Tag Archives: virtual toddler storytime

More toddlers! I like the variety of toddler activities so much, though it will be fun to be back to babies next week. Lot’s of polar bear content this week (not intentionally, but here we are). My library reopened to the public this week for browsing, though I’m writing this before that happens…so hoping all goes well.

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Read books with excitement and enthusiasm—this can be much easier with books that encourage silly actions or behaviors. Try being extra silly! Nothing is over-the-top for your child.

Book Recommendation: The Doghouse by Jan Thomas

Song: Jump with Me by Bobs & Lolo

Fingerplay: Here Is the Beehive

Here is the beehive,
But where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Watch and you’ll see them come out of the hive…
1, 2, 3, 4, 5…They’re alive!
Buzzzzzzzzz

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: The Elevator Song

Oh the city is great and the city is grand
There are lots of tall buildings on a little piece of land
And we live way up on the 57th floor
and this is what we do when we go out the door.

We take the elevator up and the elevator down,
take the elevator up, take the elevator down
Take the elevator up and the elevator down
and we turn around.

Flannel: Polar Bear’s Underwear (Song/Rhyme)

Oh where, oh where did my red underwear go?
Oh where, oh where can they be?
I looked up high, and I looked down low?
Did someone hide them from me?

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Manipulative: Scarves (something to wave)

Shake Freeze by Little Maestros (opens to Spotify)

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty

Toddler Fun! A longer book compared to my normal selections for toddlers, but I really want to use this book, and I can’t keep agonizing over how to turn Baby Goes to Market into a flannel — someday I will make that happen, but I have no ability to make people out of flannel, and I don’t have the patience for trial and error at the moment.

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Toddlers need to move, so don’t worry if they act out stories or just skip, romp, or tumble as you read to them. They may be moving, but they are listening.

Book Recommendation: Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke

Song: Clap Your Hands by The Alana Banana Show

Fingerplay: Snowflakes Snowflakes

Snowflakes snowflakes dance all around
Snowflakes snowflakes touch the ground
Snowflakes snowflakes in the air
Snowflakes snowflakes everywhere!

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: The Great Big Enormous Turnip (folktale)

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: Put Your Hands Up High

Put your hands up high,
Put your hands down low,
Put your hands in the middle,
And wiggle just so.

Put your elbows in front,
Put your elbows in back,
Put your elbows to the side and
QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!

Magnet: Five Pigs So Squeaky Clean

Five pigs so squeaky clean
Cleanest pigs you’ve ever seen.
Wanted to go outside and play.
Oink! Oink!

One jumped into the mud.
Landed with a great big THUD
Now there are four pigs so squeaky clean.

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Manipulative: Stuffed Animals
Put Your Baby in the Air by Caspar Babypants

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty

Hello again toddlers! I may be shifting the structure and content of these storytime posts soon–I have a few more weeks with a mixture of old and new content, but in March I will be back to much more repeated content than new. I don’t theme my storytimes except for special occasions (perhaps I will make a post about why that is), but I know many librarians follow themes, and I do like reading and curating storytime book lists. So many of those wonderful storytime blogs I find feel a little dated now, since they were most updated during those prime blogging years 5-10 years ago. So maybe a collection of posts on theme ideas with an eye to recent releases and diversity would be useful? Or just redundant? Let me know in the comments. Meanwhile, I’ll keep brainstorming.

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Make mistakes on purpose with familiar songs or activities—let your toddler catch you!

Book Recommendation: I Love My Tutu Too!

Song: Hurry, Hurry Drive the Firetruck by Tinsel Town Kids

Fingerplay: The Rain is Falling Down

The rain is falling down splash (clap)
The rain is falling down splash (clap)
Pitter-patter, pitter, patter
The rain is falling down splash (clap)

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: The Bridge is Up by Babs Bell

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: Roll Roll Sugar Babies

Roll roll sugar babies
Roll roll sugar babies
Push  
And pull 
And clap clap clap

Roll up high
Roll down low
Roll real fast
Roll real slow

Magnet: Six Little Valentines

Six little Valentines were sent to my house,
The first one said, “I love you, From Mouse.”

Five little Valentines in my mailbox,
The second one said, “Be mine, Love Fox.”

Four little Valentines full of love,
The third one said, “You are sweet, From Dove.”

Three little Valenitnes just for me.
The fourth one said, “Bee my honey, Love Bee.”

Two little Valentines mailed with care.
The fifth one said, “Here’s a hug, From Bear.”

The last little Valentine, from my friend Jay.
This one said, “Happy Valentine’s Day!”

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Manipulative: Shaker
Leap Frog by Jazzy Ash

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty

Last storytime of 2020! (Except Noon Year’s Eve of course!) I realized that this set of Toddler Storytimes were designed a bit younger than where I normally aim for the audience of this program (developmentally, the stories and rhymes feel more for 18-30 months than 24-40 months), but I think it was a good change of pace. I have plenty of materials gathered for preschool storytimes in January–I’m excited to try that age range again–plus all of the storytime specials in the middle. 2020 has been a lot to handle, but I am really glad I had an opportunity to immerse myself in storytimes. Storytimes have always been part of my job, but I’ve never put so much of a focus on them. I started as a youth librarian without any regular storytime of my own for a few years, and beyond courses in library school, I didn’t really start paying attention to storytime planning until I took on a weekly storytime about two and a half years ago. 2020 gave me a chance to reprioritize my time, and I’m glad that I’ve been able to curate programs, content, and materials for a variety of ages with so much intentionality. Now, 2021 and beyond, please bring us more diverse books ideal for storytime and developmentally appropriate for all ages, but especially toddlers.

