Baby Lap Time, 4/1

I had never worked with babies at all before this job, so even though I have been doing this program for a month now, I still get pretty nervous beforehand. Previously, I was handing out song sheets and adhering pretty strictly to the order they were printed in, but this week, I changed things a little bit and used a format similar to my Baby/Toddler Story Time on Tuesday. It worked very, very well, and I felt a lot more at ease.

Opening song: If You're Happy and You Know It
This is a really great, upbeat version of this song, but our CD player started skipping so we had to ditch the recording halfway through and finish singing on our own. Thankfully, I remembered the last two verses - beep your nose, and shout hooray.

Book: Pots and Pans by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Diane DeGroat

I love Patricia Hubbell books for babies and toddlers, and this one is especially great because of all the wonderful crashing and banging sounds. The book is a lot more fun than listening to actual banging on pots and pans!






Song: Open, Shut Them

Open (hold up hands)
Shut them (close hands)
Open (hold up hands)
Shut them (close hands)
Give a little clap, clap, clap (clap three times)
Open (hold up hands)
Shut them (make two fists)
Open (hold up hands)
Shut them (make two fists)
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap (pat knees three times)
Creep them, creep them, (creep fingers up to your chin)
creep them, creep them
right up to your chin, chin, chin (tap chin)
Open wide your little mouth (open mouth)
But do not let them in (hide fingers behind back)

Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Rhyme: Here is the Beehive

Here is the beehive (make a fist)
Where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees. (shake head)
Wait, and  you'll see them
Come out of  the hive
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (hold up one finger at a time)
Bzzzzz! (wiggle fingers and/or tickle baby)


Book: I'm a Baby, You're a Baby by Lisa Kopper

This book is older (1995) but was absolutely perfect for this group. The refrain "I'm a baby, you're a baby" repeats on every other page. Facing pages show various animal babies. We made the sounds for each animal, and every baby in the room was clearly engaged. 









Song: Old MacDonald Had a Farm (no CD, just me singing!)


Song: Where is Thumbkin?

Song: One, Two, I Love You (Numbers Are Our Friends)

Book: Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy by Denise Fleming

Different wild animal babies are oh so sleepy, but where is mommy's sleepy little baby? She's hiding at the end of the book, with a big yawn and a stuffed monkey. Some more really good repetition in this one, and beautiful, colorful illustrations that drew the kids right in. Some of  the moms got into it, too, and started to read the repeated parts along with me.






Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Song: Clap Along With Me


Song: Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes


Song: Tony Chestnut Knows I Love You
This is a song I've been wanting to do forever, and I finally got the guts today. Some of the moms said it was cute, so I think we'll probably do it again next time. 

(Point to each body part as it is said.)
Toe, knee, chest, nut
nose eye love you.
Toe knee nose.
Toe knee nose.
Toe, knee, chest, nut
nose eye love you.
That's what toe knee nose.


Song: ABC's
I have been looking for a good recording of  the alphabet song for a long time, but finally decided we'd just sing it all together. Next time, I might include ASL signs for the letters, if I get really brave.

Song: Goodbye

We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye like this.
We clap our hands for all our friends.
We wave goodbye like this.