Catch the Possibilities

Back on May 26, 2018, librarian, Melissa Depper tweeted about an idea she'd been thinking about related to storytime planning. It's simple: compile a list of 40 favorite songs, rhymes, flannel boards, fingerplays, etc. Regardless of theme, concept, format-- just list things you LOVE. Then, look at the list and see what they have in common. How could you sort them? Again, look to see what is NOT the same. What is missing? Step four, tweak your 40 to address gaps and use the info you gathered while sorting to evaluate new ideas as they cross your desk, as well as let go of things that aren't serving your storytime goals.

I did compile a Top 40 for the preschool crowd, but I also wanted to do a list for baby/toddler storytime. Instead of doing 40, I decided 25 was a good amount. I tend to be very repetitive with that age group, so the smaller list doesn't feel restrictive.

1. Open Shut Them
2. Book Baby (I don't think the link to this exists anymore, but I learned it from DPL)
3. Very Hungry Caterpillar Little Mouse style flannel
4. Ten Little Babies flannel
5. Hands are Clapping (I don't sing this, but use the same words as the link)
6. Itsy Bitsy Spider
7. Love Grows
8. I'm a Little Cuckoo Clock
9. Motorboat (I don't use the full body actions shown)
10. Dance Your Fingers
11. Where is Baby with scarves
12. Roll Roll Sugar Babies
13. Roly Poly, Roly Poly
14. Away Up High
15. Baby Hop (from Diaper Gym)
16. Did You Ever See a Baby?
17. The More We Get Together
18. Mama's Little Baby (I do bouncing, and we sing it once with mama and once with daddy)
19. Hop, Hop, Hop Along
20. Polar Bear Play flannel
21. Up, Up, Up
22. If You're Happy and You Know it
23. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
24. Two Little Blackbirds
25. Old Macdonald Had a Farm

What do I notice? Not surprising, if you've read my Top 40 post, there's a lot of songs or sung rhymes here as well. There are also a lot of bounces.

What's missing? I'm surprised more activities with props like scarves, washcloths, or shakers didn't show up on the list! I enjoy using these items, but clearly I can work to incorporate them better. I also don't have many flannelboards on the list. Flannelboards can be challenging to use with this age group, but not impossible!

What do you notice about this list? What would be on your Top 25 or Top 40 for babies and toddlers? Happy storytime planning!

Theme: Emotions

Song: Hey, Hey, How Do You Do [Learning Groove] (I edited this for the library and we sing it acapella)

Rhyme/Movement: Hands Are Clapping [Brooke, Jbrary] (while I don't mind singing for an entire storytime, I like to give less enthusiastic singers a rest, so we just chant this one rather than sing it)

Book: If You're Happy and You Know It by Jane Cabrera [library]

Action Song: Love Grows [KCLS]

Flannel Song: Happy Face, Happy Face (Tune: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) [KCLS]

Book: Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney [library]

Song: Peace Like a River (spirituals were written as a way to share emotion)

Book: My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss [library]

Fingerplay: This is Big, Big, Big [Mel]

Song: I'm a Book Baby [Denver Public Library]

Free play. During free play I get out a basket of developmentally appropriate toys that get more frequent baths than the general library toys, and are only used for this program. Since it's impossible to keep everything out of baby and toddler mouths, this helps us all stay healthy but play the way we were designed. I also have a staff member from ECFE who attends every storytime to share about ECFE classes and programs. She also brings a baby scale with, so parents can get weight checks between their well child doctor visits.

Bonus Mini-Dance party playlist! Happy by Pharrell / Get Happy by Smiles Ahead / H.A.P.P.Y. by Lisa Loeb / Happy Beat by Jack Grunsky

I had so much fun at the first Parachute Play program I held last fall that I decided to do another one before the next sessions of Little Learners begin. Here's a great example of the best laid plans...

Yesterday after storytime, I charged both the bluetooth speaker I use, and my iPad so they would be juiced and ready to go for the program. The speaker was ready, but somehow my iPad managed to drain itself overnight.

Fortunately, many of the songs I had planned could be sung a capella. I was nervous about being able to be heard over the shaking of the 'chute and squeals of glee, but some of the caregivers piped up to help me as I was waiting for the iPad to charge enough to turn on while plugged in.

So here's what I had planned (and how I fixed it!)

1. If You're Happy and You Know It-- Stand up next to the parachute. The parachute rests on the ground for the first two verses. Clap your hands / Stamp your feet / Lift it high / Shake the 'chute.

(3). Ring Around the Rosie by Caspar Babypants from Sing Along! (Sang a capella 3 times while I was fishing out the power adapter) -- Standing. Walk in a circle and "all fall down."

