Exercise is Fun!

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There are lots of fun ways that we can exercise and grow big and strong. We can stretch, do yoga, jump, play at the park, kick a ball, do sports, and dance (my favorite!). Here’s what we did at storytime today…

Nursery Rhyme of the Week:
Jack Be Nimble
Jack be nimble,
Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candlestick.

Books Shared:
Bounce by Doreen Cronin
Playground Day! By Jennifer J. Merz
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Rhymes sheet.):
Stretching Fun
My Eyes Can See
Sometimes
Tony Chestnut
Old MacDonald
If You’re Happy and You Know It
If You’re Wearing Red Today
Tommy Thumb

Music:
Greg and Steve’s Kids in Motion (Animal Action)

Books for Toddlers

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Today, I visited the Burbank Adult School to speak with parents about some good books for toddlers as well as other resources we have available at our library. Here are some of the titles that I recommended:

Characteristics of Good Books for Toddlers
*Stories they can relate to: animals, body, clothes, home, holidays, familiar situations
Example: Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin Jr.
*Stories with rhyme and rhythm
Example: The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani
*Stories with phrase or repeated happenings
Example: Napping House by Audrey Wood
*Predictable stories
Example: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

Formats
*Picture Books
Examples: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle; Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day (wordless)
*Folktales, Fairy Tales & Nursery Rhymes
Examples: Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina Crews; My Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie and Rosemary Wells; The Three Bears by Paul Galdone
*Board Books—thick sturdy cover and pages; small size for little hands; bright colorful pictures; simple shapes; clear pictures; pictures of human faces; few words; nursery rhymes
Examples: Clip Clop by Nicola Smee; Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton; Mary had a Little Lamb by Salley Mavor
*Toddler Collection—Concept books (ABCs, 123s, Shapes, Colors, etc.)
Examples: Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd; Max’s ABC by Rosemary Wells; Count and See by Tana Hoban

Parent Collection—Books written for parents as well as books written for children dealing with various “growing up” topics (potty training, new sibling, discipline, education, etc.)
Examples: Once Upon a Potty by Alona Frankel; The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease; The Mother of All Toddler Books by Ann Douglas

Mother Goose Loves Books and Rhymes!

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HONK! HONK! We had a very special visitor today. Mama Goose flew to the south to hear some of her favorite rhymes at storytime. There are lots of Mother Goose books in the 398.8 section in the children’s library. We love books!

Nursery Rhymes of the Week:
We did a million gazillion nursery rhymes this week in honor of Mother Goose. Okay, maybe not that many.
Little Miss Muffet
Humpty Dumpty
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Jack and Jill
Jack Be Nimble
Hickory Dickory Dock
Hey Diddle Diddle
(Links to the text of these rhymes can be found at this website.)
(Flannel figures for the rhymes can be purchased here.)

Stories Shared:
I Like Books by Anthony Browne
Book! by Kristine O’Connell George

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Storytime Rhymes Sheet.):
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Stretching Fun
If You’re Happy and You Know It
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Ten in the Bed
Tony Chestnut

Music:
Re-Bop Records: Bouncin’ with Mother Goose
Me and My Bean Bag (Take that Bean Bag)

Things that Go!

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Vroom! Choo Choo! Beep! Whoosh! Today’s storytime was all about transportation or things that go…

Books Shared:
Row Your Boat by Anthony Lishak (pop-up)
Sputter Sputter Sput! by Babs Bell
Freight Train by Donald Crews
I Love Planes! by Philemon Sturges

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Rhymes sheet.):
Sometimes
My Eyes Can See
Tommy Thumb
If You’re Wearing Red Today
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Bonus Song:
The Wheels on the Bus
(Melody and lyrics can be found here.)
(Patterns can be found here, though link does not always work.)

Music:
Carole Peterson: Sticky Bubble Gum and Other Tasty Tunes (Little Old Wagon and Hokey Pokey)

Food, Glorious FOOD!

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Happy New Year! It was sure great to see familiar smiling faces at storytime today. Today’s theme was FOOD…YUM!

Nursery Rhyme of the Week:
Pat-a Cake
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Pat it and roll it and mark it with “B”
Put it in the oven for Baby and me.

Stories Shared:
Round is a Pancake by Joan Sullivan Baranski
Today is Monday by Eric Carle
Slop Goes the Soup by Pamela D. Edwards
Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter
Who ate all the Cookie Dough? By Karen Beaumont

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Storytime Rhymes Sheet):
I’m a Little Teapot
If You’re Happy and You Know It
Five Little Sausages
Old MacDonald

Flannel:
The Enormous Turnip (Traditional folktale. Pattern pieces can be found here, though link does not always work.)

Bonus Flannel Song:
Aiken Drum
There was a man lived in the moon,
lived in the moon, lived in the moon,
There was a man lived in the moon,
and his name was Aiken Drum.
And he played upon a ladle,
a ladle, a ladle,
He played upon a ladle,
and his name was Aiken Drum.
And his eyes were made of gum drops…
And his nose was a banana…
And his mouth was a watermelon…
And is hair was made of green beans…
(Templates can be found in the book 52 Programs for Preschoolers: The Librarian’s Year-Round Planner by Diane Briggs.)

Music:
Sharon, Lois & Bram: Mainly Mother Goose
Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes (Silly Dance Contest)

Craft:
Paper Donuts (Idea from this website.)

