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

Dogs – Toddler Storytime

Posted on April 8, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

We had fun with dogs at our first toddler storytimes of the Spring session. (How is it already spring?)

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: 10am –“Clap Your Hands, Clap Your Hands” from Tickles and Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman
11am: “Jump Jump” (Storytime Edit) from I’m a Rock Star by Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Maggie’s Ball by Lindsay Barrett George

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

COUNTING SONG:*

Dogs

FLANNELBOARD:
Dog’s Colorful Day

Based on the book by Emma Dodd. Template from Storytime Magic: 400 Fingerplays, Flannelboards, and Other Activities by Kathy MacMillan and Christine

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

BOOK:

Dogs by Emily Gravett

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

VIDEO:

“Dee Dee’s Dog” from Baby’s First Word Stories: Pets

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
That Pup! by Lindsay Barrett George
I Don’t Want a Posh Dog! by Emma Dodd
One Two That’s My Shoe! by Alison Murray
DVD: Any Spot Movie

HOW IT WENT:
As you can see, I was playing around a little bit with what my opening song should be for the toddler storytime this session. I tried two new ones today, and while I liked both of them, they felt a little long for the audience. I think these will be better for preschoolers, maybe. I’ll try something different for next week’s.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 42 people 11 am: 39 people

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

Flannel Friday Birthday Extravaganza: Five Birthday Candles

Posted on March 15, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

This week we’re celebrating Flannel Friday’s 2nd Birthday!! I think instead of terrible twos we are in for some terrific twos.

To celebrate I’m sharing a flannel inspired by fellow Flannel Friday participant Katie.

Five Birthday Candles

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.

Today’s Flannel Friday roundup is hosted by Flannel Friday originator Melissa at Mel’s Desk. For more information on Flannel Friday, visit the Flannel Friday blog or Pinterest page.

Flannel Friday: I Saw a Giraffe Drive By

Posted on February 1, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

When I was in library school, we had an assginment to make a booklist centered around a theme — any theme we wanted. My theme was “Animals and Their Vehicles”. Ever since that booklist, I’ve had a soft spot for animals taking a spin, and I’ve used it as a storytime theme a few times. Here’s a great flannelboard that goes with it.

I Saw a Giraffe Drive By
May be sung to the tune of “Down by the Bay”

Poem and Patterns from Toddler Storytime Programs by Diane Briggs

One sunny day I saw a giraffe drive by,
In a shiny car and a big bow tie.
Then I saw a sheep,
Riding in a jeep.
Then I saw a duck,
Driving a truck.
One sunny day.

One sunny day I saw a platypus,
He was going for a ride on a little orange school bus.
Then I saw a goat,
She was rowing a boat.
Then I saw a bear,
Flying through the air,
One sunny day.

Oh, me, oh, my,
What a lot of funny animals went by!

I’ve mentioned before that I got a lot of flannelboards from my mom when she retired. This is another one of those, and I think it’s among my favorite. My mom somehow cajoled my dad into making her flannelboards for her, so when I use them it’s like using a small piece of family history as well.

Today’s Flannel Friday roundup is hosted by Anne at so tomorrow. For more information on Flannel Friday, visit the Flannel Friday blog or Pinterest page.

Hide & Seek – Toddler Storytime

Posted on January 19, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

I used a lot of lift-the-flap books in this storytime, so I decided since we were looking for things it made sense as a hide and seek storytime.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT:“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

MOVEMENT: “I’m a Little Teapot” from Walt Disney’s Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 4

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider*

COUNTING SONG:*

Children (since they are fun to play hide and seek with). These are from ArtFelt.

FLANNELBOARD:
Little Mouse, Little Mouse

Pattern & Rhyme from Felt Board Fingerplays by Liz & Dick Wilmes

This is a fun game to play with storytime. You start off with different colored houses on the board, the say the following rhyme before uncovering who is under the house.

Little mouse, little mouse
Are you in the (insert color here) house?

