Baby Storytime #8 - Gardens

A terrible beginning today...I was late to the branch by about 15 minutes because of a traffic jam, so I had about 10 minutes to set up and get ready.

My theme was Gardens. I was planning to play "The Garden Song" on my good uke (my concert) but I completely forgot it today and I really need a strap in order to play it, so I just used a CD.

My plan:
Opening - The more we get togther (uke)
Bounce - Roll Roll Sugar Babies (jbrary)
Fingerplay - My Garden (Finger Plays and Action Rhymes blog)
Flannel - Five little Flowers
Action Song - Hap Palmer - In My Garden
Fingerplay - Itsy Bitsy Spider
Book - Growing Vegetable Soup by Ehlert
Choral Reading - The Mole That Dug a Hole by Donaldson
Puppet Story - There is something in my garden (DTDL Storytime)
Closing - May There Aways be Sunshine (uke)
Bubbles - Oats, Beets, Beans, and Barley Grow

Early Literacy Tips - Vocabulary

They loved Sugar Babies so I will keep that in for a few weeks. They like the Hap Palmer song better than I thought they would even though I was doing all the actions and they were just looking at me.

A pretty young crowd this time with many more lap babies than I expected. I forgot to make my welcoming remarks about going and moving...I was pretty flustered.

Baby Storytime #7 - Rain!

I had a very good group today. They listened to the stories and participated in the songs. It went so fast I ran out of material. Still it was 20 minutes but they seemed to want more. Maybe I will bring more books next time.

Hello song - The more we get together (uke)
Tickle: from Jbrary
Rain is falling down, Splash!
Rain is falling down, Splash!
Pitter patter pitter patter,
Rain is falling down, Splash!

Sun is peeking out, Peek!
Sun is peeking out, Peek!
Peeking here, peeking there
Sun is peeking out, Peek!

Flannel song: (to If you're happy and you know it) from Mel's Desk
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 umbrella.

Book: Rain by Rozanne Williams

Song:
It's raining, it's pouring
The old man is snoring
Bumped his head on the side of the bed
And he won't get up in the morning.

Fingerplay-Umbrellas
5 umbrellas stood by the back door,
One went outside and then there were 4.
4 umbrellas pretty as can be
One went outside and then there were 3
3 umbrellas with nothing to do
One went outside and then there were 2
2 umbrellas no having much fun
One went outside and then there was 1.
1 little umbrella alone in the hall.
It went outside and then there was one.

Choral Reading; Eency Weency Spider

Shakers to Singing in the rain from Maria Muldaur's Swingin in the rain

Goodbye song: May there always be sunshine
I did this like Jim Gill and added the names of the kids so I could learn them. They are now gone from my brain but maybe I will learn them soon.

Bubbles to Rain Song by Lisa Monet (Circle Time CD)

Baby Storytime #6 - Peek a Boo!

Not my best baby storytime to date but I got through it.

Our theme was "Peek a Boo!"

Game- Where is Baby?
This is to encourage letter recognition. The baby picture hides behind a shape. I reveal each in turn.
(yellow triangle, red heart, orange square, white circle etc.) The kids looked at me with interest but I didn't get any responses. I have been told you have to do this over and over to get them to understand it. I might try it again next week with a different hidden pic. I might change it up a bit too.

Bounce - Abba Dabba Soda Cracker - first time I did this one. They liked it but I need to memorize it.
Read - Peek a Boo Morning by Isadora - might have been a little long
Passed out scarves and did some songs.
Read - Peek a Boo Kisses - I didn't do it as a choral reading because it is a lift a flap book so it seemed that it would work better solo. Everyone seemed to like it.

Shaker song - Shake your sillies out
Goodbye song
Bubbles - Bathtime by Raffi

I was pretty disorganized today. I forgot to get out the balls and toys until someone reminded me. It didn't help that 1/2 the people came late today.

Baby Storytime #5 - Birds

I enjoyed this one.

I talked about Reading to your baby.

We did Five Little Ducks as a big book. Then as a choral reading. Then as a song.

Worked out great.











Other things that we did:
2 little black birds - with puppets (not great)
Owl in the tree says hoo hoo hoo (with puppets)
Bounce: Mama Duck
Shakers: I know a chicken
Bubbles
Toys

A smaller group but very active. Difficult keeping them away from the doll baby and the big book.

Toddler Time - Pizza

I filled in for a colleague who was off Easter Monday.

I did my old stand by- Pizza

It went pretty well but doing 2 toddler times back to back is exhausting!

Songs:
Open shut them
I am a pizza (with uke)
Bean Bag Rock
What a miracle

Books:
The little red hen makes a pizza
Pete's a Pizza
Hi Pizza Man

Baby Storytime #4 - Babies on the Go!

Today I had some trouble with my music.

I used the Ipad for a Laurie Berkner song - I'm gonna drive my car - and it worked great. The problem was when I went to use it for bubbles. There was an ad on youtube that was so loud! Then I had to keep an eye on it for when it was done so I could turn the volume up again. Not a big deal but I might not use youtube with the babies since waiting is not there strong suit. Live and Learn.

Here is what I did this week:

Flannel - 10 little dump trucks

Songs

• The More we Get Together (with ukulele)
• I'm gonna drive my car (with motions)
• Wheels on the bus (with motions)
• Beep Beep Buckle up - The Wiggles (shakers)
• Down at the station (with motions)
• Bubbles- Raffi
• Splish Splash-Bobby Darin (with bubbles)
• Now It's time to Say goodbye (with ukulele)

Bounces

• This is the way the ladies ride
• Bumping up and down in my little red wagon 
• Hurry Hurry drive the fire truck 

Book
Babies on the Go by Linda Ashman
This book was pretty long so we did it as a choral reading in the beginning and then I stopped and they continued as I passed out shakers.


I had a good crowd of 19 babies and 17 caregivers. I set up the room with me at the small end - it worked last time - but this time they leaned against the doors. Then they had to move when I got out the toys and balls. Oh well. What can you do?