Bedtime – Infant Storytime

Even though we have Infant Storytime early in the morning, it’s still never too early to share bedtime books.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Roly Poly*

BOOK:

Little Sleepyhead
 by Elizabeth McPike and Patrice Barton

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

FLANNELBOARD:
5 in the Bed
5 in the Bed Flannelboard cropped logo
Template and song taken from Making Learning Fun

There were five in the bed,
and the little one said,
“It’s crowded!
Roll Over!”
So they all rolled over
And one fell out.

How many were in the bed now?
That’s right!   4!
There were four in the bed…

**Continue counting down until…

There was one in the bed
and the little one said

“I’m Lonely!”
So all the others climbed back into bed.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
And everyone drifted off to sleep.
Goodnight!

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. 

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

The Going to Bed Book
 by Sandra Boynton
(I used the larger Lap Sized board book so that everyone could see the pictures.)

TICKLE: These are Baby’s Fingers*

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

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Little Bo Peep
Little Bo Peep Flannelboard 1 Little Bo Peep Flannelboard 2
Flannelboard pattern taken from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra.

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep
and doesn’t know where to find them.
Leave them alone,
And they’ll come home
Wagging their tails behind them.
Recite the rhyme once, then ask the children if they can find Little Bo Peep’s sheep.  Lift up the bushes to reveal the sheep, and then recite the rhyme once more.
BOOK:

Wild! Bedtime by Courtney Dicmas
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:
Tuck Me In by Hacohen 
Book: Tuck Me In! by Dean Hacohen & Sherry Scharschmidt
Book: Sleepy Kittens by Jill and Martin Leman
Book: Goodnight, My Duckling by Nancy Tafuri

HOW IT WENT:
When I saw the book Little Sleepyhead, I knew I wanted to incorporate it into an infant storytime.  I think it worked pretty well!  Since The Going to Bed Book was so short, I’m glad I had Wild! Bedtime to use as an additional story.  I always feel like we do so much in Infant storytime, yet it still feels hard to fill up 20 minutes!

ATTENDANCE: 25 people

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

Buses – Toddler Storytime

Buses seemed like a fun change from some of the usual transporation theme I do.  Especially because some of the newer books on this topic work great with toddlers!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

The Bus is for Us!
 by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Gillian Tyler

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

COUNTING SONG:*
10 Buses Flannelboard logo cropped
10 Buses

FLANNELBOARD:
Wheels on the Bus
Wheels on the Bus flannelboard logo cropped
Template and song taken from Felt Board Fingerplays
by Liz & Dick Wilmes, art by Janet McDonnell.  Pieces inspired bySouthCentralFlannelboardFactory.

The wheels on the bus go round and round, (roll arms in front of body, fist over fist)
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.

Other verses:
The wipes on the bus go swish, swish, swish… (move arms back and forth like wipers)
The door on the bus goes open and shut…  (palms facing out, move hands apart then together)
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep… (pretend to be pushing on a horn)
The windows on the bus go up and down… (palms toward you, hands horizontal, move apart, then together)
The babies on the bus go waa, waa, waa… (fists up to eyes and twist)
The parents on the bus go shh, shh, shh… (finger in front of lips)

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

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

The Bus Stop 
by Janet Morgan Stoeke

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

VIDEO:

“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” from Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus … and more stories by Mo Willems (The Mo Willems Cartoon Collection Vol. 1)

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: The Little School Bus by Carol Roth, illustrated by Pamela Paparone (may need to do some editing to make it shorter for toddlers, but this would also make a cute flannelboard story)
Book: My Bus by Byron Bartonl
Book: The Seals on the bus by Lenny Hort, illustrated by g. Brian Karas (also Storytime Katie has a great version of this as a flannelboard)
Book: The Wheels on the Bus by Jane Cabrera
Book: Don’t Squish the Sasquatch! by Kent Redeker and Bob Staake
Flannelboard: The Lonely Bus Driver from Read, Rhyme and Sing

HOW IT WENT:
Buses was a great topic to use for storytime.  I’m surprised I haven’t done a bus storytime prior to this!  The kids seemed to get excited about the theme, and that’s always fun when that happens.  In the 10am storytime, we also had some older sibling present, which was good when it came to the movie — the older ones said “No” to the pigeon much louder.

