Babies and toddlers thrive on repetition, so we find a lot more standard elements in these storytimes. Songs and finger plays appear in roughly this order, with books and occasionally other songs in between as well!
Hands Go Up (tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star")
Hands go up and hands go down
I can turn around and round
I can jump up on two shoes
I can sit and so can you
I can listen, I'll show you how!
Storytime begins right now!
Wiggle fingers!!! Up, down, side, other side, any other directions that sound fun!
Rolly, Rolly Polly
Rolly, Rolly Polly - UP UP UP!
Rolly, Rolly Polly - DOWN DOWN DOWN!
Rolly, Rolly Polly - OUT OUT OUT!
Rolly, Rolly Polly - IN IN IN!
Rolly, Rolly Polly - FAST FAST FAST!
Rolly, Rolly Polly - SLOW SLOW SLOW!
This is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big (hold arms out to side)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (hold hand with palms facing together)
This is tall, tall, tall (reach one hand high above head)
This is fast, fast, fast (circle fists fast)
This is slow, slow, slow (circle fists slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head yes)
This is no, no, no (shake head no)
Open Shut Them
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Give a little clap, clap, clap!
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Put them in your lap, lap, lap!
Open, shut them, open shut them,
Give the world a look, look, look!
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Time to read a book, book, book!
Two Little Blackbirds
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill. (two pointer fingers for blackbirds)
One named Jack, and one named Jill. (one finger is Jack, the other is Jill)
Fly away Jack! Fly away Jill! ("fly" Jack behind your back, "fly" Jill behind your back)
Come back Jack! Come back Jill! (bring back Jack, and then Jill)
As with Preschool Storytime, Laurie Berkner is a big hit, especially "We are the Dinosaurs." While we don't do it EVERY time, we do it often enough to include it as a "standard."
We are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner
We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching,
We are the dinosaurs, whaddaya think of that?
We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching
We are the dinosaurs, we make the earth flat! We make the earth flat!
We stop and eat our food, when we're in the mood.
We stop and eat our food on the ground.
We stop and eat our food, when we're in the mood.
We stop and eat our food and then we march around.
'Cause we are the dinosaurs, marching, marching,
We are the dinosaurs, whaddaya think of that?
We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching
We are the dinosaurs, we make the earth flat! We make the earth flat!
We stop and take a rest, over in our nest.
We stop and take a rest at the end of the day.
We stop and take a rest, over in our nest.
We stop and take a rest and then you'll hear us say.
That we are the dinosaurs, marching, marching,
We are the dinosaurs, whaddaya think of that?
We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching
We are the dinosaurs, we make the earth flat! We make the earth flat!
And then we ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!
'Cause we are the dinosaurs!
Most all of my favorite Laurie Berkner songs, including this one, can be found on the CD The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band.
Request it from our library!
Jumping and Counting by Jim Gill
Jump Jump Jump Jump
Jumping high are we.
But we'll stop jumping
While we count to three.
1-2-3
Jump Jump Jump Jump
Jumping even more.
But we'll stop jumping
While we count to four.
1-2-3-4
Jump Jump Jump Jump
Just like pogo sticks.
But let's stop jumping
While we count to six.
1-2-3-4-5-6
Jump Jump Jump Jump
Jumping then we wait.
We stop our jumping
While we count to eight.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
Jump Jump Jump Jump
Jumping once again.
But we'll be finished
Once we count to ten.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!
Hands Go Up (tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star")
Hands go up and hands go down
I can turn around and round
I can jump up on two shoes
I can clap and so can you
I can wave, I'll show you how!
Storytime is done for now!
