0 Baby Story Time - Bubble Play!

Let's talk about Bubble Play in Baby Story Time! 

Around the end of the summer, I did some research, invested in some bubbles, and dove in to bubble play during story time!  We pull them out about once every other month (sometimes more often) and they are just so much fun!

I posed a question about using bubbles in story time to the Storytime Underground group on Facebook (Are you in this group? Such a great resource!), and the overwhelming response was to use Gymboree's Bubble Oodles Bubble Blower.

I headed straight to our local Gymboree store and picked up this small set for about $6.00.

They are MAGICAL!! The blower makes these teeny tiny bubbles that float and hang in the air for the longest time.  When they finally land, they don't pop! We've found them resting on bookshelves hours after story time has finished!

There are only two negatives: you have to put your mouth to the blower, so A) it's harder to sing a song while blowing the bubbles, and B) you wouldn't want to share the blower with your fellow librarians! (We're close, but not THAT close!)

A story time mom also brought me in a Fubbles Bubbles Mini Bubble Blaster (a bubble fan) which she got from Target, on clearance for about 75 cents! The bubbles are a little bigger and don't last as long, but it's small and quiet, and you don't have to use your mouth, so it's a great alternative!

So you've got some bubbles, now what?

Bubbles go great with themes like "Bathtime" or "Playtime" or just any time you feel like using them!

I went to YouTube in search of bubble songs and what do you know? Gymboree to the rescue, once again! They use bubbles in their classes and have posted some of the songs they use - check them out here and here!

Here are a few easy ones:

(Tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It")
There are bubbles in the air, in the air. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles in the air, in the air. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles everywhere,
There are bubbles in the air, in the air. (blow, blow)

There are bubbles way up high, way up high. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way up high, way up high. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way up high, there are bubbles in the sky,
There are bubbles way up high, way up high. (blow, blow)

There are bubbles way down low, way down low. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way down low, way down low. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way down low, there are bubbles on your toes,
There are bubbles way down low, way down low. (blow, blow)

(Tune of "Ten Little Indians")
One little, two little, three little bubbles,
Four little, five little, six little bubbles,
Seven little, eight little, nine little bubbles,
Ten little bubbles go POP! POP! POP!

You can also sing each child's name, blowing bubbles at them. Hint: Try to blow them just over the children's heads, not right into their faces!
(Tune of "Frere Jacques")
Bubbles for ______, bubbles for ______
Bubbles for ______, bubbles for ______
(just continue with the tune until you've done each child, ad lib to finish the tune)

You can also just have music playing while you blow bubbles. I recently used them with the first two songs on Hap Palmer's cd More Babysongs - "Rub-a-dub" and "My Baby." The music really complemented the gentle play, and allowed me the freedom to play with the babies and bubbles, rather than trying to juggle blowing bubbles and singing at the same time!

 

Maybe it's time you try bubbles in your baby or toddler story times! They are fun, inexpensive, and easy, and add an extra special touch to your program.  Give it a try, and let me know what works well for you and your babies!

Detail: Baby Story Time - Bubble Play!

0 Baby Story Time - Bathtime!

Rub-a-dub-dub, babies love the tub!

OPENING SONG: "The Hello Song" *

GREETING SONG: "Hello" (Name Song) *

WAKE-UP RHYME: "Bubbles, Bubbles" ("Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" chant)
Bubbles, bubbles all around.
     (roll baby's arms)
Bubbles, bubbles on the ground.
     (lower baby to ground)
Bubbles, bubbles on my nose.
     (touch nose)
Bubbles, bubbles on my toes.
     (touch toes)
Bubbles, bubbles in my hair.
     (touch hair)
Bubbles, bubbles everywhere!
     (reach arms out)

1st Book: Tubby by Leslie Patricelli

"I'm naked! Wheee!!" What's not to love about this cute board book?

 

Action Song: Tiny Tim (from Dr. Jean Sings Silly Songs)

I learned this funny song from an early childhood teacher.  Just mime the actions in the song.

Sing it to the tune of "We're Going to Kentucky."

 

I had a little turtle, his name was Tiny Tim.

I put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim.

He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap.
And now he's sick in bed with a bubble in his throat!

