Usually after Learn and Grow with Rhythm and Flow (LGRF), I host a half-hour program where kiddos can play with musical instruments that we don't use in the storytime and make a DIY instrument of their own with household objects. The first four months that I did this program, it got harder and harder to collect enough recycled objects to make the instruments as the numbers for the program grew. Luckily, around the time I figured that out, we were also trying to spend the rest of our budget before the end of the fiscal year.
I knew I wouldn't be doing the DIY instrument component of the program anymore, but still wanted to keep the spirit of Music Lab alive. So, I requested a large set of musical instruments from Lakeshore Learning, some ribbon bells, and some star-shaped tambourines. Armed with my snazzy new toys, I entered Music Lab today with confidence that the program will be just as fun without a craft component. In addition to the new instruments, I set out our sets of egg shakers and rhythm sticks. 84 people came to LGRF, and the number grew to 101 for Music Lab! Judging by the pictures, it looks like everyone had a great time with the instruments.
Bubbles!
Baby making music
Exploring the ribbon bells
Friends making music
This lil dude bonded with his tiny cymbals
Big group!
They figured out new uses for some instruments, like this tambourine drum
My Sign Language Storytime format is:
Intro and hello
Felt story
Movement song or video
Book
Movement song
Goodbye
This storytime has a laid back atmosphere and is always a great forum for me to try out my new ideas. When it began I tried introducing an AV element, and that went over very well. I also usually include a handout for parents so that they can follow along with the signs (although I didn't make a handout this month). The people who come to this storytime are open to new ideas and don't expect anything from month to month, so they go with the flow if I decide to mix it up! This month instead of a felt story, I did two interactive books and a YouTube video.
Intro and hello: Hello: "Hello Friends"
Before turning on the music, I teach the kids (and grownups) the American Sign Language sign for "friends." Then we boogie, wave, and sing hello to all our friends!
Warming Up Motor Skills: "Open, Shut Them"
On this song we do the movements described in the lyrics: open our hands, close our hands, clap three times, put our hands in our lap, creep our fingers up to our chin, and don't let them in our mouths.
This is a short, easy stretch the kids get a kick out of. While we're stretching, I like to encourage them to reach for the ceiling, touch their toes, then make themselves into a tiny ball.
Story
I Know Numbers! by Taro Gomi
Taro Gomi is one of my favorite children's authors. He is sparing in his use of words, and the art in his books look almost like very intentional collages. I have several Gomi standbys that I use often, and I think I Know Numbers! has just joined that list. It explains locations where you might find numbers and math in everyday life, which starts children noticing numbers as they move about their day.
Video
"One From the Left" by Jim Gill
During the video, I encouraged everyone to practice along. This is just a fingerplay, not traditional sign language, but I went over the differences with the group before the video to make sure there was no confusion.
Story
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean
I like asking the kids to sing along with me each time we sing the button song.
Movement Song
"Jumping and Counting"
This song gives a great opportunity to get all the wiggles out, and sneaks in some counting as well.
Goodbye
"Until We Meet Again" from Out of the Box
When we sing this song, I help them recall the sign for friends from the hello song, and teach them a couple others as we sing: meet, time, and say.
Friends
Meet
Goodbye
This is the only storytime that I don't close with bubbles, because directly following is another program called Stay and Play where I set out 4-5 bins of toys for a 30 minute free play. Adding bubbles to that seems to be too much stimulation.
It's December, which can be a tricky time for those of us working in public service. You don't want to ignore Christmas, but at the same time want to be inclusive of all the other cultural holidays that take place around this time of year. Usually, I solve this problem by sticking with a theme of "winter" instead of focusing on any one holiday. The No Snow, Snow Day program was something we did last December with fantastic participant numbers, so we decided to have it again this year.
This program was structured as drop-in stations, something I've learned our community prefers to an instructional program where you have to stay the whole time. We had three stations: sensory snow, shape penguins, and coffee filter snowflakes.
Sensory Snow
Supplies: baking soda, white shaving cream, large bin.
