One of the biggest goals of any storytime is to help children foster a love for books and spark the joy of learning. It is also a wonderful time to strengthen the bond between children and their caregiver!
As the Library gears up for the Summer Library Program, our regular weekly storytimes are on a break. Here are some tips, tricks, and examples to help you build your own Family Storytime at home!
We will be back with weekly Outdoor Storytimes starting June 16.
Decide on a Theme!
For this example, we are choosing baking! You do not have to choose a theme, but they are a great way to build in repetition throughout storytime and can help you narrow down what books and songs you want to play with.
However, it is more important to focus on having fun than trying to make sure every song, book, and rhyme has something in common.
Get Moving with a Welcome Song!
Clap and Sing Hello! (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and sing hello!
*Optional verses: wave and sing hello, stomp and sing hello, or wiggle and sing hello
Pat A Cake
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake (pat hands against child’s hands or clap your hands and pat thighs)
Baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it (roll arms)
Pat it (pat legs)
Mark it with a “B” (trace letter on hand)
And put it in the oven for baby and me (put hands out like presenting a cake)
If You’re Ready (Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you’re ready for a story, take a seat
If you’re ready for a story, take a seat
If you’re ready for a story,
If you’re ready for a story,
If you’re ready for a story, take a seat.
*Optional verses: clap your hands, stomp your feet, make your hands all nice and neat
Read a Book!
Here are a few options to follow a baking theme:
A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas
Despite the objections of Pig and Mouse, Duck insists on adding a special ingredient to the cake they are making to celebrate Cow’s birthday.
The Baker’s Dozen by Dan Andreasen
The reader is invited to count from one to thirteen as a jolly baker makes delectable treats from one mouth-watering eclair to twelve luscious cupcakes, and serves them to invited guests.
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff
A series of increasingly far-fetched events might occur if someone were to give a cupcake to a cat.
Play with a Prop!
If you don’t have play scarves, try using a washcloth or dish towel. You can also make your own musical shaker by filling a plastic egg with beads or by putting uncooked rice into an empty water bottle (make sure the lid is on tight!). Move your prop as you recite some fun rhymes!
Handy Dandy, Sugar and Candy
Handy dandy, sugar and candy, (move prop back and forth to beat)
We all pop up! (hold prop up)
Handy dandy, sugar and candy,
We all come down. (hold prop down)
Handy dandy, sugar and candy,
We all pop out! (hold prop in front of you)
Handy dandy, sugar and candy,
We all pop in. (hold prop by chest)
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, (hold scarf and move it back and forth)
We’re going to the moon.
Zoom, zoom, zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
If you want to take a trip, (pretend to climb a ladder)
Climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, (hold scarf and move it back and forth)
We’re going to the moon.
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…BLASTOFF (throw scarf into air)
1, 2, Shake It on Your Shoe
1, 2, shake it on your shoe
3, 4, shake it on the floor
5, 6, stir and mix
7, 8, stand up straight
9, 10 wave to your friends
Calm Down with a Goodbye Song!
Tickle the Clouds
Tickle the clouds
Tickle your toes
Turn around
And tickle your nose
Reach down low
Reach up high
Storytime’s over
So wave goodbye!
Open, Shut Them Goodbye
Open, shut them, open, shut them, (open and close hands)
Give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap.
Wave them, wave them, wave them, wave them,
High up in the sky, sky, sky.
I’ll wave to you, you’ll wave to me.
Let’s all wave good bye, bye, bye!
Put It All Together!
Do what feels right for you and your child! You can repeat songs and rhymes as many times as you want. If your child wants to read more than one book, that’s amazing, but if they are a little too wiggly, you can choose to skip the book portion in favor of more rhymes or playing some recorded music.
You can always stop by the Children’s desk for more book or song recommendations!
Even though regular Storytimes are on a break, we’ve got some special Storytimes planned in May like Storytime at the Park (in the Miller David House at Old Falls Village), Storytime with Waste Management, Evening Storytime, and Sensory Storytime.