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Just to give you a layout if you need it for how I do my program – it is about 15 minutes long and we do the same songs each week of the session so that we all become familiar with them, plus the babies like that. I change the books each week and we usually read/point out things as we all read. Then we always close with the song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” We always “twinkle” our fingers open and closed during the song and soon the babies start to pick up on that movement. Once the program is over, I always lay out some books and toys for them to play with and let the moms stay in the room as long as they want to talk and play. This seems to work for us here at Clive.
HELLO SONG: Baby Hokey Pokey (B.L. Spring ‘08 #1) [taken from CD Baby Face]
(To the tune of London Bridge)
Hi, hello and how are you,
How are you, how are you,
Hi, hello and how are you,
How are you today? (repeat)
SONG: “Head Shoulders Knees & Toes” (B.L. Spring ’08 #2) [taken from CD Disney Babies Playtime]
SONG: “Baa Baa Black Sheep” (B.L. Spring ’08 #3) (taken from CD Nursery Rhyme Time)
SONG: “Merry Go Round” (B.L. Spring ’08 #4) [taken from CD It’s Toddler Time]
BOOK: Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
BOOK: Peekaboo Baby by Margaret Miller
CLOSING SONG: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
Orange City Public Library, Orange City, Iowa – Becky Bilby
We use Babygarten.com You buy the program and it is all set up for you – we LOVE it!
Burlington Public Library, Burlington, Iowa - Angela Pilkington
For the past 4 years I have been doing the Babygarten storytime curriculum. You have to pay (one time fee) to use the Babygarten name and all of their materials. This was the best for us, because they give you all of the songs, all the crafts and handouts that you need for an entire year in a binder. It has been our most successful baby lapsit program. I do it twice a week, an evening session (for working parents) and a daytime session. We average about 40 babies and parents a week for the program, which we offer 4 times a year at 10 week intervals.
The New York Public Library - Susie Heimbach
BOWERY BABES Baby Lap-Sit
0-24 month olds
The biggest tricks in my bag when programming with babies are starting and ending each session with bubbles, singing a lot (!), choosing short stories that rhyme, have repetitive text, or allow the grown ups to read along, and having a short play time with simple toys after the program is over.
WELCOME SONG: “Hello Bubble”
Hello bubble, (repeat)
Come and land, (repeat)
Right in the middle (repeat)
Of my hand! (repeat)
ACTION SONG: “Good Morning to You”
Good morning to you, (clap hands)
Good morning to you,
Good morning, dear (CHILD’S NAME),
Good morning to you!
ACTION RHYME: “Open, Shut Them”
Open, shut them, open, shut them, (open and close hands)
Give a little clap, clap, clap! (clap hands)
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Lay them in your lap! (lay hands in lap)
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them, (walk fingers up to chin)
Right up to your chin, chin, chin!
Open wide your little mouth, (open mouth)
But do not let them in! (cover mouth)
BOOK: The Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O’Connell
ACTION SONG: “The Wheels on the Bus”
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round. (rotate hands round and round)
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town!
Repeat with horn/beep-beep-beep, wipers/swish-swish-swish, children/up and down - up and down - up and down, babies/wah-wha-wah, and mommies/shh-shh-shh.
BOUNCING RHYME: “Giddyap, Giddyap”
Giddyap, giddyap, ride to town, (bounce baby on knees, facing forward)
You put your right hand in, you put your right hand out, (extend right hand)
You put your right hand in, and you shake it all about! (shake right hand)
You do the hokey pokey, and you turn yourself around, (help baby dance in lap)
That’s what it’s all about!
Repeat with left hand, right foot, left foot, head, and body.
TICKLE RHYME: “Pizza Pickle Pumpernickel”
Pizza, pickle, pumpernickel, (wiggle fingers)
My little one shall have a tickle!
One for his/her nose, (tickle nose)
And one for his/her toes, (tickle toes)
And one for his/her tummy where the hotdog goes! (tickle tummy)
BOOK: Three Little Kittens by Lorianne Siomades
ACTION SONG: “Three Speckled Frogs”
Three green and speckled frogs, (hold up three fingers)
Sitting on a speckled log,
Eating the most delicious bugs, yum-yum!
One jumped into the pool, (lift baby up)
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were two green speckled frogs!
Repeat for two and one speckled frogs.
ACTION RHYME: “Pat-a-Cake”
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man, (clap hands)
Bake me a cake as fast you can!