POP!

     (clap!)

 



Lap Bounce Song: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" (from cd "Songs for Wiggleworms")
This song is so PERFECT to do with a baby in your lap! Get your hands on this cd if you don't already have it!

Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

2) Twist, twist, twist your boat...
3) Bounce, bounce, bounce your boat...
4) Sway, sway, sway your boat...
5) Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your boat...
6) Tickle, tickle, tickle your boat...

2nd Book: Barnyard Bath! by Sandra Boynton

This is actually a water-proof book, made for the tub! We got out our washcloths (scarves) and followed the directions!

 

Since we had our scarves out, we did some more fun scarf activities:

 

Action Song: "This is the Way" (tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush")

This is the way we wash our arms,

Wash our arms, wash our arms.

This is the way we wash our arms

When we're in the bathtub!

 

Keep scrubbing different body parts - try tummies, toes, nose, and hair!

 

Next we did some free play with the scarves.  A natural thing to do is play peekaboo! Since the scarves are see-through, this is a non-scary and gentle game for babies to play with their caregivers. Very sweet!

 

3rd Book: Noisy Peekaboo! Splash! Splash! by Dawn Sirett (from DK)

This is one of those books you can't really read aloud to a group, but the noises are too fun to resist. We just lifted the flaps and heard what each animal had to say.

 

 

CLOSING SONG: "If You're Happy and You Know It" *

GOODBYE SONG: "Babies, Bye-Bye" *

CLOSING RHYME: "Thank You" *



*Check out my Baby Story Time page for the words to all of my weekly songs and rhymes.

 

This was a very fun story time! Check out my next post to see how to incorporate BUBBLES into your next baby story time.  They go great with the "Bathtime" theme!

 



Detail: Baby Story Time - Bathtime!

0 Baby Story Time - Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day was all about hugs and kisses at Baby Story Time! Spending the morning with these little sweeties is the best Valentine's Day gift of them all!

OPENING SONG: "The Hello Song" *

GREETING SONG: "Hello" (Name Song) *

WAKE-UP RHYME: "Up, Up, Up!"
Up, up, up in the sky likes this!
     (lift baby up)
Down, down, down for a great big kiss!
     (lower baby and give a kiss)
Up likes this,
     (lift once more)
Down for a kiss,
     (down once more)
You're my special baby!
     (give baby a big hug!)

1st Book: Huggy Kissy by Leslie Patricelli

I love the silly baby who stars in all of Patricelli's board books - in this one he gives all different kinds of hugs and kisses.

 

FLANNEL BOARD SONG: "Five Little Valentines" (Sung to the tune of "Five Little Ducks")
(I adapted this from a song I found on Mel's Desk about five little cookies.)

Down around the corner at the Valentine shop
Were five little hearts with polka dots.
Along came Mommy with a nickel to pay
And she bought a Valentine and took it away.

 

 (Remove one heart from board, count how many are left, and keep counting down!)

 

LAP BOUNCE RHYME: "Acka Backa" (from Baby Rhyming Time by Linda Ernst)
Acka backa soda cracker, acka backa boo!
     (bounce baby)
Acka backa soda cracker, I love you!
     (bounce baby, then give a hug)

Acka backa soda cracker, acka backa boo!
     (bounce baby)

Acka backa soda cracker, UP goes you!
     (bounce baby, then lift in the air)

Acka backa soda cracker, acka backa boo!
     (bounce baby)
Acka backa soda cracker, I love you!
     (bounce baby, then give a hug)

 

2nd Book: I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rosetti-Shustak

This sweet and simple book reminds us of all the ways we love our little ones!

 

LAP BOUNCE RHYME: "One I Love You"
One I love you, two I love you, three I love you so!

     (Bounce baby)
Four I love you, five I love you, rock you to and fro!
     (Rock baby side to side)
Six I love you, seven I love you, eight you love me too!

     (Bounce baby)

Nine I love you, ten I love you, my bouncing buckaroo!
     (bounce really quickly!)

 

ACTION SONG: "Baby Hop" (to the tune of "The Bunny Hop" from the cd Diaper Gym)
(This song is a little corny but oh so cute! It's also really easy to follow the directions!)
 

