 |
Story
area should be self-contained, even if you have to block opening with chairs.
|
|
Remove distractions. |
|
Sit at child’s eye level;
otherwise they may stand up in front of you. |
|
Use books with larger pictures
and shorter texts (3-4 for babies, 2-3 for tots). |
|
Put out extra books that can
be read while waiting or taken home. |
|
Use themes for concept
awareness, not for teaching. |
|
Use the same opening and closing song each
session
(Try piggyback songs with familiar melodies
and new words). |
|
Make stories interactive by
giving children parts of the story to repeat. |
|
Use nametags with children’s
and parents’ names on them. Put children’s tags on their backs if they do not
want to wear them. |
|
Start on time. (Little ones
are ready to go, literally.) |
|
Finish when necessary. (Some days you’ll be able to do
more—some days less). |
|
Once you start story time,
keep on going, if possible. |
|
Attract and distract—smile and
be animated, make eye contact often. |
|
Parents should come and go as
needed. (Take child out if necessary). |
|
Go with the flow and be
adaptable. (Shorten to tell story, if needed). |
|
Give parents copies of story
time programs for lyrics and to use later. |
|
Everyone sings. Sing a song
between books (Singing is a great attention-getter). |
|
Ask for responses, but be
prepared not to get any, except from parents. |
|
Use finger plays, bounces,
clapping rhythms, and movement rhymes. |
|
Use a puppet friend to model
story time actions and good behavior. |
|
Reassure parents and invite
them to return and try again, even if they felt their child was not
cooperating that day. |
|
Ahlbert, Janet. Baby’s Catalogue. Peek-a-Boo. |
|
Anglund, Joan Wash. How Many Days Has Baby to Play? |
|
Asch, Frank. The Last Puppy. Just Like Daddy. |
|
Asquith, Ros. My do it! |
|
Bailey, Debbie. Grandma. |
|
Berenstain, Stan. The Berenstain Bears Are A Family. |
|
Bradman, Tony. This Little Baby. |
|
Breeze, Lyn. This Is Baby’s Playtime. |
|
Bridges, Margaret Park. Am I big or little? |
|
Brown, Margaret Wise. Good Night Moon. Runaway Bunny. |
|
Burningham, John. The Dog. The Baby. |
|
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Today is
Monday |
|
Calmenson, Stephanie. Good
for you! : toddler rhymes for toddler times. |
|
Carter, Margaret. Go Away William. |
|
Casey, Patricia. Quack, Quack. |
|
Chorao, Kay. Baby’s Lap Book. |
|
Cooke, Trish. When I Grow Bigger. |
|
Dann, Penny “Little Barron’s
Toddler books” – over 20 titles |
|
Degen, Bruce. Jamberry. |
|
Eagle, Kin. It’s Raining, It’s Pouring. |
|
Eastmen, P.D. Are You My Mother? |
|
Field, Eugene. Wynken, Blynken and Nod. |
|
Foord, Jo. The Book of Babies. |
|
Fox. Mem. Time For Bed. |
|
Gaban, Jesus. Tub Time for Harry. Harry Dresses
Himself. |
|
Gay, Michel. Take Me For a Ride. |
|
Gliori, Debi. When I’m Big. |
|
Graham, John. I Love You Mouse. |
|
Gretz, Susanna. Frog in the Middle. |
|
Grindley, Sally. Silly Goose and Dizzy Duck
Hunt for
a Rainbow, Eat up, Piglittle |
|
Hale, Sarah. Mary Had a Little Lamb. |
|
Hancock, Joy. Loudest Little Lion. |
|
Hawkins, Colin. Farmyard Sounds. |
|
Hayes, Sarah. This is the Bear. |
|
Hill, Eric. Spot Books. |
|
Hennessy, B. G. ABCD, Tummy, Toes, Hands, Knees. |
|
Hood, Susan, Star light,
star bright |
|
Hudson, Cheryl. Bright Eyes, Brown Skin. |
|
Hughes, Shirley. Noisy. Bouncing. |
|
Jonas, Ann. When You Were A Baby. |
|
Johnson, Angela. Mama Bird, Baby Birds |
|
Kasza, Keiko. A Mother for Choco. |
|
Kemp, Moira. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep. |
|
Koper, Lisa. Daisy Thinks She is a Baby. |
|
Kraus, Robert. Whose Mouse Are You? |
|
Loveless, Liz. 1,2 Buckle My Shoe. |
|
McGuire, Leslie. Where Are My Toys? |
|
Martin, Bill. Chicka, Chicka,
Boom, Boom. Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Here Are My Hands. |
|
Mayer, Mercer. Just Go to Bed. Play With Me. |
|
Miller, Virginia.
