Baby Bounce (birth to 18 months old)
Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m.
Storyteller: Arin Hailey Reese
Baby Bounce is for children birth to 18 months old and their caregivers, and includes songs, finger plays, rhymes and stories, with playtime after the program.
Baby Bounce is held in the late morning, immediately following Toddler Storytime. This time falls between many babies' morning and afternoon nap times, and allows families with both a toddler and baby to attend both programs. The program runs approximately 40 minutes; during the last 10 minutes, babies can explore a selection of developmentally appropriate toys and board books, and grown-ups can get to know one another and ask questions of library staff.
All of the activities in the program reinforce early literacy skills through talking, singing, reading, and playing, with special focus on phonological awareness and vocabulary for this age group. Throughout the program, we will offer tips for parents and caregivers on ways to bolster literacy. After the storytime, handouts will be available with lyrics to the songs and rhymes as well as information on everyday ways to support literacy development in babies.
Baby Bounce is held in the late morning, immediately following Toddler Storytime. This time falls between many babies' morning and afternoon nap times, and allows families with both a toddler and baby to attend both programs. The program runs approximately 40 minutes; during the last 10 minutes, babies can explore a selection of developmentally appropriate toys and board books, and grown-ups can get to know one another and ask questions of library staff.
All of the activities in the program reinforce early literacy skills through talking, singing, reading, and playing, with special focus on phonological awareness and vocabulary for this age group. Throughout the program, we will offer tips for parents and caregivers on ways to bolster literacy. After the storytime, handouts will be available with lyrics to the songs and rhymes as well as information on everyday ways to support literacy development in babies.
Storytime Theme: All About Babies!
Most young children love to see themselves reflected in stories, whether they be sweet picture books about baby animals and their parent counterparts or about human babies just like them. The rhymes and songs in the following storytime give parents and caregivers many opportunities to touch and interact with their babies by pointing out body parts and doing simple motions. Handouts distributed at the end of the program will include lyrics to the songs and rhymes as well as tips for everyday ways to support literacy development in babies.
Opening Song: “Look Who Came to Story Time" (adapted from “Look Who Came to School Today”)
(Retrieved from http://www.resourcesforearlylearning.org/educators/activity/1496/)
Parents are encouraged to sing along, as the song is simple and repetitious. If there are regular attendees at storytime, I will sing their names as we go around the circle. For children I do not yet know, their parents can sing out their child’s name when we come to their place, and then the group can repeat the name in the following lines. Alternatively, name tags can be distributed and filled out before the program begins, or I can sing about groups in general, e.g. “Look who came to storytime...Babies came to storytime (Mamas, Nannies, Grandpas, etc.)….” Parents are encouraged to give their babies a gentle squeeze or tickle when we sing their name to reinforce that we are singing about them.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing; phonological awareness.
Welcome/Talking Point
Welcome, parents, grandparents, friends, and caregivers to Baby Bounce! The next 30 minutes are all about bonding with and having fun with your baby, so I encourage you to sing along and follow the motions (touch your baby's nose when we sing about noses, for example). Even though they’re still so little, your babies are already taking in information that is helping to build their literacy skills. There are five simple behaviors we can engage in every day to help young children make the brain connections necessary for literacy: talking, singing, playing, reading, and writing. We'll be doing lots of the first four of those skills all today, and I'll be distributing a handout at the end of the session with even more ideas for things you can do at home.
Book: Leo Loves Baby Time, by Anna McQuinn (author) and Ruth Hearson (illustrator)
(See References)
This simple book is about a baby named Leo who loves to go to a playgroup just like storytime at the library. In colorful illustrations and few words, the book shows Leo getting ready to go to Baby Time, and all the things he and his Mommy do once once they are there.
Early Literacy Elements: Reading; print motivation, print awareness, narrative skills, vocabulary
Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”
(Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX8HmogNyCY)
Parents can point out each body part on the baby in their lap as they sing.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Book: All of Baby Nose to Toes, by Victoria Adler (author) and Hiroe Nakata (illustrator)
(See References)
This book identifies different parts of the body with sweet rhymes. Each page ends with the question "Who loves baby's (eyes, nose, tummy, etc.)?" Parents are encouraged to point out each body part and give their baby a hug as we all say the response together: "Me! I do!"