Snuggle up together, baby's in your lap,
Snuggle up together, and clap, clap, clap.
Snuggle up together, don't you nap!

Snuggle up together, and tap, tap, tap.

 

You're working out together, baby don't stop,
You're working out together, so hop, hop, hop.

 

Snuggle up together, baby's in your lap,
Snuggle up together, and clap, clap, clap.
Snuggle up together, don't you nap!

Snuggle up together, and tap, tap, tap.

 

Now our song is over, get ready to stop.
Now our song is over, so hop, hop, hop!

3rd Book: Kisses by Barney Saltzberg



You can play the recording of the author singing this sweet lullaby, or just listen to it a few times and sing it yourself! This book has pull-out surprises on every page - it's a favorite of mine!

 

CLOSING SONG: "If You're Happy and You Know It" *

GOODBYE SONG: "Babies, Bye-Bye" *

CLOSING RHYME: "Thank You" *



*Check out my Baby Story Time page for the words to all of my weekly songs and rhymes.

We kept it simple this week without any instruments, but such a sweet and cuddly story time it was! Hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day!



Detail: Baby Story Time - Valentine's Day!

0 Let's go on a StoryWalk®

About a year ago or more I saw some chatter about StoryWalks on Facebook.  I thought - "How cool is THAT?" but could not figure out how to get one at my current location.  Since then, I became a Head Librarian of a different location, one directly on the bike trail, and knew it was time to give it a try.

StoryWalk® is a trademarked program, and belongs to the folks at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Vermont.  This idea is *NOT* Library Village's idea nor do we take any credit or money for our Story Walks.  If you would like to learn about this amazing program's roots, Click HERE.  If you want to see some FAQ's on the program which will help you make your own, Click HERE.  Essentially, if you credit the creator properly, you are free to use the idea in a not-for-profit setting like a library.

Here's what the credit would look like:

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

OK, essentially a StoryWalk® is a way for families to read together outside, promoting literacy and fitness.  The pages of a book are laminated and mounted on stakes and presented one at a time down a trail or throughout a park. They can be spaced as close or as far apart as needed.  Families can stroll from one page to the next, or you can encourage movement from one to the next like hopping or skipping.

For our first StoryWalk®, I laminated the pages of Duck on a Bike by David Shannon, mounted them on foam core with velcro, and then mounted those on wooden stakes.  We did not make the sets as sturdy as the ones listed on the Kellogg-Hubbard library but this is because our StoryWalk® is designed for use near the library and for only hours, so weather is not a factor.  With a little help from our Friends group, we have now done 3 StoryWalk®s and can easily make more.  I try to use books that are about the same size each time - and reuse the rest of the materials.

The approximate cost breaks down like this for us:

Two books from the used book store - $6

Velcro - $10

Wooden Stakes - 8 foot long cut in two - $15

Foam Core cut in half - $15

The response has been wonderful!  Families have said they love the books we choose, and love the idea.  We keep the library copies of the books on display and families like to take them home.  Our library has been asked to continue the program at all events, and other branches have asked to borrow our  StoryWalk®s for their events as well.

We have done three StoryWalk®s in 2014 in three different ways.  Duck on a Bike was at our Summer Reading Kickoff party with the story pages about 15-20 feet apart down our bike trail.  Next, at the end of the summer, we used The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear at a festival in town.  We placed the pages around the perimeter of the festival.  Finally we did an indoor StoryWalk® at Christmas Time!  We used T'was the Night Before Christmas at an in-house and after hours event. No stakes or boards were necessary for this event.  Besides, our Duck on a Bike set was on loan to another library event at the time.  Once you have the first kit, adding books to your collection is a breeze.

Things we learned from our StoryWalk® program were: know your soil - the soil nearby struggled to hold the stakes, so we modified this by using buckets with the stakes secured inside.  Also, our lamination is standard for indoor use so rain will ruin the pages.  You can see below how one of our arrows had gotten wet over the summer. I'll be making more arrows soon.  Finally, Velcro is great for making the StoryWalk® reusable, but not great on a windy day.  Keep your weather and the direction of your stakes in mind.

