Sheep Storytime

So excited to do storytime after a whole month without doing one at Otis!!

Books

No Sleep for the Sheep

by Karen Beaumont; illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic

Where is the Green Sheep?

by Mem Fox; illustrated by Judy Horacek

Songs/Rhymes/Flannel Board

Mary had a Little Lamb (idea from Mallory)

We sang Mary had a little lamb; but I would put up a different color sheep and then say something that was that color.

Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb
Mary had a little lamb its fleece was ORANGE as CARROTS!

We ended with a white sheep!

Dancing Sheep
(from Susan Dailey)

Shhh!  It’s time to go to sleep (put finger to mouth, pretend to sleep)

But into my bedroom one sheep creeps. (creep fingers)

“Don’t go to bed,” the one sheep said.

“I would rather dance instead!”

Soon he was…  (draw these words out)

Dancing on the ceiling! (move hands above head in “dancing” motion)

He was dancing on the floor! (move hands on floor as mentioned above)

He was dancing on the window! (move hands to one side)

He was dancing on the door! (move hands to other side)

He kept on…Dancing on the ceiling! (sing faster)

He was dancing on the floor!

He was dancing on the window!

He was dancing on the door!

(repeat several times getting faster each time through)

“Stop that dancing, silly sheep.

It is time to go to sleep!”

Soon the sheep lay on the floor.

Soon the sheep began to snore.

So I started …  (draw these words out)

Dancing on the ceiling!

I was dancing on the floor!

I was dancing on the window!

I was dancing on the door!

Where is the Green Sheep? Hide and Seek Flannel (idea from One Little Librarian)

After reading Where is the Green Sheep we had our own little hide and seek activity using the magnet board.

Supercharged

In the book No Sleep for the Sheep there is a rhyming phrase I taught the children before reading, "'Shhh! Not a peep! Go to sleep!', said the sheep."  I reminded the parents that saying rhyming words with their children build their language and listening skills.  Throughout the story I encouraged the children to say the phrase with me.

Play and Learn

Glue cotton balls onto sheep cutout

Mary had a Little Lamb Maze (from Literacy Centers and Activities Nursery Rhymes Volume 1)

Farm/Zoo Animal Magnet Sort

Where is the Green Sheep? Hide and Seek Flannel
Children also had a good time matching the colored sheep to their colored bush!

Puzzles

And this storytime would not be complete without a stamp on the hand of a green sheep!

Fall Session Songs and Bounces

I can't believe it's September already and time to change up the songs, rhymes and bounces for baby storytime again.  Here are some of the song, rhymes and bounces we will be doing through November.  Below is a general outline I follow for baby storytime.

Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands

Clap, clap, clap your hands,

Clap your hands together.

Clap, clap, clap your hands,

Clap your hands together.

Pat your knees...

Tap your feet...

Jump up high...

Give a hug...

Blow a kiss...

Wave hello...

Good Morning To You
(Sung to the happy Birthday tune)

Good Morning to.....(Child's Name)
Good Morning to......(Child's name)

Good morning dear (Child’s name)

It’s nice to see you!

Roly-Poly

Roly-poly, roly-poly (circle arms around each other—repeat each time you sing the phrase)

Out, out, out (move hands away from each other)

Roly-poly, roly-poly

In, in, in (bring hands together)

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Touch your nose

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Touch your toes.

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Up to the sky (pull baby up to standing)

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Fly, fly, fly (life baby up in the air)

When Cows Get Up in the Morning

(a gentle bouncing rhyme--with puppets)

When cows get up in the morning,

They always say "good day!"

When cows get up in the morning,

They always say "good day!"

"Moo, moo, moo!",

That's how they say "good day!"

"Moo, moo, moo!",

That's how they say "good day!"

I’m a Little Beetle

(Bounce babies in laps, then lift them up when you say, “Fly!”)

I’m a little beetle

And I wiggle all day

If you get too close to me,

I’ll FLY away!

