Rabbits!

Presented at Bellevue Public Library on Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Books:

Rabbits and Raindrops by Jim Arnosky

Blue Rabbit and Friends by Christopher Wormell

What Does the Rabbit Say? by Jacque Hall, illustrated by Reg Cartwright

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Songs:

Rain Song
(tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It")

First a little drop of rain hit the ground.(use hand to indicate raindrops)
Then another drop of rain hit the ground.(use other hand to indicate more raindrops)
Then another and another,(continue, increasing speed)
And another and another,
And pretty soon we hear a different sound!(cup hand by ear as though listening)
Splash! Splash!(stomp feet twice)



I Wish I Was a Rabbit
(tune: "The More We Get Together")

I wish I was a rabbit, a rabbit, a rabbit.
I wish I was a rabbit, 'cause rabbits can hop.
They hop, and hop, and hop, and hop.
I wish I was a rabbit, 'cause rabbits can hop.


I wish I was a rabbit, a rabbit, a rabbit.
I wish I was a rabbit 'cause rabbits can munch.
They munch, and munch, and munch, and munch.
I wish I was a rabbit 'cause rabbits can munch.

I wish I was a rabbit, a rabbit, a rabbit.
I wish I was a rabbit that wiggles its nose.
It wiggles and wiggles and wiggles and wiggles.
I wish I was a rabbit that wiggles its nose.


Storytime Has Ended
(tune: "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

Storytime has ended, has ended, has ended.
Storytime has ended 'til we meet again.

(Children wave to each other as we continue)
'Til we meet, 'til we meet, 'til we meet, 'til we meet.
Storytime has ended 'til we meet again.


Activities:

Our Hands Say Hello!

Our hands say hello with a clap, clap, clap.
Our feet say hello with a tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap,
Tap, tap, tap.
Turn around and take a bow.
Sit right down. It's Storytime now!

Today's ECRR Activity Highlight: Singing!

We did lots of singing today at Storytime!  Music is such a wonderful (and important!) part of childhood.  Children flourish when they are exposed to a rich variety of music styles.  For Storytime we stick with songs that can be quickly and easily learned, so that children can join in right away.  We use lots of "piggyback songs", which are songs in which the words are set to well-known melodies.  When children and adults already know the tune (e.g. "London Bridge is Falling Down"), they can concentrate on the words, making it easier to learn and participate in the song.  We have books at the library that are filled with piggyback songs!  You can also find them on the Internet, using "piggyback songs" as your search term.  You can even make up your own piggyback songs!!  (Yes, you CAN!  It's not that hard!)  Pick a fairly simple tune such as "Mary Had a Little Lamb".  While in the car doing errands, how about singing:
"We are going to the store,
to the store, to the store.
We are going to the store,
to get something to eat. 

Then we'll drive to the library, 
the library,  the library. 
Then we'll drive to the library,
to check out some books!"

Even if the meter (the pattern of accented and unaccented syllables) is not exactly accurate, it still makes for a fun song and a great way to encourage creativity and abstract thinking skills in your child.  And remember: your child loves the sound of your singing voice, even if you don't! 

Library News: We have just THREE weeks of Toddler Storytime left before we end for the school year. How quickly time flies! Miss Tammy and I will be busy during the second half of April and all of May getting ready for our Summer Reading Program which will run from May 28 - July 19.  We will have information and activity calendars out around the 1st of May! 

Our next Toddler Storytime will be Thursday, March 28, 2013!




Each Toddler Storytime includes activities that support one or more of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – singing, talking, reading, playing and writing –were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).

Every Child Ready to Read^® @ your library^®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.