Fish 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: “One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Once I Caught a Fish Alive”
Get ready song: “Open, Shut Them”
First book: Hooray for Fish! by Lucy Cousins. Brightly colored illustrations depict a variety of fish.
Fingerplay: “Here Are Grandma’s Glasses”
Stretching song: “Good Morning, Good Morning”
Second book: Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle. Father Seahorse hatches the eggs and takes care of his babies in this beautifully illustrated story.
Fingerplay: “There Was a Little Turtle”
Movement song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”
Third book: Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood. A simple counting story featuring tropical fish and a bouncy rhyme.
Song: “Over in the Meadow”
Extra book if needed: Peek-a-Boo Sea by Francesca Ferri. Lift the flaps to see various sea creatures.
Board book for parents: Rainbow Fish: Colors by Marcus Pfister. Just one of a series of simple concept books featuring the popular foil-decorated fish.
Closing song: “The More We Get Together”