Basic Baby and Me Storytime

The general format is always the same:

Two Opening Songs
A book. (Hip, Hip, Hooray!  We read one book today!)
A Finger Play
A Second Book (Hip, Hip Hooray!  We read two books today!)
An Action Rhyme or Song
A Third Book  (Hip, Hip, Hooray!  We read three books today!)
A Lap Bounce
Two Ending Songs

Always repeat the songs, rhymes, and bounces at least twice, if not three times!

Opening Songs:

Who Is Sitting Next To You?
Good Morning, <Baby's Name>
How are you?
And who is sitting next to you?
(Go around the circle and repeat for each child)

Welcome Song
Welcome, welcome everyone.
Now we're here, let's have some fun.
First we'll clap our hands just so.
Then we'll bend and touch our toes.
Welcome, welcome everyone.
Now we're here, let's have some fun!

Fingers, Hands, and Arms:

Come A-Look A-See
Come a-look a-see, here's my Mama.  (thumb)
Come a-look a-see, here's my Papa.  (pointer)
Come a-look a-see, my brother tall!  (middle)
Sister, Baby...(ring finger, pinky, then pause)
MMmmmmmm-a!  (Kiss all fingertips together)
.....I love them all!

Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?  Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am!  Here I am!  (pop out each thumb)
How are you today sir?  (nod one thumb)
Very well I thank you!  (nod the other thumb)
Run away, run away.  (hide each thumb)

Open and Shut Them
Open, shut them, open, shut them.  Give a little clap-clap-clap!
Open, shut them, open, shut them.  Put them in your lap-lap-lap!
Creep them crawl them, creep them, crawl them.  Right up to your chin-chin-chin!
Open wide your little mouth, but do not let them in-in-in!

Tickle Rhymes
This Little Piggie
This little piggie went to market, This little piggie stayed home,
This little piggie had roast beef (or tofu) And this little piggie had none.
And this little piggie went "We-we-we-we", all the way home!

Baby's Bellybutton
These are Baby's fingers, these are Baby's toes,
This is Baby's bellybutton, round and round it goes.
These are baby's eyes, this is Baby's nose. 
This is baby's bellybutton,
Right where Mommy (or Daddy) blows!

Lap Bounces

Acka Backa
Acka backa soda cracker, Acka backa boo!  Acka Backa soda cracker, I love you!
Acka Backa soda cracker, Acka backa boo!  Acka Backa soda cracker, up goes you!

A Smooth road
A smooth road, a smooth road, a smooth road, a smooth road.  (slide side to side)
A bumpy road, a bumpy road, a bumpy road, a bumpy road!  (gentle bounces)
A rough road, a rough road, a rough road, a rough road.  (faster bounces)
Watch out!  A hole!  (falls through knees)  Whee!

Action Rhymes

Shake and Count (with rattles)
One, two shake it on your shoe.  Three, four shake it on the floor.
Five, six stir and mix.  Seven eight stand up straight.
Nine, ten wave to all your friends!

Patty-Cake
Patty-cake, patty cake, baker's man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it, pat it, and mark it with a "B"!
And put it in the oven for Baby and me!

Action Songs

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!
(repeat three times, faster each time)

Row, Row, Row Your boat
Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
Rock, rock, rock your boat, gently down the stream.
If you see an alligator, don't forget to scream!
Row, row, row your boat, quickly to the shore.
If you see a lion, don't forget to roar!  Roar!

Ending Songs

I'm a Book Baby!
I'm a book, baby, book baby, I like to read, I like to read, i like to read!
I'm a book baby, book bay, I like to read.  Read at the library!
I like to clap...
I like to dance...
I like to wave...
I like to shake... (rattle)

Good-bye Babies
Good-bye babies, good-bye babies, good-bye babies, it's time for you to play.
Hope you had a happy time, happy time, happy time. 
Hope you had a happy time, I had a good time too!

Then it's time to get out the toy tub (which has been hidden) and let the babies play and the parents visit.

Birds!  Story Time

Recommended or used Books:

Birds by Kevin Henkes

Birdsongs by Betsy Franco

Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert

In My Nest by Sara Gillingham

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

I love to mention that birds are the wild animals that we can see everyday, no matter if we live in the city or the country.  I talk about the birds I have seen today and ask them to look for birds when they are outside on the playground or driving home in the car with their Mom or Dad.

