For the third meeting of our spring session we read books about moving, playing and just being silly! There was a whole lotta movin’ & shakin’ going on! Here are the books, rhymes, fingerplays, flannel boards, action songs and video we shared.
Books We Shared
We read the Big Book of Silly by Natalie Marshall and what can I say – it was SILLY! This large-format board book is colorful and bold in concept. It begins with a bear wearing feathers in his hat…really? Do bears even wear hats? Then we see a lion playing electric guitar – “Can you be silly like that?” It goes on to the rhinoceros who eats 300 jelly beans before bed, an elephant riding a unicycle while blowing bubbles and a fox dancing with a cat. But that’s not the end of the story. To discover the silliest thing of all you’ll have to read the book. Those who attended storytime know exactly what I’m talking about.
For our second book we tackled Spunky Little Monkey by Bill Martin, Jr. and Michael Sampson. This is a great book to use for storytime! The toddlers (and the adults) loved it. Spunky little monkey does not want to wake up. Mama calls the doctor for advice and he says that the best thing for baby monkey is to EXERCISE! So spunky little monkey begins to move to the rhythm of his head (ding dong), the clapping of his hands, the stomping of his feet and the shaking of his hips; then he puts it all together and he is DANCING and having fun! This book easily engages your toddler with it’s excellent blend of rhyme, rhythm and movement.
Flannel Boards We Shared
Wiggleworm, Wiggleworm
We had fun trying to find Wiggleworm. He was hiding behind one of these books. Can you guess where we found him?
Wiggleworm, Wiggleworm in a book!
Wiggleworm, Wiggleworm…where should we look?
Is Wiggleworm behind the yellow book? NO!
(Repeat with the orange book, blue book… until you get to the book where you have hidden Wiggleworm).
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!
Video Clip: Five Little Monkeys
The above video demonstrates a fingerplay version of this rhyme.
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Four little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Three little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Two little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
One little monkey jumping on the bed
He fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
No little monkeys jumping on the bed
They all fell off and bumped their heads,
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
Put those monkeys back to bed!
Action Songs & Fingerplays We Shared
We share a lot of songs, bounces & rhymes during storytime! You’ll find lyrics/words to those songs & rhymes we shared without CD accompaniment here.
Welcome, Welcome Everyone
(to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle)
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 – Video: Open Shut Them
Open, shut them, open, shut them, (open and close hands)
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (clap three times)
Open shut them, open shut them (open and close hands)
Put them in your lap, lap, lap. (place hands in lap and bounce them 3X)
Creep them, crawl them, creep them crawl them, (crawl fingers up arms)
Right up to your chinny chin chin. (place fingers on chin)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth and say ahhhhhh)
But do not put them in!! (put hands behind your back)
This is Big, Big Big – Video: This is Big
This is big big big
Hold arms out to side
This is small small small
Cup hands 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
This is no no no
Shake head
Credit: Mel’s Desk
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – Video: Twinkle Twinkle
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.
Goodbye Friends (in sign) – Video: Goodbye Friends
Goodbye babies, goodbye babies
Goodbye babies, it’s time to say goodbye.
Music from CDs We Shared
Children love to sing and dance to music. Here are some of the action songs & rhymes on CD that we used in storytime. Click onto the CD titles to find these items in our library catalog.
“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel
“Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Kathy Reid-Naiman
“I’m a Little Teapot” from Toddler Favorites by Music for Little People
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Its Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel
“ABC” from Go Baby Go! Baby Loves Jazz by Baby Loves Jazz Band
Two Little Blackbirds” from Circle Time: songs and rhymes for the very young by Lisa Monet
NEW “We’re Going to the Market” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman
We used our shaker eggs and bells for this song!
Video We Shared
We watched: “Play with Maisy”
CONTINUE THE FUN
If you want to read more books about movement and play, check these out at your local Pasadena Public Library!
