Fun For All Storytime: Let's Listen!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on July 5, 2018.

Let's Listen!

Books:
Listen, Listen by Phillis Gershator, illustrated by Alison Jay

Hear That? by Tama Janowitz, illustrated by Tracy Dockray
(Because of time and the large number of children present, we did not get to read this story.  I encourage parents to check out this book and enjoy it with their kiddos!)

Songs:

Hello, Friends!
(tune: "Goodnight, Ladies")

Hello, friends,
Hello, friends,
Hello, friends,
We're glad you came today!

Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi

Are You Sleeping?
Are you sleeping? (repeat)
Brother John? ...
Morning bells are ringing...
Ding, ding, dong...

For this echo song I handed out sleigh bells to half of the children, encouraging them to keep their instruments quiet during the first half of the song (it's harder than you might think!!), then playing them during the second half.  The other half of the children waited patiently for their turn to play the bells.  After singing the song FOUR times we still didn't manage to get Brother John out of bed!!


Activity:

Can You Guess The Sound?
Children and adults were invited to use their best listening skills to give names to the sounds they heard.  The sound effects we listened to included:
* Helicopter
* Donkey
* Crying Baby
* Clock
* Chain Saw
* Fart
* Cuckoo Clock
* Door Bell
* Hair Dryer
* Turkey
* Rain and Thunder

You can probably guess which sound effect got the biggest reaction from the children!!!

Fun For All Storytime: Whooo Likes Moo-sic?!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on July 12, 2018.

Whoo Likes Moo-sic?!

Books:

Farmer Joe and the Music Show by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

Barnyard Boogie! by Tim McCanna, illustrated by Allison Black

Songs:
Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi


Old MacDonald 
We sang this song using hand puppets to help us visualize each animal.  Here are some of the animals we sang about:

We had a good laugh at the thought of having a crocodile on Old MacDonald's farm!

Activity:

After singing Old MacDonald - with the help of some Storytime friends who held up each animal puppet as we sang - the children were given the supplies to make their own stick puppets.

Fun For All Storytime: "Let's Make Some Music!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on June 21, 2018.

Let's Make Some Music!

Books:
Our Marching Band by Lloyd Moss, illustrated by Diana Cain Bluthenthal

Groovy Joe: Dance Party Countdown by Eric Litwin, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Songs:
Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi

The Noise Song by Joe Wise

Half the greatest noises in the whole wild world come from me...
Come from me and you, oh,
Half the greatest noises in the whole wide world come from me...
From me and you!

Activity:
After reading "Our Marching Band", I mentioned to the children how fun it would be if WE could form a marching band.  I asked if any of the children had brought a musical instrument with them to storytime.  After lamenting the fact that no one had an instrument, one youngster came forward and pointed to the box of rhythm instruments laying on a nearby table.  "I know, Mrs. B.!  We can use THESE instruments!"
So that's what we did!  Children and parents were invited to choose a rhythm instrument and then we marched our band right through the library!

Fun For All Storytime: Let's SING a Story!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on June 28, 2018.

Let's SING a Story!

Books:

If You're a Robot and You Know It by David A. Carter

Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jane Cabrera

Songs:
Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi


The Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go
'round and 'round,
'round and 'round,'round and 'round,
The wheels on the bus go

'round and 'round,
all through the town.

Our bus had some rather unusual riders, including a snake, a crocodile, a bumble bee, a duck, and a pig!

Activity:

Building on our theme of "Books you can sing!", I made available to the parents a selection of books that are based on songs.  Families spent about five minutes selecting a book, then reading/singing it to their group.  For more title that can be SUNG, as well as read, read my post here.

Fun For All Storytime: Let's Move!!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on June 14, 2018.

Let's Move!

Books:
Hop, Hop, Jump! by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Jumping Day by Barbara Juster Esbensen, illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Songs:
Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi

Shake My Sillies Out by Raffi


Activity:
Ring Around the Rosie 

Ring around the rosie, 
a pocketful of posies.
Ashes, ashes,
we all fall down!

Cows are in the meadow,
eating buttercups.
Thunder, lightning,
we all jump up!

