This month for my "internal blog" post I discussed our training for Baby Storytime. We hold storytime every week, all year long. This means that staff members are called on to "fill-in" for storyitmes when the regular person is not there. Many staff members have been hesitant to fill in for Baby Storytime, so we held training specifically for baby storytime . Here is part of what I wrote to my fellow storytime presenters:
Over the past several weeks you have had the opportunity to
participate in a Baby Play and Learn Storytime Refresher. Those of us who do (or have done) baby
storytime probably can’t think of a better way to spend an hour—while those who
may have never done, or even seen, a baby storytime may dread the call to fill
in for one. The goal of the training was
to alleviate worry and help you feel prepared to present a storytime to our
youngest members and their parents/caregivers.
Remember that there are resources available to you on
SharePoint! There are lists of tried and
true songs and rhymes, books, and “helpful hints”.
Here are some "helpful hints"and how I set up for and present a Baby Play and Learn Storytime:
A variety of board books on a low table. These are available for babies to look at before, after, and during storytime. They can also be checked out after storytime.
I use this baby doll to demonstrate actions and bounces and use her while the parents do the actions with their babies. I usually keep a hold of her for about half the program before a baby comes to take her. I continue to do the actions with the parents...just holding a pretend baby.
This idea is from my wonderful mentor
Mrs. B! Print out all rhymes, songs, bounces, etc in extra large font and keep in page protectors in a binder. This makes it easy to quickly look down if you forget a word and to keep you on track. It's easy to skip pages if babies need to move onto something different.
I keep all my supplies for storytime on a cart, which is situated behind me. Bubbles (to use at the the beginning of the program), CD player and CDs (for background music before the program begins and during play time), my Little Bear puppet, the read aloud book, and the books for shared reading. The parachute is "hiding" on the 2nd shelf.
I divide the play and learn toys into two bins. Each bin has comparable items (scarves, stacking rings, discovery bottles, maracas, balls) and I also rotate different items in each week, such as puzzles, blocks, cars, color/shape boxes, sorting blocks. I like having two bins for two main reason:
- If the group is large this divides the babies so they are not all converging to one place
- If the group is small I just bring out one bin and there are still plenty of toys.
Here are some of my favorites for Baby Storytime:
Favorite Songs/Rhymes/Bounces
Hands Are Clapping
(Tune: London Bridges)
Hands are clapping
Clap, clap, clap
Clap, clap, clap
Hands are clapping
Clap, clap, clap
Hands are clapping
Toes are tapping… Tap, tap, tap
Eyes are hiding… peekaboo!
Good Morning to You
(Tune: Happy Birthday)
Good Morning to _______________
Good Morning to _______________
Good Morning dear ____________
It’s nice to see you!
Little Bear (puppet)
Little Bear in the tree
Sitting oh, so still
Won't he come out?
Yes, he will!
He looks to left
He looks to the right
He looks straight ahead
Then he pops out of sight!
Mother, Father, and Uncle John
(bouncing rhyme)
Mother, Father, and Uncle John
Went to Market one by one
Mother fell off (lean baby to one side)
Father fell off (lean baby to the other side)
But Uncle John went on and on and on…(bounce faster and faster)
Rub-a-Dub-Dub
Rub-a-dub-dub, one child in a tub, (rub knuckles gently up and down child's chest)
Tell me what you see.
One foot with toes, (point to parts of child's body)
A hand, a nose,
As clean as they can be! (rub hands together)
Rub -a-dub-dub, one child in a tub, (rub knuckles gently up and down child's chest)
Tell me what you see.
Two ears, a cheek, (point to parts of child's body)
So clean they squeak, (gently rub child's cheeks)
A chin, a tummy, a knee. (point to parts of child's body)
Rub -a-dub-dub, one child in a tub, (rub knuckles gently up and down child's chest)
Tell me what you see.
Legs and arms, (point to parts of child's body)
So clean and warm.
Do they have a hug for me?
Roly-Poly
Roly-poly, roly-poly
Out, out, out
Roly-poly, roly-poly
In, in, in
Roly-poly, roly-poly
Touch your nose
Roly-poly, roly-poly
Touch your toes.
Roly-poly, roly-poly
Up to the sky
Roly-poly, roly-poly
Fly, fly, fly!
Tick Tock
Tick tock (rock baby side to side)
Tick tock
I’m a little cuckoo clock
Tick tock
Tick tock
Now I’m striking one o’clock
Cuckoo! (lift baby as you say “cuckoo”)
Repeat with two and three o’clock
Our Hands Say Goodbye
Our hands say goodbye with a clap, clap, clap
Our feet say goodbye with a tap, tap, tap
Clap, clap, clap
Tap, tap, tap
We roll our hands around and say “Goodbye!”
Nursery Rhymes
Humpty Dumpty
Jack and Jill
Jack be Nimble
Favorite Books
The Babies on the Bus Karen Katz
Who Says Woof? [and other books] by John Butler
Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr.
All Kinds of Kisses [and other books] by Nancy Tafuri
All of Baby Nose to Toes Victoria Adler
