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
"Bumpy Road/Smooth 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)
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
I learned this one in an online course I took recently to brush up on my storytime sign language skills. Before we do this rhyme I like to go over counting up to ten using only one hand and American Sign Language numbers (this is a little above babies' developmental stage but a good skill for parents to learn and practice for later). I also like to emphasize that this fun rhyme gets children ready to laugh at jokes later in life by making them anticipate the last line, then doing something unexpected by getting loud and crazy! This is the general basis of most jokes, so in addition to numbers and rhyming words, this is a good exercise in building social skills.
One, I love you. Two, I love you.
Three, I love you so!
Four, I love you. Five, I love you.
Never let you go!
Six, I love you. Seven, I love you.
Eight, you love me too!
Nine, I love you. Ten, I love you...
My Bouncing Buckaroooooooooooo!!!!!
"This is the Way the Ladies Ride"
"Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We're Going to the Moon"
Board Book #2
Baby Parade by Rebecca O'Connell
Movement Song
"One, Two Hands"
July 9
Board Book #1
Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth Road"
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
"One, Two Hands"
"Little Red Wagon"
Board Book #2
Baby Astronaut by Dr. Laura Gehl and Daniel Wiseman
July 16
Board Book #1
Tinyville Town: I'm a Veterinarian by Brian Biggs
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth Road"
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
"This is the Way the Ladies Ride"
"Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We're Going to the Moon"
Board Book #2
Clive is a Librarian by Jessica Spanyol
July 23
Board Book #1
Freight Train by Donald Crews
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth Road"
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
"Hurry, Hurry, Drive That Firetruck"
"Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We're Going to the Moon"
Board Book #2
The I Love You Book by Todd Parr
July 30
Board Book #1
Take A Look: More Fun Together by Liesbet Slegers
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth Road"
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
"Walkin' Ol' Joe"
"This is the Way the Ladies Ride"
Board Book #2
Sporty Babies Wear Sweats by Michelle Sinclair Colman
"Bumpy Road/Smooth 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)
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
I learned this one in an online course I took recently to brush up on my storytime sign language skills. Before we do this rhyme I like to go over counting up to ten using only one hand and American Sign Language numbers (this is a little above babies' developmental stage but a good skill for parents to learn and practice for later). I also like to emphasize that this fun rhyme gets children ready to laugh at jokes later in life by making them anticipate the last line, then doing something unexpected by getting loud and crazy! This is the general basis of most jokes, so in addition to numbers and rhyming words, this is a good exercise in building social skills.
One, I love you. Two, I love you.
Three, I love you so!
Four, I love you. Five, I love you.
Never let you go!
Six, I love you. Seven, I love you.
Eight, you love me too!
Nine, I love you. Ten, I love you...
My Bouncing Buckaroooooooooooo!!!!!
Steam Train, Dream Train Colors by Sherry Duskey Rinker & Tom Lichtenheld
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth 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)
"My Bouncing Buckaroo" Another new lap bounce already? COULD IT BE???? It could! I learned this one in an online course I'm taking to brush up on my storytime sign language skills. Before we do this rhyme I like to go over counting up to ten using only one hand and American Sign Language numbers (this is a little above babies' developmental stage but a good skill for parents to learn and practice for later). I also like to emphasize that this fun rhyme gets children ready to laugh at jokes later in life by making them anticipate the last line, then doing something unexpected by getting loud and crazy! This is the general basis of most jokes, so in addition to numbers and rhyming words, this is a good exercise in building social skills.
One, I love you. Two, I love you. Three, I love you so! Four, I love you. Five, I love you. Never let you go! Six, I love you. Seven, I love you. Eight, you love me too! Nine, I love you. Ten, I love you... My Bouncing Buckaroooooooooooo!!!!!
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)
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
Another new lap bounce already? COULD IT BE???? It could! I learned this one in an online course I'm taking to brush up on my storytime sign language skills. Before we do this rhyme I like to go over counting up to ten using only one hand and American Sign Language numbers (this is a little above babies' developmental stage but a good skill for parents to learn and practice for later). I also like to emphasize that this fun rhyme gets children ready to laugh at jokes later in life by making them anticipate the last line, then doing something unexpected by getting loud and crazy! This is the general basis of most jokes, so in addition to numbers and rhyming words, this is a good exercise in building social skills.
One, I love you. Two, I love you.
Three, I love you so!
Four, I love you. Five, I love you.
Never let you go!
Six, I love you. Seven, I love you.
Eight, you love me too!
Nine, I love you. Ten, I love you...
My Bouncing Buckaroooooooooooo!!!!!
"Shake My Sillies Out"
"Walkin' Ol' Joe"
Board Book #2
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora
Movement Song
Wheels on the Bus
April 9
Board Book #1
Clive and His Babies by Jessica Spanyol
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth Road"
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
"Hurry, Hurry, Drive That Firetruck"
"BINGO"
Board Book #2
There, There by Taro Miura
Movement Song
"Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We're Going to the Moon"
April 16
Board Book #1
Animal Noises by Thomas Flintham
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth Road"
"My Bouncing Buckaroo"
"Humpty Dumpty"
"Milkshake"
Board Book #2
I Can Do It, Too by Karen Baicker
Movement Song
"Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We're Going to the Moon"
April 23
Board Book #1
My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Over the last few months I've found this program is best structured as unstructured play time. I lay out egg shakers, rhythm sticks, and other musical instruments, and let the kids explore whatever they're attracted to. I also set up the craft as a station in one corner of the room, so families can drift over a few at a time instead of all at once. Especially since many of the participants just got out of the 30-minute structured program Learn and Grow with Rhythm and Flow, this more relaxed setup has been pretty successful.
All you need for this project are two spoons, a plastic egg, dry beans, and packing or duct tape. Fill the egg with beans (rice would work too, but would be messier), tape a spoon on each side, and you've made your own egg shaker with a handle for little hands to easily grab! We used packing tape because you can still see the color of your egg through the clear tape. Duct tape would be fun if you have colored or patterned tape, or plan to decorate it with markers or stickers.
I was once again too busy running the program to take pictures, but it was fun! I got some very positive verbal feedback from a couple of moms, that they like how I make this program both fun and educational. LGRF and Music Lab will be going on a hiatus for the summer while I focus on teen volunteers and theater day camp, but it'll be back in August!
Lap Bounce Journey
"Bumpy Road/Smooth 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)