For this activity we pulled out our colorful parachute and tried different ways of using it while we sang.  We shook the parachute along the floor, then lifted it high, we walked in a circle with it, we brought it back down to the floor, and then we lifted it up and ran into the center, creating a tent over our heads.

Fun For All Storytime: Let's Sing!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on June 7, 2018.

Let's Sing!

Books:

Let's Sing a Lullaby With the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas

Here is a short video clip from Storytime.

The Nuts: Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants by Eric Litwin, illustrated by Scott Magoon

Songs:
Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi

Let's make some noise, we girls and boys!
We've got a voice so let's make some noise!


You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a Song

You'll sing a song, and I'll sing a song,
And we'll sing a song together.
You'll sing a song, and I'll sing a song,
In warm or wintry weather.

You'll play a tune, and I'll play a tune,
And we'll play a tune together.
You'll play a tune, and I'll play a tune,
In warm or wintry weather.

You'll whistle a tune, and I'll whistle a tune,
(whistle...)
You'll whistle a tune, and I'll whistle a tune,
In warm or wintry weather.

You'll sing a song, and I'll sing a song,
And we'll sing a song together.
You'll sing a song, and I'll sing a song,
In warm or wintry weather.
In warm or wintry weather.

Activity:
During my reading of The Nuts: Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants, I invited the children and adults to join me in the repeated refrain:

Polka dot pants!
Polka dot pants!
Sing and Dance in your polka dot pants!

Then it occurred to me that it would be much more fun to sing "Polka Dot Pants" if we were actually wearing polka dots!
So I handed out sheets of colored dots and encouraged the children and adults to go crazy with the polka dots!  Here is the result!

Fun For All Storytime: We Love Music!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on May 31, 2018.


We Love Music!

Books:
Jonathan and His Mommy by Irene Smalls, illustrated by Michael Hays

I Got The Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Watch a portion of this story being read aloud with some of our Storytime attendees here!


Songs:
Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi



If You Love Music and You Know It
(tune: If You're Happy and You Know It")

If you love music and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you love music and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you love music and you know it,
then your face will surely show it.
If you love music and you know it,
clap your hands.

additional verses:
...stomp your feet
...blow a kiss
...turn around
...do them al!l

You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a Song by Raffi


Activity:
Musical Instrument Challenge

The children in attendance picked out a rhythm instrument from a table that contained tambourines, rhythm sticks, bells, clappers, and tone blocks.  After a few moments of experimentation with their instruments, I called out an emotion and encouraged the children to play in a way that they felt evoked that emotion.  I encouraged parents to talk with their children about the sounds they were making.
The emotions I called out were:
Happy
Sad
Excited
Afraid
Sleepy

It was fun to watch as the children thought about each emotion and then tried to express it musically.  It was interesting to see many of the children mirror the emotions with their bodies as well as with their instruments!

Fun For All Storytime: We Love Music!

This Fun For All Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on May 31, 2018.

(Check back later.  I hope to add some photos/video from this storytime!  ~ Mrs. B.)

We Love Music!

Books:
Jonathan and His Mommy by Irene Smalls, illustrated by Michael Hays

I Got The Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Songs:
Let's Make Some Noise by Raffi

If You Love Music and You Know It
(tune: If You're Happy and You Know It")

If you love music and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you love music and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you love music and you know it,
then your face will surely show it.
If you love music and you know it,
clap your hands.

additional verses:
...stomp your feet
...blow a kiss
...turn around
...do them al!l

You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a Song by Raffi


Activity:
Musical Instrument Challenge

The children in attendance picked out a rhythm instrument from a table that contained tambourines, rhythm sticks, bells, clappers, and tone blocks.  After a few moments of experimentation with their instruments, I called out an emotion and encouraged the children to play in a way that they felt evoked that emotion.  I encouraged parents to talk with their children about the sounds they were making.
The emotions I called out were:
Happy
Sad
Excited
Afraid
Sleepy

It was fun to watch as the children thought about each emotion and then tried to express it musically.  It was interesting to see many of the children mirror the emotions with their bodies as well as with their instruments!