I start out by reading Birds by Kevin Henkes.  This books ends with the little girl saying that she can't fly, but she can sing.  So, we sing!

Baby Birds

Way up in the sky, the big  birds fly (flap arms)

Down in their nest, baby birds rest (cup hands)

With a wing on the left (flap left arm)

And a wing on the right (flap right arm)

Tired baby birds sleep all night (rock arms like rocking a baby)  Shhh!  They’re sleeping!

The bright sun comes up!  (circle arms)

The dew falls away.  (fingers twinkle down)

Good Morning!  Good Morning!  The little birds say.  (cup hands to mouth)

Then it's flannel board time with:

In My Nest

In my nest there are curly twigs,

Soft, warm feathers,

Smooth green leaves with mud to help stick them together,

And there is me!

I am cozy in my nest...

With my family!

If it is a small group, I give a piece of this flannel to each child to put on the flannel board at the appropriate time.  We build a nest (just like birds build nests) with leaves, mud, sticks, and feathers.

Or
Little Bird, Little Bird Fly Through my Window song by Elizabeth Mitchell (so lovely!) and flannel board:

Little bird, little bird, fly through my window!
Little bird, little bird, fly through my window!
Little bird, little bird, fly through my window!
Find molasses candy!
Repeat, using jaybird, robin bird, goldfinch, chickadee, etc.
Have the birds fly to the (flannel board) window as you sing the verse.

Five Hoot Owls Flannel

Five Hoot Owls sitting in a tree.

One flew away!  How Many do you see?

One, two, three, four!

Four Hoot Owls….

OR

One Little Bluebird

One little Bluebird, up and up he flew!

Along came another and that makes two.

Two Little Blue birds sitting in a tree.

Along came another one and that makes three!

Three little Blue Birds sitting near a door.

Along came another and than makes four.

Four Little Blue Birds feeling so alive.

Along came another one and that makes five.

Five little Blue Birds had a lovely day.

They sang a pretty song and then flew away!

OR

Two Little Dickey Birds

Two little dickey birds sitting on a cloud.

One named soft.  One named LOUD!

Fly away soft.  Fly away LOUD!

Come back soft.  Come back LOUD!

Do it again and have the children get their 'birds' (thumbs) ready with:

Two little black birds sitting very still.
One named Jack, One named Jill.
Fly away Jack.  Fly away Jill.
Come back Jack.  Come back Jill.

And yet again:

Two little chickadees flying in the sky.
One named Low and one named High.
Fly away Low.  Fly away High.
Come back Low!.  Come back High!

Time for the special visitors:  Mother Owl and her three owl babies:  Sarah, Percy and Bill!

I tell the story of Owl Babies by Martin Waddell using these puppets.  It is particularly effective to pause each time after you say, "And Bill said," so that the children can help you say, "I want my Mommy!"  Great success!

We all know that birds lay eggs, so it's time to sing the Shakey Egg Song: 

Shakey Egg Song:

Shake, shake, shake your egg.

Shake, shake, shake your egg.

Shake, shake shake your egg.

Shake your egg and put it on your head.

Ask children to name other parts of their bodies

And repeat song.

Knitting For Gold!

Did you know that there is a very talented group of knitters at my library?  Well, just see for yourself:

They knit Olympic Athletes!

Well, I helped.  I knit the tennis racket:

I strung the racket with dental floss, of course.

Here's a favorite, the gymnast:

And a beach volleyball player:

Here's Michael Phelps!

A platform diver!

And a kayaker:

Here's the heavy lifter:

And the basketball star:

The Thrill of Victory!

Dinosaur R-O-A-R-!

Book:  How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen

Then use five dinosaurs and a bed with a big, big 'D' (for dinosaur) for jumping up and down with the children:

Five little dinosaurs jumping on the bed.  One fell off and broke his head!
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:  "No more dinosaurs jumping on the bed!"                
Work your way down until the doctor says, "Put those dinosaurs back in bed!"

Of course, you know the actions that match the words to this song:  jumping up and down, banging on your head, calling on the telephone, and shaking your finger like you're a doctor.
Take a dinosaur off the flannel board with each round and hide them on the back of the board.