For more information on StoryWalk®  please visit the Kellogg-Hubbard Library Page.  I'd be happy to answer any questions as well.  They are only limited by your imagination.

Thanks for stopping by!

Detail: Let's go on a StoryWalk®

0 Baby Story Time - On the Farm!

Welcome back to Baby Story Time! I did story times all summer, but didn't really have a chance to write about them, so I've got a lot of catching up to do! Let's jump right in with a fun Farm theme!

OPENING SONG: "The Hello Song" *

GREETING SONG: "Hello" (Name Song) *

WAKE-UP RHYME: "Mother and Father and Farmer John"
(traditional lap bounce; it's supposed to be "Uncle John," but I changed it to "Farmer John" to match the theme)
Mother and Father and Farmer John went to town, one by one.
     (bounce baby)
Mother fell off,
     (tip baby to one side)
And Father fell off,
     (tip baby to the other side)
But Farmer John went on and on and on and on...
     (bounce slowly and then get faster and faster!)

1st Book: Giant Pop-Out Farm from Chronicle Books

Simple nonfiction with wonderful, truly giant pop-up images! This book was perfect!

ACTION SONG: "Old MacDonald Had a Farm"

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

And on that farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O.
With a "moo-moo" here, and a "moo-moo" there,
Here a "moo," there a "moo," everywhere a "moo-moo."
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

I love using puppets with this song. These are the animals I used this week:

I love that beautiful chicken!

BABY PARADE: "Walkin' Old Joe" (from the cd Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music)

Old Joe, the horse, moseys, walks, and gallops! It's fun for parents to dance and bounce with their babies to this quick, energetic little song!

NURSERY RHYME: "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe"

(A classic, and one of my favorites! It's so important to pass classic nursery rhymes along to the next generation!)

One, two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, shut the door.
Five, six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
Nine, ten, a big fat hen!

I found this template in a book. I photocopied it onto card stock, colored it in, and stuck Velcro on the back! Voila!

2nd Book: Where Is My Baby? by Harriet Ziefert

Turn the flaps to find each baby animal. Great for making animal sounds, and Taback's illustrations are so engaging. We are lucky to have a class set of this book, so everyone could read along together.

ACTION RHYME: "Ten Fluffy Chickens" (borrowed from Mel's Desk - thank you!)

Five eggs and five eggs, that makes ten.

     (hold up both hands)
Sitting on top is Mother Hen.
Crack, crack, crack, crack! What do you see?

     (clap hands to "crack" eggs)

Ten fluffy chickens, yellow as can be!

This was 100% stolen from Mel's Desk. Her's are actually much more clever - they are eggs on one side and chicks on the other! I was in a super hurry so I just stuck tape on the backs of mine. I may remake this later in felt, though. It is super cute!

ACTION SONG: "Los Pollitos" (from the cd You Are My Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell)

(This is a traditional Spanish children's song. You could play the cd, or just sing it a capella.)

All the little chicks say, "Pio, pio, pio!"

When they are hungry, when they are cold.
Mama Chicken looks for corn and some wheat.
That will give them dinner, that will give them heat.
Under her wing, her chicks she'll keep,
Until the morning, the little chickies sleep.

We waved little chicks on craft sticks during this song. The tune is very simple, so a lot of the parents picked up on it and sang it with me the second time through.

3rd Book: Baby at the Farm by Karen Katz

We had to skip this one on Wednesday, they were a wild group! The Friday group heard it, though. There's not a lot to it, just another good opportunity to reinforce animal sounds.

CLOSING SONG: "If You're Happy and You Know It" *

GOODBYE SONG: "Babies, Bye-Bye" *

CLOSING RHYME: "Thank You" *



*Check out my Baby Story Time page for the words to all of my weekly songs and rhymes.

We had a great time on the farm! See you next time!

Detail: Baby Story Time - On the Farm!

0 Flannel Friday - Five Little Babies

I came across this really cute "Five Little Babies" rhyme last week and was inspired to make some cute little felt babies to go with it! Thanks so much to King County Library System for the rhyme - watch the video to see how the actions are done!