I was also thinking I could probably just do a storytime all around the different variant of The Wheels on the Bus.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  31 people      11 am: 40 people

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

Buses – Infant Storytime

I’d noticed a few new books coming in about buses for younger ones, so I thought I would try that out for this week’s storytime theme

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Roly Poly*

BOOK:

The Bus is for Us!
 by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Gillian Tyler

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

FLANNELBOARD:
Wheels on the Bus
Wheels on the Bus flannelboard logo cropped
Template and song taken from Felt Board Fingerplays
by Liz & Dick Wilmes, art by Janet McDonnell.  Pieces inspired by SouthCentralFlannelboardFactory.

The wheels on the bus go round and round, (roll arms in front of body, fist over fist)
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.

Other verses:
The wipes on the bus go swish, swish, swish… (move arms back and forth like wipers)
The door on the bus goes open and shut…  (palms facing out, move hands apart then together)
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep… (pretend to be pushing on a horn)
The windows on the bus go up and down… (palms toward you, hands horizontal, move apart, then together)
The babies on the bus go waa, waa, waa… (fists up to eyes and twist)
The parents on the bus go shh, shh, shh… (finger in front of lips)

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. 

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

My Bus
 by Byron Barton

TICKLE: These are Baby’s Fingers*

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

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty Flannelboard 1 Humpty Dumpty Flannelboard 2
Flannelboard pattern taken 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 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*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: The Wheels on the Bus by Penny Dann

HOW IT WENT:
Buses was a fun theme!  When I used The Bus is for Us I did paperclip one stanza of the book together so that it didn’t run too long.

ATTENDANCE: 32 people

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

Beach – Preschool Storytime

This week I was presenting infant, toddler, and preschool storytimes.  I decided to use the same theme – the beach – for each one.  I tried to keep things fresh with the preschool storytime by choosing some different books.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” from Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem by Jim Gill

BOOK:

Penguin on Vacation
 by Salina Yoon

MOVEMENT:
Sand Castle
Sand castle on the beach,
I built you big and strong (raise arms high)
A wave washed in upon the sand.
Whoosh! You were gone (swing hands down, then up)
(taken from PreK Fun)

FLANNELBOARD:
Fish with the Deep Sea Smile
Fish with the Deep Sea Smile Flannelboard logo cropped
(poem by Margaret Wise Brown, patterns and poem taken from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.)

MOVEMENT: “This is the Way We Play at the Beach”
(to tune of: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)

This is the way we play at the beach
Play at the beach, play at the beach
This is the way we play at the beach
On a hot sunny day.

Other verses:
This is the way we dig in the sand…
This is the way we play in the surf…
This is the way we lie in the sun…
Any other activity that your audience comes up with!
(taken from PreK Fun)

BOOK:

Beach Day! by Patricia Lakin, pictures by Scott Nash

MOVEMENT: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” from Walt Disney’s Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3

VIDEO:

“Getting Crabby at the Beach” from Max and Ruby: Perfect Pumpkin

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:
  

Book: Noni the Pony Goes to the Beach by Alison Lester
Book: Sea, Sand, Me by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Flannelboard: The Waves at the Beach

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
I was worried that since I was planning this a little last minute I wouldn’t find enough good beach books for preschoolers.  But everything turned out fine.  Yay!

