from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses
And all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.

MOVEMENT: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

MOVEMENT: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

HOW IT WENT:
Horses is an especially fun storytime theme to use with infants, because there are so many bounces you can do with the kids! I tried using my flannelboard See, See which I think is the weirdest flannelboard I’ve made. It didn’t go over well, so I didn’t even include it in this line up.

ATTENDANCE: 39 people

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

Frogs – Preschool Storytime

Posted on April 13, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

What did the frog say when the librarian suggested a book?
“I already READIT, READIT, READIT”

Here’s hoping people thought this storytime was better than that joke.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Jump Jump” from I’m a Rock Star by Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights

BOOK:

Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira

MOVEMENT: “Shake My Sillies Out” from More Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi

FINGERPLAY:
Here’s Mr. Bullfrog (make a thumbs up with hand)
sitting on a rock.
Along comes a little boy (make a walking motion with the index & middle finger of other hand)
Mr. Bullfrog jumps, KERPLOP! (thumb makes a diving motion down)

FLANNELBOARD:
Five Green and Speckled FrogsFive green and specked frogs
Sat on a hollow log.
Eating some most delicious bugs.
Yum! Yum!
One jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool
Now there are four green speckled frogs.
Ribbit! Ribbit!

Continue counting down until no green speckled frogs are left.

THEMED MOVEMENT:
“Gunk Gunk”
Gunk, Gunk went the little green frog one day,
Gunk, Gunk went the little green frog.
Gunk, Gunk went the little green frog one day,
and his eyes went blink, blink, blink.

Gunk, Gunk went the little green frog one day,
Gunk, Gunk went the little green frog.
Gunk, Gunk went the little green frog one day,
And his knees went wiggle, wiggle wiggle.
And his eyes went blink, blink,blink.

Continue, adding on the lines:
And his tongue went stretch, stretch, stretch.
And his legs went hop, hop, hop.
And his ears went listen, listen, listen. (if you are doing a story after).

BOOK:

The Wide-Mouthed Frog: A Pop-Up Book by Keith Faulkner

VIDEO:

“The Foolish Frog” from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom…and lots more learning fun!

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: A Frog in the Bog by Karma Wilson
Book: Jump, Frog, Jump! by Robert Kalan
Book: Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London (or any other Froggy book)
Book: The Rainy Day Puddle by Ei Nakabayashi (for younger children)
Flannelboard: The Fearsome Beast

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
This was a fun storytime! The kids seemed to have a lot of energy today, so I decided to focus more on songs and activities than on stories. The Wide-Mouthed Frog is always a hit, though. And since we just got in

ATTENDANCE: 42 (adults and children)

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page

1st Grade Storytime – Buggy Bugs!

Posted on April 10, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

When I’m on Infant/Toddler Storytime rotation, and I also have school-aged class visits coming in during the same time period, I’ll often take the same theme and adapt it to fit the different audiences. That’s what I did for today’s first grade visit. I carried the bug theme through, and just switched it up a bit.

BOOK:

Frog in a Bog by Karma Wilson

FLANNELBOARD:
Bug in a Rug

Template & Story from Felt Board Fingerplays by Liz and Dick Wilmes

I used this flannelboard for my infant and toddler storytimes, but I changed it up a bit for the first graders. I put each bug on the flannelboard and, without my prompting, the kids named each one. Then I told them I was going to hide one of the bugs under the rug, and they would have to tell me which one. They closed their eyes, and I recited:

“Bug in a rug
Bug in a rug.
Who is that
Bug in a rug”

The kids opened their eyes and told me which was missing. Since they all wanted to participated, I had them say it all together. We played this way for a few times. Then I made it a little harder by hiding one bug, but mixing the other bugs on the board up. We did it that way a few times. Then to make it a bit harder, I hid two bugs, but didn’t tell them I was going to. I think to make it even better for older kids, I would add more bugs.

MOVEMENT: We Work With One Hammer*

BOOK:

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

BOOK:

The Wide-Mouthed Frog: A Pop-Up Book by Keith Faulkner
VIDEO:

“Diary of a Fly” from Giggle, Giggle, Quack … and More Stories by Doreen Cronin

OTHER MATERIALS TO USE:

“Clever Cricket” from Little Bear’s Band DVD

HOW IT WENT:
This was a pretty fun (and rowdy!) storytime. The great thing about first graders is that they want to tell you everything that they have going on, and engage with every story you read. We had a lot of fun this time, especially with Can You Make a Scary Face? (Which is great with audiences of all ages). And when we went to stand up, all the kids knew we would be doing, and were looking forward to, We Work With One Hammer. I think the video was a bit too old this time around, though, so next time I might switch it up for a Little Bear story.

ATTENDANCE: 18 people

Bugs – Toddler Storytime

Posted on April 9, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

While I don’t like real bugs, storytime bugs are pretty cute.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider

COUNTING SONG:*

Ladybugs

FLANNELBOARD:
Bug in a Rug
Template & Story from Felt Board Fingerplays by Liz and Dick Wilmes

Place all the bugs on the board and name each one. Then put the rug up. Tell the kids that you are going to play a game and hide one of the bugs under the rug. They close their eyes, and you hide one bug. Tell them to open them, then say,

Bug in a Rug
Bug in a Rug
Who is that
Bug in a Rug?

Have the children guess. Repeat the game until it gets old. (I did it with three different bugs.) Then have kids name all the bugs again as you put them away.

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

BOOK:

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

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

VIDEO:

“Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!” from The Wheels on the Bus …and More Musical Stories

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

I Love Bugs! by Emma Dodds
Don’t Worry Bear by Greg Foley
Daddy is a Doodlebug by Bruce Degen

DVD: “Fleas” from Good Morning, Maisy

HOW IT WENT:

I went back to the beginning for my welcome song, and decided to use “Clap Your Hands”. I really like this one, and doing it again after a break made me realize how much. One Little Blueberry went over really well, and I especially think Can You Make a Scary Face? was a good choice because the groups were very active today. That provides a nice way to channel energy.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 47 people 11 am: 29 people

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

Jen in the Library

Storytimes, Programs and Library Thoughts

Monthly Archives: April 2013

Wake Up & Good Morning! – Toddler Storytime

Wake Up & Good Morning! – Infant Storytime

Pigs – Preschool Storytime

Eggs – Toddler Storytime

Eggs – Infant Storytime

Horses – Toddler Storytime

Horses – Infant Storytime

Frogs – Preschool Storytime

1st Grade Storytime – Buggy Bugs!

Bugs – Toddler Storytime