I drew the pieces freehand, but based them off the ones on the cover of this adorable book:

Baby Parade by Rebecca O'Connell

One little baby rocking in a tree.

Two little babies splashing in the sea!

Three little babies crawling on the floor.

Four little babies banging on the door!

Five little babies playing hide-and-seek!

Keep your eyes closed, now,
Until I say, "Peek!"

I was really happy with how these cuties turned out! I even added a tiny bit of blush to give them "rosy" cheeks. Just dabbed it on with my finger.  They were actually really easy to make - I just used the same template for each one's body and head, and then just switched up the colors and clothing patterns, etc.

Voila! Cute babies - just what you need for your next story time, I bet! :o)

Happy Flannel Friday!

Thanks so much to Mollie at What Happens in Storytime for hosting this week! Flannel Friday is for anyone interested in finding and sharing great flannelboard ideas!  You can learn more about Flannel Friday and how to participate here.

Detail: Flannel Friday - Five Little Babies

0 Baby Story Time - So Big!

We started off summer with a really easy theme - Babies! This was a sweet and simple story time with lots of hugs and kisses. 

There was a big emphasis on the senses today - lots of tickles, touching body parts, and using scarves.  All of these activities help babies to understand their own bodies and how they fit into the world around them.

OPENING SONG: "The Hello Song" *

GREETING SONG: "Hello" (Name Song) *

WAKE-UP RHYME: "Acka Backa"
(from Linda Ernst's Baby Rhyming Time)
Acka backa soda cracker, acka backa boo!
     (bounce baby gently)
Acka backa soda cracker, I love you!
     (big hug!)
Acka backa soda cracker, acka backa boo!
     (bounce baby gently)
Acka backa soda cracker, up goes you!
     (lift baby into air)
Acka backa soda cracker, acka backa boo!
     (bounce baby gently)
Acka backa soda cracker, I love you!
     (big hug!)

1st Book: Baby Parade by Rebecca O'Connell

These adorable babies parade towards a picnic with their parents, wearing a rainbow of colors.

 

Action Rhyme: "Five Little Babies"

(from the King County Library System. There is a great video to watch!)

One little baby rocking in a tree.

     (rock baby back and forth)
Two little babies splashing in the sea!
     (clap hands)
Three little babies crawling on the floor.
     (tickle up baby's arm)
Four little babies banging on the door!
     (clap hands)
Five little babies playing hide-and-seek!
     (cover baby's eyes)
Keep your eyes closed, now,
Until I say, "Peek!"
     (uncover baby's eyes)

Check back next week for my Flannel Friday post about these cute babies!



Action Song: "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes!

Tickle Rhyme: "These are Baby's Fingers"
(from Linda Ernst's Baby Rhyming Time)
These are baby's fingers,
These are baby's toes.
This is baby's bellybutton, 'round and 'round it goes!
     (tickle!)

2nd Book: So Big! by Anna Hays

This Elmo book encourages a lot of participation - reaching high and low, touching nose, etc. And Elmo pops out on the last page!



Action Song: "I'm Very, Very Tall!"
(Not sure where I learned this originally. You can find it here.)
I'm very, very tall!
     (reach arms up)
I'm very, very small.
     (reach down)
Tall!
     (reach up)
Small!
     (reach down)
I'm very, very TALL!
     (reach up!)

Rhythm Time: Scarves!

Action Song: "This is the Way"
(to the tune: "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush")
This is the way we wash our arms,
Wash our arms, wash our arms,
This is the way we wash our arms,
When we're in the bathtub!
     (gently "scrub" baby with the scarf)

Try other body parts - toes, tummies, heads, noses, etc.

Action Song: "Where is Baby?" (to the tune: "Frere Jacques")
(from Linda Ernst's Baby Rhyming Time)
Where is baby? Where is baby?
There you are! There you are!
We're so glad to see you! We're so glad to see you!
Yes, we are! Yes, we are!
     (cover baby's head with scarf and then pull off - they love peek-a-boo!)

3rd Book: Tickle Time by Sandra Boynton

Her books are so tiny, but you can sing this one! Lots of tickles and giggles!

