Toddler Time: Elephants

Elephants are adorable, right? I feel that they are one of the most recognizable animals out there for the younger set.

Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello

Nursery Rhyme: Baa Baa Black Sheep

Nursery Rhyme: Five Fat Sausages

Book: Hide and Seek by Il Sung Na

I love Il Sung Na’s illustrations, because I feel like they’re whimsical and expressive without feeling forced. My favorite thing about this book, though, is the amazing number of textures. Although the drawings themselves are simple and straightforward, everything from rhino skin to grassy plains comes to life because of the organic-looking textures. This plot of this book is a typical hide-and-seek story, with a liberal does of counting worked in. Great for toddlers and preschoolers.

Song: Storytime Cube

Book: How to Hug by Maryann Macdonald and Jana Christy 

A sweet little book with some important concepts, How To Hug is a great way to talk about the ways we interact with people (or maybe shouldn’t!). I like that this book subtly reinforces the idea that it’s okay to not want to be touched, or to be hugged only a little, while still encouraging kids to show their loved ones they care. Although I thought the soft illustrations were made with pastels, the artists note tells me they were created digitally. They’re pretty delightful either way.

Activity: Parachute Play

 

Book: Splash by Flora McDonnell

This is a really beautiful book with simple text. I think you could definitely use this book in a baby time with no problems! Which also means it’s a great book to read at the end of toddler time, when they’ve become wiggly from the parachute and they’ve been listening patiently for twenty minutes. I really love the illustrations  – I think the combination of watercolors and acrylics lends the animals and water a nice depth that you just can’t get with only one medium. Unfortunately, it seems like all of the copies of this book in our system are nearing the end of their lives, so I’m a bit sad. Oh well, that’s the cycle of books in a library, right?

Shaker Song: Shake It to the East

Shaker Song: Shaking your Shaker!

Song: Rum Pum Pum

Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon

Okay, I’ll admit that most of the books I used for this storytime only included elephants in a ensemble cast of animals, but whatever! They were all fun to read, and it was a fun storytime for everyone! For some reason, my numbers are ramping up each week. We’re not a SUPER busy library, so seeing my number of kids in Toddler Time jump from 6 or 12 to 20 or 25 is a big thing! I’m wondering if people are just getting out of the house more, and they’re making the library a destination on their way to the park. Who knows! I’ll take ’em, no matter how or why they get here!

Toddler Time: Baby Animals

Since the Winter programming session and Spring programming session in my system are back to back, with no time in between (eep!), I decided to make a few changes to ring in the new session! We transitioned from the color themes to a mix of different stuff, and I switched up my storytime stretchers, too!

Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello

Nursery Rhyme: Baa Baa Black Sheep

Nursery Rhyme: Five Fat Sausages

Book: Whose Baby Am I? by John Butler

This book is stinking adorable. The guessing part is pretty easy, which means toddlers can participate if they’re up for talking and preschoolers feel like they are sharp as can be. The illustrations are soft and fitting of the baby animals they depict.

Song: Storytime Cube

Book: Chicky Chicky Chook Chook by Cathy MacLennan

This book is extremely silly! It’s mostly full of silly noises that baby animals make. The illustrations are cute but silly. Sometimes it’s hard to make an entire book of silly sounds without cracking up! But that’s why I have the best job.

Activity: Parachute Play

I was super delighted when I discovered a 12 foot parachute deep in the recesses of my children’s closet. Who knows who bought it and how long ago it was last used, but I decided I’ll happily use it! I introduced the parachute, and had all the toddlers sit on top of the parachute while the parents grabbed the handles. We moved the parachute up and down and made waves, then sang a song while waving it up and down (I just used whatever song popped into my head – I think we did Twinkle Twinkle). It was a HUGE hit. I think the parachute is just so different than anything they get to do at home, and that makes it special!

Book: Who Are You, Baby Kangaroo? by Stella Blackstone and Clare Beaton

This book is outstanding for two reasons: the vocabulary it introduces and the unique illustrations. Finding out the names of all the baby animals is pretty delightful, and what kid doesn’t need to know that a baby swan is a cygnet? The story isn’t outstanding otherwise, and the rhythm is a tiny bit clunky, but the excellent opportunity to talk about new worlds really makes it great. The illustrations are all created from cloth and beads, and it really does make them stand out. One little girl was talking to me during playtime after storytime, and was asking why the sand on the cover looked so odd. I explained that it was a picture of fabric, and those were tiny beads. She was positively entranced by the idea that you could make an illustration out of the same stuff you make clothes out of!

Shaker Song: Shake It to the East

Shaker Song: Shaking your Shaker!

Song: Rum Pum Pum

Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon

This was a really fun start to the session. I think the parachute is going to be my new best friend, and I can’t lie – I’m glad to be freed from the tyranny of color themes!

Toddler Time: Yellow

Yellow was a much easier storytime than previous colors, because there are so many child-friendly things that start with yellow – from construction equipment to ducks.

Opening Song: My Hands Say Hello

Nursery Rhyme: Baa Baa Black Sheep

Nursery Rhyme: Five Fat Sausages

Book: Who Made This Cake? by Chihiro Nakagawa and Jinji Koyose

I grabbed this book as soon as I realized that Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site was too long for my toddlers, and it’s totally amazing! I hadn’t heard of it before my catalog search, but I’m so glad I pulled it off the shelf! I’m not sure if the illustrations are so unique because the book was originally published in Japan, or if the illustrator just has a definite style, but they really make the book shine. They’re so lively, especially given that they’re made of thin lines and what seems to be watercolors. Plus, the idea of a construction equipment being used to build a giant cake was just too great for these toddlers to handle.

Game: Little Bird

Our nests are looking a little tattered, but I know our game board will hold on for a few more storytimes!

Book: Wee Little Chick by Lauren Thompson and John Butler

A sweet little book about a tiny chick, accompanied by exceptionally gentle illustrations. Baby chicks are always popular with my toddlers, probably because they’re so stinkin’ cute! This book was fast to read, with simple text, which is perfect for my wiggle toddlers.

Song: Storytime Cube

Book: Lemons Are NOT Red by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

I love this book! Each page features a cut out of a familiar shape, with the wrong color peeking through from the next page. As you flip the page, the cut out is magically turned to the correct color! Whenever I read this book to babies or toddlers, I use it as an opportunity to talk about how important it is for parents to talk to their little ones and ask them questions, even if they don’t answer back. This book is excellent for anyone from babies to elementary schoolers!

Shaker Song: Shake It to the East

Shaker Song: Shaking your Shaker!

Song: Rum Pum Pum

Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Goodbye I’ll See You Soon

This was a great toddler time! Partially because I pulled out the longer books to use exclusively with my older toddlers, and partially because yellow has so many cool things to read about!