Our 7th storytime of the summer session was all about Fish!  Fish sure are slippery!  We read books that were a bit longer during our infant storytime to challenge our babies’ listening skills.  Here are the books, songs, rhymes, flannel stories and activities we explored about our topic.


Books We Shared

We read the book Ten Little Fish by Audrey and Don Wood, accompanied by a flannel board of 10 fish!  Of course, the fish in both the book and the flannel disappear as we turn each page.  This is a visually stunning counting book that takes you under the sea as each little fish falls away from the school of 10.  Because the book is a bit long for infants I used the flannel fish to augment the story.  It was a little tricky but overall this strategy conveyed the message that we were subtracting fish until none were left!

In Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins we run into a variety of fish!  This is a colorful, boldly illustrated book that captures an imaginary world of all kinds of fish – spotty fish, stripy fish, an ele-fish, a fly fish, a fat fish, a thin fish and many, many more!  A bit long for toddlers, I condensed the book so we could easily read through it.  Engaging, with lots of descriptions and opposites, this book is always a crowd pleaser and it makes a great lap sit book.  You can go through the pages and point out colors, shapes and the hidden gems painted onto certain fish (clouds, eyes, spots, etc.).


Story Glove ~ Nursery Rhyme

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


Rhymes & Bounces & Songs We Shared

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!

Dickery Dickery Dare (bounce)
(to the tune of Hickory Dickory Dock)

Click here for video:  Dickery Dickery Dare

Dickery dickery dare,
The pig flew up in the air, (woo!)
The man in brown, brought him back down,
Dickery dickery dare!

Grand Old Duke of York (bounce)

Click here for video:  Grand Old Duke of York

The grand old Duke of York
He had 10,000 men
He marched them up to the top of the hill (lift baby up)
And he marched them back again (place baby on lap)
And when they’re up, they’re up  (lift baby up)
And when they’re down, they’re down (place baby on lap)
But when they’re only half way up (bring baby halfway up)
They’re neither up nor down! (lift baby up and down)

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…

Round and Round the Garden (tickle)

Round and round the garden, goes the teddy bear, a one step, a two step, a tickle under there!


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.


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

This is the way the ladies ride (bounce baby to rhythm)
Trit trot, trit trot
This is the way the ladies ride early in the morning!
This is the way the gentleman ride, gallop and trot, gallop and trot
This is the way the gentleman ride, early in the morning!
This is the way the farmers ride, clippity cloppety, clippity cloppety
This is the way the farmers ride early in the morning!
This is the way the cowgirls/boys ride, giddy up, giddy up
This is the way the cowgirls/boys ride early in the morning – YEEHAW!!
(REPEAT once more)

“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”  from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

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.

“My Little Hands” from Rhythm and Rhyme for Special Times by Jack Hartman and Friends

With my little hands I go clap, clap, clap (clap hands 3x)
With my little feet I go tap, tap, tap (tap feet 3x)
With my little hands I go bye, bye, bye (wave bye 3x)
With my little feet I kick high, high, high (help baby kick feet 3x)
With my little eyes I go peek-a-boo (cover baby’s eyes for peek-a-boo)
With my little lips I say:  I Love You! (look at baby and say/sing I love you!)
(Repeat)

“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.

“I’m a Little Teapot” from 100 Children’s Favourite Songs by Disney

I’m a little teapot short and stout,
Here is my handle, here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up, hear me shout!
Tip me over and pour me out…
(Only one verse)

“Two Little Blackbirds”

Click here for video:  Two Little Blackbirds 
(This is a slower, gentler version with 9 verses.)

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill,
One named Jack and one named Jill.
Fly away Jack, fly away Jill!
Come back Jack, come back Jill!

Credit:  Jbrary

“Goodbye Babies” (in sign)

Click here for video:  Goodbye Babies 

Goodbye babies, goodbye babies
Goodbye babies, it’s time to say goodbye.

“Now It’s Time to Say Goodbye” (tune:  Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Now it’s time to say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye,
Now it’s time to say goodbye, we’ll see you all next week!


Extend the Fun at Home