Pajama Story Time, 6/13/12

Because of the nighttime theme and some requests from parents, we're offering a pajama story time on Wednesday nights this summer. I'm sharing the story time with a coworker, so I'll only have it every other week - tonight was my first one. In all, there were 6 kids. A toddler, two preschoolers, and three elementary schoolers. Instead of doing a lot of singing and dancing around like we do in the morning, I read three long-ish classic picture books.

Book 1: Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard and James Marshall (1977)
I hadn't read this book in a while, but when I saw that my group was skewing older than expected, it was the first one I grabbed. I loved it as a kid, and it charms me just as much now. I also love that moment when the kids realize the true identity of Miss Viola Swamp.

Book 2: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (1969)
I am really not crazy about this book, but one of the boys in the group asked me to read it. I liked it more this time than usual, possibly because the kids made it such a pleasure to read aloud.

Book 3: Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
This is my absolute favorite book to read aloud because of Ira's sisters snide little comments about her brother's teddy bear. I don't think the kids knew this one, and I was thrilled to see their faces light up when they realized Reggie has a teddy bear of his own. I will never stop loving this book.

This story time was a refreshing change of pace from the usual insanity - can't wait for my turn to come up again!

Baby/Toddler Story Time, 6/12/12

This week's Tuesday crowd was  a bit more boisterous than expected. Between sessions, someone stole one of my books and my chair, which completely upset the rhythm of the second story time. Since the two sessions differed so greatly from one another, I'll post both below, with comments.

Session 1

Opening Song: Hello, how are you? 
 
Song with Puppet: You Are My Sunshine 

Book: How Do You Feel? by Anthony Browne (2012)
I love all of Anthony Browne's books, but this one is a little less complicated than some of his others, and therefore more appropriate for toddlers. The kids seemed to react well to it, for the most part.

Song: If You're Happy and You Know It

Song: Shake My Sillies Out 

Book: I Look Like This by Nick Sharratt (1992)
My library's copy of this book is starting to fall apart. I am dismayed

Song: H-A-P-P-Y
I'll be posting about this song on Friday when I will participate in Flannel Friday for the first time in weeks!

Song: Head and Shoulders 

Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Book: My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss (1996)
I wished that I had led with this book. It's longer and more poetic than the others and I had a hard time keeping the group's attention through it.

Rhyme: Blue is the Lake

Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Song: Moon Moon Moon

Song: ABC Song

Song: Chickadee

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This 

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Session 2 

Opening Song: Hello, how are you? 

Song with Puppet: You Are My Sunshine 

Book: When You're Happy by Eileen Spinelli (2006)
This is a terrible story time book. I would never have read it to any group except that someone took My Many Colored Days without telling me, and I discovered it at one minute before 11. I grabbed this because I saw it and it fit the theme, but then I only read a few pages, because it just wasn't a good read-aloud at all. 

Song: If You're Happy and You Know It

Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Book: How Do You Feel? by Anthony Browne (2012)

Song: Shake My Sillies Out 

Book: I Look Like This by Nick Sharratt (1992)

Song: H-A-P-P-Y

Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Song: Moon Moon Moon

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Song: Chickadee

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This