Halloween – Infant Storytime

Happy Halloween!  We had some infants come to our storytime in their costumes today. It was adorable.

Books We Shared

It’s Halloween Night! written by Jennifer O’Connell and illustrated by Jennifer Morris is a fun guessing game of a book.  On one page, a child getting ready to go trick-or-treating describes their costume, and then on the next page it reveals what they are.  This is a fun-not-scary Halloween book.

Our next story was also a non-scary one.  In Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills, Duck & Goose see their friend Thistle with a pumpkin, and now they want one.  But wherever shall they find one?  Join these two fowl as they search high and low.

Flannel Board Story

Five Little Pumpkins

Felt Pieces from ArtFelt

This is a fun rhyme that you can do on your little one’s fingers or toes, like you would do for This Little Piggy.  Or, you can try the larger motions described below.

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, “Oh, my, it’s getting late!” (Hands beside face in surprised look)
The second one said, “There are witches in the air!” (hand flies overhead)
The third one said, “Well, I don’t care!” (shake pointer finger)
The fourth one said, “Let’s run, and run, and run!” (run with feet)
The fifth one said, “I’m ready for some fun!” (point to self)
Then WHOOOOOOSH went the wind (make sound and whoosh hands back and forth.)
and OUT (clap) went the lights.
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.  (Roll hand over hand.)

Flannel Board Nursery Rhyme

Jack and Jill

Flannelboard from Little Folk Visuals

American Sign Language: DUCK

We learned the ASL sign for Halloween this week. See how to do the sign at Handspeak.

Rhymes & Bounces & Songs We Shared without Music

We sing a lot of songs during storytime!  You’ll find lyrics to those songs without music here.

Welcome 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.

Peek-a-Boo
(to the tune of : ”Frere Jacques”)
Peek-a-boo. Peek-a-boo. (cover eyes with hands, then remove)
I see you, I see you (point at child)
I see your little nose (touch nose)
I see your tiny toes (touch toes)
Peek-a-boo. Peek-a-boo. (cover eyes with hands, then remove)

Icky Bicky Soda Cracker Bounce
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 hands together)
Bake me a cake as fast as you can (clap hands together)
Roll it (roll one hand over the other)
And pat it (pat legs)
And mark it with a “B” (make the letter B on baby’s tummy)
And put it in the oven for Baby and me! (hands flat, then point to baby, then you.)

Slowly, Slowly Very Slowly Tickle
Slowly, slowly, very slowly (say slowly, and trace finger up baby’s arm)
goes the garden snail.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
up the garden rail.

Quickly, quickly, very quickly (say quickly and tickle baby all over)
goes the little mouse.
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
all around the house.

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

Music from CDs We Shared

Sometimes it’s fun to sing along with music.  Here are some of the songs and cds used in storytime.

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

I take my little hands and go clap, clap, clap
I take my little hands and go clap, clap, clap
I take my little hands and go clap, clap, clap
Clap clap all day long

I take my little feet and go tap tap tap
I take my little feet and go tap tap tap
I take my little feet and go tap tap tap
Tap tap all day long

I take my little knees and go bend bend bend
I take my little knees and go bend bend bend
I take my little knees and go bend bend bend
Bend, bend all day long

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried out all the rain.
So the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.

“Ladies Ride” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

This is the way the ladies ride
trit trot trit trot
This is the way the ladies ride
Early in the morning

This is the way the gentlemen ride
clip clop clip clop
This is the way the gentlemen ride
Early in the morning

This is the way the farmer rides
clippity cloppity clippity cloppity
This is the way the farmer rides
Early in the morning

This is the way the cowgirl/cowboy rides
Giddy-up! Giddy-up!
This is the way the cowgirl/cowboy rides
Early in the morning

“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Walt Disney’s Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 1

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.

Continue the Fun

Want more stories about Halloween?  Check out these stories at your Pasadena Public Library branch: