Opening Song (with ukulele): Hello, how are you?
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake
This book is more wordy than most of the books I share with babies and toddlers, but the length wasn't a problem. They really stuck with it, and the rest of my books were so so short, they sort of balanced each other out.
Song (with flannel board and ukulele): Bluejay, Bluejay, Through My Window
I used the Elizabeth Mitchell tune for Little Bird, Little Bird, but changed her words slightly based on another version I found online. In the end, it went like this:
Bluejay, bluejay, through my window
Bluejay, bluejay, through my window
Bluejay, bluejay, through my window
You make me so happy. I used the birds I cut out of Highlights High Five Magazine and sang verses about four different ones. This was maybe the best flannel board / ukulele combination I have done so far. Every adult sang along, and when I asked them to say the name of each bird with me, they happily repeated bluejay, robin, goldfinch, and pigeon.
Song: Here We Go Up, Up, Up
I had terrible luck with this book at a previous story time (a baby lap time back in February), but decided it wasn't the book's fault and gave it another shot. I was right - it went over much better this time, and seemed to enthrall most of the kids.
Song: This is the Way My Fingers... (from Hartstrings Preschool Ideas; Session 1 only)
I had higher expectations for this one, but it was really kind of a flop. I think I need to work on making the movements more interesting. For the second session, I skipped it and went right ahead to One Little Finger, which got a much stronger response.
Song: One Little Finger
This was the weak link in the line-up today, which kind of surprised me, even if this isn't my favorite Emily Gravett title. I think the pictures are eye-catching, but a lot of the kids lost interest quickly.
Song: Head and Shoulders, Baby
I am starting to get sick of this song since we've done it every week all summer, but I was amazed when I looked out at the kids today and saw so many of them finally doing the motions with me. I will keep doing it through August just for that reason.
Song: Sunny Day
This song somehow just commands silence. I like to use it right before the last book so everyone can calm down and listen.
The last time I shared this at story time, I said I didn't think it was a great story time book, but as with Blue Sea, I wanted to give it another chance. The first session adults didn't pay a bit of attention to it, so in the second session I had them repeat each line of text back to me as a way of keeping them engaged and helping the kids get interested too. Still not a huge success, but it was sort of nice to involve everyone in that way.
Song: Did You Ever See?
I sang this song about a ladybug, a bumblebee, and a butterfly, changing the words slightly to go with the blue sky story we had just read.
Did you ever see a ladybug, a ladybug, a ladybug?
Did you ever see a ladybug flying in the blue sky?
Flying this way, and that way, and this way, and that way.
Did you ever see a ladybug flying in the blue sky?
Everyone really liked this one. I think next time I'll ask everyone to sway back and forth - I saw one little girl doing just that, and it was the perfect movement to go along with the song.
Song: If You're Happy and You Know It
Lately, I have stopped announcing that we're going to sing this one, and I just started with a long note on the "If" to build some suspense.
Song: ABCs
We clapped along with our ABCs. Just that simple action fills the room with such happiness - it's fantastic.
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
I made colored flannel words to go with Baby Bear, but learned the hard way not to put them up letter by letter! I've found Blue Chameleon works best if you have something to cover up the item it's mimicking and have the kids guess (but I do preschool, mostly 3 and 4 year olds, so that might not work with less responsive toddlers).
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