The theme today was feelings. Our first story was Wild Feelings by David Milgrim. It doesn't have a story, but I like this book because it helps kids associate their feelings with things they understand, like animals. It asks questions like "Have you ever felt as stubborn as a mule? As chicken as a chicken?" and ends by normalizing these feelings: "Of course you have. Everyone does."
Our lap bounce portion began, as always, with "Bumpy Road." Grownups are instructed to seat their baby facing forward on their laps and bounce along with me as I demonstrate with a roughly baby-sized teddy bear. Here is the chant:
Bumpy road, bumpy road. (Bounce baby on lap)
Smooth road, smooth road. (Move baby smoothly back and forth)
Bumpy road, bumpy road. (Bounce baby on lap)
Smooth road, smooth road. (Move baby smoothly back and forth)
Rough road, rough road! (Bounce baby higher than before)
Bumpy road, bumpy road. (Bounce baby on lap)
Rough road, rough road! (Bounce baby higher than before)
Hole! (Hold baby under armpits and let them fall between your legs)
I used the theme of "pop" for our two musical lap bounces today. First, "Pop Goes the Weasel," where the grownup bounces their baby on their lap until the POP, when they lift them up high. Next we bounced to Raffi's "Popcorn." the sizzling is similar to our "smooth road," and then the baby POPs up high again at the end! I like to do this song twice because it's less than 30 seconds long.
Our second story was Llama, Llama, Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney. This is another one that definitely went over the babies' heads, but the grownups enjoyed it. I also shortened it by paper clipping some of the middle pages together. None of the plot was lost, the babies are still able to enjoy the rhythm and rhyme, but they don't have to sit still and quiet for quite as long.
To conclude feelings day, we sang "If You're Happy and You Know It" with gestures, clapping, stomping, and cheering. Then it was time for our closing songs, bubbles, and toys (see above). Here is a list of books I displayed:
- Feelings—Aliki
- Consider Love—Boynton
- Who Is Happy?—Jarvis
- If You’re Happy and You Know It—Ormerod
- Wild Feelings—Milgrim
- Stuck With the Blooz—Levis
- I Am Yoga—Verde
- Llama Llama Mad at Mama—Dewdney
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