ATTENDANCE: 28 (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

Summer at the Beach – Toddler Storytime

When I was prepping for this storytime, I wasn’t sure if I would have enough books to just make it about the beach.  So I was going to use the Summer idea as a back up — but I really didn’t have to.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Noni the Pony Goes to the Beach
 by Alison Lester

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

COUNTING SONG:*
10SunsFlannelboard
10 Suns

FLANNELBOARD:
Waves at the Beach
Waves at the Beach flannelboard cropped logo
Lyrics adapted from Preschool Education.  Templates for pieces taken from various online coloring pages and clip art.  (Sorry for the weird perspective on this photo.  All the flannelboard pieces are about the same size.)

To the tune of: ” Wheels on the Bus”

The waves at the beach go up and down, (bounce baby up and down on knees smoothly)
up and down, up and down,
the waves at the beach go up and down, all day long.

The sun at the beach goes shine, shine, shine… (open and close hands)
The crabs at the beach go pinch, pinch, pinch… (make pinchy motion with hands)
The jellyfish at the beach go wibble wobble wibble….. (wiggle arms like a jellyfish up)
The seals at the beach go arf, arf, arf… (clap hands and bark like a seal)
The seagulls at the beach go skwak, skwak, skwak…
The children at the beach have fun fun fun… (gently lap with hands)

You could continue this for any additional flannelboard pieces you would like to make

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

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

Sea, Sand, Me! 
by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst

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

VIDEO:

“At the Beach” from Peppa Pig: My Birthday Party

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

HOW IT WENT:
Noni the Pony at the Beach was a really fun read and the audience seemed enchanted by it, judging by the “awww”ing at the end of the story.  Sea, Sand, Me! seemed a little long, so I did the paperclip trick with just one double page spread.

Unlike the week before, I did remember to go through the guidelines for storytime as a reminder, and that seemed to help during the storytime.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  55 people      11 am: 45 people

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

Summer at the Beach – Infant Storytime

Time for the seasonally related storytime of the session!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Roly Poly*

BOOK:

Beep, Beep, Let’s Go!
 by Eleanor Taylor

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

FLANNELBOARD:
Waves at the Beach
Waves at the Beach flannelboard cropped logo

Lyrics adapted from Preschool Education.  Templates for pieces taken from various online coloring pages and clip art.
(Sorry for the weird perspective on this photo.  All the flannelboard pieces are about the same size.) 

To the tune of: ” Wheels on the bus”

The waves at the beach go up and down, (bounce baby up and down on knees smoothly)
up and down, up and down,
the waves at the beach go up and down, all day long.

The sun at the beach goes shine, shine, shine… (open and close hands)
The crabs at the beach go pinch, pinch, pinch… (gently and lovingly “pinch” baby)
The jellyfish at the beach go wibble wobble wibble….. (rock baby on lap from side to side)
The seals at the beach go arf, arf, arf… (clap baby’s hands as you make seal sound)
The seagulls at the beach go skwak, skwak, skwak…
The children at the beach have fun fun fun… (gently pat baby’s lap)

You could continue this for any additional flannelboard pieces you would like to make

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. 

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

Sun 
by Carol Thompson

TICKLE: Chicken in the Barnyard*

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

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Baa Baa Black Sheep
BaaBaaBlackSheepFlannelboard
Flannelboard pattern taken from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra.

Baa baa black sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.  Three bags full.
One for the master, and one for the dame.
One for the little boy that lives down the lane.
Baa baa black sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.  Three bags full.
BOOK:

Wiggle! Like an Octopus by Harriet Ziefert & Simms Taback
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:
Because the second book I read, Sun, was a board book, and therefore really short, I had enough time to add the third book, Wiggle! like an Octopus in to the storytime.  I think if I had thought this through ahead of time, it probably would have been better to switch the order of those two books.  But it worked pretty well.

ATTENDANCE: 34 people

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

Dogs – Toddler Storytime

My last storytime for toddlers about dogs was in 2013, so I thought it was time to revisit that theme.  Plus, I had found a few different books I wanted to try out.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

My Dog is the Best
 by Laurie Ann Thompson, pictures by Paul Schmid

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

COUNTING SONG:*
10DogsFlannelboard
10 Dogs

FLANNELBOARD:
Where, Oh Where has my Little Dog Gone?

