storytime katie

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

Higher Higher by Leslie Patricelli**
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis*
Playground Day by Jennifer J. Merz
Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia***

Early Literacy Tip
Playing with other children at a young age, experiencing the fun of taking turns and sharing are great ways to learn important social and emotional skills. During our break, schedule playdates to take place in our Family Center!

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Songs for Wiggleworms***

Featured Track: #18 Milkshake***

Flannelboard: “Go Away Big Green Monster”*

Flannelboard: “Red Crane, Red Crane”**

Finger Puppets: “Five Little Monkeys”***

Repeating Extension Activities

• Everyone Can March***
• Open, Shut Them***
• Roly, Poly**
• This Is Big, Big, Big***

How It Went

Tuesday morning
A huge group today, full of wiggles. I was, of course, sad to say goodbye to the kids leaving — moving up to preschool storytime. But one of my favorite families is moving away! 😦 I didn’t do the flannelboard with this group today and one of my kids was sad. Two of my caregivers shared stories with me: one little one says my name the whole drive home every week and the other one practiced our “Name-Oops” rhyme in his sleep!

Thursday morning (9:30)
“Red Crane, Red Crane” didn’t work so well with this group since the caregivers tried to recite it with me. “Higher Higher” worked much better as an opening book. This group was very concerned that the monkeys were okay so I put them on the glove again. Two of my kids loved jumping with the monkeys.

Thursday morning (10:30)
Once again, I’m sad to say goodbye to my toddlers. But I’m especially sad to say goodbye to a lot of the kids in this session since I’ve had them since I came to the library in the spring of 2014. This group really enjoyed “Go Away Big Green Monster” and shouting “GO AWAY!” with me.

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

Dini Dinosaur by Karen Beaumont***
Dinosaur Parade by Shari Halpern*
Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea*
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen

Early Literacy Tip
Young children are able to absorb an amazing amount of information on topics that are of interest to them. They become experts, often knowning more than we do on some subjects!

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Whaddaya Think of That? (Laurie Berkner)***

Featured Track: #1 We Are the Dinosaurs***

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Dinosaurs”***

Puppets: “Five Little Dinosaurs”**

Repeating Extension Activities

• Icka Bicka Soda Crackers*
• Open, Shut Them*
• These Are My Glasses*
• This Is Big, Big, Big***
• Thumbkin*
• Zoom, Zoom, Zoom***

How It Went

Tuesday morning
My new kiddos have really warmed up this session. Storytime was packed with one stroller which prevented too much cruising (thankfully!). This group LOVED dancing/marching to “We Are the Dinosaurs” most.

Thursday morning (9:30)
It was a small class today, but a great one. The kids were energetic and happy to be there: one greeted me at the door with a hug, two others ran in squealing with joy, and one of my kiddos insisted on multiple high fives before going into the room. We had great motions during “Dinosaur Parade”.

Thursday morning (10:30)
Our preschool storytime at the same time was canceled due today. So, I had some older siblings in the class which made for a messier storytime. On the song cube, “I’m a Little Teapot” came up which is a rarity and I love using the literacy tip I memorized with it about handedness.

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

The Body Book by Shelley Rotner
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle***
My Nose, Your Nose by Melanie Walsh***

Early Literacy Tip
By developing an awareness of the designs and shapes that bodies can make as well as where their bodies are in space, children also gain an awareness of others and the world around them.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Rockin’ Red (The Learning Groove)***

Featured Track: #13 Hip Hop Body Rock***

Flannelboard: “Me and My Body”***

Props: Egg Shakes (with featured track)***

Repeating Extension Activities

• Elevator Song***
• Open, Shut Them***
• This Is Big, Big, Big***

How It Went

Tuesday morning
We had really great dancing by all the kids but particularly a few in the middle of the carpet. This was an overall wonderful theme and one of those storytimes that was just an almost perfection execution of a plan.

Thursday morning (9:30)
I had a kiddo really respond to my redirection today. I asked him to help pass out shakers and to point to his body and it really brought him back into storytime. Kids were excellent with the Hip Hop Body Rock and with clean-up too. Both books were awesome and I desperately want another book like “From Head to Toe”. Also, one of my toddlers said her name for the first time in class!

Thursday morning (10:30)
After our flannelboard, kids had trouble settling back down, so I went around the circle for high fives, but I would give them if the kids went back by their caregivers. It worked like a charm! This class had excellent caregiver involvement with finding body parts on the kids. Another awesome theme execution!