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Don’t make a big deal out of speech mistakes. There is no need to correct your child. Instead, repeat the correct pronunciation. Correcting your child can make them less likely to try new words.

Book Recommendation: I Love Me! by LaRonda Gardner Middlemiss

Song: Jump with Me! by Bobs and Lolo

Fingerplay: Mr. Rabbit

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: We Clap and We Stop

Magnet: Five Little Sailboats

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Manipulative: Stuffed Animal or Toy
Little Red Wagon by Olde Town School of Folk Music

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty

More toddler fun! This week’s book retelling was a bit of a struggle for me…I didn’t think about how many rhymes are in One Red Sock. I figured it out eventually, but this was the first storytime video in a while where I took a frustrating number of takes. Though, another benefit of virtual (for me) is that I probably wouldn’t have been willing to try this particular story in person due to the heavy memorization–but now that I’ve done it a few (more than a few) times, it will be easier to use again in the future.

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Point out connections between books and your child’s “real” life. For example, after you see the picture of a carrot or an umbrella in today’s book, talk about seeing them in our story when you see the items later in real life.

Book Recommendation: Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas

Song: Baby Shark by Pinkfong!

Fingerplay: Tiny Tim

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: One Red Sock by Jennifer Sattler

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: Open, Shut Them

Magnet: Little Monster, Little Monster

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty

Hello again toddlers! Lots of fun activities planned for the last few stoytimes of the year. I get to jump into preschoolers once more in January, and I’m excited to get another few weeks with slightly older viewers. The human world is a mess, but storytimes are consistent.

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Notice and build on your child’s interests. Look at what they point at, when they make a new facial expression, or how they use their body to show excitement. Put their action into words: “Yes! That is a dog. Listen to the dog bark.”

Book Recommendation: Don’t Wake Up the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup

Song: Clap Your Hands by The Alana Banana Show

Fingerplay: Snowflakes & Icicles

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: Do You Like to Jump Around?

Magnet: Walking Through the Jungle

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Manipulative: Shakers (Let’s All Shake Our Shaker Eggs by Miss Jamie From the Farm)

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty

I am so excited for October toddler storytimes! Get ready for leaves, monsters, and more things fall and spooky. No weekly storytime next week. I wish I could say I was out on vacation, but things are never that simple. You will get to read all about this Saturday’s Pete the Cat storytime though!

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Use those finger muscles! Practice fingerplays and small motions like picking up small foods, crumpling paper, and holding crayons.

Book Recommendation: Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

Song: The Monkey Dance by The Wiggles

Fingerplay: Ten Roaring Monsters

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: Brown Owl, Brown Owl, What Do You See? (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle)

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: Leaves on the Trees

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Magnet: Five Little Owls

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Manipulative: Shakers (Song: Jumping Jack by Laurie Berkner)

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty

Last week of toddler storytimes until October and then I actually get to do a few fall/spooky activities! I’ve only done baby storytimes during the fall season before, and I always preference age appropriateness and literacy skills over themes, so I’ve never really looked at fall-themed activities. So much to sprinkle into toddler time! I basically have those storytimes already planned with the amount of stuff I’ve saved…

I do want to look for more toddler books generally, and more specifically, diverse toddler books. Some of my diverse baby books could overlap with this age, but I really want to find more content ideal for toddlers. So many of the great diverse books being published now are solidly preschool or are essentially books for babies (baby body parts, baby faces starring diverse babies). A lot of toddler books that I enjoy star animals–I need to expand that.

Background: While my library is closed during the COVID pandemic, we are hosting five virtual storytimes a week, livestreamed through our Facebook page. While those livestreams are deleted soon after they are complete, we are also making YouTube clips of select elements of our storytimes that our patrons can view anytime they would like–and that I can share with all of you!

More Toddler Storytime Content:

• Toddler Storytime Music Playlist
• Toddler Storytime YouTube Playlist

Toddler Storytime Intro Song & Rhyme

Early Literacy Tip: Introduce new vocabulary to your child during imaginative play. Use the big words AND the small words. Use as many words as you can.

Book Recommendation: Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig

Song: Animal Freeze Dance by Kiboomers

Fingerplay: Little Mousie Brown

— Find more Fingerplays in this post. —

Retelling: Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia

— Find more Book Retellings in this post. —

Action Rhyme: I’m a Little Dump Truck

Flannel: Marco the Polar Bear

— Find more Flannel & Magnet Activities in this post. —

Manipulative: Stuffed Animal (Song: Put Your Baby in the Air by Caspar Babypants)

Closing Song: The Popcorn Song by Laura Doherty