Where, Oh Where, Has My Little Dog Gone?
Where has My Little Dog Gone Flannelboard 1 logo cropped Where has My Little Dog Gone Flannelboard 2 logo cropped
Idea taken from Drake Community Library Story Tree blog

This is a fun hide-and-seek flannel board along the lines of “Little Mouse, Little Mouse”

Start by singing the song:

Where, oh where, has my little dog gone,
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his ear so short
And his tail so long.
Oh where, oh where can he be?

While you are singing the song, mix up the flannelboard shapes and hide the dog behind one of them.  Towards the end of the song, place the pieces, one with the dog behind it, on the flannel board.  Then go shape by shape to see if you can uncover the dog.

It’s fun to pretend you don’t know where the dog is, even if the kids can see it peeking out from behind the shape.

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

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

Stick! 
by Andy Pritchett

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

VIDEO:
StorytimeWithSpotDVD
“Storytime with Spot” from Storytime with Spot

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: That Pup! by Lindsay Barrett George
Book: Time for Bed, Fred by Yasmeen Ismail
Book: Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd (or as a flannelboard)
Book: Shaggy Dogs, Waggy Dogs by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Donald Wu

HOW IT WENT:
It was a good time at toddler storytime today.  My Dog is the Best got a lot of “awws” from the crowd, but I’m not sure if it might work better with a preschool audience, so they could get all the jokes in the illustrations.  And Stick! was a lot of fun too.

The flannelboard was a big hit — I’m glad I tried something new for that.

Attendance today was lower than usual — maybe because the weather is so hot and muggy.  I didn’t remember to go through guidelines this week (but it seems like I didn’t need to), but I will try to remember to do so again after I call more people on the waitlist.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  43 people      11 am: 30 people

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

Dogs – Infant Storytime

I hadn’t done a dog storytime for a while (you can see my last one here), so I thought it was time for a little puppy fun.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: In the Toaster*

BOOK:

Where’s Spot?
 by Eric Hill

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

FLANNELBOARD:
Where, Oh Where, Has My Little Dog Gone?
Where has My Little Dog Gone Flannelboard 1 logo cropped Where has My Little Dog Gone Flannelboard 2 logo cropped
Idea taken from Drake Community Library Story Tree blog

This is a fun hide-and-seek flannel board along the lines of “Little Mouse, Little Mouse”

Start by singing the song:

Where, oh where, has my little dog gone,
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his ear so short
And his tail so long.
Oh where, oh where can he be?

While you are singing the song, mix up the flannelboard shapes and hide the dog behind one of them.  Towards the end of the song, place the pieces, one with the dog behind it, on the flannel board.  Then go shape by shape to see if you can uncover the dog.

The kids especially liked when the dog hid behind the triangle, which is a little too small for the dog.

 

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. 

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

One Two That’s My Shoe! 
by Alison Murray

TICKLE: Chicken in the Barnyard*

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

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Hickory Dickory Dock
HickoryDickoryFlannelboardCroppedwithLogo
Flannelboard pattern taken from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra.

Hickory Dickory Dock
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one – Ding-dong
The mouse ran down
Hickory Dickory Dock
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:

Book: I Love Dogs by Barney Saltzber
Book: Dogs by Emily Gravett

HOW IT WENT:
A fun storytime!  Where’s Spot? is a classic and always works wonderfully.  Each time I read that book, I try to channel my library school profession Virginia Walter who presented it to my class as an example of dialogic reading, and try to live up to that rendition.

Last time I did a dog storytime, I used Dog’s Colorful Day as my flannelboard of choice.  I think this one worked better with infants, because it wasn’t so long.