Mixing equal-ish parts baking soda and shaving cream creates a chemical reaction that makes the substance cold like snow! I did learn that if we do this program again next year, we'll need A LOT more baking soda since it sort of dissolves when hit with the shaving cream. The kids loved playing with the "snow," but I would have liked for the bin to be more full.
The mess afterward... But it vacuums up easily and smells great!
Coffee Filter Snowflakes
Supplies: white coffee filters, safety scissors
Surprisingly, this was the most difficult project for the kids to grasp. I found myself sticking close to the snowflake table in order to explain how to fold and cut the filters so that when you unfold them, you have your own originally designed snowflake. After they got the hang of it, our 4-6-year-olds especially seemed to enjoy this activity.
Being silly with snowflakes
Shape Penguins
Supplies: black and white paper cut into shapes, orange triangles, glue sticks, googly eyes (we used self-adhesive ones and they worked great)
I like this activity because all ages of kids can tailor it to their personal skills. The younger ones can work on matching rectangles with rectangles or circles with circles, while the older ones can combine the shapes to make a more advanced penguin. It's also nice because if you don't have much time to prep, you can let the kids cut out their own shapes. If you have more time to prepare for the program you can do what I did and cut out the shapes ahead of time so participants can focus on matching shapes and creatin
The four examples: rectangle, square, circle, and oval.
Storytime regular with her circle penguin!
Penguin and snowflake
Advanced penguins--they even added a background!
Working hard on shape penguins
If there's one thing I've learned while working with this community, it's that drop-in themed programs like this are always a slam dunk. We had over 80 people at this program, and everyone found something they liked. I love watching caregivers encourage their kids to make things and be creative!
Toddlers are basically babies who can run away from you, so I tend to look for books with no more than two lines of text per page. When they're that age, kids are still figuring out how books work, how you hold and treat them, and looking at the pictures. They will listen to the story and participate if the book has an interactive element, so anything that will keep them engaged verbally or physically is Toddlertime gold.
Movement song
This is the time for a longer movement song. Ideally one that corresponds to your theme, but that's not a requirement. Some themes just aren't compatible with music, and that's okay.
Felt story
My favorites are the ones where the kids have to help you chant, identify colors, count with you, or sing a song.
Movement song(s)
Depending on how much time we have, I'll use one 2-3 minute song or two that are under a minute long.
Toddler attention spans are short! In this storytime, I only plan 15-20 minutes of content because that's about as long as you can hold their attention. After that, we do a short community playtime with educational toys to give kids the opportunity to learn to play in a group, and parents the opportunity to meet and interact with one another.
Book
I Am Small by Emma Dodd
An adorable story that explores the concept that even if you're young and small, there are still things you can do to help your family and community.
Fun directed movement song that sneakily helps young kids develop gross motor skills.
Felt Story
"Pippa's Penguin"
This is a longer felt story, but the kids stay engaged because they want to help you figure out why each penguin isn't correct and what makes each one unique. I got the biggest laugh when I pulled out the penguin in the glittery suit.
Movement Songs
"Doin' the Penguin" from Sesame Street
A classic from 1993! This is actually a directed movement song if you listen carefully. The kids loved pretending to fall on the ice.
"Follow the Leader" by Ella Jenkins
My favorite song to get attention back from wiggly kiddos.
Toddlers are basically babies who can run away from you, so I tend to look for books with no more than two lines of text per page. When they're that age, kids are still figuring out how books work, how you hold and treat them, and looking at the pictures. They will listen to the story and participate if the book has an interactive element, so anything that will keep them engaged verbally or physically is Toddlertime gold.
Movement song
This is the time for a longer movement song. Ideally one that corresponds to your theme, but that's not a requirement. Some themes just aren't compatible with music, and that's okay.
Felt story
My favorites are the ones where the kids have to help you chant, identify colors, count with you, or sing a song.
Movement song(s)
Depending on how much time we have, I'll use one 2-3 minute song or two that are under a minute long.
Toddler attention spans are short! In this storytime, I only plan 15-20 minutes of content because that's about as long as you can hold their attention. After that, we do a short community playtime with educational toys to give kids the opportunity to learn to play in a group, and parents the opportunity to meet and interact with one another.
