I presented this storytime near our nation’s birthday on July 7, 2015.  It’s also near my birthday.  That merits a celebration.  And it sure is easier to find toddler books on birthdays than about the Fourth of July.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands, Clap Your Hands” from Tickles and Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

10 am: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli
11am: Happy Birthday, Bunny! by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

MOVEMENT: “Reach for the Ceiling” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

COUNTING SONG:*

10 Birthday Cakes

FLANNELBOARD:
5 Birthday Candles

Idea taken from Storytime Katie.

5 Birthday Candles
wish there were more
Blew out one,
then there were 4.

4 birthday candles,
pretty as can be.
Blow one out,
then there are 3.

3 birthday candles,
Hope my wish comes true.
Blow one out,
then there are 2.

2 birthday candles
Birthday cakes are fun
Blow one out,
Then there is 1.

1 birthday candle,
the party’s almost done.
Blow out one,
Then there are none.

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

MOVEMENT: My Wiggles*

BOOK:

10am: Happy Birthday, Bunny! by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
11am: A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas

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

VIDEO:

“Birthday” from Maisy’s Birthday section of Play Time Maisy

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: The Fairytale Cake made by Mark Sperring, decorated by Jonathan Langley
Book: I Love Birthdays by Anna Walker
Book: Bears and a Birthday by Shirley Parenteau, illustrated by David Walker
Book: Mouse Birthday by Jane Yolen and Bruce Degen
Book: Pip & Squeak by Ian Schoenherr
Movie: “My Birthday Party” from Peppa Pig: My Birthday Party

HOW IT WENT:
I began the 10am storytime with a book I love and have used before, The Birthday Box.  But for some reason, that, paired with my second choice of book Happy Birthday, Bunny! didn’t seem to go over very well with the group.  I wanted to read Happy Birthday, Bunny! since it was a newer title, so I decided I would seeing if maybe changing things up a bit would make the book work better.  For the 11am storytime I tried it as the first book at storytime, and then used the shorter, more interactive A Birthday for Cow! later in the storytime.  This seemed to work better, at least for this group.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  40 people      11 am: 40 people

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