When I first started doing this rhyme, I only hid the mouse in one of the houses. Then I realized it would be a whole lot more fun to uncover other animals. I just take some friends from my other flannelboard stories to add in there. The ones picture above are from some of my ArtFelt sets. I also like to leave one house empty with “nobody home”.

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

BOOK:

Flappy Waggy Wiggly by Amanda Leslie

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

VIDEO:

“Whose’s Hiding in the House?” from Baby’s First Word Stories: House

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Peek-A-Moo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti
City Animals by Simms Taback
Hoot! Hoot! by Richard Powell

HOW IT WENT:
I tried using “I’m a Little Teapot” for the first time ever with this group, and I don’t think it was quite the right fit. Since I was just filling in for the storyteller who had lost her voice this week, it was a nice chance to try out things like that without having to add it to a ten week rotation. I think I would like to use it again, but maybe with older children.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 38 people 11 am: 39 people

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

Flannel Friday – The Bear Went Over the Mountain

Posted on January 18, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

Another simple one for today’s Flannel Friday.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain

Pattern & Song from: Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra
(song adapted by me, a little)
If you do infant and toddler storytimes, and don’t have this book yet, it’s so worth getting!

The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
To see what he could see.
But all that he could see,
But all that he could see,
But all that he could see was
The other side of the mountain.
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
was all that he could see.

The best part is the reversible bear. You make him move up the mountain on one side, and then flip him over to sing it all over again and move him up the other side of the mountain. Judy Sierra also suggests making this into a stick puppet, which I need to do.

And isn’t the fact that he has a backpack so rugged?

Here’s a copy of the bear pattern:

Katie at Storytime Secrets hosts the Flannel Friday Roundup this week!

Flannel Friday – Where is Your Bellybutton?

Posted on January 11, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

For today’s Flannel Friday I have a really simple flannelboard that I love using with my infant and toddler storytimes, especially when I am doing a “body” theme.

Where is Your Bellybutton?

Pattern and idea from: Flannelboard Stories for Infants and Toddlers by Ann Carlson & Mary Carlson

Begin by saying:

This is baby’s head.
Where is your head?
Have child or parent identify their head.

Continue identifying as many body parts as you wish. Don’t forget to include the bellybutton though — as everyone knows (and is reinforced when I do this activity), bellybuttons are HILARIOUS!

Owls- Toddler Storytime

Posted on December 14, 2012 by jeninthelibrary

Today was the last storytime for this session. My how time flies. Just like the animals I highlighted today — owls! This was actually the first time I did an owl storytime for infants and toddlers, it’s always been taken by other storytellers. Hooray for getting to try out new things.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT:“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

I’m Not Cute! by Jonathan Allen

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider*

COUNTING SONG:*

Owls

FLANNELBOARD:
One Night Owl

Pattern via Google Images Search

(to tune of “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)
There was one night owl in the tree:
Hoo! Hoo!
There was one night owl in the tree:
Hoo! Hoo!
Oh, he called up to the sky to an owl flying by,
And the owl came and joined him happily:
Hoo! Hoo!

Repeat with two night owls, three, and four.

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

BOOK:

10 am: Owlet’s First Flight by Mitra Modarressi
11 am: Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood

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

VIDEO:

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

Hoot! Hoot! by Richard Powell
Good-Night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins
Any of the other Owl books by Jonathan Allen
DVD: Any Little Bear video with Owl in it.

HOW IT WENT:
For my first time doing owls, this storytime wasn’t too bad. I like reading I’m Not Cute, but after doing so I wondered if maybe some of the other owl books by the same author might work better for a toddler audience. I wasn’t thrilled with Owlet’s First Flight at the first storytime, so I thought I would try a different option for the second. I think they both probably worked equally well.

