Baby/Toddler Story Time, 1/3/12

My Winter story time schedule began today, and thankfully started off with a couple of small groups. I felt really rusty getting up there at first, but also much more relaxed than I've felt in a program since I can remember. I'm not sure it's necessary to take two weeks off like I did this year, but I do feel re-energized and rejuvenated, and ready to take on a new bunch of songs and rhymes, so I think at least a week's break is necessary.

This is my repertoire for this morning. I had about 25 kids at the 10:00, and around 30 at 10:30. The group was especially restless, probably because they're out of the story time routine, so the sessions ran just about 20 minutes each.

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?

Book: Snow by Manya Stojic (2002)
I love this story, with its big bold words, bright oversized illustrations and emotionally satisfying ending.  It was a few pages too long for my very young group - I'd say the average age this morning was around 15 months - but they still mostly paid attention, and seemed to really like the animals. I might save this one to use again during my upcoming preschool class visits.

Rhyme: Clap Slap Tap Lap

Rhyme: Fingers

Book: We've All Got Bellybuttons by David Martin, illustrated by Randy Cecil (2005)
This book would have been just perfect if I had my usual twos and threes, but many of them did not attend story time this morning, and the motions suggested by the text just weren't interesting to the babies - or to their very chatty and seemingly bored caregivers.

Song: Shake My Sillies Out 

Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Song: There's a Little Wheel a-Turnin' In My Heart 

Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Perky Penguins
They really didn't like this rhyme, even when I tried to make it interactive by asking the kids to pretend to swim. Again, I think this was due to the surprisingly young ages of nearly all the kids. (I also totally made up my own words halfway through in an attempt to make it simpler for the babies.)

Song: Numbers Are Our Friends

Song: Ten Little Icicles
This one is really cute. We counted to ten with our fingers right-side up, then turned our hands upside down and wiggled our fingers to show them hanging on the roof. 

Song:  Five Little Snowmen Riding on the Sled 
The kids didn't quite understand that this song is essentially the same as monkeys on the bed, but I feel confident that they will eventually, since I plan to do this song every week this Winter.

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This