Roll it, (roll hands in circle)
And pat it, (pat hands together)
And mark it with a “B,” (trace “B” on palm)
Then put it in the oven (lift hands up)
For baby and me! (hug baby)
ACTION SONG: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands, (clap hands)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!
If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!
Repeat with stomp your feet, shout hooray, and do all three.
GOODBYE SONG: “Goodbye Bubble”
Goodbye bubble, (repeat)
Time to go, (repeat)
You can help me (repeat)
With a blow! (repeat)
Bellevue Public Library, Bellevue, Nebraska - Alice Boeckman
We started "Baby & Me" storytimes in 2005, offering them in Oct., Dec., Feb., and Apr. Our average attendance (children and caregivers) was about 15/session. It was successful enough that we started offering it weekly during all months except May and August (Summer Reading Program preparation/clean-up months). We now average around 18-20/session.
We do NOT require pre-registration, so we basically try to accommodate anyone and everyone. Ours are held, typically, on Wednesday mornings at 9:15 AM and each session lasts about 30 minutes. When I developed the program I set up a basic pattern to follow, although I have no problems straying from the order, if need be.
Baby & Me (I chose that name after talking to staff members about "lapsits" and having them think I was talking about "lap dances". Imagine the looks I got!) storytime is for babies from birth - 24 months and their parents/caregivers. We try to stress that it is best enjoyed as a one-on-one experience, although we realize that some adults will need to bring an older child as well. When this happens I usually try to engage the older children by making them my "helpers", handing out musical instruments, puppets, board books, etc.
Our basic routine is to start with a song and some kind of activity. I then introduce a puppet who helps to set up the theme of the day. We have several "people" puppets (Patrick, Molly and Luna) as well as a number of animals that we use. I then read a board book, followed by about 10 minutes of play time. We alternate various activities such as musical instruments, board books, puzzles, bean bags and hand puppets. This is time for the parents/babies to interact, as well as for parents to chat with each other. We wrap things up by singing a goodbye song in which each child's name is mentioned. Depending on how many children we have, this song can sometimes take 4-5 minutes to complete.
I always tell my parents that I expect them to talk when I'm talking. I am there to facilitate, but it is really meant to be parent-and-child time, so when I read the book and show the pictures I like to hear parents talking with their babies, saying things like, "Look at that rubber duck. Do you have a rubber duck? What do you play with in the bathtub?"
Our set-up is in a rather large, paneled room with industrial carpeting, so I lay down baby blankets for everyone to sit on. I purchased some blankets at garage sales and others were donated by a mom who was looking to get rid of a bunch of baby things.
Songs we use frequently include things like "Are You Sleeping"(Frere Jacques) and "Twinkle. Twinkle, Little Star" and piggyback songs sung to familiar tunes. I look for songs and activities that use hands for clapping, feet for tapping, arms for hugging, as well as activities that point out body parts, animal sounds, and concepts such as up, down, high, low, etc.
I try to sneak some "education" into my storytimes by talking to parents about the benefits of the various activities we are doing ("By clapping in rhythm, you are introducing and reinforcing the concept of the rhythms that are part of our spoken language." "When you hold your child in your lap and read a book, you begin to introduce the concept of reading from front to back, top to bottom, and left to right") I am especially intrigued by the current research on brain activity and development in babies, so I like to share this info as I come across new and interesting facts.
Our closing song is one I came up with, using the tune "Good night, Ladies". We sing "Goodbye, friends. Goodbye, friends. Goodbye, friends. We're glad you came today" Then we sing to each child, replacing the word "friends" with the child's name.
Belvedere-Tiburon Library, Tiburon, CA - Alicia Bell
Sign ups limited to 20. I hand out a sheet with all the poems and songs on them for newbies. I use a story apron from Lakeshorelearning.org.
Each session lasts approximately 20 minutes. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to sing along and speak along with poems and
stories.
Sample Format:
HELLO SONG
APRON STORY: “Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?”
ACTION RHYME: “Open Them Shut Them”
BOARD BOOK: This Little Baby's Morning by Ann Morris
ACTION RHYME: “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
POEM WITH BEE FINGER PUPPET: “Here's the Bee Hive”
BOARD BOOK: Clap Hands by Helen Oxenbury (usually read twice)
ACTION SONG: “I'm a Little Tea Pot”
APRON SONG: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”
BOARD BOOK: My Very First Mother Goose Board Books/ Wee Willie Winkie by Rosemary Wells
ACTION RHYME: “Clap, Clap Clap Your Hands”
POEM AND PUPPET: “Here’s My Little Turtle”
BOARD BOOK SONG “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”
POEM AND PUPPET: “Boing Boing Squeak - a Bouncing Mouse Is in My House”
ACTION SONG: “Head & Shoulders Knees & Toes”
PUPPET STORY: Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberly
ENDING SONG: “If You're Happy & You Know It.”
