Infant & Toddler Storytime – Swimming!

It’s hot out there. Coming in the library is a great way to cool off. And it’s even better when we’re sharing stories about a great hot weather activity – swimming!

Books We Shared

We kicked things off in infant storytime by tagging along with a swim lass in Leo Can Swim by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Ruth Hearson. Leo and his dad have fun splashing and playing in the pool, and we had fun reading about this familiar scenario. Next, we played a guessing game with Sebastien Braun’s Who Can Swim? In this fun lift the flap book, you see the habitat and part of the animal who can swim, then you turn the page and see if your guess was correct.

During toddler storytime, we learned the different ways that various animals swim with Elephants Swim by Linda Capus Riley, illustrated by Steve Jenkins. We had fun moving in the same way the animals would. For our second book, we ventured outside with a girl and her cat in Brownie and Pearl Take a Dip by Cynthia Rylant, pictures by Brian Biggs, to dip our toes in a wading pool. Only things go wrong for Brownie and she ends up all wet!

Flannelboard Story

INFANT STORYTIME

Little Duck Flannelboard
Little Duck
Idea taken from Scott, Barbara A. 1,000 Fingerplays & Action Rhymes: A Sourcebook and DVD. New York: Neal-Schuman. 2010.

(to the tune of “London Bridge”)
Little duck goes “Quack, quack, quack, (make quacking motion with hands)
Quack, quack, quack,
Quack, quack, quack.”
Little duck goes “Quack, quack, quack.”
Swimming all day long

Other verses:
With her feet she paddle, paddle, paddles… (paddle hands)
With her tail she goes swish, swish, swish… (swish bottom)

TODDLER STORYTIME
Fish Swimming in the Ocean Flannelboard
Fish Swimming in the Water
Idea and Song taken from “All the Fish” by Caspar Babypants on I Found You!

(start with 1 fish on the board)I
One little fish is swimming in the water, (put palms together, make hands swim)
swimming in the water,
swimming in the water.
One little fish is swimming in the water.
Bubble (wiggle fingers up)
Bubble (wiggle fingers up higher)
Bubble (wiggle fingers up higher)
Pop! (clap hands overhead as you say Pop)

Repeat by adding or taking away fish as you’d like.

Rhymes & Songs We Shared

We have a lot of fun doing action rhymes at storytime! Here are the ones we shared without musical accompaniment.

INFANT STORYTIME

Welcome Song
(to tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
Welcome, welcome everyone
Now we’re here let’s have some fun.
First we clap our hands just so
Then we bend and touch our toes
Welcome, welcome everyone
Now we’re here let’s have some fun.

Peek-a-Boo
(to tune of Frere Jacques)
Peek-a-boo, Peek-a-boo (play peek-a-boo)
I see you, I see you (point at baby)
I see your little nose (touch baby’s nose)
I see your tiny toes (touch baby’s toes)
Peek-a-boo. Peek-a-boo. (play peek-a-boo again)

See a video of Peek-a-Boo.

Icky Bicky Soda Cracker
Icky Bicky Soda Cracker (bounce baby gently on knees)
Icky Bicky Boo
Icky Bicky Soda Cracker
Up Goes You! (lift baby into air)

Icky Bicky Soda Cracker (bounce baby gently on knees)
Icky Bicky Boo
Icky Bicky Soda Cracker
I love you! (bring baby in for a cuddle)

Patty Cake
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man. (Clap your hands)
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it (Roll your hands, hand over hand)
and pat it (pat baby’s legs)
And mark it with a B (write a B on baby’s tummy)
And put it in the oven for Baby and me. (point to baby, then point to you)

See the Little Mousie
See the little mousie (circle finger on baby’s hand)
Creeping up the stair. (move hands up baby’s arm)
Looking for a warm nest, (move fingers up arm)
There, oh, there! (tickle armpit)

Storytime’s Over
Hands up high! (Put your hands in air)
Give a big sigh (sigh and bring hands down)
Storytime’s Over
So wave bye-bye (wave)

TODDLER STORYTIME

Open Shut Them
Open, shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Open shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (clap hands on each clap)
Open, shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Open shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Place them on your lap-lap-lap. (pat lap three times)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up from lap towards chin)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up from lap towards chin)
Right up to your chin-chin-chin (tap fingers on chin)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth wide)
BUT DO NOT LET THEM IN! (say quickly and hide hands behind back).

See a video of Open Shut Them.

Storytime’s Over
Hands up high! (Put your hands in air)
Give a big sigh (sigh and bring hands down)
Storytime’s Over
So wave bye-bye (wave)

Music We Shared

Singing is a great way to share words and rhythms with your baby. While you don’t need a music cd to do this, we do share some songs from cds in our storytimes.

INFANT STORYTIME

“Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel