Opening Song

Let’s All Clap

Let’s all clap cause _____ is here,
____ is here, _____ is here
Let’s all clap cause _____ is here.
____ is here today!
(insert child’s name)

Rhymes

Itsy-Bitsy Spider

The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
(baby on tummy, walk/tickle up baby’s back)

Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
(slide fingers down baby’s back from head to toes)

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain.
(rub baby’s back)

And the itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.
(baby on tummy, walk/tickle fingers up baby’s back)

Eat Mr. Pumpkin

Mr. Pumpkin, Mr. Pumpkin
Big and fat, big and fat (make a circle with your arms around baby)
I am gonna eat you, I am gonna eat you (tickle baby’s belly)
Just like that, just like that!
Source: I found this rhyme on Perfectly Preschool. I just made my own actions to fit my baby storytime.

Popcorn

Popcorn, popcorn (bounce gently)
Sittin’ in the pot
Shake it, shake it (wiggle baby)
POP! POP! POP! (bounce high 3 times)
Source:Perry Public Library

Flap, Flap, Flap Little Bats

Flap, flap, flap little bats, (gently flap baby’s arms)
Flap, flap, flap little bats,
Flap, flap, flap little bats,
Early in the evening.

Clap, clap, clap little bats, (gently clap baby’s hands)
Dance, dance, dance little bats, (gently wave baby’s arms in the air)
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle little bats, (gently wiggle baby)
Soar, soar, soar little bats, (lift/soar baby)

Sleep, sleep, sleep little bats,
Early in the morning.

Source:Miss Katie’s Storytime
I once again took an older rhyme and adjusted it for baby storytime.

The Moon is Round

The moon is round, (draw a semicircle on one side of the baby’s face)
The moon is round. (draw a semicircle on the other side of baby’s face)
It has two eyes, (gently touch baby’s eyelids)
A nose, (gently touch baby’s nose)
But knows no sound. (press finger baby’s lips)
Source:Baby Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan & Christine Kirker

Book

Pumpkin Faces by Judith Moffatt

Sensory Time

We actually took mini aluminum baking pans and let the babies bang on them. We quickly discovered that the babies were more interested in tasting them than playing with them. However, if I lightly tapped on the pans, the babies would stop and listen to me.

Fun Rhyme With Fact

Where is Baby?
Tune: Frere Jacques

Where is baby, where is baby?
There she is, there she is
I am glad to see you, I am glad to see you
Peekaboo! I see you! (cover and uncover eyes)
Source:Perry Public Library

Fact: Peekaboo starts teaching babies that their parents might go out of sight but they will return.

Closing Goodbye Song

We Wave Goodbye Like This
Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”

We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye like this.
We clap our hands for all our friends.
We wave goodbye like this.

Playtime

Observations

My babies all came in costumes and were super adorable. I think we spent a good five minutes admiring each baby’s costume. Two of my older babies actually laughed at each other.

I was really hoping that there would be more Halloween-ish rhymes for babies, but I ended up improvising. It worked out well. I made sure to include rhymes that bounced babies, but included more gentle rhymes for my younger babies.