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

Charlie Chick by Nick Denchfield & Ant Parker***
Counting Ovejas by Sarah Weeks**
Little Quack by Lauren Thompson
Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox*

Early Literacy Tip
Even little rhymes present knowledge about our world. “Flutter, Flutter Butterfly” tells the story of a butterfly flying in the spring sky, just as real butterflies do.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Anna and the Cupcakes (Bari Koral Family Rock Band)***

Featured Track: #9 Butterfly***

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Sheep”***

Puppet: “Flutter, Flutter Butterfly”***

Props: Butterfly Props (during featured track)***

Repeating Extension Activities

• Everyone Can March**
• Open, Shut Them*
• Roly, Poly**
• This Is Big, Big, Big***
• Tick, Tock***

How It Went

Tuesday morning
I used “Counting Ovejas” as a parent tip/lesson today. We skipped pages and I reminded parents that we don’t always have to count to ten since a toddler often can’t wait that long in a book. We counted five sheep. Everyone did well with the props, but I did have one child whack his mom, so she took his prop from him.

Thursday morning (9:30)
“Ten Little Sheep” on the flannelboard pulled two of my wanderers back into storytime. This class was utterly delighted to visit my butterfly puppet with their butterfly props for butterfly kisses. “Charlie Chick” is a magic book and I will never give it up. Both “Tick, Tock” and “This Is Big, Big, Big” brought kids back in from the edges of the room.

Thursday morning (10:30)
We had a sudden downpour in the middle of the storytime; loud enough for some of the toddlers to become startled. I led them in a spontaneous rendition of “Rain Is Falling Down” to help calm their nerves. One of my toddlers stood in the middle of the rug during our opening song and modeled all the actions for the other kids.

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

1, 2, Buckle My Shoe by Anna Grossnickle Hines**
Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker*
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Steve Scott*
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by Jane Cabrera***

Early Literacy Tip
When you give your children positive reinforcement by clapping or telling them that they did a great job, you are encouraging them to act both independently and cooperatively.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Sing a Song of Wiggles***

Featured Track: #25 It’s Raining, It’s Pouring****

Flannelboard: “Humpty Dumpty”**

Flannelboard: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”*

Prop: “Baa Baa Black Sheep”***

Repeating Extension Activities

• Open, Shut Them**
• This Is Big, Big, Big***
• Thumbkin**
• Zoom, Zoom, Zoom***

How It Went

Tuesday morning
We lulled the toddler into serenity with our singing during “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and I asked parents/caregivers to remember this the next time they needed to calm their kiddos. It’s week three for this group and we’ve finally hit our stride. “Mary Had a Little Lamb” has many verses; I just sang the first one on the flannel.

Thursday morning (9:30)
This group was a bit riled up by a new classmate who had a hard time transitioning. He wound up only staying for the first ten minutes, but ten minutes is better than no minutes in storytime! One of my toddlers from last session (whose caregiver was very concerned about his lack of sitting still) has grown up so much — he sat for all of our books today! And every child pulled Humpty off of the flannelboard!

Thursday morning (10:30)
We read three books in toddler storytime today! Nursery rhymes are great soothers for rhythm and cadence. One of my toddlers shouted “AGAIN!” after “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom”, so the group obliged! Some of my parents got tripped up during “1, 2, Buckle My Shoe” because of the “open the gate” line instead of the more traditional “lay them straight”. And another group full of Humpty success — everyone pulled him down off his wall!

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

Come Here, Cleo! by Caroline Mockford*
How to Be a Cat by Nikki McClure
I See Kitty by Yasmine Surovec*
Meeow and the Pots and Pans by Sebastian Braun**

Early Literacy Tip
It’s fun and easy for children to learn about topics that are relevant to them. For instance, books are everyday experiences (like animals) help young children make sense of their world.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Kids In the City (Laura Doherty)**

Featured Track: #2 Kitty Cat** (With puppets!)

Flannelboard: “Three Little Kittens”**

Prop: “Scat the Cat”*

Repeating Extension Activities

• Elevator Song*
• Open, Shut Them**
• A Smooth Road*
• This Is Big, Big, Big**

How It Went

Tuesday morning
A very restless group today and I suspect the sudden reappearance of snow in the Midwest set them off. They loved “Kitty Cat” as a puppet show and one caregiver took a picture of the album to check it out at another time. Two of my new kiddos warmed up to me during bubbles and some of my older kiddos (I’ve had them since babies) were the cutest BFFs today, switching caregivers every other activity.

Thursday morning (9:30)
Didn’t happen! My alarm clock broke and I didn’t make it to work until my second storytime. Luckily, my amazing co-workers helped cover for me so my kiddos still got a storytime.

Thursday morning (10:30)
All of the kids wanted to touch the kitty in “I See Kitty” to show me where I could find it. After two or three caregivers tried to redirect (per Miss Katie’s blue no-fly zone rules), I finally brought the book around the circle so each kid could find kitty and we could still obey the rules. Again, the “Kitty Cat” puppet show was a huge success!