The next four storytimes are taken from the
Harris County Library Homepage
Theme: NURSERY RHYMES
BOOKS:
Three Little Kittens by Lorianne Siomades
The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Lorianne Siomades
Sing a Song of Sixpence (Big Book) by Pam Adams
SONGS AND FINGERPLAYS:
"Pat-A-Cake" (Parents play pat-a-cake with the baby)
"Grand Old Duke of York" (Parents lift child up and down as the troops march up and down)
"Hickory Dickory Dock (Clock flannel board and mouse finger puppet)
"Little Piggies" (Piggy finger puppets)
Theme: BABYTIME/BEDTIME
BOOKS:
Time for Bed by Mem Fox
The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Goodnight My Duckling by Nancy Tafuri
Go to Bed, Fred by Alice Inches
SONGS AND FINGERPLAYS:
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" Kidzup: Toddler Hits CD
Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics CD
Babies play with Lamaze toys towards the end of babytime and then we close with bubbles.
Theme: BABY ANIMALS
BOOKS:
Whose Baby am I? by John Butler
My Kitten Friends (Board Book) by Jane Burton
Baby Pets (Board Book) by Margaret Miller
SONGS AND FINGERPLAYS:
"Two Little Kittens" (Recited to Two Little Blackbirds)
Two little kittens sitting on a hill
One named Jack and one named Jill
Run away Jack, run away Jill
Come back Jack, come back Jill
Two little kittens sitting on a hill
One named Jack and one named Jill.
Babies play with Lamaze toys after storytime
Theme: MEALTIME
BOOKS:
Baby Food by Saxton Freymann
Now I Eat My ABC's (Board Book) by Pam Abrams
Yummy Yucky (Board Book) byLeslie Patricelli
SONGS AND FINGERPLAYS:
"Jelly on My Head" (touch parts on the body)
Jelly on my head, jelly on my toes
Jelly on my shirt, Jelly on my nose
Jelly on my belly, jelly is my favorite food
And when I'm in a jelly mood
I can't ever get enough
Of that yummy, yummy stuff!
"Hot Cross Buns"
Hot Cross Buns, (clap hands in rhythm)
Hot Cross Buns, (clap hands in rhythm)
One a-penny, two a-penny. (count out two fingers)
Hot Cross Buns (clap hands)
Babies play with Lamaze toys after storytime.
Seattle Public Library - Betsy Kluck-Keil
At Seattle Public Library, I do a series of 4 baby storytimes. I offer them 4 times a year.
I tend to lean towards more child development/parenting and modeling stories. Of course we do plenty of tummy ticklers and knee bounces. I sprinkle the parent education between the fun and games.
Each Storytime runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with 15 minutes of meet and greet in the beginning (great for latecomers and parents really appreciate this) and 15 minutes at the end to hang out.
The name of the sessions are:
GUILT FREE FUN WITH YOUR WEE ONE
Relax and enjoy all the wonders your baby sees
READING TO THE BOOK EATERS
Tips for reading to this age with solid research on brain development. Demonstration and time to practice.
THE POWER OF SONG
Why and how music helps develops Phonological Awareness
THE AMAZING BRAIN
Wrap up on key point of brain development and reading with library & Web resources. Each session follows the following outline, with specific information key to the topic of the day. Here is a sample of what one of my sessions might look like: This class has a registration and I limit it to 20 families (no siblings, if possible)
THE POWER OF SONG - Session 3
WELCOME
Introduce: Myself and ask families to introduce themselves and to share a favorite musical artist/genre they are already sharing with their baby. Or sometimes I ask them to describe a memory they have with music in their family.
INTRODUCTION TO POWER OF SONG: (short blurb on the importance of music)
OPENING SONG: “Dance Your Fingers Up”
BOOK: If You’re Happy and You Know It by Annie Kubler
(Watch how their eyes brighten…how they respond while you sing.)
ACTION RHYME: “Wheels on the Bus”
LONGER PARENT EDUCATION: Music helps key a baby’s ear into hearing smaller parts of longer sounds (words), a key skill to be able to read. Describe how and why this works with examples. Talk about how it helps wire the brain at this stage of development.