I’m a little bumblebee…

I’m a little ladybug…

Baby Hokey Pokey

You put your arms up,

you put your arms down

You put your arms up,

and you wave them all around

You tickle, tickle, tickle

And you wiggle, wiggle, wiggle

That’s what it’s all about! Clap, clap!

You put your (feet, baby, etc) up...

Five Little Riders

Five little riders on a nice fall day,

Jumped on their ponies and rode far away.

They galloped in the meadow

And they galloped up a hill

They galloped so fast

That they all took a spill!

Grasshopper

There was a little grasshopper,

Always on the jump.

Because he never looked ahead,

He always went bump! (gently drop baby between legs)

Tickle the Clouds

Tickle the clouds (spoken)

Tickle the clouds

and tickle your toes

Clap your hands

and tickle your nose

Reach down low

And reach up high

Story time’s over —

Wave bye-bye!

Round and Round the Garden

'Round and 'round the garden,

Goes the teddy bear. (draw circles on baby's palm)

One step, two steps, (tap twice up baby's arm)

Tickle you under there! (tickle under baby's arm)

Tiny Little Babies

(My new favorite!  I found it at Storytime Katie)

(Sung to: Shortenin' Bread)

Tiny little babies love bouncin', bouncin'

Tiny little babies love bouncin', yeah

Tiny little babies love bouncin', bouncin'

Tiny little babies love bouncin' so...

Bounce to the left, bounce to the right

Now hug that baby nice and tight!

Scarf Song

One bright scarf waiting for the wind to blow (hold in hand)

Wiggle it high (wiggle scarf above head)

Wiggle it low (wiggle scarf by knees)

Shake it fast (wiggle scarf quickly)

Shake it slow (wiggle scarf slowly)

Put it behind your back (bring out empty hands)

Where did it go?

If You’re Happy & You Know It Parachute

•If you’re happy and you know it, lift it high!

•If you’re happy and you know it, shake it fast!

•If you’re happy and you know it, shake it slow!


Baby Storytime Outline

Bubbles (as babies are gathering~5 minutes)

Opening

• Clap, clap, clap your hands
• Good Morning!
• Little Bear

Songs/Rhymes/Bounces (2-3)

• When Cows Get Up in the Morning
• Round and Round the Garden
• Baby Hokey Pokey
• Roly-Poly

Read Aloud Book

Traditional Songs (1-2)

• Pat-a-Cake
• Wheels on the Bus
• Three Little Monkeys
• Itsy Bitsy Spider
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
• If You're Happy and You Know It

Nursery Rhymes (1-2)

• Hey Diddle, Diddle
• Pease Porridge Hot
• Humpty Dumpty
• Jack and Jill
• This Little Piggy
• Hickory Dickory Dock
• Jack Be Nimble

Movement Song

• Tiny Little Babies
• Grasshopper
• I'm a Little Beetle
• Five Little Riders

Shared Reading

Closing (1 of the following)

• Tickle the Clouds
• Parachute
• Scarf Song

Play and Learn

Good Night Baby Storytime

A baby storytime from a few weeks ago...

Songs, Rhymes, Bounces
Words for most of them can be found here

Clap, Clap, Clap
Hello Song
Little Bear
Here are Baby"s Eyes
Bounce You Here
Tick Tock
Hug, Hug, Hug
Peek-a-Boo Scarves

Read Aloud

Little Sleepyhead

by Elizabeth McPike; Illustrated by Patrice Barton

Shared Reading

A variety of board books with a bedtime/night time theme including:

Good Night

by Benoit Marchon; illustrated by Soledad Bravi

Llama Llama Nighty-Night 

by Anna Dewdney

Play and Learn

Friendship Toddler Storytime

A few weeks ago I subbed for a toddler storytime.  It was a HUGE crowd!  Lots of energy and lots of fun!  If I did toddler storytime on a regular basis I know there are a few things I would have to do differently though!