Since this was my last storytime for the Fall 2012 session, there will be fewer infant toddler storytimes up on my blog, but I will keep updating it with the other age programs that I do.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 34 people 11 am: 26 people

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

Safari – Toddler Storytime

Posted on December 4, 2012 by jeninthelibrary

Today we took a trip to see lots of different animals. We went on safari!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT:“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider*

COUNTING SONG:*

Elephants

FLANNELBOARD:
One Little Lion (filed under Lions – Count Up Rhymes)

Rhyme from ABC Literacy Storytimes: Storytimes to Promote Literacy and Learning by Marilyn Lohnes

One little lion, roaring at the zoo,
Called for another: ROAR!
Then there were two.

Two little lions, underneath a tree,
Called for another: ROAR! ROAR!
Then there were three.

Three little lions, who heard a distant roar,
Called for another: ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Then there were four.

Four little lions, happy and alive,
called for another: ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Then there were five.

Five little lions.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Ran off to play
And then there were no more.

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

BOOK:

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

VIDEO:

“Mouse in the House” from The Poky Little Puppy and Friends

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

When the Elephant Walks by Keiko Kasza
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Do Crocs Kiss? by Salina Yoon
Little Elephant by Miela Ford
Watch Us Play by Miela Ford

Flannelboard: 10 Lions (for Counting)

HOW IT WENT:
This storytime came about because I really wanted to try reading Tiny Little Fly to a group. I had put it on my good books list a while back, but hadn’t gotten around to using it, so I thought it was time. I think I want to try it again with a preschool audience to see how it works there. It was fine with these groups, but I think I either need to try it with a different age group or practice a bit more to get the most out of it. Splash! worked well as it always does.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 36 people 11 am: 33 people

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

Blankets – Toddler Storytime

Posted on November 27, 2012 by jeninthelibrary

Sometimes when I’m ordering books, it seems like there is a whole crop of new books all on one topic. It felt like there had been a lot of new ones about blankets lately, so that was the start of this storytime. It was nice that the night before was rather chilly, and a good time to curl up with a blanket.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT:“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Fly, Blanky, Fly by Anne Margaret Lewis

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider*

COUNTING SONG:*

Blankets

FLANNELBOARD:
Blanket Colors

I once had a blanket.
It was fluffy and new.
I once had a blanket,
And its color was __________ (blue).

I once had a blanket,
The prettiest I’ve seen.
I once had a blanket,
And its color was ________ (green).

I once had a blanket,
Soft as a pillow.
I once had a blanket,
And its color was _______ (yellow).

I once had a blanket,
At the foot of my bed.
I once had a blanket,
And its color was ________ (red).

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

BOOK:

Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket by Tatyana Feeney
MOVEMENT: “Two Little Blackbirds” from Fingerplays and Footplays by Rosemary Hallum and Henry “Buzz” Glass

VIDEO:

“Cricket on the Roof” and “My Blanket” from Classical Baby: The Music Show

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

Oh, Brother by Kathy Mallat
Kiki’s Blankie by Janie Bynum
Flora’s Blanket by Debi Gliori
Where Can it Be? by Ann Jonas
DVD: “3 Sheets to the Farzzle” from Farzzle Kiss

HOW IT WENT:
These stories didn’t work as well as I had hoped. I don’t know if they were both too long, or not interactive enough, or because it was my first time reading them, but they both seemed to fall a little flat. Maybe they would be better with a preschool audience instead of a toddler one. I think if I were to do this theme again I would probably use Where Can It Be? and Kiki’s Blankie (which I used previously and seemed to work better).

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 45 people 11 am: 25 people

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

Jen in the Library

Storytimes, Programs and Library Thoughts

Tag Archives: toddlers

Bugs – Toddler Storytime

Dogs – Toddler Storytime

Flannel Friday Birthday Extravaganza: Five Birthday Candles

Flannel Friday: I Saw a Giraffe Drive By

Hide & Seek – Toddler Storytime

Flannel Friday – The Bear Went Over the Mountain

Flannel Friday – Where is Your Bellybutton?

Owls- Toddler Storytime

Safari – Toddler Storytime

Blankets – Toddler Storytime