Baby & Me Storytime

This Baby & Me Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on Tuesday, February 4 and Thursday, February 6, 2014.

Book:

Hug You, Kiss You, Love You by Joyce Wan

Songs:

Wave Your Bells In The Air
(tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It")

Wave your bells in the air, in the air.
Wave your bells in the air, in the air.
Wave your bells in the air, oh, wave them way up there.
Wave your bells in the air, in the air.

Tap your bells on the floor, on the floor.
Tap your bells on the floor, on the floor.
Tap your bells on the floor, let's all tap them once more.
Tap your bells on the floor, on the floor.


Shake your bells all around, all around.
Shake your bells all around, all around.
Shake your bells all around, now shake them near the ground.
Shake your bells all around, all around.


Clap Your Hands, One, Two, Three
(tune: "This Old Man")

Clap your hands, one, two, three
Play a clapping game with me.
Now your hands have gone away.
Bring them back so we can play!

Final time:
Clap your hands, one, two, three
Play a clapping game with me.
Now your hands have gone away.
We'll play this game another day!


Rhymes:

It's Snowing

It's snowing!  It's snowing!
How the wind does blow!
Snowflakes falling from the sky.
Oops!  One landed on my...head!

Have fun with your little one by continuing this rhyme, choosing other parts of her body where a snowflake might land and unexpectedly tickle her!  Snowflakes might land on Baby's neck, toes, ears, back, tummy, knee, etc.

Snow is Falling Down

Snow is falling down, 
(wiggle fingers downward to indicate snow)

Shhhhh! 
(pointer finger to lips)

Snow is falling down, 
(wiggle fingers)

Shhhhh! 
(pointer finger to lips)

Slowly, slowly, very slowly,

(move fingers very slowly)

Snow is falling down, 
(wiggle fingers)

Shhhhh! (pointer finger to lips)

This is a gentle little rhyme that can beautifully mimic the gently-falling snow (unless there is a raging blizzard outside!)  Quiet rhymes such as this can help reinforce concepts such as s-l-o-w-l-y, and "shhhh"!


Here is Baby Ready for a Nap

Here is baby read for a nap.
I'll lay you down here in my lap.
I'll hold you close so you won't peep,
And rock you 'til you're fast asleep.

Two Little Hands Go Clap, Clap, Clap

  

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap.

Two little hands lay in my lap.

Two little feet go bump, bump, bump.

Two little feet give one big jump.

Two little hands reach oh so high.

Two little hands wave bye, bye, bye.

Our activity this week was Musical Instruments!

We enjoyed discovering some of the many ways to make music with our assortment of rhythm instruments.  Some instruments need to be tapped together,while some need a wooden or metal stick to strike the instrument.  There are bells that make wonderful sounds not only in our hands, but also when wrapped around our ankles!  Shakers. likewise, work in our hands, but they also make silly sounds when tucked under our shirts, against our tummies as Mommy and Daddy help us jump up and down!  There is even a big stick that makes a sound like falling rain when the stick is tilted up and down.  

Providing opportunities for your child to experiment with musical sounds doesn't have to cost money - although there are nice quality rhythm instrument sets readily available for purchase if you want to make the investment.  There is a reason why children have been beating metal pots and pans with wooden sticks for centuries:  everyone has pots and pans around their house, they are fairly safe for children to handle, and they are a lot of fun to play! You can provide even more variety by letting your little one make sounds using empty oatmeal or cornmeal canisters, metal pie pans, plastic Easter eggs or plastic water bottles filled with objects securely sealed inside.  Until they try it themselves, infants and toddlers won't know that a wooden spoon striking a metal pan sounds different than hitting the couch, a wall, the side of the dog kennel...or the side of the dog.  I encourage you to take time to enjoy the expressions of delight and wonder as your child learns more and more about their amazing world!

 

Each Baby & Me 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).