Love/Valentine’s Day – Toddlers

Opening Song

Well Hello Everybody, Can You Touch Your Nose

Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
Touch your nose, touch your nose?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
touch your nose?

Well hello everybody can you touch your toes,
touch your toes, touch your toes?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your toes,
touch your toes?

Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy, rub your tummy?
Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy?

Books

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A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy
LOVE from the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Traditional Rhymes

This is Big Big Big

This is big big big
This is small small small
This is short short short
This is tall tall tall
This is fast fast fast
This is slow slow slow
This is yes yes yes
This is no no no
Source: Mel’s Desk

Clap, Clap, Clap Your hands

Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap them now with me
Clap your hands, let me see
Clap your hands with me

Beep, beep, beep your nose
Touch, touch, touch your shoulders
Tap, tap, tap your knees
Shake, shake, shake your feet

Soft Kitty

Soft kitty.
Warm kitty.
Little ball of fur…
Happy kitty.
Sleepy Kitty.
Purr, Purr, Purrrrr.

Themed Rhymes

I Can Hug

I can hug, hug, hug.
I can hop, hop, hop.
I can kiss, kiss kiss.
I can stop, stop, stop.
I can nod my head yes, yes, yes.
And I can shake my head no, no, no.
And I can sit down very low.
Source: King County Library System

Valentine, Valentine

Valentine, valentine, turn around.
Valentine, valentine, touch the ground.
Valentine, valentine, blow a kiss.
Valentine, valentine, swim like a fish.
Valentine, valentine, give a hug.
Valentine, valentine, jump like a bug.
Valentine, valentine, find your feet.
Valentine, valentine, take your seat.
Source: Artsy Toddler Storytimes: A Year’s Worth of Ready-To-Go Programming by Carol Garnett Hopkins

Valentine in a Box
Valentine in a Box Sits So Still. (crouch down)
Wont you come out?
Yes, I will! (jump up)
Source: Toddler Storytimes II by Diana Briggs

Activity Songs

Skinnamarink by Sharon, Lois, and Bram
Twist and Shout by Songs for Wiggleworms

Take Home Craft

We made our own heart flowers.

Closing Activities

The Alphabet Song
Counting to 10.

Closing Goodbye Song

The Goodbye Train is Leaving
Oh the goodbye train is leaving see you soon, toot, toot.
Oh the goodbye train is leaving see you soon, toot, toot.
Oh the goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving
Oh the goodbye train is leaving see you soon, toot, toot

Observations

This was a shorter storytime, as my little munchkins were refusing to sit for very long. To keep their attention I did different actions for both of the books. The kids favorite part was the action rhyme, “Valentine in a Box.”

Sensory Playtime (December 2015)

For our final 2015 sensory playtime, my coworker and I had to aim for a simple but fun session. We had a program scheduled for the next day, and we needed activities that we could easily clean up.

Our first station was peek-a-boo animal books. My coworker found this fabulous idea in a book, and we had our volunteers color and place material to make the books touch and feel. This were also great in that we saved them for our future Waddler and Walker Storytimes.

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Our second station was colorful pom-poms. We have two boards with different colorful tubes. We did have the option of separating the pom-poms into their respected colors, but we thought it made it more interesting for the children to try and put the colored pop-pom down its matching tube.

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Our third station was the egg carton walk. We taped down egg cartons to a cardboard for the kids to walk on. We also flipped them different ways for the kids to explore the different texture as they walked.

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Our fourth station was rhythm sticks. My coworker led this station. Parents could grab a rhythm stick for their child and follow my coworker as the kids tapped the sticks to different songs.

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Our final station was colorful fish. This was great for sight and taste. We got the colored goldfish.

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Friends – Preschool

Opening Song

Clap Everybody and Say Hello!

Clap everybody and say hello!
Clap everybody and say hello!
Clap everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Stomp everybody and say hello!
Stomp everybody and say hello!
Stomp everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Jump everybody and say hello!
Jump everybody and say hello!
Jump everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Books

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We Forgot Brock! by Carter Goodrich
The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat
Pirate, Viking & Scientist by Jared Chapman

Fingerplay

Where Is Thumbkin?

Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am!
Here I am!

How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

Where is Pointer?
Where is Middleman?
Where is Ringman?
Where is Pinkie?

Themed Rhymes

If You’re a Friend and You Know It

If you’re a friend and you know it clap your hands.
If you’re a friend and you know it clap your hands.
If you’re a friend and you know it and you really want to show it,
If you’re a friend and you know it clap your hands.

Friend of Mine
Tune:”Mary Had a Little Lamb”

Will you be a friend of mine, friend of mine, friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and [insert action word]
around with me?
jump…
bow…
clap…
dance…
Source: Johnson County Library

Two Little Friends

Two little friends are better than one,
(hold up two fingers on right hand, one on left)
And three are better than two.(three on left and two on right)
And four are much better still. (four on right hand)
Just think!
What four little friends can do!
Source: 35 Storytimes Kids Love by Diane Briggs, Thomas Briggs

Look at the Apple I have Found

Look at the apple I have found        (circle hands)
So round and rosy on the ground.
We will wash it and cut in two      (perform actions)
Half for me and half for you.        (hold out hands)
Source: Preschool Favorites: 35 Storytimes Kids Love by Diane Briggs, Thomas Briggs

Activity Songs

Milkshake Song by Songs for Wiggleworms
She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain by Songs for Wiggleworms

Take Home Craft

Beekle from The Adventures of Beekle! I took my inspiration from a marshmallow version.

Closing Activities

The Alphabet Song. We are learning it in sign language.
Counting to 20.

Closing Goodbye Song

See you later, alligator

See you later, alligator (Wave goodbye)
In a while, crocodile
Give a hug, ladybug (Hug yourself)
Blow a kiss, jellyfish (Blow a kiss)
See you soon, big baboon
Out the door, dinosaur (Point straight ahead)
Take care, polar bear
Wave goodbye, butterfly (Wave goodbye)

Observations

My preschoolers sat really well for this storytime. Like my toddlers, the milkshake song was a hit. They also love learning sign language. I had one girl proudly show me what she learned last week.

Friends – Toddlers

Opening Song

Well Hello Everybody, Can You Touch Your Nose

Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
Touch your nose, touch your nose?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
touch your nose?

Well hello everybody can you touch your toes,
touch your toes, touch your toes?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your toes,
touch your toes?

Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy, rub your tummy?
Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy?

Books

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Bunnies!!! by Kevan Atteberry
The Whale in My Swimming Pool by Joyce Wan

Fingerplay

Where Is Thumbkin?

Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am!
Here I am!

How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

Where is Pointer?
Where is Middleman?
Where is Ringman?
Where is Pinkie

Traditional Rhymes

This is Big Big Big

This is big big big
This is small small small
This is short short short
This is tall tall tall
This is fast fast fast
This is slow slow slow
This is yes yes yes
This is no no no
Source: Mel’s Desk

Clap, Clap, Clap Your hands

Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap them now with me
Clap your hands, let me see
Clap your hands with me

Beep, beep, beep your nose
Touch, touch, touch your shoulders
Tap, tap, tap your knees
Shake, shake, shake your feet

Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the waterspout.
Down came the rain
and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
and dried up all the rain
and the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

Themed Rhymes

If You Want to Make a Friend
Tune: “If You’re Happy And You Know It”

If you want to make a friend, shake a hand.
If you want to make a friend, shake a hand.
If you want a friend that’s new, then say, “How do you do?”
If you want to make a friend, shake a hand.
Source: Preschool Express

Activity Songs

Milkshake Song by Songs for Wiggleworms
She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain by Songs for Wiggleworms

Take Home Craft

Beekle from The Adventures of Beekle! I took my inspiration from a marshmallow version.

Closing Activities

The Alphabet Song
Counting to 10.

Closing Goodbye Song

Observations

Super fun storytime. The kids LOVED Bunnies!!! They were soon yelling BUNNIES with me. Milkshake song was also a hit. I had quite a few parents asking me what CD I had used.

Winter (2016) – Preschool

Opening Song

Clap Everybody and Say Hello!

Clap everybody and say hello!
Clap everybody and say hello!
Clap everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Stomp everybody and say hello!
Stomp everybody and say hello!
Stomp everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Jump everybody and say hello!
Jump everybody and say hello!
Jump everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Books

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Do You Want to build a Snowman? by Calliope Glass
The Thing about Yetis by Vin Vogel
Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera

Flannel

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Flannel Mittens. Kids normally really like hide-n-seek games, so I just did a die-cut of different colored mittens. I hid the white snowball for a few rounds and then exchanged the white for the yellow snowball without knowing. We then talked about why we don’t eat yellow snow.

Themed Rhymes

This is the Way We Play in the snow

This is the way we stomp through the snow,
stomp through the snow,
stomp through the snow.
This is the way we stomp through the snow,
stomp through the snow,
when we go out to play.

This is the way we hop through the snow…
This is the way we spin through the snow…
This is the way we crawl through the snow…
This is the way we sit in the snow…
Source: Artsy Toddler Storytimes: A Year’s Worth of Ready-To-Go Programming by Carol Garnett Hopkins

Dance Little Snowflake
(with scarves)

Dance Little Snowflake.
(Dance)

Dance around the town.
(spin around)

Dance upon your tiptoes.
(walk on tiptoes)

Dance from side to side.
(sway side to side).

Twirling up and down, twirling up and down.
(move arms high up and down low).

While you dance around the town.
(spin around)

Source: Artsy Toddler Storytimes: A Year’s Worth of Ready-To-Go Programming by Carol Garnett Hopkins

I’m A Little Snowman

I’m a Little Snowman, short and fat
Here is my scarf
And here is my hat,
When the snow is falling, come and play.
Sun comes out, I melt away.
Source: I no longer have the source, but there is multiple versions and sources.

It is Winter

It is winter,
It is winter,
Oh, so cold.
Oh, so cold.
Icy, snowy weather,
Long nights and short days,
Winter’s here!
Winter’s here!
Source: The Holiday Zone

Snowball

I made myself a snowball as perfect as could be.
I thought I’d keep it as a pet and let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas and a pillow for it’s head.
Then, last night it ran away.
But first–it wet the bed.
Source: Shel Silverstein

Snow is Falling Down
(used with scarves)

Snow is falling down,
Shhhhh!
Snow is falling down,
Shhhhh!
Slowly, slowly, very Slowly,
Snow is falling down,
Shhhhh!
Source: Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst

Activity Songs

Snow is Falling, Snow is Falling by Carole Peterson
Let it Go by Disney Frozen (Used scarves)

Closing Goodbye Song

See you later, alligator

Observations

My preschoolers were pretty awesome with this storytime. I did shove quite a bit in, but they all survived and had a grand time. I will advise that the book Do You Want to Build a Snowman? is a bit time consuming and you will have kids wanting to touch the pages. I had the kids do the actions in their seats.

Winter (2016) – Toddlers

Opening Song

Well Hello Everybody, Can You Touch Your Nose

Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
Touch your nose, touch your nose?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
touch your nose?

Well hello everybody can you touch your toes,
touch your toes, touch your toes?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your toes,
touch your toes?

Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy, rub your tummy?
Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy?

Books

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I’m Cool by Kate & Jim McMullan
Snow Dog, Go Dog! by Deborah Heiligman
Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera

Flannel

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Traditional Rhymes

This is Big Big Big

This is big big big
This is small small small
This is short short short
This is tall tall tall
This is fast fast fast
This is slow slow slow
This is yes yes yes
This is no no no
Source: Mel’s Desk

Clap, Clap, Clap Your hands

Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap them now with me
Clap your hands, let me see
Clap your hands with me

Beep, beep, beep your nose
Touch, touch, touch your shoulders
Tap, tap, tap your knees
Shake, shake, shake your feet

Themed Rhymes

This is the Way We Play in the snow

This is the way we stomp through the snow,
stomp through the snow,
stomp through the snow.
This is the way we stomp through the snow,
stomp through the snow,
when we go out to play.

Dance Little Snowflake
(with scarves)

Dance Little Snowflake.
(Dance)

Dance around the town.
(spin around)

Dance upon your tiptoes.
(walk on tiptoes)

Dance from side to side.
(sway side to side).

Twirling up and down, twirling up and down.
(move arms high up and down low).

While you dance around the town.
(spin around)

Source: Artsy Toddler Storytimes: A Year’s Worth of Ready-To-Go Programming by Carol Garnett Hopkins

Activity Songs

Hat and Jacket, Pants and Boots by Carole Peterson
Let it Go by Disney Frozen (Used scarves)

Take Home Craft

Snowglobe inspired by a craft on We Have Aars.I did not have enough pom poms, so we punched out a bunch of circles.

