Our summer session of Toddler Storytime is underway. Each week you’ll find a blog post that covers the books, rhymes, songs, flannel stories, fingerplays, puppets and video we shared. There will also be some information about the benefits of reading, singing and talking to your toddler.
For our sixth storytime of the session we celebrated Mouse’s birthday! Below you’ll find a record of everything we shared!
Fun FACT: The nursery rhyme, Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake, was first published in 1698 but the author remains unknown. Just think, 321 years later and we recited it during storytime today!
Books We Shared
In The Fairytale Cake written by Jonathan Langley and illustrated by Mark Sperring we see a group of beloved nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters baking and delivering a very special cake for a little boy’s birthday! This picture book is wonderful for so many reasons, not the least of which is the scrumptious 3-layer cake! At the end of the story, children get to join the little boy in closing their eyes and making a wish before he blows out the candles.
The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli is a story about a boy who receives a birthday box! At first he unwraps it and thinks he’s just gotten an empty cardboard box. But there is a hole and he sees something inside – a toy puppy! The little boy uses his imagination to transform the box into a flying machine, a sailing ship and a sled. Of course he takes his pup along on these adventures. Eventually he gets a bit sleepy and he and his toy dog curl up in the box and fall asleep.
Flannel Board & Finger Puppets We Shared
Mouse’s Birthday Gifts
It was Mouse’s birthday and he received three gift boxes! He hoped that at least one of the boxes contained his favorite treat – cheese!
He opened the first box and it was a PARTY HAT!
He opened the second box and it was a RED BALLOON!
Finally, he opened the third box and inside was a HUNK OF CHEESE!
Mouse was so happy!
Five Candles
Action Songs & Rhymes
We share a lot of songs & rhymes during storytime! You’ll find lyrics/words to those songs & rhymes we shared.
New Nursery Rhyme:
Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake (see video clip above)
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can,
Pat it and prick it and mark it with B,
And bake it in the oven for baby and me.
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can,
Pat it and prick it and mark it with B,
And bake it in the oven for baby and me.
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!
Clap Everybody and Say Hello! (see “CDs section” below to find this song in our CD collection)
Clap everybody and say hello, clap everybody and say hello, clap everybody and say hello, no matter what the weather
Stamp everybody… (stamp feet)
Wiggle everybody… (wiggle your body)
Jump everybody… (jump up and down)
Sing everybody… (open arms wide)
Roll Your Hands (see “CDs section” below to find this song in our CD collection)
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be! (roll hands)
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Clap, clap, clap your hands as loud as loud can be! (clap hands)
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Tap, tap, tap your feet as softly as can be! (quietly tap feet)
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Shake, shake, shake your feet as quickly as can be! (quickly shake feet onto the ground)
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be! (roll hands)
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me. (keep rolling until the end of the song)
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
This is big, big, big (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
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.
Itsy Bitsy Spider:
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you
And I love you more every day.
Goodbye Friends (in sign) – Video: Goodbye Friends
Goodbye friends, goodbye friends,
Goodbye friends, 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
“We’re Going to the Market” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman
“Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes” from Its Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel
Video
Flying a Kite & Other Stories
Mummy Pig’s Birthday
CONTINUE THE FUN
If you want to read more books about birthdays, make sure to check these out from your local Pasadena Public Library!