SHOW ‘N TELL BOOKS: (I show them and read some. I like to show them how to use books that are not specifically ones from a song, and how to sing a song with it.
My Clothes by Ed Emberly
Old MacDonald by Jessica Souhamie
My Animals by Ed Emberly
The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Rosemary Wells
Very First Mother Goose Collection by Peter and Iona Opie and Rosemary Wells
If You’re Happy and you Know It by Ann Kubler
GAMES: Find the Music! Hide a wind up toy under an obvious scarf and let the children look for it. (The younger the child, the closer you want to put it. Pre-crawlers should be able to reach and grab.)
Do this by showing them, very obviously at first, hen as they catch on, be a little sneakier. One music box for the whole crowd, but let parents try it out for their child while others read.
GREAT game that grows with child’s ability, by hiding the music in a trickier spot. It is a wonderful way to help develop a child’s listening skills. Later they will hear the difference between a “b” and a “d”.
Use egg shakers to play while listening to a favorite tape…try fast and slow songs (Jim Gills Sings "Do Re Mi on his Toe Leg Knee")
RESOURCES: Show some of the Library’s resources for this topic.
CLOSING MESSAGE: Recap one important piece of information you want them to take home.
CLOSING SONG: “The More We Get Together”
15 minutes left to hang out and chat, while I put things away.
Redmond Public Library, Redmond, Oregon - Peggy Rhoads
Theme: BABY STEPS, NOSES AND TOES
Early Literacy Tip of the Week: With babies, it doesn’t have to be a children’s book that you read to them. Your baby will never know the difference! He will be lulled by the sound of your calming voice and by the comforting knowledge that you’re there with him.
OPENING SONG: “Willoughby, Wallaby Woo”
Willoughby, wallaby woo, the elephant sat on you
Willoughby wallaby woo, the elephant sat on me
Willoughby wallaby W (name of child), the elephant sat on…
OPENING RHYME: “Open Them, Shut Them”
Open them, shut them (open and close fists)
Open them, shut them, open them, shut them
Give a little clap (clap hands)
Creep them, creep them (creep fingers up arm)
Slowly creep them to your rosy cheeks
Then open up your fingers wide (open fingers in front of face)
And through them peek (peek through fingers)
Open them, shut them (open and close fists)
Open them, shut them, open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap (lay hands down on lap)
BOOK: We’ve All Got Bellybuttons! by David Martin
ACTION RHYME: “I Wiggle”
I wiggle, wiggle, wiggle my fingers,
I wiggle, wiggle wiggle my toes
I wiggle, wiggle, wiggle my shoulders,
I wiggle wiggle, wiggle my nose
Now no more wiggles are left in me
So I will be as still as I can be.
ACTION SONG: “Put Your Finger on Your Belly”
Put your finger on your belly, on your belly,
Put your finger on your belly, on your belly
Put your finger on your belly, wiggle it ‘round
And ‘round like jelly, put your finger on your belly.
Put your finger in the air, in the air…
Wave it ‘round while you are there.
Put your finger on your nose, on your nose...
And run it right down to your toes.
Put your finger on your toe, on your toe...
And move it to and fro.
Put your finger on your ear, on your ear...
And see if it’s still here.
BOOK: Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin
FINGERPLAY: “This Little Piggie”
This little piggie went to market
And this little piggie stayed home
This little piggie had roast beef
And this little piggie had none
And this little piggie cried “Wee, Wee, Wee” all the way home.
ACTION SONG: “Let’s Tap” (Tune: “The more we get together”)
Let’s tap our feet together, together, together
Let’s tap our feet together because it’s fun to do
Columbia County Library, Magnolia, Arkansas - Susan Walker
I try to kept baby story time pretty consistent with songs, finger plays, flannel board objects, etc. After story time when moms are sharing experiences, the little ones stack blocks, pop bubbles, look at board books, etc. One fun story time we discussed cars and after our story we lined up chairs to go on a pretend road trip.
Tippecanoe County Public Library, Lafayette, Indiana - Janet Frye
Here are two storytimes I have recently done (it was a little
hard to choose). For the past year, I have been including a sign song
using the CD “Pick Me Up”. This past month I repeated a scarf song each week which was a lot of fun. I haven't repeated anything like this
before. I’ve included the Fingerplay sheet that I hand out to the parents.
Theme: WEATHER
OPENING – “Baby Hop” from Diaper Gym by Priscilla Hegner
BOUNCE – “Dr. Foster Went to Gloucester” from Baby Games DK
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