Friends!

This Toddler Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on September 10, 2014.

Book:

My Friend and I by Lisa Jahn-Clough

Songs:

Everybody Say Hello!
(tune: "London Bridge")

Everybody say hello, say hello, say hello,
Everybody say hello, hello Wesley!

(Wesley is my turtle puppet who pops out of my apron pocket whenever we sing this song.  Then he sits quietly on his rock and listens to the stories and sings along with us.  At the end of storytime he says goodbye to the children, gives them high fives, eats pretend food from their hands, blows kisses, and plays hide and seek!)




The More We Get Together

The more we get together, together, together,
The more we get together the happier we'll be!
'Cause your friends are my friends,
And my friends are your friends.
The more we get together the happier we'll be!

You can make up your own verses for this song!  Talk with your child and think up other things that friends can do together!  Here are a few suggestions:
The more we... 
play together
dance together
read together
swim together



If You're Happy and You Know It

If you're happy and you know it
Clap your hands!
If you're happy and you know it
Clap your hands!
If you're happy and you know it
Then your face will surely show it.
If you're happy and you know it
Clap your hands!

Additional verses:
If you're happy and you know it...
Wave hello!
Give a hug!
Smile at your friend!


Enrichment Activities: I started a new weekly activity this year, borrowing from a similar practice developed by Tammy Henry, my former assistant.  (Thanks Tammy!!)
Since Toddler Storytime ends at 9:45 AM, and Preschool Storytime begins at 10:00 AM - in the same room! - I need to watch the clock carefully so that I have time to say goodbye to the toddlers, then help Michelle set up for her storytime.
As a way to extend the toddlers' experience at storytime, I have begun offering several enrichment activities in the Children's Area for those who want to stay a little longer.

At the end of Storytime I bring out my Green Box... 

and we sing this song:

What's in the Green Box?
(tune: "Sally Wore a Red Dress")

What's in the green box,
The green box, the green box?
What's in the green box
For us to play?

In keeping with our "Friends" theme, I offered these activities:

Coloring sheets: In support of Every Child Ready to Read I have added several conversation starters along the bottom of each page. I hope these will help remind adults of the importance of talking with their little ones and will also encourage them to provide a rich language environment for their children.

Puppet Theater: An assortment of hand puppets were available for anyone who wanted to invite a friend to put on a show using the puppet stage in the Children's Area.

Sidewalk Chalk: Grab some chalk, grab a friend, and have some fun adding some artwork to the library's sidewalk!

Bubbles: Another outdoor activity for anyone who wanted to blow bubbles with a friend.

Rhymes: 

Open, shut them,

Open, shut them,
Give a little clap, clap, clap!

Open, shut them,

Open, shut them,

Lay them in your lap, lap, lap!

Waving, waving, waving, waving,

High up in the sky, sky, sky.

Wave to me...I'll wave to you.

Now let's all say goodbye, bye, bye.

We always say this rhyme at least twice, increasing the speed with each repetition!

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.