Beach Day!

In honor of Memorial Day I did Beach as my theme today.

I had a larger crowd that usual and many came in late. I need to figure out how to make sure the latecomers know the rules. I could wait until after the first song to do the rules.

Books I used:
To the Beach by Ashman
Fun dog Sun Dog by Heiligman

Songs:
Open Shut them
Shake your sillies out
If you're happy and you know it
Bubbles to Beach, Beach Sandy Beach by the Wiggles

Flannel
3 little jelly fish
Sharks in the sea

I got a little flustered and just had to quit. I tried to read my factual book about the seashore after the bubbles but no one was listening. I just took the coloring sheets to the tables.

The one little boy (late comer) that went into my closet (he opened the door I am pretty sure) was a big pain so I will have to block it off next time. Ugh!

Gardens for early head start

Same as toddler time but with the song Curious Garden by Emily Arrow. Awesome song!

Gardens for toddlers

I have a couple of families that come in late so for one that started out small and ended up pretty big, it went well.

Books:
Dig In! by Jenson-Elliot
and Then It's Spring by Fogliano

Songs:
In the Garden - Raffi with motions
Itsy bitsy spider
Garden Song - with shakers
Can you Plant a Bean - here (I messed this up big time, oh well)
Open shut them
Shake your sillies
If you're happy and you know it
What a miracle

Puppet poem
There's Something in my garden here

Finger play
10 little peas

Flannel
5 little flowers

It went okay. When I only had 5 to start I was going to do another book but when the ranks swelled to 14 I couldn't get to it. They were pretty tired by the end and I was too. So that equals a success in my book!

Mother's day - Toddler Storytime

Songs:
Open Shut Them
Shake your Sillies out
If you're happy and you know it
I love my Mommy by Lewin (with shakers)
MOMMY (to bingo)
What a Miracle

Fingerplay
5 little monkeys

Puppet Show
Mother Mother I want Another by Robbins

Books:
I Love Mommy by Braun
Piglet and Mama by Wild

The kids today were pretty wild. It didn't help that a couple of the parents were having social time and thought it was cute how their kids were running around everywhere. The best attended was my puppet show. My voice is pretty shot and I am exhausted. I am afraid my microfrowns might have been a little more macro today but at least I got through it.

Boxes - Toddlers

This was a really enjoyable storytime. Timing was great and the kids pretty under control.

Here is the run down:

Opening song -  Open, Shut Them

Books:
Thank you Bear by Foley
Spots in a Box by Ward
Not a Box by Portis

Action songs:
Shake your sillies out
If you're happy and you know it
What a Miracle

Finger plays:

Jack in the Box
Jack in the box, you sit so still,
(make a fist with thumb inside)
Won't you come out?
Yes, I will!
(Pop out thumb)

Little Turtle
I had a little turtle (make fist with thumb sticking out)
Who lived in a box (cup hands together)
He swam in a puddle and climbed on the rocks (with hands swim and climb)
He snapped at a mosquito (clap)
He snapped at a flea (clap)
He snapped at a minnow (clap)
And he snapped at me! (clap)
He caught the mosquito (cup hands) he caught the flea (cup hands) he caught the minnow (cup hands)
But he didn't catch me! (wag finger)

Song cube
I took at square (empty) tissue box and put clip art pictures on each side representing songs. Each child rolled the cube and we sang the song.

The songs are:
Wheels on the bus
Row, row row your boat
Baa baa black sheep
I'm a little teapot
If you're happy and you know it.

I just did 1 verse or for wheels on the bus I did 3 each time the song came up. Wheels on the bus was the most popular.

Bean bag rock by Stewart

Lost and Found with toddlers

I did a new theme today. There are many books about Lost and Found and I did a few for the toddlers today. The kids were a little stir crazy because of a few days of rain.

Books:
Knuffle Bunny by Willems
What's the matter Bunny Blue? by Smee
Little Lost Owl by Haughton

I don't usually do 3 books but they took a little break from running around the room and listened a bit.

Songs
Open shut them
Shake your sillies out
If you'er happy and you know it
I thought I lost you from Bolt with instruments'
What a miracle

Song:
Hug my bunny (tune: Found a Peanut)
Hug my bunny, hug my bunny, hug my bunny just now,
Just now I hug my bunny, hug my bunny, just now.

Load the laundry
Play outside
Lost my bunny
Can't stop crying
Check the washer
Found my bunny

Flannel Rhymes
Little Bo Peep
Little Boy Blue

With a new theme, I usually bomb the first time but this one went pretty well. It was a little short.  I might do a puppet story next time - Runaway Bunny - since I had done a puppet story last week I decided not to do it this week.

Worms with toddlers

I did my worm program again. It went well but it was a little short. I think I could have done another action song but I was out of ideas by the end.

Books:
Ned's New Home by Tseng
-Love this one for Toddlers
Inch by Inch by Lionni
-I remember this one from when I was young. Works pretty well for the toddlers as long as read with drama.

Flannel:
A Very Hungry Caterpillar by Carle
-this one went well.

Puppets:
Big Fat Worm by Van Laan
-One toddler insisted on standing at my knees. I tried to ignore but it was tough.

Action Rhyme with scarves:

WIGGLE WORMS

Wiggle your worms up, then wiggle them down.
Wiggle your worms around and around.

Wiggle them high, wiggle them low.
Wiggle them fast, wiggle them slow.

Wiggle them over, the tops of your toes.
Wiggle them under the tip of your nose.

Wiggle them up your arm to the top
Wiggle them down to your fingers and stop.

Wiggle your worm ‘cross the top of your head,
Then put your worm back in his own little bed.  (either put back in bag or cover up in hands.)

Songs:
Open Shut Them
Shake Your Sillies Out by Raffi
If you're happy and you know it
Walter the Waltzing Worm by Palmer with scarves
What a Miracle by Palmer