Toddler Time: Margaret Wise Brown

When we plan our storytimes at my library we decide to choose one theme a week for the registered storytimes across the board for all ages. That way we can have a big pool of ideas and resources for all the storytime presenters to choose from. It's a great way to collaborate and talk about new ideas and what works and what doesn't.

For our six week long session this time we decided to focus on authors. Each week we highlight a different author. The thought behind this was it would be great way to talk to preschoolers about what an author is and the different parts of a book. We also liked it for the toddlers because the parents are in the program with them and thougt the children might not get the theme, the parents would and we want to use this opportunity to introduce parents to some great authors.

I usually do 2 preschool storytimes a week and one music program for 2 and 3 year olds. My music program never follows the group theme, but this week I filled in for a co-worker today and got to do a Toddler Time (just 2 year olds and a caregiver) on the theme! Because I filled at the last second...there is no glaring Jazz It Up moment. Hopefully you'll forgive me.

This week's author: Margaret Wise Brown

 

Opening Song

"Tony Chestnut" by Carol Hammett from Toddlers on Parade 

I start all my toddler-based programs with this song. It's a great song to use while sitting down, and it points out a bunch of body parts that young ones know. In all of Carol Hammett's songs she sings through the song once, does an instrumental version, then sings it again. The repetition is perfect for the toddlers who end up signing with me by the last time through.

Movement Songs
"Warm Up Time" by Georgiana Stewart from Action Songs for Preschoolers
"Jump Up, Turn Around" by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Sings Moving Rhymes for Modern Times

Book
My World of Color by Margaret Wise Brown, Illustrated by Loretta Krupinski

I had never used this book in storytime before, and had actually never heard of it. I decided to share because I liked the idea of sharing something that wasn't as insanely popular as Goodnight, Moon with the crowd. The whole idea of this author highlight is to introduce people to new things! The children really enjoyed it and shouted out the different colors featured on every page. While the text may have been a bit high for the toddler crowd, they really enjoyed "helping" me read it.

Sitting Song
"Little Red Wagon" by The Learning Groove from Yummy Yellow

Even though this song takes place sitting, it's still very high energy. I have every child find an adult lap and then we just bounce up and down, tickle, and sway along with the song. I use a puppet to demonstrate while the toddlers sit with their caregivers.

Shared Board Book
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown, Illustrated by Felicia Bond

Each child/caregiver pair gets a board book to follow along with as I read the story aloud. This is a great bonding activity for the child/caregiver pairs and it allows book exploration for the children.

Rhythm Stick Song
"Nursery Rhyme Tap" by Pamela Schiller from Leapin' Literacy

I love using props with toddlers and this is a fun beginning prop song because the whole thing takes place sitting down! 

Closing Song
"Skinnamarink" by Carole Peterson from Stinky Cake
 
Overall it went really well. As always the movement and prop songs were the most successful. I really like having board book sets so that we can do shared reading. I think allowing the little ones to hold their own books help a lot with print awareness. I had fun doing Toddler Time this week, but I'm looking forward to putting all my focus back into my regular storytimes.