Letter B for "Babies!" Storytime

Letter B for "Babies" Storytime Lesson Plan

Books

Baby, Baby, Baby by Marilyn Janovitz, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2010.

Baby Faces by Margaret Miller, Little Simmon, 2009. 

The Baby Goes Beep! by Rebecca O'Connell, Albert Whitman, 2010.

Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011.

Itsy- Bitsy Babies by Margaret Wild, Little Hare Books, 2010.

The Baby Parade by Rebecca O'Connell, Albert Whitman & Company, 2013.

Now I'm Big! by Karen Katz, McElderry Books, 2013.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Box, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011. Note: Available as both picture book and board book

What's On Baby's Head? by Margaret Miller, Little Simon, 2009.

Songs

"Wiggy Wiggy Wiggles" by Hap Palmer. Sally the Swinging Snake (2:29)

Fingerplays/Action Rhymes

"Book Baby"  Digital Podcasts, accessed 9/28/2015

I'm a book baby, book baby, I love to read.

I love to read, I love to read.

I'm a book baby, book baby, I love to read.

Read at the library.

Additional verses: clap,  dance. Make up your own or ask kids for suggestions!

"Mama's Little Baby Loves Dancing" Jbrary, accessed 9/28/2015

Mama's little baby loves dancing, dancing
Mama's little baby loves turning round.

Mama's little baby loves dancing, dancing
Mama's little baby loves to boogie on down.

Lean to the left,
Lean to the right
Hug that baby nice and tight
Lean to the left
Lean to the right
Hug that baby nice and tight

"Baby's Nap" Storytime Katie, accessed 9/28/2015

This is a baby ready for a nap. (hold up index finger)
Lay him down in his mother’s lap. (place finger on open palm of other hand)
Cover him up so he won’t peep. (wrap fingers around finger)
Rock him till he’s fast asleep. (rock hands back and forth)
Credit: Thomas Memorial Library

Props

Flannel Story: Baby Duck, Baby Duck Are You In the Blue Egg?

Set up: Hide the "baby duck" behind one of the eggs and have kids help you guess which egg the baby duck is hiding behind. Before you look have them sing the following rhyme with you. Repeat with each guess/colored egg until you find the baby duck.

 Baby Duck, Baby Duck, Are You In the Blue Egg?

[Pretend to "crack" the egg and then lift up the blue egg to look for  baby duck ]

Other

Opening Song: "If You're Ready for a Story Find a Seat"

Hello everybody and how are you, how are you, how are you? [wave]

Hello everybody and how are you, how are you today?

Hello every and touch your nose, touch your nose, touch your nose, [touch nose]

Hello everybody and touch your nose, touch your nose today. 

Hello everybody and touch your toes, touch your toes, touch your toes [touch toes]

Hello everybody and touch your toes, touch your toes today.

*Sing this once everyone is seated and before you introduce yourself and official welcome everyone. 

Credit: Adapted fromJbrary, accessed 9/27/2015

5 Practices Song: Sing Talk Read Write Play

Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play

Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play

Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play

Growing Readers Day by Day

*Use this after your early literacy message in beginning of storytime

Credit: Saroj Ghoting "Star Power" Every Child Ready to Read training and adapted from Salt Lake City Public Library, accessed 9/27/2015

Closing Song: "Goodbye Everybody"

Goodbye everybody we'll see you soon, see you soon, see you soon.

Goodbye everybody we'll see you soon, on another day. 

Credit: Adapted fromJbrary, accessed 9/27/2015

Every Child Ready to Read Practices/Skills

Singing—Lots of opportunities to sing and listen to music  are incorporated in this plan. Invite children and caregivers to join you and emphasize how singing naturally slows down language, allowing children to hear the smaller parts of words.
Talk— Use the books, particularly otherwise simple books such as Baby Faces to start conversations about the pictures in the book and model dialogical reading for the parents/caregivers. Talk with the children about some of things they know about babies, what things they use to do as babies and what they can do now that they are bigger.
Read— Reading books that children can relate too (they still are are once were babies!) and see a reflection of their own lives in helps build print motivation. 
Write— Have children practice tracing (in the air) the letter of the day "[B"] after you introduce it. Write the upper and lowercase letter on a white board.
Play— Children will play by participating in the action rhymes and playing the "Where is Baby Duck" guessing game with the flannel. Point out the different ways babies are playing in the books you share and what sort of things they are learning while playing. If presenting this plan with babies or toddlers, you may want incorporate an "open play time" within the program that allows babies/caregivers to play with toys afterwards. Be sure to let parents know about the important role of play.

Possible ECRR Asides to Parents & Caregivers

"All of our storytimes are based on early literacy best practices. Early literacy includes all of the important skills that your child needs in order to formally learn how to read later when they enter school. It is the foundation for later reading success. Researchers have identified 5 different practices that you can do with your child to help them get ready to learn how to read. Those activities are Singing, Talking, Reading, Writing and Playing.  Many of these practices you're probably already doing with your child. That's great! I'd like to talk a little bit about why these activities are so important.  You might hear me mention these activities in more detail throughout the program."

"Playing "hide and seek" games like we did with the duck and the eggs is a great way to sneak in playful learning throughout the day. While your child is having fun engaging in the game, they are also learning colors,  counting, vocabulary, and narrative structure."

"Sharing stories about things your child can relate to (such as babies) and that reflect their own daily lives helps build print motivation and the love of reading. Having this foundation of reading enjoyment will help them stay motivated to keep trying once they start to learn how to read in school. This is especially importantly considering that 60% of kids find learning to read difficult. Read often with your child and make it positive, fun, and meaningful experience for both of you." 

"Notice all of the different ways that babies are playing in the books we read today.  Children learn best through play. Babies learn shapes by playing with blocks, the they learn colors by playing with toys or paint, they learn social skills by playing wither others, and they build vocabulary as you label the things they are playing with everyday."

Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress

Social & Emotional Development

Language and Literacy Development

Cognitive Development

Storytime Implemented

Toddler Storytime, 20-30 minutes

Opening Song: "If You're Ready for a Story" 

Opening Hello Song: "Hello Everybody"

Early Literacy Main Message

Sing 5 Practices Song

Introduce Letter of the Day

Read  Book 1: " Baby Parade"

Action Rhymes: "Mama's Little Baby" and "Book Baby"

Read Book 2 : "Now I'm Big!"

Flannel: "Baby Duck Where You?"

Read Book 3: "Baby Baby Baby"

Read Optional Book 4: What's on Baby's Head?"

Action Rhyme: "Baby's Nap"

Ending Song: Wiggy Wiggy Wiggles

Review Letter of the Day

Closing/Goodbye Song