Baby/Toddler Story Time, 6/28

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?

Book: Where the Giant Sleeps by Mem Fox, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky (2007)
This is a beautifully illustrated book about where each of the many fantastical creatures we know from fairy tales and folklore get a good night's sleep. I love Mem Fox, and she didn't disappoint with this book!

Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (in English and Chinese, from from Chinese and English Nursery Rhymes by Faye-Lynn Wu, illustrations by Kieren Dutcher (2010))

Song: Moon Moon Moon

Book: Over in the Ocean in a Coral Reef by Mary Anne Berkes, illustrated by Jeanette Canyon (2004)
This book could be sung, but I was trying to cut down on the singing today, since I needed my voice for all three sessions. I love the colorful, illustrations that immerse the reader in the under sea atmosphere,  and the counting aspect is always great with toddlers.

Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Pretty Sandcastles
(Check back on Friday for my Flannel Friday post, featuring this rhyme!)

Song: The Wheels on the Bus
It was in the third session, during this song that two families came in and wedged themselves in on either side of me. (I sit on a set of wooden risers at the back of the room, and allow anyone who can't sit on the floor to occupy the far ends. I usually keep a pretty wide space, though, for flapping my arms and making gestures.) One of the adults was so close, she was actually almost in my lap, and they kept moving in on me from both sides! I was so claustrophobic, and I ended up having to stand up to finish the session.

Song: ABCD Medley

Song: Chickadee

Song: There's a Little Wheel a-Turnin' In My Heart (session 1 only)

Goodbye Song: Skinnamarink

Family Story Time, 6/27

I took a no-frills approach to this story time today - tried and true books and familiar songs. I wish I could say it worked, but... this was another chaotic (kids screaming and running, adults talking over me, etc.) Monday program.

Here is what we did. I don't have time to discuss each book this time around, but most were well-received, except the last one.

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?

Song: If You'd Like to Read a Book

Book: King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood and Don Wood (1985)

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Book: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939)

Song: Monkeys on the Bed

Book: Old MacDonald by Jessica Souhami (1996)
(We did this as a group sing-along.)

Song:  I'm a Little Teapot

Song: Boots

Book: Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (2002)

Song: ABCD Medley

Goodbye Song: Skinnamarink

Saturday Family Story Time, 6/25

Though the groups are always very small, I really do love these Saturday story times. Today we had 7 kids and their parents, and it was a nice, calm, and intimate experience. 

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?

Book: Fortune Cookies by Albert Bitterman, illustrated by Chris Raschka (2011)
This is the story of a little girl who receives a box of fortune cookies. She eats one each day and  watches as her fortunes come to life. I chose this over Grace Lin's Fortune Cookie Fortunes because the fortunes were a bit less cryptic, and they came in and out of the cookie by the pull of a tab. The big reveal at the end - that the girl's lost cat has 7 kittens -  got an especially big laugh out of the parents.

Song: Rum Sum Sum

Book: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (1947)
There is nothing more satisfying than shaking one's fist and calling out, "You monkeys, you!"

Song: Monkeys on the Bed

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Book: Dancing Matilda by Sarah Hager, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (2005)
This is a very repetitive story with a great rhythm.  Every time I said the word "DANCE," I could just picture a dancer twirling around in my mind. That said, I think this was a pretty terrible read-aloud. It would be such a good one for little girls who love to dance, though! 

Song: ABCD Medley

Song: Chickadee

Closing Song: Skinnamarink

Baby Lap Time, 6/24

Wow, we have never had so many kids at this story time! Most of them were not babies, though, which made the room noisy, crowded and full of much more movement than usual. The babies didn't seem a bit distracted, though, and though I felt like things were out of control, everyone else seemed to enjoy themselves.

Opening Song: Clap Along With Me

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big

Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers

Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Song: ABCD Medley

Book: Global Babies by Global Fund for Children (2007)
The text of  this book is one complete sentence expressing that all babies around  the world are special, beautiful, and loved. The photographs of baby faces from around the world delighted these little ones, who pointed, clapped, and laughed.


Song: Los Pollitos

Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Song: Head and Shoulders

Song: Animal Babies in Polar Lands by Kingfisher Books (2004)

Song: You Are My Sunshine (a cappella)

Song: Let's All Go to the Circus (a cappella)

(to the tune of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”)
Let’s all go to the circus,

let’s all go to the circus,
Let’s all go to the circus

and have a lot of fun.

We’ll see the elephant wave his trunk,
we’ll see the elephant wave his trunk,
We’ll see the elephant wave his trunk,
and then he’ll say a-roo!

We’ll see the monkeys jump up and down,

we’ll see the monkeys jump up and down,
We’ll see the monkeys jump up and down,

and then they’ll say eee-eee.

We’ll see the horses gallop and trot,
we’ll see the horses gallop and trot,
We’ll see the horses gallop and trot,
and then they’ll say neigh.

We’ll see the lion roar,

we’ll see the lion roar,
We’ll see the lion roar,

and then he’ll say grrrrrr.

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Song: Chickadee

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This