Books

Pepo and Lolo are Friends

by Ana Martin Larranaga

Rex Wrecks It!

by Ben Clanton

Song/Fingerplays

Where is Thumbkin?
(thumb, pointer, pinky only)

Two Little Friends
(tune: 5 Little Ducks)

Two little friends went out to play
On a bright and sunny day
They jumped, they ran, they had such fun
So they called another little friend to come,
"Come and play!"

Continue up through 5

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Play and Learn

Paper doll threesome (made from this template at First Palette)

Blocks

Cars/Trucks

Magnets

Puzzles

Parachute!

Baby Storytime--Let's Play Outside!

If only we really could have played outside!  But alas, our library has no large grassy area.

Read Aloud Book

Spot's First Walk

by Eric Hill

Shared Reading

Variety of board books featuring the outside, including

At the Park

by Salina Yoon

Bizzy Bear: Let's Go and Play!

by Benji Davies

Who's Hiding?

by Sebastien Braun

Play and Learn

Tunnel
One little boy is always very curious about the tunnel whenever I bring it out.  He will look in the tunnel, run to the other end and look in the tunnel, but has never actually gone into the tunnel.  This week he actually went through for the first time!!  Oh, the proud look on his smiling face!  He spent most of the remaining playtime going through the tunnel!

Let's Go! Storytime

I'm behind with my posts!  Here is a storytime from a few weeks ago.

Books

Six Hogs on a Scooter

by Eileen Spinelli; illustrated by Scott Nash

The Bus is for Us

by Michael Rosen; illustrated by Gillian Tyler

Songs/Activity

Driving In My Car--Ralph's World

Guessing Game
Little puppy wants a ride
Behind which vehicle did he hide?

Play and Learn Activities

Cardboard to make ramps for cars

Wooden Train

Alphabet Crocodile Snap Game [Early Learning--Literacy]

Starting Strong Conference

I just returned from attended a three-day conference in Tacoma--the 7th Annual Starting Strong Conference.

It's a conference focusing specially on early learning.  It was a great conference and I'm so excited my boss invited me to join her for it!

A quick list of some take-home ideas for me:

• Create developmentally appropriate and purposeful math experiences for preschoolers (see Pathway to Numeracy)
• Preschoolers have a sense of everyday mathematics
• "Is this a yelling moment or a teaching moment?"
• Relationships--they're about quantity, quality, and intensity
• Multi-sensory interaction, with love, nurture, and care leads to learning (example:  Geometry vs. making chocolate chip cookies)
• Attachment--Secure(trust caregiver; needs are meet), Avoidant (distrust caregiver), Anxious (can sometimes trust caregiver; inconsistent); Disorganized (abuse in the home)
• Play IS:  voluntary, meaningful, symbolic, rule-governed, pleasurable, episodic
• The more senses you use the fewer times you will have to teach
• Eye gaze is extremely important to infants

• Turn academics into play (example: learn to write name--sign the work you do like artist, authors, etc.)
• Outside is the best classroom!
• Technology--anything made by humans (not just electronic devices!)
• Mind likes discovery and divergent learning; use open-ended manipulative such as blocks, water, sand, paint
• Revisit activities/manipulatives again and again and again
• Learning is a social experience; we learn how to learn from others
• Science needs to be D.I.R.T.Y.  Daily discovery, driven by inquiry, relevant and real, tactile teamwork, appropriate for young children
• Integrate literacy throughout curriculum; not in isolation
• We need to build a culture of caring, a culture of competences, and a culture of excellence
• Help child learn to problem solve through their senses

To Read List
The Mindful Brain
I Love You Rituals
A Moving Child is a Learning Child
Powerful Interactions
125 Brain Games for Babies
Why Love Matters
Play (Stewart Brown)
Gardening with Young Children
I Believe...What Do You Believe?

Websites
Alliance for Childhood
Zero to Three
ilabs.uw.edu
Priceless Parenting