Mel’s Desk

Here’s an update to last fall’s Bodies storytime!

OPENING SONG: Hello Song*

OPENING FINGERPLAY: Open Them Shut Them*

BOOK: I Can Help by COSTELLO

This is a wonderful story for baby and toddler storytimes! It has really short sentences, but lots of meaning is carried in the bright and clear illustrations so the narrative is rich and there is lots to talk about.

ACTION SONG: If You’re Happy and You Know It

FLANNEL SONG: A Hunting We Will Go*
Today we used duck/truck and parrot/carrot, since a duck and a bird are in the first book. Then I tossed in bear/chair and fish/dish.

BOOK: Whose Toes Are Those? by ASIM

If you like this bouncy, rhyming book, look for Whose Knees Are These? by the same author.

ACTION SONG: Where Is Big Toe?
Sing to: Where is Thumbkin?

Where is big toe? Where is big toe?
Here I am; here I am!
Touch baby’s toe
Wiggle, wiggle, big toe
Wiggle, wiggle, big toe
Wiggle baby’s toe
My big toe, my big toe.

Where is elbow…bendy, bendy elbow
Where is tummy…squishy, squashy tummy
Where are two eyes…winky blinky two eyes
Where are two hands…happy clappy two hands

LITERACY TIP: Print Motivation
Don’t forget to sign up for summer reading! Even babies and toddlers can participate!

BOOK: What’s On My Head? by MARGARET MILLER

This is the book my husband and I give as a new baby present!

ACTION SONG: Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes

Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes

ACTION RHYME: This is Big Big Big*

CLOSING SONG: Sneeze Game*

*Check out the My Baby Storytime page for the words and/or citations for these weekly activities!

There was lots of sunshine this weekend–and lots of rain on the way! Gardens need both rain and sun to grow!

OPENING SONG: Hello Song*

OPENING FINGERPLAY: Open Them Shut Them*

BOOK: Small Seed by NICHOLLS
Another great book for babies from Little Scholastic! Lots of rhyme and repetition as the small seed grows into a sunflower.

FINGERPLAY: Big Round Sun

Big round sun in the summer sky
Hold arms in circle over head
Waved to a cloud that was passing by
Wave!
The little cloud laughed as it started to rain
Wiggle fingers downward for rain
And out came the big round sun again.
Hold up arms in circle above head again

FLANNEL SONG: If It’s Raining Outside
Sing to: If You’re Happy and You Know It.

If it’s raining outside, wear your boots,
If it’s raining outside, wear your boots,
If it’s raining outside, then your boots will keep you dry
If it’s raining outside, wear your boots.

…wear your coat
…wear your hat
…bring your umbella

BOOK: Lenny in the Garden by WILSON-MAX
I can’t think of a single book Ken Wilson-Max has illustrated that HASN’T made me happy just to look at it.

BOUNCE: I’m A Little Beetle
I wrote this little rhyme a few years ago. Bounce babies in laps, then lift them up when you say, “Fly!” You can use it with toddlers and preschoolers, too–just have them JUMP when you say “Fly!”

I’m a little beetle
And I wiggle all day
If you get too close to me,
I’ll FLY away!

I’m a little bumblebee…
I’m a little ladybug…

FLANNEL SONG: A Hunting We Will Go*
Today we used things we’d find in a garden: bee/tree, ants/pants, parrot/carrot, and frog/log.

LITERACY TIP: Print Motivation
Make sure your babies see you are a reader, too! Show them your garden catalogs, or the sports pages, or your latest book from the library. We are powerful models for our kids! If they see that we read, they are more likely to become readers themselves.

BOOK: Big Yellow Sunflower by BARRY
This folds out to a big beautiful flower! Practice holding the pages before you read this in storytime, but the effort is worth it…the flower is so bright and big enough for everyone to see!

FLANNEL RHYME: Out in the Garden

Out in the garden
Growing in the sun
Were 5 pretty flowers
And I picked one!

Out in the garden
Growing in the sun
Were 4 pretty flowers
And I picked one!

Etc.

ACTION RHYME: This is Big Big Big*

CLOSING SONG: Sneeze Game*

*Check out the My Baby Storytime page for the words and/or citations for these weekly activities!

Another farm storytime!?! At least this one has two new chicks flannels! Thanks to Miss Jennifer, who also likes Charlie Chick, and whose Chickens storytimes sparked some ideas!

