Summer Baby Lap Time #1, 7/13/12

It's that time of season again! Baby Lap Time started last week. I was off doing my "on the road" story time on Thursday, so I haven't seen that group yet, but I was here for the Friday Lap Time. Things felt a little bit strange to me because most of the Friday folks are new faces to me, and I could tell some of them really didn't know what to make of me. I strongly suspect that some of them felt it was a waste of time and won't be back. Still, though, I think the rhythm of everything was spot-on, and I think most of them will be back next time!


Opening Song: Please Tell Us Your Name
I co-wrote the words to this opening song with one of my colleagues. I'm not entirely sure how to describe the tune, but this is what we sing:

Hello, [child's name]
We're happy that you came!
Who is sitting next to you?

Please tell us your name. 

We neglected to think about what would happen when we reached the last child, so I concluded the song by singing,

Hello, [child's name]

We're happy that you came!
Hello, hello to everyone!
We're happy that you came!

This works nicely because I don't yet know all of the kids' names, and babies don't do well with name tags.

Rhyme: Cheek Chin
Initially, I thought I would try a different rhyme in this slot for this series of lap times, but ultimately, I decided against it, because this one is just so perfect.

Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Book: Peekaboo Bedtime by Rachel Isadora (2007)

Song: All the Little Babies

Song: Tony Chestnut

Song: Head and Shoulders Baby

Song: Dance Your Fingers

Book: In the Still of the Night by Jennifer Selby (1994)
If you don't know this one, despite its rather non-descript cover, it's actually a great animal sounds book, and the story is simple and straightforward - thus perfect for the little ones.

Rhyme: Hey, Diddle Diddle
I am making more of a conscious effort to include nursery rhymes in this round of lap times. For  this one, when we say "the cow jumped over the moon," we lift all the babies up into the air. 

Song: Mrs. Moon (based on Mr. Sun)

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

Song with Shaker Eggs: ABCs

Song with Shaker Eggs: Can You Shake Your Egg with Me?

Goodbye Song: Shaker Egg Goodbye Song
Moving the shakers to the end of the session was a really smart idea. Now I don't have to worry about getting their attention back after collecting the eggs. 

6 Tween & Teen Novels Set in Europe

	The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle Adam Eddington unwittingly steps into a web of intrigue when he takes a job working with scientist Dr. O'Keefe on the island of Gaea.
	The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd Ted, who has autism, uses his unique way of thinking to solve the mystery of his cousin's disappearance.
	Thames Doesn't Rhyme with James by Paula Danziger Kendra Kaye and Frank Lee continue their romance while on a European scavenger hunt with their families. (This was my favorite book in middle school!)
	Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins When Anna is sent to boarding school, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with a boy named Etienne St. Clair.
	Flirting In Italian by Lauren Henderson After discovering that she strongly resembles the subject of a portrait that was once located at the Castello di Vesperi in Tuscany, Violet Routledge signs up to spend her summer in Italy to find out more.
	Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld Two kids find themselves aboard an airship in this steampunk retelling of the events of World War I.