Early Literacy Elements: Reading, playing. Print motivation, phonological awareness, vocabulary
Song: "Clap, Clap, Clap, Your Hands"
(Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUMyZgba2Mw)
The words of this repetitive song can be easily adapted for parents to do with the babies in their laps ("clap your hands, touch your toes, bounce bounce bounce," etc.).
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Talking Point
With babies, one of the best things we can do to help their language and literacy development is just keep talking! Though those last books and songs were simple, the babies were learning so much vocabulary about their bodies. Take time during simple every day tasks (bathtime, grocery shopping, strolling the neighborhood) to talk to your baby and to point out what you see.
Song/Puppet Play: "Five Little Ducks"
(Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBW7k_MN04g)
(Props: Five Little Ducks Finger Puppets; retrieved from https://www.etsy.com/listing/38819160/5-little-ducks-finger-puppet-set?ref=market)
This favorite song teaches numbers and animal sounds through repetition and rhyme. Parents are encouraged to sing along, especially the "quack, quack, quack" part.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Song: "Rock a Bye Baby"
(Retrieved from http://bussongs.com/songs/rock-a-bye-baby.php)
Now that all of the five little ducks are safely home with their mother duck, it's time to sing them a bedtime song. Parents are encouraged to rock babies in time. If babies are old enough and feeling playful, they can also act out the part where the cradle falls with a tiny drop and catch.
Lyrics adapted:
Rock a bye, baby
on the tree top.
When the wind blows,
the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks,
the cradle will fall.
And I will catch baby,
cradle and all.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Book: Time for Bed, by Mem Fox (author) and Jane Dyer (illustrator)
(See References)
We will wrap up our storytime with a sweet book about different kinds of animal mothers putting their babies down to sleep for the night.
Early Literacy Elements: Reading; Print motivation, phonological awareness, vocabulary
Closing Song: "Goodbye, Friends" (sung to the tune of "Goodnight, Ladies")
(Tune retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMruF_CLrqM)
This brief song concludes the formal part of the program. If time permits, we can sing goodbye to each child by name, as we did in the Opening Song.
Lyrics adapted:
Goodbye, babies
goodbye, grownups
goodbye, friends.
It’s time to say goodbye.
(Clap in time): Hope you have a happy day,
happy day,
happy day.
Hope you have a happy day,
we’re glad that you were here!
Early Literacy Elements: Singing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Stay and Play
Developmentally appropriate toys and board books are set out for babies to explore. Parents are encouraged to play with their babies, get to know other parents, and check out books to bring home. Handouts are distributed.
Early Literacy Elements: Reading, playing; print motivation, print awareness phonological awareness, vocabulary
Handouts
Opening Song: “Look Who Came to Story Time" (adapted from “Look Who Came to School Today”)
(Retrieved from http://www.resourcesforearlylearning.org/educators/activity/1496/)
Parents are encouraged to sing along, as the song is simple and repetitious. If there are regular attendees at storytime, I will sing their names as we go around the circle. For children I do not yet know, their parents can sing out their child’s name when we come to their place, and then the group can repeat the name in the following lines. Alternatively, name tags can be distributed and filled out before the program begins, or I can sing about groups in general, e.g. “Look who came to storytime...Babies came to storytime (Mamas, Nannies, Grandpas, etc.)….” Parents are encouraged to give their babies a gentle squeeze or tickle when we sing their name to reinforce that we are singing about them.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing; phonological awareness.
Welcome/Talking Point
Welcome, parents, grandparents, friends, and caregivers to Baby Bounce! The next 30 minutes are all about bonding with and having fun with your baby, so I encourage you to sing along and follow the motions (touch your baby's nose when we sing about noses, for example). Even though they’re still so little, your babies are already taking in information that is helping to build their literacy skills. There are five simple behaviors we can engage in every day to help young children make the brain connections necessary for literacy: talking, singing, playing, reading, and writing. We'll be doing lots of the first four of those skills all today, and I'll be distributing a handout at the end of the session with even more ideas for things you can do at home.