(2). Alphabet Song by Johnny Bregar from Stomp Yer Feet! (Sang a capella) -- Standing. Shake the 'chute.

(7). Row Row Row Your Boat by Old Town School of Folk Music from Songs For Wiggleworms (Sang a capella-- did twice at normal tempo, once s--l--o--w, and twice fast) --Sitting. "Row" with the parachute, pulling and pushing.

(5). The Snow is Dancing by François-Joël Thiollier from Debussy: Clair de Lune and Other Piano Favorites -- Standing. Pour cotton balls into the middle of the 'chute, make a blizzard by shaking them around. Repeat.

4. Five Little Monkeys by Go Fish from Party Like a Preschooler (Sang a cappella) -- Standing. Toss the monkey puppets onto the parachute and make them jump.

6. Hoki Hoki/Nga Waka by Georgiana Stewart from A World of Parachute Play -- Sitting. Pretend to drum on the parachute.

(10). Jingle Bells and STOP by Carole Stephens from Season Sings (YAY the iPad is finally working!) -- Sitting (I was worried about metal jingle bells flying everywhere if the shaking were not somewhat contained). Listen to the song; shake until it says STOP!

(8). Hot Poppin' Popcorn by The Wiggles from Hot Poppin' Popcorn -- Standing. I cleared off the monkeys, snowballs, and jingle bells and tossed down some crumpled paper "popcorn." Shake.

(12). Angels in the Snow by Georgiana Stewart from Toes Up, Toes Down -- Laying. Lay down on the 'chute. Swish your arms and legs as directed. (note: despite the title, there's no mention of angels in the spoken directions).

(9). Skater's Waltz by Georgiana Stewart from A World of Parachute Play -- Standing. Take off your shoes/boots and glide around on the 'chute like ice skaters do.

(11). Shaky Shaky by The Wiggles from Yummy Yummy -- Standing. Shake the 'chute, fast and slow.

13. Jump Jump by Joanie Leeds from I'm a Rock Star -- Standing. Jump and shake.

*The numbers represent the order I would have done things if the iPad incident had not happened, so that's why things are often out of order.

Little ones have a hard time staying up until midnight, but why should they miss out on all the fun? I threw a 45-minute party to countdown to noon. I created a fun dance party playlist with a winter/new year twist. And for the pièce de résistance: I made my own glitter ball. Yup. Note: this undertaking is not for the faint-of-crafty-heart. There will be glitter everywhere. For days.


To make your own glitter ball you need a beach ball (or paper lantern). Water down some good old school glue, and with a sponge brush, coat a small area of the ball. Holding the ball over a box, sprinkle liberally with glitter. Repeat until ball is covered to desired glitter level (or until you are just done with glitter... trust me). Let dry.

The glitter ball was the star of the show. I dug out a spool of ribbon from the craft stash and tied one end through the loop on the plug. I looped the string over a hook on the ceiling like a pulley. As it became noon, I got everyone's attention and we practiced counting down from ten and jumping up as we screamed "happy new year!" Then we did it again, except this time, I lowered the ball as we counted down. I don't know who was more excited: the kids or the adults.

And that was basically it. Making the glitter ball was a ~45 minute process, but if you are lucky enough to already have a shiny ball at your disposal, the program planning is really just making a playlist and gathering your materials. I had 40 people show up, which for a first-run program at my library is a great turnout.

Here's the playlist I put together:
I set out egg shakers, bells, rainboshakers, and ribbons for kids to explore and play with at their own pace.

Most of the content in this storytime came from Melissa, at Mel's Desk. Thanks!

Sing: Hey Hey How Do You Do

Rhyme: Open Shut Them

Book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

Guessing Game: Little Bird, Are You in the Green Tree?






Rhyme: 5 Little Leaves (with inflatable leaves... sadly discontinued)
     5 little leaves in the tall tall tree
     As bright and pretty as they can be
     Along came the wind
     Blowing all around
     And one bright leaf
     Fell to the ground

     Four little leaves...

Book: Max's Ride by Rosemary Wells








Flannel Rhyme: Blue is the Sky
     Blue is the sky
     Yellow is the sun
     Silver are the stars
     When the day is done
     Orange is the leaf
     Brown is the tree
     Red is the apple
     For you and me

Parachute Play: Gently play with the chute, then get out the leaves (fake ones I found at the dollar store) and make the leaves dance. Invite children to sit on the chute one by one if they'd like to be tossed with the leaves.

Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Sing: I'm a Book Baby

Sing: Hey Hey How Do You Do

Rhyme: Open Shut Them

Book: Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin

Flannel Song: 5 Clean and Squeaky Pigs (Tune: 5 Green and Speckled Frogs)
     5 pigs so squeaky clean,
     Cleanest pigs you've ever seen.
     Wanted to go outside and play [shout: IN THE MUD!]
     1 jumped into the mud,
     Landed with a great big THUD! [clap or slap leg]
     Now there are 4 pigs squeaky clean [oink oink]



Book: Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman

Action Song: This is the Way (Tune: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)
     This is the way we wash our arms (pretend to do with washcloths)
     Wash our arms, wash our arms.
     This is the way we wash our arms
     When we're in the bathtub.
     [Also wash your legs, tummies, heads....]

Bubbles: Splish Splash by Bobby Darin

Sing: 10 Little Bubbles (Tune: Michael Finnegan)
1 little, 2 little, 3 little bubbles
4 little, 5 little, 6 little bubbles
7 little, 8 little, 9 little bubbles
10 little bubbles go POP! POP! POP! (clap)
 (count down from 10)

Book: Splish-Splash by Nicola Smee

Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Sing: I'm a Book Baby

Sing: Hey, Hey How Do You Do

Rhyme: Open Shut Them

Book: Barnyard Banter by Denise Fleming

Song: When Ducks Get Up in the Morning
I put up different animals on a flannelboard and we sang about them.




Bounce: A Farmer Went Trotting
     A farmer went trotting (bounce baby on lap, facing you)
     Upon his gray mare
     With his daughter behind him
     So rosy and fair
     Then a duck cried out, "Quack!" (lift baby up)
     And they all tumbled down (plop baby back into your lap)
     Off of the horse
     And upside down! (tip baby gently backwards)

Book: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle

Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Book: I Went Walking by Sue Williams

Rhyme: As I Went Walking to Town One Day... (with puppets)
     As I went walking to town one day (bounce in laps)
     Oh it was a beautiful day (make big sun with hands)
     As I went walking to town one day
     I met a cow along the way.
     And what do you think that cow did say? (Moooo!)
    (Repeat with other animals)

Sing: I'm a Book Baby

Sing: Hey, Hey How Do You Do

Rhyme: Open Shut Them

Book: I Can Help! by David Hyde Costello

Tickle: Pizza Pickle Pumpernickel
     Pizza pickle pumpernickel
     My little guy (gal) shall have a tickle
     One for his (her) nose
     One for his (her) toes
    And one for his (her) belly where the hot dog goes!
(We did this one with the guy version, and once with the gal version)

Sing: If You're Happy and You Know It
     Clap hands / tap your toes / touch your nose

Book: Baby! Baby! by Vicky Ceelan

Sing: I'm a Book Baby

Prop play: Shakers (on different parts of your body)



Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Book: Whose Toes are Those? by Jabari Asim

Sing: Tony Chestnut
This is a traditional song, so there are many, many versions of it if you're not familiar. The Learning Station has a popular one, but for younger children, I prefer the slower version on the Toddlers on Parade cd.

Sing: Hey, Hey How Do You Do

Bounce: I'm a Little Cuckoo Clock!
     Tick tock, tick tock (rock side to side steadily)
     I'm a little cuckoo clock
     Tick tock, tick tock
     It's one o'clock!
     CUCKOO! (lift up)
     (Repeat for two, and three o'clock)

Book: Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard


Sing: I'm a Book Baby





Rhyme: Two Little Blackbirds (I have two finger puppets from ArtFelt i like to use with this rhyme)
     Two little blackbirds sitting on a wall (hold pointer fingers out in front of you)
     One named Peter, one named Paul (wiggle one finger, then the other)
     Fly away Peter! Fly away Paul! (move one finger behind your back, then the other)
     Come back Peter! Come back Paul! (bring one finger back in front, then the other)

Book: Whose Chick are You? by Nancy Tafuri

Prop play: Scarves (up, down, out, in, right, left, circles, etc)





Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Sing: Tony Chestnut
This is a traditional song, so there are many, many versions of it if you're not familiar. The Learning Station has a popular one, but for younger children, I prefer the slower version on the Toddlers on Parade cd.

Sing: Hey, Hey How Do You Do

Book: Faster! Faster! by Leslie Patricelli

Bounce: Trot Trot
     Trot trot to Boston (bounce on knees)
     Trot trot to Lynn
     Trot trot to grandma's house
     But don't fall in! (gently drop baby between knees)

Sing: I'm a Book Baby

Rhyme: I Can Stretch
     I can stretch like a kitten
     I can hop like a frog
     I can swim like a turtle
     I can shake like a dog
     I can  sway like a snake
     I can flap like a bat
     I can reach like a monkey
     I can move like that!