 



CLOSING SONG: "If You're Happy and You Know It" *

GOODBYE SONG: "Babies, Bye-Bye" *

CLOSING RHYME: "Thank You" *



*Check out my Baby Story Time page for the words to all of my weekly songs and rhymes.



Detail: Baby Story Time - So Big!

0 100th Post! Our Top Tips for Story Time Success!

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Three Youth Librarians started a blog late last summer.  With trepidation we launched Library Village thinking, "Will people read it?  Will anyone care?"  We are pleased to announce that just a little over 9 months later, we are at our 100th post, with over 38,000 views to our blog!!!  What?  Hold on a minute while we have a Sally Fields moment......

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To celebrate, the three of us here at Library Village would like to do something a little different.  We would like to offer our top tips for new youth librarians.  I am sure many of these tips were given to us when we started, but we thought we would put what we learned for any others starting out.

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So wave your pompoms and celebrate with us.  Here, in no particular order:


- Always read your longest book first! Small children have a very limited attention span, and they'll be paying the most attention right at the beginning.  As you go along through your program, the books you read should be getting shorter and shorter.  You may want to save something special for last, such as a pop-up book, to really help keep them with you right to the end.

- Don't get too hung up on a theme. As tempting as it is to scour the internet searching for every single rhyme and song you can find about (insert theme here), the truth is your families really don't care if every week is all new.  You'll feel more confident going in using some of your favorite songs and rhymes, rather than trying to memorize a million new ones every week, and your regular parents will also appreciate your using what they know.  I had a professor in college who used to say, "Beware the cute idea."  Just because you stumble upon a website that lists every single song and rhyme ever invented on your chosen weekly theme does not mean that they are all quality rhymes, or that they'll really add anything to your program. Trying new things is great, but don't overdo it - always have those old standbys at the ready to keep your program running smoothly.

- Preschoolers like predictability.  To go along with the above tip, it is totally OK to do some things exactly the same week after week. Starting with the same fingerplay or having a set half-time song goes a long way to getting those shy ones comfortable in story time.  Even if it is something you do once a month, the kids will recognize when a certain puppet or prop appears, that means it's time for that song they love.

- Try before you buy.  An old cliche, it's important to remember that until you actually read a book out loud, try those fingerplays without looking at the paper, or sing the new lyrics to 'If You're Happy and You Know it', you wont know if it will work for you.  Especially if it is a book with rhythm, you'll want to read it once or twice out loud before you do it in story time.

-  Make it your own.  So you are taking over for a much loved storyteller, and your first reaction is to do EXACTLY what that librarian did because you are afraid to lose your audience.  Every story teller has their own style.  Trying to shoe-horn yourself into someone else's style is like wearing a dress that won't fit.  It is noticeable. Do what you love and the kids will love what you do.  Sure, some families will go away but others will discover you.  Be yourself and that will shine though.

- Spice it up.  After a year or two, you will be well nestled into your groove.  It might be time to try something new.  Everyone has something they do really well in story time, and everyone has an area where they wish they were better.  Observe a story time where someone is great at music, or puppetry, or felt, and ask how to start small.  Or expand on something you already do well.  Do you like to sing?  How about trying to learn an instrument?  Do you like classic tales?  How about retelling them with puppets or felt without the book?  Not only will the kids love it, but you will be adding to your portfolio.

- It's okay to stop and change activities.  Sometimes books or activities just don't go the way we think they will.  Or a group of kids might be extra fidgety one morning.  It is okay to stop reading if no one is listening and move on to another activity.  No one will mind!  Jump into a fun fingerplay or start singing a familiar song to regain the kids' attention.

- Toddlers can listen and run around at the same time.  Toddlers are definitely unique!  They aren't babies that sit in their caregivers' laps and they aren't preschoolers that understand about sitting on your story rug.  They are learning to become independent and where their boundaries are.  This means that some will come to story time and want to explore.  I have learned that these kids are still listening and learning from story time even when they appear to be busy doing other things (like having their mommy chase them!).  So don't get discouraged if some are moving about.  Just keep doing your thing!

