In storytime lately, we’ve been talking about how playing leads to reading, so here’s a storytime all about toys and games.
OPENING SONG: Hello Song*
OPENING FINGERPLAY: Open Them Shut Them*
BOOK: Saffy and Ollie, by Opal
This is one of a new series of charming board books with stories just right for 1s and 2s. In this book, Saffy the giraffe is playing with a rock and doesn’t want Ollie to play too. Then the rock gets stuck in a hole, and who can help get it out? Ollie is kind and helps Saffy and Saffy invites Ollie to play.
LITERACY MESSAGE: PLAYING
The more children know and understand about their world, the more background knowledge they will be able to bring to the books they read. This helps them become good readers because what they already know gives them context for the new ideas that they read, and makes it easier to make sense out of what’s on the page. Talking while you play with your child starts to build their understanding. “Oh, look, the ball can’t roll because it’s stuck in a little hole. Balls can only roll when the ground is flat and smooth.”
FLANNEL RHYME: Purple Car, Purple Car, What Do You See?
Sometimes we play with rocks and sticks, and sometimes we play with cars and trucks! A longer description of this activity is at my More Things That Go storytime post.
ACTION SONG: Bumpin’ Up and Down in My Little Red Wagon
Now let’s take a ride in a red wagon!
Bumpin’ up and down in my little red wagon
Bumpin’ up and down in my little red wagon
Bumpin’ up and down in my little red wagon
Won’t you be my darling?One wheel’s off and the axel’s broken…
I’m gonna fix it with my hammer…
Bumpin’ up and down in my little red wagon…
FLANNEL SONG: A Hunting We Will Go*
Today we used dragon/wagon, duck/truck, crab/cab, and goat/boat.
BOOK: Max’s Toys by WELLS
My sister gave me this book when we were both in college because Max is awesome. The back cover showed a picture of Max hugging Ruby’s doll Emily and just oozing contentment. When Rosemary Wells redid the illustrations to this board book, that final image was dropped. It kinda broke my heart! But this is still an excellent book for baby storytime!
FINGERPLAY: Three Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
I shortened this up a bit for the babies.
ACTION SONG: Roll Over!
Again, I only started with 3 things in the bed, to make it a little shorter for the very young audience.
There were three in the bed and the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out!There were two in the bed…”
ACTIVITY: Roll, Roll, Sugar Babies
So grateful to Reading Chick for teaching me this one!
Roll roll sugar babies
Roll roll sugar babies
Roll babies hands over each other like Wheels on the Bus
Push
Gently push baby’s arms…lean forward or back if they are sitting on your lap, or pull on their arms if they are lying on their backs. Remember to make sure the motion is “pushing” from their point of view!
Pull
Gently pull baby’s arms
Clap clap clap
Clap!When I asked my grownups for other verses we could do, one mom suggested “Head, toe, clap, clap, clap.” Love it!.
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!
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