Book: From Head to Toe by Eric Carle


Sing: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes





Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Sing: Tony Chestnut
This is a traditional song, so there are many, many versions of it if you're not familiar. The Learning Station has a popular one, but for younger children, I prefer the slower version on the Toddlers on Parade cd.

I did a couple toddler drive-in's this summer (see here, here, and here for inspiration on how others are doing the program), and knew it would be the perfect low-key "post-storytime, pre-Christmas" event for my library. I stop regular storytimes the second week of December because things start to get hectic for families, and it usually snows a bunch and gets cold, so program attendance is hit or miss. But the great thing about this kind of "unprogram" is that with minimal effort, you have a fun program for 5 or 40.

Basics:
45 minute program for 2-4 year olds. The first 30-35 minutes are car-making. The last 10-15 minutes are watching animated picture-book movies (think Weston Woods, Scholastic, etc). I register for the program so that I can have a manageable group for our space.

Supplies:
-1 box per kid (we save all our Ingram boxes, but if you don't do book receiving/processing at your library, printer paper boxes or the big boxes diapers come in would be good substitutes).
-Stuff to decorate:

• Dinner-sized paper plates make great steering wheels
• Dessert-sized paper plates are great for wheels
• Stickers are a big hit with this age-- the bigger the better (easier to handle)
• Markers
• Tape or glue to bond the items to the cars
• Duct tape (optional, but always fun)
• License plates* (optional, but a big hit with parents. Also makes any arguing over boxes moot, since ours are not always the same size)

Sing: Hey, Hey How Do You Do

Fingerplay: Roll Roll Sugar Babies
     Roll roll sugar babies (roll hands)
     Roll roll sugar babies (roll hands)
     Push
     Pull
     Clap clap clap
     Repeat: up and down, right, and left, etc.

Sing: Five Little Monkeys (traditional) --> use monkey mitt

Book: Toot Toot  Beep Beep by Emma Garcia

Sing: I'm a Book Baby






Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Flannel: Red Jeep, Red Jeep, What Do You Hear?

Sing: Tony Chestnut
This is a traditional song, so there are many, many versions of it if you're not familiar. The Learning Station has a popular one, but for younger children, I prefer the slower version on the Toddlers on Parade cd.
Stay and play for as long as your like! There are many toys and books to explore.

Sing: Hey, Hey, How Do You Do

Fingerplay: Roll Roll Sugar Babies
     Roll roll sugar babies (roll hands)
     Roll roll sugar babies (roll hands)
     Push
     Pull
     Clap clap clap
     Repeat: up and down, right, and left, etc.

Sing: Five Little Monkeys (traditional) --> use monkey mitt

Book: Cuddle! by Beth Shoshan

Sing: I'm a Book Baby






Fingerplay: This is Big Big Big
     This is big big big (Hold arms out to side, gradually getting bigger)
     This is small small small (Move hands closer together, gradually getting smaller)
     This is short short short (Hold hands parallel to floor with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (Reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (Circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (Circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (Nod)
     This is no no no (Shake head)

Book: Little White Duck by Walt Whippo

Sing: Tony Chestnut
This is a traditional song, so there are many, many versions of it if you're not familiar. The Learning Station has a popular one, but for younger children, I prefer the slower version on the Toddlers on Parade cd.

Sing: Hey, Hey, How Do You Do

Sing: Hey, Hey, How Do You
     I sing this a capella with edited words: "welcome to the library"

Fingerplay: Big Round Sun
     Big round sun in the summer sky (Hold arms in a circle overhead)
     Waved to a cloud that was passing by (wave)
     The little cloud laughed as it started to rain (wiggle fingers downward for rain)
     And out came the big round sun again. (Hold up arms in circle about head again)

Sing: Itsy Bitsy Spider (extended version)

Book: Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig

Sing: I'm a Book Baby

Fingerplay: This is Big, Big, Big
     This is big big big (hold arms out to side)
     This is small small small (cut hands together)
     This is short short short (hold hands with palms facing each other)
     This is tall tall tall (reach one hand above head)
     This is fast fast fast (circle fists quickly)
     This is slow slow slow (circle fists slowly)
     This is yes yes yes (nod)
     This is no no no (shake head)

Book: Quack Like a Duck! by Harriet Ziefert


Sing: Tony Chestnut
   The Learning Station has a version of this song, but I find it too complicated for younger kids. If you're not comfortable singing a capella, I recommend Carol Hammett's version from Toddlers on Parade.