ATTENDANCE: 36 people

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

Let’s Go for a Walk – Toddler Storytime

Come, take a stroll with me through the toddler storytime I presented this week.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

On Our Way Home
 by Sebastien Braun

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

COUNTING SONG:*
10 Shoes Flannelboard Logo Cropped
10 Shoes

FLANNELBOARD:
I Went Walking
I Went Walking Flannelboard Logo Cropped
Based on the book of the same name by Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas. Pattern from 2’s Experience Felt Board Fun written by Liz and Dick Wilmes, illustrated by Janet McDonnell

I went walking.  What did I see? (place animal behind the boy)
I saw a black cat looking at me.

Continue with the following animals:
– brown horse
– red cow
– green duck
– pink pig
– yellow dog

You should end up with a parade of animals behind the child.

I went walking and I saw a lot of animals following me!

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

MOVEMENT: My Wiggles

BOOK:

Wiggle Waggle
 by Jonathan London, illustrated by Michael Rex

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

VIDEO:

“Rosie’s Walk” from Chicka Chick Boom Boom … and lots more learning fun!

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Baby Can by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Maxie Chambliss
Book: Duckie’s Rainbow by Frances Barry
Book: Oliver Finds His Way by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Christopher Denise
Book: Walking through the Jungle by Debbie Harter
Movie: “A Walk in the Woods” from Baby’s First Word Stories: Nighttime
Movie: “Spot’s First Walk” from  Spot Goes to School
Song: “Walking, Walking” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School for Folk Music

HOW IT WENT:
This was a fun storytime theme, and I would use it again because there are so many other fun options to switch in and use.

I did have some trouble today with parents chatting all through the storytime.  I think next week I am going to try doing a reminder of storytime guidelines, using the excuse that since I’ve added some people on the waitlist we all need a refresher.

Also, there is one child in my storytime who loves to come up and take things off the flannelboard.  This child also reaches into the places where I store my pieces and pulls them out.  At this storytime, I gave him a flannelboard piece that I wasn’t using in hopes that he would play with that, but of course he wanted to put it on the flannelboard (I mean, that’s what it’s for, right?)  I thinking next week I am going to try bringing along a tangle toy or something similar to see if that will work as a distraction.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  43 people      11 am: 42 people

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

Go for a Walk! – Infant Storytime

I feel like some of my best storytimes come out of wanting to read one particular book, and then building the rest of the storytime around a theme that works for that book.  This was one of those storytimes.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: In the Toaster*

BOOK:

Wiggle Waggle by Jonathan London, illustrated by Michael Rex.

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

FLANNELBOARD:
I Went Walking
I Went Walking Flannelboard Logo Cropped
Based on the book of the same name by Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas. Pattern from 2’s Experience Felt Board Fun written by Liz and Dick Wilmes, illustrated by Janet McDonnell

I went walking.  What did I see? (place animal behind the boy)
I saw a black cat looking at me.

Continue with the following animals:
– brown horse
– red cow
– green duck
– pink pig
– yellow dog

You should end up with a parade of animals behind the child.

I went walking and I saw a lot of animals following me!

 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. 

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

Duckie’s
Rainbow by Frances Barry

TICKLE: Slowly, Slowly, Very Slowly*

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

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Jack and Jill
JackandJillFlannelboard1 JackandJillFlannelboard2
Flannelboard from Little Folk Visuals

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down
and broke his crown!
And Jill came tumbling after.
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:

Book: I Went Walking by Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas

HOW IT WENT:
Baby’s Little Self was fun last week, so I decided that I would continue it in this week’s storytime.  Maybe I’ll use it a couple more times, and then see if I can find another similar type song to use instead.  Any suggestions?

I wasn’t sure if Wiggle Waggle would work for infants, since the book invites mimicking, and infants are not walkers.  So, I shortened the book a little.  I skipped the first page, and just began the book with “How does a duck walk?”  Then I ended the book at the kangaroo hopping, thus not including the part that talks about kids walking like the animals.  It seemed to work pretty well this way!

ATTENDANCE: 35 people

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