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

The Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O’Connell***
The Family Book by Todd Parr
Faster, Faster by Leslie Patricelli**
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora*

Early Literacy Tip
Library programs like this can be considered a child’s first class. Encouraging personal interactions with a group leader help children develop a positive attitude towards learning.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Wiggleworms Love You***

Featured Track: #20 You Are My Sunshine***

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Babies”***

Puppets: “Five Little Ducks”**
Five little ducks went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Mother Duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But only four little ducks came back
(Continue until…)
Sad Mother Duck went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Mother Duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And all of her five little ducks came back!

Repeating Extension Activities

• Everyone Can March**
• Open, Shut Them*
• Roly, Poly**
• These Are My Glasses*
• This Is Big, Big, Big***
• Tick, Tock***

How It Went

Tuesday morning
With this group, I only did “Three Little Ducks” instead of five. The kids kept reaching for the puppets, so I wound up standing up to finish the song. This was a very full class with lots of new faces. My average age went from 26 months to 19 months, so expect more extensions with this group & more bounces/lifts than before. I did “Faster, Faster” as a bounce and that worked really well!

Thursday morning (9:30)
We had lots of dads and grandparents as additional guests at this storytime which was a lovely surprise for me! This group really enjoyed dancing to “You Are My Sunshine” and they really participated with “The Baby Goes Beep”. The kids loved the baby faces on the board!

Thursday morning (10:30)
I brought Mama Duck around the circle to say hello to everyone and continued to stand during the song for more control. “Everyone Can March” stretched fabulously and we did that rhyme for quite a while. As this was my oldest group, I read “Peekaboo Morning” instead of “Faster, Faster” with them.

To read more about how I plan and prepare my Toddler Storytimes, please visit this post.

Each session, I pick some extension activities to repeat from week to week. Most of the time these have nothing to do with my theme of the day and just allow me to add more movement or songs if that’s what the toddlers need that week. Of course, I don’t use every activity every week. I’ll note in the individual theme summaries which activities I used. These are the activities that I had planned for Spring 2015.

Action Rhyme: “Everyone Can March”
Everyone can march, march, march
Everyone can march, march, march
Everyone can march, march, march
And now let’s make a stop.
Verses: clap, jump, tap, etc.
Credit: Jbrary

Action Rhyme: “This Is Big”
This is big, big, big (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Action Rhyme: “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom”
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
If you want to take a trip,
Climb aboard my rocket ship,
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!
Credit: Jbrary

Bounce: “A Smooth Road”
A smooth road, a smooth road, a smooth road, a smooth road (bounce baby gently)
A bumpy road, a bumpy road, a bumpy road, a bumpy road (bounce baby faster)
A rough road, a rough road, a rough road, a rough road (bounce baby faster)
A hole!(drop baby gently between your knees)
Credit: Co-worker

Bounce: “Icka Bicka Soda Cracker”
Icka bicka soda cracker, icka bicka boo
Icka bicka soda cracker, up goes you! (lift baby)
Icka bicka soda cracker, icka bicka boo
Icka bicka soda cracker, I love you! (hugs and kisses)
Credit: Co-worker

Fingerplay: “Where Is Thumbkin?”
Where is thumbkin? Where is thumbkin? (put hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am! (bring hands around from behind the back)
How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you! (wiggle thumbs, one at a time)
Run away, run away! (hide hands behind back again)
Credit: Childhood

Lift/Song: “The Elevator Song”
Oh the city is great and the city is grand
There’s a whole lot of people
on a little piece of land
And we live way up on the 57th floor
and this is what we do when we open the door.
We take the elevator up and the elevator down,
take the elevator up, take the elevator down
Take the elevator up and the elevator down
And we turn around.
Credit: Jbrary

Lift: “Tick Tock”
Start by swaying baby from side to side
Tick tock, tick tock
I’m a little cuckoo clock
Tick tock, tick tock
Now I’m chiming one o’clock lift once
More verses: Two o’clock, three o’clock
Credit: My co-worker

Movement: “Roly, Poly”
Roly poly, roly poly
Up, up, up
up, up, up
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
down, down, down
down, down, down
Credit: Jbrary

Song: “Open, Shut Them”
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open up your little mouth
But do not let them in, in, in!
Credit: My co-worker Sarah

Song: “These Are Glasses”
These are my glasses (make glasses with your finger )
This is my book (hands pressed together)
I put on my glasses (put on the glasses)
And open up the book (open your hands)
Now I read read read (hold out the “book”)
And I look look look (look through the glasses)
I put down my glasses (put hands down)
WHOOP (clap hands together)
Close up the book
Credit: Sarah from GreenBeanTeenQueen is the first person who taught me this one! (It’s a Laurie Berkner song.)