Birds for Babies
Storytimes for babies and toddlers offer an opportunity to model great read-aloud techniques for parents, and gives them the confidence to read to their children every day. A baby-toddler storytime can be followed by an extra 20 to 30 minutes of playtime, which encourages parents to talk to each other and for the young children to learn to play with others. It also demonstrates the importance of play to parents.
Welcome song: “Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed”
Mother Goose rhyme: “Sing a Song of Sixpence”
Get ready song: “Open, Shut Them”
First book: Hooray for Birds by Lucy Cousins. Children are invited to imagine they are birds in this brightly illustrated picture book.
Fingerplay: “Ten in a Bed”
Stretching song: “Two Little Blackbirds”
Second book: 5 Little Ducks by Denise Fleming. This variation of the popular finger play is illustrated with beautiful, deeply colored illustrations, and introduces the names of the days of the week.
Fingerplay: “Five Little Ducks”
Movement song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”
Third book: Birds by Kevin Henkes. A little girl dreams she can fly like the birds.
Song: “Five Little Owls”
Extra book if needed: Peep and Ducky by David Martin. A blue chick and a yellow duckling play together at the park.
Board book for parents: Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. Three owlets wait for their mother to return after she has gone out for the night.
Closing song: “The More We Get Together”