Book
All for Pie, Pie for All by David Martin
This book didn't go over great with the toddlers, and I think it was because it's too long. I would probably paperclip some of the pages together to make it shorter if I used this book again. However, it is a very cute story about families of different sizes and species sharing pie together and definitely gets you in a Thanksgiving mood.
Movement Song
"Happy and You Know It" by Mr. Jon
Has nothing to do with the theme, just a fun song that most kids know.
Felt Story
"Five Little Turkeys"
[A good way to get kids involved is to ask them to help you count how many turkeys are left after each verse, and invite them to chant with you if they pick it up]
Five little turkeys at the barn door
One waddled off and then there were four
Four little turkeys out under a tree
One waddled off and then there were three
Three little turkeys with nothing to do
One waddled off and then there were two
Two little turkeys in the noonday sun
One waddled off and then there was one
One little turkey--better run away!
It's almost Thanksgiving Day!
Both of these songs have a strange hypnotizing effect on small children. Even if they're mid-tantrum, most littles will stop what they're doing and follow my motions until the song is over.
My Sign Language Storytime format is:
Intro and hello
Felt story
Movement song or video
Book
Movement song
Goodbye
This storytime is special for a couple of reasons. First, it's the only one that I give a handout with pictures of the signs on it, so that the kids and grownups can refer to it during storytime and then practice at home. Second, I'm experimenting with adding an AV component to storytime by showing videos to follow along with instead of just listening to songs.
Handout:
Intro and hello:
Hello: "Hello Friends"
Before turning on the music, I teach the kids (and grownups) the American Sign Language sign for "friends." Then we boogie, wave, and sing hello to all our friends!
Warming Up Motor Skills: "Open, Shut Them"
On this song we do the movements described in the lyrics: open our hands, close our hands, clap three times, put our hands in our lap, creep our fingers up to our chin, and don't let them in our mouths.
Stretch:"Tall/Small"
This is a short, easy stretch the kids get a kick out of. While we're stretching, I like to encourage them to reach for the ceiling, touch their toes, then make themselves into a tiny ball.
Felt Story
"This Little Train"
To the tune of "This Old Man." Bolded text is where I encourage storytimers to sing along.
Start out with just the tracks on the board, add each train car with their verses.
This little train, painted black (add black engine)
It comes chugging down the track With a choo-coo, toot-toot, hear the whistle blow This little train goes chugging home.
This little car, painted blue (add blue train car)
It has seats for me and you With a choo-coo, toot-toot, hear the whistle blow This little train goes chugging home.
This little car, painted yellow (add yellow train car)
It shimmies and shakes like a bowl of jello With a choo-coo, toot-toot, hear the whistle blow This little train goes chugging home.
This little car, painted green (add green train car)
It's the fanciest train car you've ever seen With a choo-coo, toot-toot, hear the whistle blow This little train goes chugging home.
These train tracks, metal and gray (point to tracks)
They take you places far away With a choo-coo, toot-toot, hear the whistle blow This little train goes chugging home.
This caboose, painted red (add caboose)
It will take you home to bed With a choo-coo, toot-toot, hear the whistle blow This little train goes chugging home.
Movement Song
"Five Little Monkeys"
I decided not to use a video this month, because I once again could not find one with signs relating to our theme that presented a good amount of signs in an accessible way. So, we learned the signs for "boat" and "bus," then rocked out to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and "Wheels on the Bus."
Book
Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman
This book is one of the few that is great for toddlers and preschoolers alike. Even if you don't want to use the official signs for "truck" and "town," it still has a great opportunity for repetition and directed movement. The kids love being included when it's time to "Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the trashy town!" An added bonus is, the universal sign everyone uses when pretending to drive a car is actually the official sign for car or truck!
Movement Song
"Hurry, Hurry, Drive That Firetruck"
Since we already learned the sign for truck (on the handout above), I gave a bonus sign, "fire," and then we practiced our sign for "firetruck" between the usual movements in this song. A lot of the older kiddos seemed delighted to know the sign for firetruck, which was really fun to watch.
