Our toddler storytime today was ALL about sleepy babies (even the wild kind)….
Here are some of the books, songs & activities we shared:
OUR OPENING SONGS & ACTIVITIES:
Welcome, Welcome
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!
Clap Everybody and Say Hello
Clap everybody and say hello,
Clap everybody and say hello,
Clap everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather…
REPEAT verse with Stamp, Wiggle, Jump & Sing
(Kathy Reid-Naiman, Sally Go Round the Sun CD)
Open Shut Them
Open shut them, open shut them (hands open and close)
Give a little clap clap clap (hands clap)
Open shut them, open shut them (hands open and close)
Place them in your lap, lap, lap. (place hands in lap)
Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them (crawl fingers up both arms)
Right up to your chinny, chin, chin (tap fingers onto chin)
Open up your little mouth BUT (keep tapping and open mouth)
DO NOT LET THEM IN!!! (quickly place both hands behind back)
OUR BOOKS:
In Denise Fleming’s Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy, we see different animal babies getting very sleep, but every few pages, the narrator asks, “Where’s my sleepy baby?” At the book’s end we find a tiny, sleepy, human baby yawning and ready for bed. Although the visuals are beautiful, this book can be a bit long for some toddlers so I shortened it just a bit to keep things moving.
Where Wild Babies Sleep by Ann Purmell (illustrated by Lorianne Siomades) is full of beautiful, bright illustrations which show us how different babies in the wild sleep. We see where baby monkeys, kangaroos, porcupines, skunks and baby walruses sleep. And those are just a few of the animals mentioned. Simple, repetitive text, stunning visuals and the subject of babies makes this a perfect book for toddlers.
OUR TRANSITION ACTIVITIES:
This is Big
This is big, big, big (Hold arms to the side)
This is small, small, small (Cups hand together)
This is short, short, short (Hold hands with palms facing each other)
This is tall, tall, tall (Reach one hand above head)
This is fast, fast, fast (Circle fists quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (Circle fists slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (Nod head) This is no, no, no (Shake head no)
Roll Your Hands
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Clap, clap, clap your hands as loud as loud can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Tap, tap, tap your feet as softly as can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Shake, shake, shake your feet as quickly as can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
(Carol Hammett & Elaine Bueffel, Toddlers on Parade CD)
OUR FLANNEL STORY:
Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head,
Momma called the doctor and the doctor said,
No more monkeys jumping on the bed! (wag your finger)
REPEAT WITH (Four, three, two one…)
No little monkeys jumping on the bed
Momma called the doctor and the doctor said,
PUT THOSE MONKEYS BACK TO BED!
OUR FINGERPLAY:
Little Turtle
There was a little turtle (put hands on top of one another)
He lived in a box (make box)
He swam in a puddle (swimming motion)
He climbed on the rocks (climbing motion)
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 together)
He caught the flea (cup hands together)
He caught the minnow (cup hands together)
But he didn’t catch me! (shake finger “no”)
Credit: Childhood
OUR DVD:
Bathtime – SO SMART – house
OUR CLOSING SONGS:
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are!
Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out!
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again!
I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle, here is my spout
When I get all full of steam I shout
Tip me over and pour me out!
Two Little Blackbirds
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill
One named Jack and the other named Jill
Fly away Jack and fly away Jill
Come back Jack and come back Jill
OUR GOODBYE SONG & STRETCH:
Goodbye Friends (in sign) – to the tune of “Goodnight Ladies”
Goodbye friends, goodbye friends, goodbye friends,
It’s time to say goodbye….
Tickle the Clouds
Tickle the clouds,
Tickle your toes
Turn around and tickle your nose
Reach down low,
each up high,
storytime’s over,