Closing Goodbye Song

Observations

Both of my crowds were kind antsy. My first crowd I was only able to get through 1 1/2 books while my second crowd got through 2 books. They LOVED the dancing with the scarves. I did lead the dancing in Frozen, as it is kind of a long song.

Penguins – Preschool

Opening Song

Clap Everybody and Say Hello!

Clap everybody and say hello!
Clap everybody and say hello!
Clap everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Stomp everybody and say hello!
Stomp everybody and say hello!
Stomp everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Jump everybody and say hello!
Jump everybody and say hello!
Jump everybody and say hello!
No matter what the weather!

Books

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Waddle! Waddle! by James Proimos
Penguins! by Liz Pichon
Blown Away by Rob Biddulph

Flannel

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Baby Penguins

1 baby penguin makes a wish
(hold up 1 finger and point up)

2 baby penguins catch a fish
(hold up 2 fingers and clap hands)

3 baby penguins slip and slide
(hold up 3 fingers and slide hands around)

4 baby penguins run and hide
(hold up 4 fingers, then hide them)

5 baby penguins look around, calling “Mamma! Mamma! Mamma!”
(hold up 5 fingers and shade eyes with hand)

Now they are found.
(add mama penguin to the board)
Rhyme: Miss Mary Liberry

Themed Rhymes

Penguin Song

I’m a little penguin
Aren’t I cute? (raise arms as if questioning)

I’m a bird
In a penguin suit (flap arms at sides)

My suit has thick feathers,
Black and white (turn around, show off outfit)

I can’t fly
But I swim all right (swimming motions)

I can waddle ’round
On my webbed feet (waddle)

Fresh fish are what
I like to eat! (eating motions)
Source: Abby the Librarian

Penguin Waddle

You put your right wing in,
you take your right wing out,
You put your right wing in and you waddle all about.
You do the Penguin Waddle and you turn yourself around.
And that’s what it’s all about!

You put your left wing in…
You put your right fin in…
You put your left fin in…
You put your beak in…
You put yourself in…
Source: Preschool Express

Penguins Jump!

Penguins jump, penguins dive,
(jump, then dive them to the floor.)

OK, penguins, look alive!
(stand or sit at attention.)

Penguins waddle, penguins walk,
(Waddle in place, walk in place.)

We don’t have any time to talk!
(Shake head “no.”)

Penguins slip, penguins slide,
(Slip and slide from side to side.)

Come on penguins, show some pride!
(Puff out chest.)

Penguins snooze, penguins snore,
(Put hands to one side of head; pretend to sleep)

Wake right up and play some more!
(Wake up and wiggle all over.)
Source: Mentor Public Library

I’m A Little Penguin

I’m a Little Penguin
In the sea.
I can swim as fast as can be!
When I catch a fish, just look at me.
I’m as proud as I can be.
Credit: Step by Step — Penguin Theme

Activity Songs

Doing the Penguin by Sesame Street
The Penguin Song by Carole Peterson

Take Home Craft

My shape penguin was inspired by a craft on Homemade Life.

Closing Goodbye Song

See you later, alligator

Observations

My preschoolers were pretty awesome at this storytime. They had a blast doing their waddles and we totally worked up a sweat with the dance songs. What is even more awesome is that this storytime fell on Penguin Awareness Day.

Penguins – Toddlers

Opening Song

Well Hello Everybody, Can You Touch Your Nose

Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
Touch your nose, touch your nose?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
touch your nose?

Well hello everybody can you touch your toes,
touch your toes, touch your toes?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your toes,
touch your toes?

Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy, rub your tummy?
Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy?

Books

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Waddle! Waddle! by James Proimos
Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere! by Bob Barner

Flannel

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Baby Penguins

1 baby penguin makes a wish
(hold up 1 finger and point up)

2 baby penguins catch a fish
(hold up 2 fingers and clap hands)

3 baby penguins slip and slide
(hold up 3 fingers and slide hands around)

4 baby penguins run and hide
(hold up 4 fingers, then hide them)

5 baby penguins look around, calling “Mamma! Mamma! Mamma!”
(hold up 5 fingers and shade eyes with hand)

Now they are found.
(add mama penguin to the board)
Rhyme: Miss Mary Liberry

Traditional Rhymes

This is Big Big Big

This is big big big
This is small small small
This is short short short
This is tall tall tall
This is fast fast fast
This is slow slow slow
This is yes yes yes
This is no no no
Source: Mel’s Desk

Bubble, Bubble Pop!