Fire
Goodbye
"Until We Meet Again" from Out of the Box
When we sing this song, I help them recall the sign for friends from the hello song, and teach them a couple others as we sing: meet, time, and say.
Friends
Meet
Goodbye
This is the only storytime that I don't close with bubbles, because directly following is another program called Stay and Play where I set out 4-5 bins of toys for a 30 minute free play. Adding bubbles to that seems to be too much stimulation.
My Sign Language Storytime format is:
Intro and hello
Felt story
Movement song or video
Book
Movement song
Goodbye
This storytime is special for a couple of reasons. First, it's the only one that I give a handout with pictures of the signs on it, so that the kids and grownups can refer to it during storytime and then practice at home. Second, I'm experimenting with adding an AV component to storytime by showing videos to follow along with instead of just listening to songs.
Handout:
Intro and hello: Hello: "Hello Friends"
Before turning on the music, I teach the kids (and grownups) the American Sign Language sign for "friends." Then we boogie, wave, and sing hello to all our friends!
Warming Up Motor Skills: "Open, Shut Them"
On this song we do the movements described in the lyrics: open our hands, close our hands, clap three times, put our hands in our lap, creep our fingers up to our chin, and don't let them in our mouths.
Stretch: "Tall/Small"
This is a short, easy stretch the kids get a kick out of. While we're stretching, I like to encourage them to reach for the ceiling, touch their toes, then make themselves into a tiny ball.
Felt Story
"With My Family"
I am proud to announce that I made this felt story myself, and came up with the rhyme mostly on my own with some suggestions from various internet sites made my preschool teachers and other librarians.
If you have a group of younger or wigglier kiddos, it's not necessary to do every verse. They might not sit through them all.
I usually just use the family signs and "like," but I sometimes like to throw in "play" and "sing" for an older or more focused group:
Like
Play
Sing
Before each verse, I hold up the family member and have the kids guess which family member it could be. I'm disappointed in the heteronormativity of this family, but this family looks like the majority of the ones who regularly attend my storytimes.
To the tune of "The Muffin Man"
Add each family member as you sing about them.
Tell me when you like to do, like to do, like to do
Tell me what you like to do with your family.
I like to play with my toys, with my toys, with my toys
I like to play with my toys with my daddy.
I like to sing silly songs, silly songs, silly songs
I like to sing silly songs with my mommy.
I like to play at the park, at the park, at the park
I like to ply at the park with my sister.
I like to eat yummy food, yummy food, yummy food
I like to eat yummy food with my brother.
I like to take fun trips, take fun trips, take fun trips
I like to take fun trips with Grandma and Grandpa.
I like to play fetch outside, fetch outside, fetch outside
I like to play fetch outside with my puppy.
Tell me what you like to do, like to do, like to do
Tell me what you like to do with your family!
Movement Song
"Five Little Monkeys"
I decided not to use a video this month, because I couldn't find one with family signs that I loved. So, we did Five Little Monkeys because it talks about a monkey family and helps us practice the sign for "mom," as well as some others that might come up in daily conversation like "all done."
Number signs
Monkey
Jumping
Fall off
Hurt head
Mom
No more/All done
Book
Families, Families, Families by Suzanne Lang
I love this book! It doesn't have a lot of words, but it does the important job of showing all kinds of families. Single parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, same-sex parents, only children, and kids with lots of siblings are all celebrated through the accessible language of "some children have..."
Movement Song
"You're Wonderful" by Debbie Clements
It's not necessarily about families, but this is one of my favorite storytime songs because it's all about celebrating yourself and your loved ones. It's also a slow, mellow song to sign to.
Wonderful/Marvelous
Beautiful
Magical
Filled
Curiosity
Dreams
Goodbye
"Until We Meet Again" from Out of the Box
When we sing this song, I help them recall the sign for friends from the hello song, and teach them a couple others as we sing: meet, time, and say.
Friends
Meet
Goodbye
This is the only storytime that I don't close with bubbles, because directly following is another program called Stay and Play where I set out 4-5 bins of toys for a 30 minute free play. Adding bubbles to that seems to be too much stimulation.