OPENING SONG: Hello Song*

OPENING FINGERPLAY: Open Them Shut Them*

BOOK: Clip-Clop by SMEE
Simple, repetitive and fun!

BOUNCE: Trot Trot to Boston

Trot trot to Boston
Trot trot to Lynn
Trot trot to Grammy’s house
Bounce baby gentle on your lap
But don’t fall IN!
Gently drop baby between your legs!

FLANNEL SONG: A Hunting We Will Go*
Today we used the animals from Clip-Clop, pig/wig, duck/truck, dog/log, and cat/hat.

BOOK: Rosie’s Walk by HUTCHINS
I have the big book, which makes this more fun to share. One day after storytime, an 18-month-old toddler came up to look at Rosie’s Walk, and as she turned the pages, she stopped and shook her head and said, “Nooooooo!” to the fox on every page!

FINGERPLAY: Here Is the Beehive

Here is the beehive
Make a fist with one hand, and cover it with the other
Where are the bees?
Hidden inside where nobody sees.
Watch as they come out of the hive!
One, two, three, four, five!
Lift up your hand, and open your fist to show five fingers.

LITERACY TIP: Print Motivation
As the weather gets better and you head out and about, don’t forget to put a board book or two in your diaper bag or backpack!

FLANNEL RHYME: Ten Fluffy Chickens
I found this on The Best Kids’ Book Site and immediately was struck by the image of yellow chicks emerging from white eggs, so I made this flannel. It is very cute and I am very happy!

Five eggs and five eggs
Add a clutch of eggs each time you say “five eggs”
And that makes ten
Sitting on top
Add the hen
Is Mother Hen
Cackle cackle cackle
Clap hands as you say Cackle!
What do I see?
Ten fluffy chickens
Flip over each clutch of eggs.
Yellow as can be.

BOOK: Charlie Chick by DENCHFIELD
Charlie is so one of my favorites.

FLANNEL RHYME: One Little Chick
A rhyme with chicks of different colors sparked this idea instead!

One little chick was gray
And one little chick was brown
One little chick was yellow
And one was upside down!

ACTION RHYME: This is Big Big Big*

CLOSING SONG: Sneeze Game*

*Check out the My Baby Storytime page for the words and/or citations for these weekly activities!

Here’s a different version of last fall’s Things That Go storytime. Toot toot!

OPENING SONG: Hello Song*

OPENING FINGERPLAY: Open Them Shut Them*

BOOK: Toot Toot Beep Beep by EMMA GARCIA

FLANNEL RHYME: Purple Car, Purple Car, What Do You See?
My colleague Carol does a rhyme like this with real toy cars and trucks, but I color copied the vehicles from Toot Toot Beep Beep instead! I copied them at 150% so they would be nice and big. Just do the Brown Bear, Brown Bear thing: “Purple Car, Purple Car, what do you see? I see a red jeep looking at me.” When I borrow images from a book for a flannel like this, I always use them along with the book, or I have the book with me and say, “These great pictures are by [artist] and from this book.” They deserve the credit!

ACTION SONG: The Wheels on the Bus

FLANNEL SONG: A Hunting We Will Go*
Today we did duck/truck, rocket/pocket, sheep/jeep, and goat/boat

BOOK: Train by CHRIS DEMAREST

This was one of four little board books by Chris Demarest. They are short and sweet and rhyme and are great for baby storytime, but I don’t think they are in print any longer. We had the Bus one at home with our girls, and I can still recite most of it by heart!

TICKLE: This Little Train

This little train ran up the track
Trail fingers up baby’s arm from fingers to shoulder
It went Choo Choo!
Tap baby’s nose!
And then it ran back.
Trail fingers back down baby’s arm.

The other little train ran up the track
Trail fingers up baby’s other arm from fingers to shoulder
It went Choo Choo!
Tap baby’s nose!
And then it ran back.
Trail fingers back down baby’s arm.

SONG: Down at the Station

Down at the station early in the morning
See the little pufferbellies lined up in a row
See the engine driver pull his little handle
Puff Puff Choo Choo! Off we go!

ACTION RHYME: This is Big Big Big*

CLOSING SONG: Sneeze Game*

*Check out the My Baby Storytime page for the words and/or citations for these weekly activities!