One little red fish
Swimming in the water,
Swimming in the water,
Swimming in the water.

One little red fish
Swimming in the water,
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble…POP!

Verses: Increase the number and change the color
Source: Mel’s Desk

Themed Rhymes

Penguin Song

I’m a little penguin
Aren’t I cute? (raise arms as if questioning)

I’m a bird
In a penguin suit (flap arms at sides)

My suit has thick feathers,
Black and white (turn around, show off outfit)

I can’t fly
But I swim all right (swimming motions)

I can waddle ’round
On my webbed feet (waddle)

Fresh fish are what
I like to eat! (eating motions)
Source: Abby the Librarian

Penguin Waddle

You put your left wing in…
You put your right fin in…
You put your left fin in…
You put your beak in…
You put yourself in…
Source: Preschool Express

Activity Songs

Doing the Penguin by Sesame Street
The Penguin Song by Carole Peterson

Take Home Craft

My shape penguin was inspired by a craft on Homemade Life.

Closing Goodbye Song

Observations

A pretty fun storytime. For Waddle, Waddle I had the kids waddle in their seats and then throw out their arm and thrust out their chest for belly slide! I had a few kids hollering belly slide later.

Sensory Playtime (November 2015)

November was our second Sensory Playtime and boy, was it a blast! We once again had five stations, but we primarily focused on touch.

Our first station was shredded paper. This was very cost effective but messy! It was probably the favorite station. The kids would bury themselves in the paper, throw the paper up in the air, and make mounds with it.

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Our second station was a messy pile of leaves. The kids again had a blast throwing the leaves up in the air. We did provide a painting of a tree. This offered kids the opportunity to place the leaves on the tree if they wanted. However, they were way more interested in tossing the leaves up in the air.

Our third station was sound bottles. The kids were able to shake them and stack them up. We caught a few kids wondering around with a bottle, but hey, at least they were developing their senses!

Our fourth station was sticky paper. My coworker discovered this idea and we absolutely loved it. We talked about different kinds of tape to use and decided on contact paper. Duct tape seemed too harsh. We saw different ways our patrons interacted with this station. Young babies walked/crawled over it. Older kids would try and pick it up with their hands. We have tagged this one to do again, but maybe put out little items that the kids could stick and unstick stuff to the paper.

Our final station was ice cubes. I froze a bunch of toys into the ice, and the kids objective was to try and melt the ice to get to the toy. These are very cheap toys, so if a toy walks off with a child, it was not the end of the world. Surprisingly, this might have been the second favorite station. I had several of the older kids tell me about it.

American Girl: Maryellen Larkin (December 2015)

Sigh, our last American Girl for 2015 was Maryellen Larkin. I thought it would be appropriate to include her for one of our 2015 sessions, as she is the newest Beforever Doll. I immediately decided to do a 1950s Christmas. I knew that poodle skirts were essential and since Ms. Larkin wanted snow, we would give her snow.

After our traditional powerpoint, we started on the poodle skirt and scarves. I knew this would take longer and wanted the kids to start immediately. I thankfully saved time by having all the felt already cut. The instructions called for a felt poodles, but I didn’t have the time to really cut out 30 plus poodles and went with snowflakes, flowers, and hearts. Thank you die-cut machine!

The girls were each were handed a skirt and scarf. Then each girl got to pick up to five felt pieces to go with their skirt and scarf. The longest portion of this session was the glue gun. I really do not allow the girls to handle the glue guns (I don’t want to explain to a parent how their child got a burn blister), so I rely quite a bit on the adults to assist. I also only had a limited amount of glue guns. I did fix this for future dates.

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Once their felt pieces were glued down, the girls then got to wrap their skirts and scarves for Christmas! I had three different Christmas wrapping paper out. I wasn’t sure if they would like this portion, but they loved it.

I was told by several parents/guardians that their girls were very excited to put their presents under the tree and were just as excited to open them on Christmas Day.

The second activity was snowflakes. Never doubt how much fun kids have making snowflakes out of paper. To throw in some extra excitement, I also did glitter! You either hate glitter or you embrace it! I embrace it and the more the merrier.