Then we try this action rhyme:

Dinosaurs Lived Long Ago

Dinosaurs lived long ago.

Some walked.  (Walk in place.)

Some swam.  (Swimming motions)

Some flew you know.  (Flying motions)

Some were big.  (Be big.)

And some were very small.  (Be tiny.)

Some were gigantic.  (Arms wide.)

Very, very tall.  (Be tall.)

Then it's time to settle the children down with this song:

   Dinosaur, Dinosaur

Dinosaur, Dinosaur turn around!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch the ground!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Reach up high!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, wink your eye!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch your nose!
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch your toes!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, slap your knees!

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, sit down please!

I find it effective to point to a different child each time we sing 'dinosaur, dinosaur'.

Then it's time for the special visitor from the library.  I pull Bob the T Rex out of the bag and talk for him. 

 "Hi!  I'm Bob!"  Then I explain to the children that Bob has a problem.  He came to school today without eating breakfast.  Bob's hungry!  Do they know what Bob eats?  Dinosaur bones!  We have to sing a song to help Bob find Dinosaur bones and it goes like this:

Bob’s Song:

Dinosaur Bones!  Dinosaur Bones!

I’m gonna get me some dinosaur bones!

Bob's tiny little hands clap in rhythmn to the song.  At the end of the song, Bob dives into my library bag. 

 This is where it's important to pause because for some reason, the children think that it is hilarious to see Bob's tail wiggling around in the air while he tries to find bones in the bag.  Of course, Bob finds all sorts of crazy things in the bag.  First he could pull out pizza.  "Oh, Bob!  That's not a dinosaur bone!  That's pizza!"  Big laugh.  Then, we must sing the song again.  Bob pulls out a baby bottle.  "Oh Bob!  Baby bottle starts with B like bones, but Bob!  That's a baby bottle!"  

So after several mishaps (lemon, or whatever you may have laying around), Bob finally pulls out a PRESENT!  I have to help him open it because his little arms are so tiny. 

It's a bone!  Success!

Bob says, "Happy!  Happy!" and sings a celebratory song:

Dinosaur Song:

Oh, I’m a Dinosaur!

Just listen to me roar!  ROAR!

I’m not so neat whenever I eat

I always want more and more!  SLURP!

Special thanks to my friend and fellow librarian Joy Feldman who taught me this dinosaur puppet fun.

Then Bob explains the bookmobile rules to the children:
1.  "You have very long arms!  You can hold onto the railings, but I can't because my arms are so small.  Use your big arms!"
2.  "If you pull a book off the shelf that you don't want, give it to her!  (Bob points to me).  She can put it back for you!"
3.  "Don't climb on the benches.  You could fall and hurt yourself."

Then it's time to Say goodbye, Say goodbye, and I see them out in the Bookmobile.

Moon, Stars, and Planets!

Outline for a Spacey Storytime in keeping with the Summer Reading theme of "Dream Big":

Storytime Apron:  I usually start story time with my storytime apron.  It has seven pockets which hold clues to what the stories will be about.  I tell the children that they can be detectives and try to guess what will be the theme of the stories.  Sometimes the children raise their hands and pick a pocket and other times we look in the pockets together.  I explain that while there are only seven pockets and not everyone can pick a pocket, everyone can be a detective.  Here is my apron:

I made this apron by BUYING a kitchen apron!  Ha!  Then I added Maisy Mouse pockets.  Simple!


Here is what I put in the pockets:

I then ask a tricky question:  How many stars do you see on the flannel board?  They say two and I point out that our Sun is a star!  I also ask if they have ever seen the moon out in the sky while the Sun is still out.  Then we sing:

Mr Moon!  Mr Moon!  You're out too soon!

The Sun is still in the sky!

Go back to bed, cover up your head,

And wait until the day's gone by!

Flannel story:  Four Little Rockets

Four Little Rockets winking at me.

One shot off and then there were three!

Three little rockets with nothing to do.

One shot off and then there were two!

Two Little rockets afraid of the sun.

One shot off and then there was one!

One little rocket alone is no fun.

It shot off and then there were none.

