Foodie Baby Storytime

Hello!

I had a wonderful baby storytime with a culinary focus at Sebastopol, inspired by Atinuke's new beautiful picture book:

I used these foodie songs/rhymes within my outline:

• Bread & Butter
• Toast in the Toaster
• 5 Little Tofu Dogs
• Tops & Bottoms Hand Washing Song
• Bananas Unite! (with flannel board)
• The Milkshake Song
• We Ask for Milk Like This (with sign language)
• Mix a Pancake (with scarves)
• Popcorn Kernels (with scarves)

These flannel characters were fun to make. I paired them with the Bananas / Oranges / Avocado / Yellow Corn UNITE! song. It was a crowd pleaser  :}

Merry Storytime! -Courtney

Thanksgiving Storytime

Thanksgiving Storytime

Thank You Bees by Toni Yuly

I discovered Toni Yuly about a year ago and I love her books.  They are perfect for Babytime and Toddler Time.  I used the same Thanksgiving books every year, so I was excited when this one came out, because it is a new book!  The toddlers can join in with saying "thank you".  This is a win in my book.

I also play Raffi's "Thanks a Lot" during bubble time.  I love that song, it's so simple and nice.  

Happy Thanksgiving!  Gobble!  Gobble!

Halloween Storytime

Halloween Storytime...BOO!

Every year we do an annual Halloween Storytime and it's by far one of my favorite storytimes to do. 

Books:

You can read this anytime of year, but I like to present it at Halloween Storytime, or during my "monster" storytime.  The kids can yell "GO AWAY".

I like that this book has ghosts, but the ghosts are not scary.  I also like the point out that there are only three colors used to make this book, white, black and orange.  

This is Bill's favorite Halloween Book and we cannot have a Halloween Storytime in Windsor without reading this book.  It's not in the"Halloween" collection, but it fits nicely with our storytime.

Fingerplays:(Ask for the Words, if you want)

Pumpkin, Pumpkin Sitting on a Wall (I do this bounce/fingerplay every week starting in October until Thanksgiving)

Two Little Bats

Flannel:

Brown Bat, Brown Bat, What do you See?

Songs:

We are Monsters by Mr. Eric and Mr. Michael on the Bouncy Blue CD

Itsy Bitsy Spider by Hap Palmer on the Early Childhood Classics

There's a Spider on the Floor (with Scarves) by Raffi

Happy Halloween!

Apple Storytime

Apple Storytime

I love doing Apple Storytimes this time of year.  I always look forward to reading my favorite apple book, The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall.  I point out the pictures, talk about the changing of seasons, and show how important bees are at the end.  I usually follow it up with Buzz, Buzz, Buzz by Laurie Berkner.  I also always use this poem, that I found a long time ago and still use it.  I have the flannel and I use hand motions.

Apples

Apples, apples, one, two, three,

Apples for you,

Apples for me.

Apples big,

Apples small,

Apple trees tiny,

Apple tress tall.

                                                 Apples sour,

                                                 Apples sweet,

                                                 Apples, apples, are nice to eat.

Happy Fall!

Now by Antoinette Portis

Now by Antoinette Portis

The illustrations are striking in this new picture book and I look forward to voting for it during our Mock Caldecott this year.  I used this book to kick off fall storytimes in Toddler Time.  I wasn't sure how it would be received but I felt the children really enjoyed it.  I plan on bringing it to my Preschool Outreach groups because there is a lot you can discuss in the illustrations.  I love that the cover illustration is over the spine of the book, so you can show the children how you need to open the book completely to see the full illustration.  A beautiful picture book.

Happy Reading!

Autumn Kick-Off  

Wee Read Baby Story Time

Hello Story Time Village!

The story time hibernation was perfect because Adriel and I began to miss it terribly. In this context absence really does make the heart grow fonder! Adriel, Mathew, Rosalie, Carrie and I pitched ideas and used the time off to get pumped for Fall story times. 

Adriel is talented at weaving weekly themes into her preschool story times. She is focusing her Fall theme on the world and multiculturalism to promote her new International Family Book Club. I'm sure she'll share the amazing stuff she's done on here.

My Fall theme is space related since I'm promoting a three week STEAM series for first and second graders called "Stories & Space." Thus, our cumulative theme is "Read Across the Universe." I posted a picture on Sebastopol's Facebook of the passive displays we made to compliment this theme.

However, when it comes to baby story times, I prefer to go completely rogue. Sometimes I have a little anarchist spirit animal on my shoulder.

Adriel and I made these story time displays which we hope will be active (switch out the songs / books). Rosalie pitched the idea to us! We'll see how long it lasts. I really love it and want to keep up with it! If only I had Hermione Granger's time-turner....

Here is my Wee Read Display:

Semi-autumn themed display includes song of the week (or rhyme/ lap bounce/tickle, etc), book of the week with a text sample, a flannel piece squirrel sharing an early literacy tip, and bookmarks for an "early literacy scavenger hunt" at the library.

Book of the Week: 

I also LOVE Emma Garcia's new "Chugga Chugga Choo-Choo!" 

Song of the Week: 

Brown Squirrel, Brown Squirrel

Shake your bushy tail

Brown Squirrel, Brown Squirrel

Shake your bushy tail

Wrinkle up your nose, Hold a nut between your toes!

Brown Squirrel, Brown Squirrel

Shake your bushy tail

...continue with grey, green, orange, black squirrel

My obsession with Jbrary led to my discovery of my new obsession:

  Mr Keith's Felt-Tastic Flannelboard Funtime blog!! 

He makes kawaii inspired flannel pieces for story time. 

Here's my version for "Brown Squirrel, Brown Squirrel." And yes, the squirrels are wearing accessories:

During summer we had a camp visit and the facilitator put together a library scavenger hunt for her students. She hid pictures of literary characters in the children's area and had prompts for catalog searching. Mathew was inspired by this and pitched the idea of creating a passive early literacy scavenger hunt. Thus, I created this bookmark that relates to our Autumn theme of 

"Reading Across the Universe."

The idea is to get caregiver talking and bonding with baby through this simple activity. Our children's area is nicely decorated and the items should be easy to find.

"Explore the library together to find these ten items! 
Get a hand stamp at the desk when finished"
Backside includes early literacy tips and book suggestions for babies


I'm very happy to work here! I'm surrounded by incredibly creative, enthusiastic and funny people in Sebastopol. During my training I was fortunate to join Charity's Bibliobop, Sandra, Kim and Tiffany's story times. You all inspire me! I hope to engage in more library story time tourism.

My next post will not be this long, I promise :)

xoXOxo, Courtney

Where is Bear?

 Where is Bear? by Jonathan Bentley

One of my new favorite Toddler Storytime books.  A little boy is running around at bedtime, looking for bear.  The kids like to point out the huge bear that is "hiding" in the pages.

The best part was I used a bear puppet before the story for a song (on purpose) and put the puppet behind me on the table.  When I opened the book and said "Where is Bear?" a little girl pointed to the puppet and said "there, the bear is right there".  LOVE IT!  That's why I love storytime.
Happy Reading!