Book: Leo Loves Baby Time, by Anna McQuinn (author) and Ruth Hearson (illustrator)
(See References)
This simple book is about a baby named Leo who loves to go to a playgroup just like storytime at the library. In colorful illustrations and few words, the book shows Leo getting ready to go to Baby Time, and all the things he and his Mommy do once once they are there.
Early Literacy Elements: Reading; print motivation, print awareness, narrative skills, vocabulary
Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”
(Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX8HmogNyCY)
Parents can point out each body part on the baby in their lap as they sing.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Book: All of Baby Nose to Toes, by Victoria Adler (author) and Hiroe Nakata (illustrator)
(See References)
This book identifies different parts of the body with sweet rhymes. Each page ends with the question "Who loves baby's (eyes, nose, tummy, etc.)?" Parents are encouraged to point out each body part and give their baby a hug as we all say the response together: "Me! I do!"
Early Literacy Elements: Reading, playing. Print motivation, phonological awareness, vocabulary
Song: "Clap, Clap, Clap, Your Hands"
(Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUMyZgba2Mw)
The words of this repetitive song can be easily adapted for parents to do with the babies in their laps ("clap your hands, touch your toes, bounce bounce bounce," etc.).
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Talking Point
With babies, one of the best things we can do to help their language and literacy development is just keep talking! Though those last books and songs were simple, the babies were learning so much vocabulary about their bodies. Take time during simple every day tasks (bathtime, grocery shopping, strolling the neighborhood) to talk to your baby and to point out what you see.
Song/Puppet Play: "Five Little Ducks"
(Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBW7k_MN04g)
(Props: Five Little Ducks Finger Puppets; retrieved from https://www.etsy.com/listing/38819160/5-little-ducks-finger-puppet-set?ref=market)
This favorite song teaches numbers and animal sounds through repetition and rhyme. Parents are encouraged to sing along, especially the "quack, quack, quack" part.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Song: "Rock a Bye Baby"
(Retrieved from http://bussongs.com/songs/rock-a-bye-baby.php)
Now that all of the five little ducks are safely home with their mother duck, it's time to sing them a bedtime song. Parents are encouraged to rock babies in time. If babies are old enough and feeling playful, they can also act out the part where the cradle falls with a tiny drop and catch.
Lyrics adapted:
Rock a bye, baby
on the tree top.
When the wind blows,
the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks,
the cradle will fall.
And I will catch baby,
cradle and all.
Early Literacy Elements: Singing, playing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Book: Time for Bed, by Mem Fox (author) and Jane Dyer (illustrator)
(See References)
We will wrap up our storytime with a sweet book about different kinds of animal mothers putting their babies down to sleep for the night.
Early Literacy Elements: Reading; Print motivation, phonological awareness, vocabulary
Closing Song: "Goodbye, Friends" (sung to the tune of "Goodnight, Ladies")
(Tune retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMruF_CLrqM)
This brief song concludes the formal part of the program. If time permits, we can sing goodbye to each child by name, as we did in the Opening Song.
Lyrics adapted:
Goodbye, babies
goodbye, grownups
goodbye, friends.
It’s time to say goodbye.
(Clap in time): Hope you have a happy day,
happy day,
happy day.
Hope you have a happy day,
we’re glad that you were here!
Early Literacy Elements: Singing; phonological awareness, vocabulary
Stay and Play
Developmentally appropriate toys and board books are set out for babies to explore. Parents are encouraged to play with their babies, get to know other parents, and check out books to bring home. Handouts are distributed.
Early Literacy Elements: Reading, playing; print motivation, print awareness phonological awareness, vocabulary
Handouts
- Song and rhyme lyrics, including "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," "Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands," "Five Little Ducks," and "Rock a Bye Baby"
- Book list from today's storytime with recommendations for other developmentally appropriate books that fit with the theme
- Storytime and children's program schedules for this branch and others in the local library system
- Talk! Sing! Read! Play! handout with tips on specific activities for building early literacy in babies
(Retrieved from http://static1.squarespace.com/static/531bd3f2e4b0a09d95833bfc/t/54963fe9e4b07be31057394b/1419132905159/EBEDBookmark.pdf)