Here are the rockets:

Book:  Here is Space by David Milgrim.  This is a mind-bending story about an adventurous little boy who lives in space since he lives on Earth.  As an introduction, I ask the children to look for the things that this little boy picks up on each page of his adventure.

Then we do these fun activities:

Bend and Stretch

Bend and stretch.  Reach for the stars.

There goes Jupiter.  Here comes Mars.

Bend and Stretch.  Reach for the Sky.

Stand on tip-e-toe.  Oh!  So high!

Zoom!  Zoom! Zoom!

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom.  (Hand in prayer position and push up three times)

We’re going to the moon.  (Point up to the sky)

If you want to take a trip,

Climb aboard my rocket ship.  (Climbing motion)

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re going to the Moon.  (repeat)

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

(Crouch down with hands together)

Blast off!

(Jump up and shoot arms into the air)

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,

We’re going to the Moon!

Next comes a flannel board story which I made from the book, Eight Spinning Planets by Brian James.  It is so much easier for the children to follow this story in flannel form!  The spinning planets proved to be way too distracting!

I especially like the end of this book which says that only Pluto is left and it's too small to be a planet.  I point to a speck on the flannel board and get a chuckle out of the teachers!

Here are the beautiful planets:

I wish that I had made Mercury out of a hotter color than violet, but there it is!

Then we sing this song, while I point to the appropriate planet: 

The Sun is our day time star!  The sun is our day time star!

Hi!  Ho!  To space we go!   The sun is our day time star!

Mercury's number one!  Oh, Mercury's number one!  (Hi!  Ho!...)

Oh Venus is number two!  Yes, Venus is number two!  (Refrain)

The Earth is third around!  The Earth is third around!  (Refrain)

You could end here with:

The Moon goes round the earth!  The Moon goes round the Earth!  (refrain)

Or continue on with:

Mars is really red!  Yes, Mars is really red!  (refrain)

Jupiter's very big!  Oh, Jupiter's very big!  (refrain)

Saturn has pretty rings!  Yes, Saturn has pretty rings!  (refrain)

Uranus is made of gas!  Uranus is made of gas!  (refrain)

Neptune is really cold!  Oh, Neptune is really cold!  (refrain)

Then, if there's time, I pass out a flannel star to each child and we sing:

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star!

I wonder who has a yellow star?

And the children with the yellow, then blue, then white, etc, star bring it forward and place on the night sky of the flannel board.

You could end by singing Twinkle Twinkle as children get a star hand stamp.

Here are all of the lyrics and even a version in Spanish!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.

When the glorious sun is set, when the grass with dew is wet,

Then you show your little light!  Twinkle, twinkle all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark thanks you for your tiny spark.

He could not see where to go if you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep, often through the trees you peep.

For you never shut your eye ‘til the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark lights the traveler in the dark

Though I know not what you are, twinkle, twinkle, little star!

And in Spanish!

Brilla, Brilla Estrellita! 

Que me alumbras con Tu luz!

Tan alto, en el cielo

Tan bonita eres Tu

Brilla, Brilla, Estrellita!

Que me alumbras con Tu luz!

Then it's out to the Bookmobile to check out books!  I always sing this closing song  (a lot of singing, I know!):

Now it's time to say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye!

Now it's time to say goodbye, I'll see you in the Bookmobile!

(To the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Other books to share:

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee

Voyage to the Bunny Planet by Rosemary Wells

Have fun with your stories and children!  Dream Big!

Starting Out with Wheels!

New Beginnings! 
I have just started a wonderful job as Outreach Librarian at the Everett Public Library in Washington State.  I drive the bookmobile to pre-schools and daycares and present storytimes!  It is a hoot!

The children get to come out to the bookmobile after storytime and check out a book each.  This is perhaps the only contact some of these kids have with libraries and books and it is such a pleasure to be their "Library Lady."

Any opinions posted in this blog will be mine, all mine, and not those of my employer.  There.  Disclaimed.

I am looking forward to posting photos of flannel board stories, puppets and other storytime props, in addition to storytime outlines and ideas, but for now, please enjoy this photo of my four day old (first) grand-daughter, Alice Juliet!  Can you tell that we just love her?

Don't forget to feed my fish!  Simply click in their tank and they'll be happy.