First Baby Storytime of the season

This fall I will be swapping my Family/Preschool storytime for a Baby laptime program. It is hard to give up my preschoolers, but I have to share with my lovely co-worker, Miss Carol. Babytime will be a new adventure for me. Today was my first one, and I had four babies and caregivers come. Two grandmas, a nanny and a mom brought their little ones. The actual storytime is scheduled for 15 minutes, with playtime following. This was ample material for that time frame.

What follows is the format that I used today. I borrowed heavily from the wonderful blog Library Noise .

Welcome Song:

 To the tune of "Where is Thumbkin" and gets sung to each child. If a child is late, we sing it to him or her when they come in.

Where is [insert name here?] Where is [insert name here?] (cover eyes with hands)
There (s)he is! There (s)he is! (point to the child)
I'm so glad to see you! I'm so glad to see you!
Peek-a-boo! Peek-a-boo! (play peek-a-boo with the child)

3-4 Mother Goose Rhymes/Songs/more subtle action rhymes:

I showed pictures from the beautifully illustrated Pocket Full of Posies: a Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Salley Mavor as we recited the rhymes.

 

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Baa baa black sheep,

Have you any wool?

Yes, sir, yes sir,

Three bags full,

One for my master,

One for my dame,

And one for the little boy (girl)

Who lives down the lane,

Baa baa black sheep,

Have you any wool?

Yes, sir, yes sir,

Three bags full.

By Salley Mavor

 

Pease Porridge Hot

Pease Porridge Hot,

Pease Porridge Cold,

Pease Porridge in the Pot,

Nine Days Old.

 

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

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.

 

Hey Diddle Diddle

Hey diddle, diddle! The cat and the fiddle.

The cow jumped over the moon.

The little dog laughed to see such sport,

And the dish ran away with the spoon.

Detail from "Hey Diddle, Diddle" by Salley Mavor

 

Read 1st book: Bunny and Me by Adele Aron Greenspun and Joanie Schwarz

4-5 Action Rhymes/Tickle Rhymes/Knee Bounces:

Cuckoo clock 

            (swing baby from side to side)

Tick-tock, tick-tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.

Tick-tock, tick-tock,

Now I’m striking one o’clock.    

Cuckoo!         (lift baby up)

 

          Repeat first two lines….

Now I’m striking two o’clock. 

Cuckoo! Cuckoo!    (lift baby up two times)

 

Now I’m striking three o’clock. 

Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!    (lift baby up three times)

 

These Are Baby’s Fingers

 These are baby’s fingers (wiggle fingers)

And these are baby’s toes (wiggle toes)

This is baby’s belly button (circle finger on baby’s tummy)

Round and round it goes,

These are baby’s eyes (gently touch eyes)

And this is baby’s nose (touch nose)

This is baby’s belly button (tickle tummy)

Right where Mommy (Daddy, Grandma, etc.)blows!

(buzz lips on baby’s tummy)

 

Baby’s Hokey Pokey:

 

You put your arms up,  you put your arms down,

You put your arms up and wave them all around.

Then tickle tickle, wiggle wiggle

Everyone knows, that’s how the baby’s hokey pokey goes!

 

You put your legs up,  you put your legs down,

You put your legs up and kick them all around.

Then tickle tickle, wiggle wiggle

Everyone knows, that’s how the baby’s hokey pokey goes!

 

This is the Way the Ladies Ride

This is the way the ladies ride,

Bounce, bounce, bounce,

(Bounce baby on your knee)

This is the way the gentlemen ride,

Boom, boom, boom,

(Bounce baby faster)

This is the way the farmers ride,

Trot, trot, trot.

(Bounce one leg at a time)

This is the way the babies ride,

Whee!

(Lift baby high in the air)

 

The Kissing Rhyme

(Lift Baby up and down)

Up, up, up in the air like this

Down, down down for a great big kiss

(Give a kiss)

Up like this, down for a kiss,

(Give another kiss)

You’re a special baby!

(Give a big hug)

 

Next, I hand out egg shakers:

Shaker Song (to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down”)
Shake your shaker in the air
Shake it here, shake it there
Shake your shaker in the air,
Shake your shaker.

Shake it high and shake it low
Shake it yes, shake it no.
Shake it high and shake it low
Shake your shaker.

Shake it up and shake it down
Rub your shaker on the ground.
Shake it up and shake it down
Shaker your shaker.

“Shake Your Sillies Out” from More Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi

Read 2nd book : All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri

 

 Pat A Cake

Pat a cake pat a cake
Baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
(Clap baby’s hands together)
Pat it
(Pat baby’s tummy)
And roll it
(Roll baby’s hands over each other)
And mark it with B
(Trace the letter B on baby’s tummy)
And put it in the oven for Baby and me!
(Clap again!)

Sing the goodbye song:

Storytime is Done (sing to The Farmer in the Dell)

Storytime is done, storytime is done,
hi ho the derrio, storytime is done.
It’s time to play with toys, it’s time to play with toys,
hi ho the derrio, it’s time to play with toys.