Christmas Clothing

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Today we read stories about getting dressed. Because we were all such great listeners at storytime… Santa Claus came to visit us at the library!!! HO HO HO! (Be on the look out for some photos to be posted on my Flickr account.) Happy Holidays, everyone! We are going to have a two week break; see you next year (January 9th)!!!

Books Shared:
How Do I Put It On? by Shigeo Watanabe
Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Tales Rhymes sheet. Extra copies available at the Library.):
I Have Something in My Pocket
If You’re Wearing Red Today
Cap, Mittens, Shoes and Socks
Tony Chestnut

Bonus Song:
Silly Hat Song
(Tune: This Old Man)
On my head, I wear my hat.
It is such a silly hat
That my head will wiggle waggle to and fro
Where else can my silly hat go?
[Repeat using foot, elbow and knee.]

Music:
Nutcracker excerpts
We Sing for Christmas (Jingle Bells)

Good Morning to You!

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Wake up, everybody! Today’s storytime was about waking up and mornings. We stretched and sang and danced and listened to stories. It was a very good morning. We also started using our new Winter Rhymes Sheet. Next week: Santa’s coming to the library!!! (After Storytimes) Falalalalalalalala!

Books Shared:
Hey! Wake Up! by Sandra Boynton
Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel
Cuddle Time by Libby Gleeson
What the Sun Sees by Nancy Tafuri
Oh! by Kevin Henkes

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Storytime Rhymes Sheet):
Stretching Fun
Cap, Mittens, Shoes and Socks
Old MacDonald
Ten in a Bed
Round and Round the Garden
My Eyes Can See

Bonus Rhyme: Five Little Snowmen
Five little snowmen all in a row
Each with a hat
And a big red bow.
Out came the sun
And it stayed all day
And one of those snowmen melted away.

Music:
Snoopy’s Christmas: Classiks on Toys
We Sing for Christmas (Jingle Bells)

Polar Animals…BRR!

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BRR! Okay, so maybe it doesn’t snow here in Burbank, California…but we still had a great time sharing stories about animals (and snowmen!) that live where it’s really, really cold. We also played jingle bells and made a cute polar bear craft.

Finally, Miss Jennifer announced that SANTA is coming to visit after storytime in a couple of weeks!!! Don’t forget your camera!

Books Shared:
Good Morning, Little Polar Bear by Carol Votaw
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Eric Carle
Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere! by Bob Barner
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Storytime Rhymes Sheet):
Ten Little Fingers
Animals on the Bus
One Elephant
Fun with Hands
Not Say a Single Word
I Wiggle My Fingers

Bonus Rhyme: Cute Little Snowman
A cute little snowman,
Had a carrot nose.
Along came a rabbit,
And what do you suppose?
That hungry little rabbit,
Looking for its lunch.
Ate that snowman’s carrot nose,
Nibble, nibble, crunch!!

Music:
Nutcracker excerpts
We Sing for Christmas (Jingle Bells)

Craft: Polar Bear template can be found here.

Mr. Turkey and His Feathered Friends

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Gobble Gobble Gobble! Quack Quack Quack! Today’s storytime was all about different kinds of birds including turkeys, chickens and ducks. Next week, the Library will be closed next Thursday for Turkey Day as well as the day after…so no storytime next week. We’ll be back in two weeks with more fun stories, songs and rhymes. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Nursery Rhyme of the Week:
Sing a Song of Sixpence
Sing a song of sixpence,
a pocket full of rye.
Four and twenty blackbirds,
baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
the birds began to sing.
Wasn’t that a dainty dish
to set before the king?

Books Shared:
Whose Chick are You? By Nancy Tafuri
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! By Mo Willems
Charlie Chick (Pop-Up Book) by Nick Denchfield and Ant Parker
I Know an Old Lady who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson
The Little Red Hen

Rhymes (Can be found on Toddler Storytime Rhymes Sheet.):
Mr. Turkey Went Out One Day
Ten Little Fingers
Apples
If You’re Happy and You Know It

Music:
Peter, Paul and Mary: Peter, Paul and Mommy, too
Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz (Pig on Her Head)

Bonus Song:
“Five Little Ducks” (Lyrics and melody can be found here.)

Bonus Song:
“Hello Mr. Turkey” (to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It):
Hello, Mr. Turkey
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you?
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you?
With a gobble, gobble, gobble
and a wobble, wobble, wobble
Hello Mr. Turkey how are you?

Bonus Song (and Dance!):
“Turkey Jurkey” (to the tune of The Hokey Pokey)

You put your wing in
You put your wing out
You put your wing in
And you flap it all about
You do the Turkey Jurkey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!

You put your other wing in
You put your other wing out
You put your other wing in
And you flap it all about
You do the Turkey Jurkey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!

You put your beak in
You put your beak out
You put your beak in
And you shake it all about
You do the Turkey Jurkey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!

You put your tail feathers in
You put your tail feathers out
You put your tail feathers in
And you shake them all about
You do the Turkey Jurkey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!

Writing Workshop Photos

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Besides doing regular toddler storytimes, I also do programs for grade school children from time to time. These past two weeks, I have run a couple of writing workshops. In these workshops, we tried out a couple of fun writing activities and let our imaginations run wild! I’ve now uploaded some pictures from our events onto my flickr page. So, if you were one of the kids at my workshops and have been wondering where those photos were…they’re up and ready to go! Write On!!!