What's Your Sound Hound the Hound? by Mo Willems

Looks like a great new book for either baby and toddler or preschool.  Animal sounds, minimal text, and big colorful pictures.

February 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: Jack in the Box (another version of Peek-A-Boo)
(Children love peek-a-boo.  Repeated the fingerplay two/three times)
Jack in the box
(cover babies eyes)
Sits so still
Won’t you come out?
Yes, I will!
(throw out your arms)

FINGERPLAY: Dinosaurs
(I used a T-rex puppet that we have from Folkmanis.  The kids loved this one.  I had them practice the different actions and then we did the fingerplay twice.)
Dinosaurs lived long ago.
Some walked (stomp in place)
Some swam (pretend to swim)
Some flew, you know! (flap arms at sides)
Some were big (holds hands high)
Some were small (crouch low)
Some were gigantic (stretch arms wide)
V-e-r-y tall! (stretch arms up high).

FINGERPLAY: Clap Your Hands
(Kids had fun clapping fast and slow.  Did fingerplay twice.)
Clap, clap, clap your hands
(clap hands in rhythm with words)
Clap your hands with me.
Clap them fast!
(clap quickly)
Clap – them – slow.
(clap slowly)
Clap your hands with me.
(return to original rhythm)

ACTION SONG: Ladies Ride from the Wiggleworms Love You CD by The Old Town School of Folk Music
(The children love this activity.  They have lots of fun.  Toddlers that are not on a lap usually jump or sway themselves back and forth. Consistently fun action song.)
This is the way the ladies ride.
Trit, Trot, Trit, Trot. (slowly sway)
This is the way the ladies ride.
Early in the morning.
This is the way the gentlemen ride.
Clip, clop, clip, clop. ( little faster)
This is the way the farmers ride.
Clippity, cloppity (even faster)
This is the way the cowgirls/cowboys ride.
Giddy-up, giddy-up. (very fast)
Yeehah! Repeat.

EXERCISE RHYME: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
(The kids love this one.  We do it three times.  Regular, then fast, and then slow. A favorite!)

BOOK:
If You See a Kitten by John Butler (Week 1)
(This is my all time favorite book for baby/toddler storytime!  Children and moms love it.  It has good participation, sweet pictures, and a fun rhythm to it.)
Won't You Be My Kissaroo? by Joanne Ryder (Week 2) (Worked ok with the smaller group but not with the larger group. The illustrations a light pastel and hard to see.  I shortened the story by using paper clips but even then I was just trying to get through it.  It didn't hold their interest and didn't seem to have enough to grab this age group.  Some of the mom's did kiss and hug baby along with the story which was what I had hoped, but probably won't use again.)
Peek-a-boo, You! by Roberta Grobel Intrater (Week 3) (This is one of my old stand by's.  This is a nice interactive book for younger children.)
Fire fighter PiggyWiggy by Christyan Fox (Week 3) (I tried this one because it has bright colors.  Only the kids were wired and kept standing in front of the book and it was probably to long and advanced for the age group especially with the number of kids today.)

FINGERPLAY: I'm a Little Teapot
(Lots of fun.  The kids enjoy this one.  I do it twice and have them switch sides for the handle and spout.)
I’m a little teapot,
Short and stout -
Here is my handle, (one hand on hip)
Here is my spout. (bend other arm out to side)
When I get all steamed up, (rock from side to side)
Hear me SHOUT -
“Tip me over and pour me out!” (tilt body to “spout” side)

ACTION SONG: Grand Old Duke of York from the Where is Thumpkin? Action Songs for Every Month CD
(The kids love this one.  I use it alot.  I have them march in place and emphasize that they aren't to run around.  If the child is on a lap they get lifted into the air and if they are marching (toddler) they get to jump up and down.)
The grand old Duke of York, (salute)
He had ten thousand men, (hold up both hands for 10)
He marched them up to the top of the (march arms in place)
hill and he marched them down again.
And when they’re up they’re up.
(lift baby up)
And when they’re down they’re down.
(bring baby down)
And when they’re only half way up,
They’re neither up nor down. (up and down)

TICKLE: Criss Cross Applesauce
(I love this tickle.  Very gentle on the back and always gets kids giggling.)
Criss-cross applesauce.
(Draw X with finger on child’s back)
Spiders crawling up your back.
(Walk fingers up child’s back)
Cool breeze.
(Gently blow on child’s neck)
Tight squeeze.
(Hug child)
Makes you get the sillies.
(Gently tickle child)

FINGERPLAY: Itsy Bitsy Spider
(Always popular almost like a familiar friend.)
The itsy-bitsy spider
Went up the water spout.
(Walk fingers up arm or in the air)
Down came the rain
(Flick your fingers overhead)
And washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
(Big circle with arms overhead)
And dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider
(walk fingers up arm or in the air)
Went up the spout again.

LAPJOG: Pop Goes the Weasel
(I have a song I like to use for this one but I decided to try just singing it and it worked out really well.  The babies were lifted up on "pop" and the toddlers jumped.  I repeated it twice and the kids love it.
All around the cobbler’s bench
The monkey chased the weasel.
The monkey thought ‘twas all in fun.
POP! Goes the Weasel.
(Bounce and lift baby up with the word POP!)

ACTION SONG: Go, Go, Go
(All time favorite.  I use this song at the end of every baby/toddler storytime.  I use a stop sign and the kids run in place and stop at certain points in the song.)

CLOSING RHYME

MUSIC AND MOTION:
Bell Horses (BELLS) (Week 1) from the Baby Record CD by Bob McGrath and Katharine Smithrim
(Went pretty good. I have them play the bells and then they hide them behind their back and bring them out again.  I played the song twice.)
Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride (SCARVES) (Week 2) from the Lilo and Stitch Movie Soundtrack Disney CD 
(This is one of my favorites to use because it has a nice beat and goes great with scarves.  The kids wave them back and forth and it works as a hula, swimming, dancing or whatever.)
Rockin' Robin (TAMBOURINES) (Week 3) from the Dancin Magic Joanie Bartels CD.
(One of my old standbys.  Nice beat fun for the kids.)

MUSIC CDs:
Wiggleworms Love You CD by Old Town School of Folk Music (Ladies Ride)
Where is Thumpkin? Action Songs for Every Month CD (Grand Old Duke of York)
Baby Record CD by Bob McGrath and Katharine Smithrim (Bell Horses) (BELLS)
Lilo and Stitch Movie Soundtrack Disney CD (Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride) (SCARVES)
Dancin Magic by Joanie Bartels CD (Rockin' Robin) (TAMBOURINES)

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)