We began our first Toddler Storytime of the summer session with a MOOO and a CLUCK as we read books about farm animals. Here are the stories, songs, flannel rhymes, activities & video we shared.
Books We Shared
Down on the farm there are many colorful and noisy animals to spy and we see most of them in Edward Gibb’s picture book, I Spy on the Farm. A peep hole with a glimpse into a farm animal along with a teeny, tiny clue helps us guess which animal will appear on the next page! This book is boldly illustrated with simple text and delights with the element of surprise. It makes a great read aloud or lap read and can easily be shortened to fit an infant’s attention span.
In Mama Hen’s Big Day by Jill Latter, we have a hen trying to find the PERFECT spot to lay her egg. First she finds a cave but nope! There’s a snake in there! Then there’s a beautiful meadow but noooo! There’s the neighbor’s cat ready to pounce! Mama Hen frantically keeps looking until she finally lays her egg on the top of the tallest mountain. Of course she discovers that “the best place of all to lay her egg is wherever Mama is!”
Little Chicken’s Big Day by Katie and Jerry Davis is a great book to read to toddlers! It has elements of familiarity and suspense. We begin with Mama Chicken helping Little Chicken get up and get ready for the day…”Wash your face! Brush your teeth? Get dressed!” Of course Little Chicken hears Big Chicken clucking away until Big Chicken asks her to follow and stay close. Things are okay until a pesky butterfly distracts Little Chicken and she gets separated from mama. Not to worry, a happy reunion ensues with a hug, a kiss, a bedtime story and an “I love you mama” from Little Chicken.
Flannel Boards We Shared
This Little Cow
This little cow eats grass
This little cow eats hay
This little cow drinks water
This little cow runs away
And this little cow does nothing
But chew his cud all day!
5 Chicks & 5 Chicks
5 eggs and 5 eggs and that makes 10.
Up on top is a Mother Hen
Cackle, cackle, cackle (flap arms)
What do we see?
10 little chicks as yellow as can be! (turn over eggs to reveal chicks)
Rhymes & Songs & Fingerplays We Shared
We sing a lot of songs during storytime! You’ll find lyrics to those songs without music here.
Welcome Song (song)
(to the 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!
Open Shut Them (fingerplay)
Click her for video: Open Shut Them
Open shut them, open shut them (open hands wide, close them tight)
Give a little clap, clap, clap (clap 3x)
Open shut them, open shut them (open hands wide, close them tight)
Place them on your lap, lap, lap (bounce hands on lap)
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them (crawl fingers up to chin)
Right up to your chinny, chin chin (tap chin with fingers)
Open up your little mouth BUT (open mouth)
Do not let them in! (quickly place hands behind your back)
You are My Sunshine (song)
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you
And I love you more every day…
Music from CDs We Shared
Children love to sing and dance to music. Here are some of the songs/bounces on CD that we used in storytime.
“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman
Clap everybody and say hello, (clap hands)
Clap everybody and say hello,
Clap everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.
Stamp everybody and say hello, (stomp feet)
Stamp everybody and say hello,
Stamp everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.
Wiggle everybody and say hello, (wiggle baby)
Wiggle everybody and say hello,
Wiggle everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.
Jump everybody and say hello, (lift baby up high)
Jump everybody and say hello,
Jump everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.
Sing everybody and say hello, (wave hi)
Sing everybody and say hello,
Sing everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.
“Wheels on the Bus” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music
The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the bus go round and round ALL THROUGH THE TOWN!
The wipers on the bus go swish swish swish, swish swish swish, swish, swish, swish,
The wipers on the bus go swish swish swish ALL THROUGH THE TOWN!
Repeat with:
The horn on bus goes beep beep beep, beep beep beep, beep beep beep…
The driver on the bus says move on back, move on back, move on back…
The babies on the bus go wah wah wah, wah wah wah, wah wah wah…
The fox on the bus says I won’t go, I won’t go, I won’t go…
The mamas and the daddies say shhh shhh shhh…
The mamas and the daddies say I love you, I love you, I love you…
The people on the bus go up and down, up and down, up and down…
The wheels on bus go round and round, round and round, round and round…
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammet & Elaine Bueffel
Click here for video: Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
So the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.
“Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammet & Elaine Bueffel
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now for me!
Clap, clap, clap your hands as loud as loud can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now for me!
Tap, tap, tap your feet as softly as can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now for me!
Shake, shake, shake your feet as quickly as can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now for me!
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now for me!
“Goodbye Babies” (in sign)
Click here for video: Goodbye Babies
Goodbye babies, goodbye babies
Goodbye babies, it’s time to say goodbye.
Video We Watched
Rosie’s Walk from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom DVD by Scholastic
Extend the Fun at Home
