January Baby/Toddler

I keep the same handout for 3 weeks.  The repetition seems to work well with this age group (babies-2+).  I have ongoing songs and rhymes that I use each week (I have listed those in a separate entry.)  I also read a different book and provide a different music and motion activity weekly.

OPENING SONG: The More We Get Together

OPENING FINGERPLAY: Open, Shut Them

FINGERPLAY: Where is Thumbkin?
(Fun.  The children love this one.)
Where is Thumbkin? (hide thumbs)
Where is thumbkin?
Where is thumbkin?
Here I am! Here I am! (show thumbs)
How are you today sir?
Very well I thank you.
Run away. Run away.(hide thumbs)

FINGERPLAY: Did You Ever See a Baby
(Not my favorite.  The mom's and children didn't seem to enjoy it. Doesn't flow and I stopped using it by the third week.)

Did you ever see a baby, (child sit on your lap)
A baby, a baby?
Did you ever see a baby,
Go this way and that? (rock from side to side)
Go this way and that way, (forward and back)
And that way and this way. (side to side)
Did you ever see a baby,
Go this way and that? (forward and back)

FINGERPLAY: Chubby Little Snowman
(Great winter fingerplay.  I use it every winter and it works nicely with the age group.)
A chubby little snowman
Had a carrot nose. (point to nose)
Along came a bunny
(hold up two fingers on right hand to make bunny)
And what do you suppose? (hold out hands)
That hungry little bunny
Looking for his lunch
(make glasses over eyes)
Ate that little snowman's nose
(pretend to grab nose and eat carrot)
Nibble, nibble, crunch.

ACTION SONG: Humpty Dumpty from the I Love Wiggleworms CD by Old Town School of Folk Music
(a favorite action song for baby/toddler storytime.  Lots of fun.  The kids love being dropped between the legs on the word Fall...)
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great FAAAALL…
(drop child between legs)
Then all the kings horses and all the kings men
they couldn’t put Humpty back together again.
(bounce child on lap)
All the kings horses and all the kings men
they couldn’t put Humpty back together again.
(bounce child on lap)
Repeat Twice.

EXERCISE RHYME: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
(Favorite.  I repeat three times.  Regular, fast and slow)

BOOK:
Can You Moo? by David Wojtowycz (Week 1) (Mom's helped alot with this book.  Encouraged children to make sounds.)
Piggies by Audrey Wood (Week 2) (Pretty fun book.  Kids had fun moving their fingers along with the story.)
Dinosaur Roar by Paul Stickland (Week 3) (A little long so I paper-clipped some of the pages together and it helped. Children really loved the dinosaurs and roaring along.)

RHYME: Jack Be Nimble
(This is a fun one.  The children love to be lifted into the air. If the toddler isn't on a lap they "jump" into the air.  They love that too.)
Jack Be Nimble
Jack be nimble,
Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candlestick.
(bounce baby on knees. lift baby up to jump over)

ACTION SONG: Milkshake Song from the Songs for Wiggleworms CD by Old Town School of Folk Music
(This is a very popular one with my storytime kids.  They love being "stirred" up as they bounce around after we pretend to turn on the blender.)
You take a little milk…Pour some milk.
(Pretend to pour milk)
And you take a little cream…Pour some cream.
(Pretend to pour cream)
You stir it all up.
(make a stirring motion)
You shake it and you’ll sing.
(bounce baby lightly)
ONE TWO THREE FOUR
Milkshake, milkshake, shake it up, shake it up.
Milkshake, milkshake, shake it all up!
Repeat
(Bounce or wiggle baby for “milkshake”)

TICKLE: The Beehive
(This is the first time I used this one and the kids loved it.  Pleasantly surprised.  Definitely will use in the future. Nice because it works for counting and as a tickle.)
Here is the beehive.
Where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Watch as they come out
Of their hive.
(display closed fist)
One, two, three, four, five!
(extend fingers and thumb)
They’re alive!
(shake fingers and tickle child)

FINGERPLAY: Tall and Small
(Love this one.  I used to use it with music but I now just sing it and we repeat it 3 times.  The kids love being TALL and small.)
I’m very, very tall; (arms up high)
I’m very, very small, (curl up small)
Tall, small;
Now I’m a little ball. (curl up like a ball or cuddle child)

ACTION SONG: Go, Go, Go

CLOSING RHYME

MUSIC AND MOTION: Day O (DRUMS) (Week 1) from the Six Little Ducks CD by Kimbo Educational
Flight of the Bumblebee (BEE PUPPETS) (Week 2)
Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room (STREAMERS) (Week 3) from the Disney Mania CD with Hilary Duff

MUSIC CDs:
Wiggleworms Love You CD by Old Town School of Folk Music (Humpty Dumpty)
Songs for Wiggleworms CD by Old Town School of Folk Music (Milkshake Song)
Six Little Ducks CD by Kimbo Educational (Day O) (DRUMS)
Disney Mania CD by Walt Disney (Tiki Tiki Tiki Room) (STREAMERS)