Bartholomew Bear : five toddler tales |
|
Morris, Ann. This Little Baby’s Bedtime. |
|
McNaughton, Colin. Little
oops!, Little Goal! |
|
Murphy,
Mary, Here comes the rain |
|
Nodset. Joan. Who Took the Farmer’s Hat. |
|
Nye, Naomi Shihab. Baby
Radar |
|
Ormerod, Jan. This Little Nose.
Ten in a bed |
|
Perkins, Al. Hand, Hand, Finger Thumb. |
|
Raffi. Everything Grows. |
|
Rice. Eve. Sam Who Never Forgets. |
|
Roddie, Shen. Good-bye,
hello! |
|
Roffey, Maureen. Bathtime. |
|
Rogers, Paul. Somebody’s Sleepy. |
|
Ross, Anna. Say Bye-Bye. I Did It. Quiet Time. |
|
Ross, Tony. Happy Blanket. |
|
Rosselson, Leon. Where’s My Mom. |
|
Schwarts, Amy. A Teeny, Tiny Baby. |
|
Theobalds, Prue. Wake Up, Teddies. |
|
Van Laan, Nancy. Scrubba
dub, Tickle tum |
| Watanabe, Shiegeo. Daddy, Play with Me. I Can Take a
Bath. How do I Put It On? |
| Wells, Rosemary. Max’s New Suit. Max’s Ride. |
| Wilkin. Eloise. So Big. |
| Williams, Sue. I Went Walking. |
| Williams, Vera. More, More, More, Said the Baby. |
| Wood, Audrey. Oh, My Baby Bear. Piggies. |
| Wood, Jacki. One Bear With Bees in His Hair. Moo, Moo,
Brown Cow. |
| Zolotow, Charlotte. But Not Billy. |
Here are some words of
wisdom from
Cynthia Changaris. She captivates the ittie-bitties and here are
some of her secrets:
"Story time for twos:
Nursery rhymes and nursery songs can be used to good advantage, and can be
altered to make them fun by
1. making them bigger
2. making them smaller
3. adding motions big or small
4. making sure the rhythm is exaggerated so the children can hear it and
join in
5. doing the nursery rhyme over and over getting louder or softer as you do
it... ending up with just motions.
Some I just love are: Wee Willie Winkie, Hickory Dickory Dock, Little Miss
Muffit.
Little ones like to jump up and down, just about any lovely song like "The
more we get together" will do for a jumping song. Ring a Rosie, or Sally go
round the moon is great for the part where we: "all fall down."
Favorite books with songs are one by Tom Glazer, and one by Ruth Seeger.
The thing about Ruth Seeger's book "American Folk Songs" is that in the
beginning she tells you how to modify or play with the songs so that you can put
the children's names in them, or play with an idea, or add motions. I have been
singing with teenie little ones since I was a little one myself, and Ruth
Seeger's book for me has been the best to teach how to sing with little
children.
I find they love hide and seek songs, and go to sleep/ wake up songs, and
loud /soft songs where they can experience the joy and surprise of the
changes. They love exaggerations. Sometimes they love touch, when I plant
them
in the ground by patting their backs, or let the mouse creep creep up to
their
heads, or pitter pat the rain on their backs with my fingers or parents
fingers
going up and down."
From Beverly Comer:
(Tune - If You're Happy & You Know It)
It's time to tell a story, say hurray...........hurray!
Yes it's time to tell a story, say hurray............hurray!
Yes, it's time to tell a story and to learn, and laugh, and play
Yes, it's time to tell a story, say hurray......hurray!
III. Resources:
Judy Nichols has written a wonderful resource book called:
Storytimes for Two-Year-Olds. It is currently out
of print but can be found in a library search.
Here are some of Judy’s favorites concerning literacy: