Concepts: Opposites Toddler Lap Time, 5/10/13

Concepts: Opposites Toddler Lap Time, 5/10/13

Book: Black? White! Day? Night! by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
I wasn't sure how some of the concepts in this book would work for toddlers, but the lift-the-flap format made it very exciting for all three of the kids who came to this story time. 

Song: Go In and Out the Window 
I modified this from baby story time to suit more active kids. For "in and out" we bent our elbows in and out and for "up and down", we moved our hands up to the ceiling and down to the floor. 

Book: Big Little by Leslie Patricelli
My decision not to repeat the shapes theme from the Thursday Toddler Lap Time was partly informed by how successful the Patricelli opposites books were with the babies. I used both books again, and they were huge hits, even with just a few people in the room.

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big 

Book: Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli 
As I did with the babies, I asked everyone to help make a quiet sound after every quiet page in this book. We didn't quite stick with it until the end, but even with just me making the sound, it seemed to help keep the kids focused.


Song: Bumpin’ Up and Down in My Little Red Wagon 


Activities with Foam Stars

• Rhyme: Stars Up, Stars Down
• Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Song: There’s a Star Upon...

Song with Puppet: I'm a Little Green Frog 
I was sick of singing Mr. Sun, so I brought in the frog instead. I could not have imagined his popularity! We stayed in story time an extra ten minutes to pass the frog around and talk about his features. ("Nose?" one little boy kept saying. He wasn't sure the frog actually had one.)

Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers

Song: Hands Up High 

Song: Here We Go Up, Up, Up

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.