Toddlertime 4-18-18: On the Farm

Our loose theme for today was the farm.

After our introduction, our first story was Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker. I like this book because it's the usual "one, two, buckle my shoe" nursery rhyme, with colorful pictures toddlers respond to.

For our first movement song, I used "I Know a Chicken" by Laurie Berkner and passed out egg shakers. Whenever I do this song I make sure to emphasize that it is a call and response song. I usually take the role of the lead singer, and encourage the kids and parents to repeat after me. Many of our Toddlertime kids aren't quite that verbal yet, but it still helps their development to hear the songs and see those around them singing. 

The collection of egg shakers is always a little disorganized, and usually ends up with a group of mobile babies running toward me at full speed, and slam dunking their instruments into the bucket. We definitely needed a little calm-down chant after all that excitement. I used the "Everybody Do This Just Like Me" chant. This one is interesting because you need to change up the movements often to keep the kids interested. The point is for them to watch your movements and try to follow what you do, instead of wiggling around. You might have to repeat the first verse 2 or more times. I wouldn't move on to "Everybody sit down" until the group is calm, listening, and ready to sit.

Everybody do this just like me (movement 1)
Everybody do this just like me (movement 2)
Everybody do this just like me (movement 3)
Everybody do this just... (movement 1)
Like... (movement 2)
Me. (movement 3)

(motion for kids to sit down)
Everybody sit down quietly
Everybody sit down quietly
Everybody sit down quietly
Everybody sit down just... like... me.

Our felt story today was "Old Macdonald Had a Farm." I used the farm animals from a large set of felt animals I found in our workroom, and had everyone sing the song with me as each one was revealed. Just like the call and response in "I Know a Chicken," it's important for pre-verbal kiddos to hear these songs before they're able to sing them themselves. And of course, making animal sounds is something pre-verbal toddlers can do very well.

Finally, we sang "One, Two Hands" and "Peek-a-Boo" before saying goodbye for the day.

Click here to listen to the version of "Peek-a-Boo" I use. 

Books to Display:

• Goose on the Farm—Wall 
• Old MacDonald Had a Farm—Berry (ill.) 
• Over on the Farm—Berkes 
• Cock-a-Doodle-Doo, Creak, Pop-Pop, Moo—Aylesworth

Baby Lapsit 11-14-17

The first thing we did this morning, as we do every Baby Lapsit, was sing good morning to all our friends. I'm delighted that we have a core group of regulars who know the songs now!

The first book we read this morning was Peekaboo! On the Farm by Cocorette. This was a quick lift-the-flap, where we practiced making farm animal sounds as each one was revealed. 

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)

There was nothing new for the musical portion of lap bounce this morning, but I did bring out "Hurry, Hurry, Drive That Firetruck," which we haven't heard in a few weeks. We also bounced to "Pop Goes the Weasel," with grownups encouraged to lift their baby up high at the POP!

Penguins are my favorite animal, which made me fall in love with our adorable second book even more than the art and story would have. Penguin Misses Mom by Michael Dahl tells the story of a baby penguin who is nervous about spending the evening with a babysitter when his mom goes out. I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but let's just say it's a happy one.

Because it's been a while since we did Sign Language in Baby Lapsit, we practiced the signs to "Hush Little Baby" as one of our movement/gesture songs. Finally, before saying goodbye, we sang my new favorite, "One, Two Hands."

My version of "Hush Little Baby"

Baby Lapsit 7-27-17

Last Baby Lapsit of Summer Reading!

After the usual introduction, our first story of the day was I Love my Dinosaur by Caroline Jayne Church. It's a very cute, very short board book about a child and her stuffed dino. Caroline Jayne Church has a series of "I Love My ___," including a puppy and a robot, among others. All of her books are short, sweet, and perfect for readers under two.

 

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)

Mixing it up today, our lap bounce songs were "Wheels on the Bus" and "Pop Goes the Weasel." I like "Wheels" because it can work as a lap bounce or simple gesture song, and is therefore great for all ages. I like this particular version because after the mommies and daddies are done saying "shh shh shh," they also say "I love you."

Click here to listen to the version of "Wheels on the Bus" that I use.

The second story today was One, Two, Baa, Moo by Jonathan Litton. Farm animals are always a winner with the teeny tinies. Plus, this is a pop-up book, so it's full of surprises!

Our last song before saying goodbye was one of my favorites, "The Goldfish." I have to shout out again to Laurie Berkner for her wonderful children's music that I shamelessly steal almost every storytime. 

I don't have a list of display books this week because there was no solid theme. Thanks for reading!

Baby Lapsit 6-29-17

I suppose you could say the theme of this storytime is farm animals because of the book choices, but the songs don't really reflect that, so I'm going to refrain from classifying it that way.

After our introduction, the first board book of the day was Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton. This book is a personal favorite of mine, and actually the first one I buy for any friend who announces they're having a baby. The rhyming is great for a small child's language development, and Sandra Boynton's characters are just so dang cute. There's nothing bad about this book.

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 "Walkin' Ol' Joe" again as our first lap bounce song, which I guess is also applicable to the farm. Our second lap bounce song was "Noble Duke of York," which is long but affords a lot of opportunity to bring the baby up, down, left, right, and even upside-down (over your shoulder) if you're brave enough. I always see grownups' eyes widen the first time they see me turn my demonstration teddy bear upside down, but by the end of the song, they're trying it out and their babies usually have the time of their life!

The second book was Quick, Duck! by Mary Murphy. It was fun to make the babies (and their grownups) to quack like ducks. Some of them got the idea and started quacking by the end, but most importantly, I demonstrated for their caregivers a potential interactive activity they can do with their babies as they read. Talking about the animals on the page, and what sounds they make, is a great way to practice identifying pictures, which is one of the first steps toward learning sight words later on.

Our last movement song today was "I'm a Little Teapot." I have a version with this song first, and then "Two Little Blackbirds" to the same tune directly after. I like this version because that nursery rhyme has fallen out of use over the years, and it's still a fun fingerplay.
Click here to listen to the version I use.

I could have included "Six Little Ducks" by Raffi to continue with the barnyard theme, and because there's never a bad time to play Raffi, but I'm still working out movements for that one.

To conclude storytime we sang "Peek-a-Boo" and "Skidamarink," then had bubbles and a 15-ish minute community play time. You can see my usual Baby Lapsit conclusion by scrolling up and clicking on the "introduction" link.