-Love what you do! Story times can be cumbersome to plan, but it is so worth it to put your heart into them.  Even if you're busy, try not to just grab any old book or rhyme or song you come across and slap it together.  You'll discover that if you aren't crazy about the book you're reading, the kids won't be either! As children's librarians, it is so important to be passionate about what we do, so let that passion shine through in your story times, and your patrons will love you for it!

Most importantly, learn from each other.  We have a great time bouncing ideas off of each other, but we also spend a great deal of time learning from other bloggers, looking on Pinterest, and following other youth librarians on social networks.  We have gotten so much inspiration from our large network of colleagues, who have inspired us to work hard and improve our skills.  We have LOVED sharing our work with all of you.  So THANK YOU for reading our blog, commenting, and encouraging us.  It has meant so much!

Miss Kristen, Miss Sue, and Miss Kristie.....the Library Village.

Detail: 100th Post! Our Top Tips for Story Time Success!

0 Baby Story Time - I Like Bugs!

Spring is the time of year to celebrate all the creepy-crawlies we are starting to see outside! Grab your wiggleworms and get ready for story time!

OPENING SONG: "The Hello Song" *

GREETING SONG: "Hello" (Name Song) *

WAKE-UP RHYME: "Little Spider"
(Not sure where I found this originally, but you can find it here)
See the little spider climbing up the wall.
     (walk fingers up baby's arm)
See the little spider stumble and fall.
     (walk fingers down baby's other arm)
See the little spider tumble down the street.
     (walk fingers down baby's legs)
See the little spider tickle my feet!
     (tickle!)

1st Book: Caterpillar's Wish by Mary Murphy

It's unfortunate that this sweet book is out of print because it is just perfect for babies and toddlers! All Caterpillar wants to do is fly with her friends. Will she get her wish? 

 

Action Song: "The Insects and Spiders" (sing to "The Wheels on the Bus")

(borrowed from Miss Carol, our PJ Story Time expert!)

The pretty butterflies fly up and down, up and down, up and down,

The pretty butterflies fly up and down, all through the day!

     (flap arms like wings)

 

2) The spiders in the tree all spin a web... (roll arms)

3) The crickets in the field hop up and down... (bounce baby)

4) The bees in the hive go buzz, buzz, buzz... (fly with arms out)

 

Nursery Rhyme: "Little Miss Muffet" (Passing on classic nursery rhymes is so important! Don't forget about the old classics when you're planning your story time!)

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey.
     (sign for "eat" - fingers to mouth)

Along came a spider who sat down beside her,

     (walk fingers up baby's arm)
And frightened Miss Muffet away!
     (tickle!)

I use this little storytelling kit from Lakeshore Learning:

Action Song: "Open, Shut Them"
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Give them both a clap, clap, clap.
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

 

Walk them, walk them, walk them, walk them,

Right up to your chinny, chin, chin.
Circle around your little mouth but...
Do not let them in!
     (tickle!)

 

2nd Book: Lenny in the Garden by Ken Wilson-Max

Such a sweet book! Check out the felt set I made to go with it here.

 

Action Song: "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider"

The itsy-bitsy spider went up the waterspout.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out!
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again!

 

Rhythm Time: Scarves! Shake your scarves to the music!

 

"Ladybugs' Picnic" (from Sesame Street)

I pulled the music video up on YouTube and played it on my smartphone, just for the music.

 

"Shake My Sillies Out" (from Raffi's cd Singable Songs for the Very Young)

Love this song :o)

 

After our songs, we just played with the scarves for a few minutes. The babies really enjoyed putting them over their heads, so we played peekaboo.  It was really nice to just play without a plan.  If you haven't tried scarves with babies, I highly recommend them! Ours are transparent, so they can still see through them when the scarves are on their heads.

 

Ours are from Lakeshore Learning:

 



3rd Book: I Like Bugs by Lorena Siminovich

I really love the artwork in this simple counting board book!



 

CLOSING SONG: "If You're Happy and You Know It" *

GOODBYE SONG: "Babies, Bye-Bye" *

CLOSING RHYME: "Thank You" *



*Check out my Baby Story Time page for the words to all of my weekly songs and rhymes.

 

Thanks for stopping by! We'll be back in a few weeks - Summer Reading kicks off June 2!



Detail: Baby Story Time - I Like Bugs!