Just Being Silly

For Parents & Caregivers: Children who enjoy books will want to learn how to read!  An enjoyable storytime supports your child's literacy development!
Article: Humor as a Key to Child Development

Storytime Books
On Top of Spaghetti
Tiki Tiki Tembo
Pigs Ahoy!
Good Thing You're Not an Octopus!
The Problem with Chickens
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Over the Deep Blue Sea" Come and Make a Circle and "Chicken Dance" Dance Along.

Silly Storytime Booklist

Ducks

For Parents & Caregivers: Being comfortable with printed language helps children feel comfortable with books and understand that print is useful.  Reading to your child everyday develops print awareness.
Article: Print Awareness (click on video clip)

Storytime Books
Danny's Duck
All Night Near the Water
Across the Stream
Quacky Duck
Mommy Is That You?
Duck! Rabbit!
Have You Seen My Duckling?
Whose Chick Are You?

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Six Little Ducks" and "Little White Duck" Six Little Ducks, and  "Alle meine Entchen -- All My Little Ducklings" Favorite Traditinal German Songs.

Duck Storytime Booklist

Bathtime!

For Parents & Caregivers: Help your pre-reader become aware of the smaller sounds that make up words.  Play rhyming games, sing songs,  and say words with the sounds left out.  Example:  BAT - the "buh" sound = at
Article: March Kindergarten Readiness Skills

Storytime Books
Harry the Dirty Dog
Big Red Tub
Pet Wash
What Next, Baby Bear?
To Bathe a Boa
Is It Time?

Rhymes

Music CDs: "This Is the Way You Take a Bath" Wee Sing for Baby; "Everybody Wash" Sesame Street Splish Splash and "If You Don't Take a Bath" Wave Your Hands

Bath Storytime Booklist

Sniffles, Sneezes and Get Well Wishes

For Parents & Caregivers: School readiness skills, listening and following directions, are developed during storytimes.
Article: Getting Your Child Ready to Read

Storytime Books
Next Please
I Wish I Was Sick, Too!
How to Heal a Broken Wing
Get Well Soon Book
Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Five Little Joeys" Dance Party and "Body Rock" Kids in Motion.

Storytime Booklist

Go! Go! Go!

For Parents & Caregivers: Children learn letters in stages: 1. the names of letters, 2. recognize the shapes of different letters, and 3. match the letters with their sounds.
Article: Alphabet Learning Activities

Storytime Books
Frieght Train
Duck on a Bike
Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud
The Bus for Us
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
The Big Trip
The Little Engine That Could

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Stomp and Clap" Physical Ed; "The Train" Wee Sing Children's Songs and Fingerplays; "Walk & Stop" & "Zoom-e-Oh" Away We Go "Riding in the Buggy/Tideo" Sing A to Z

Transportation Storytime Booklist

Happy Valentine's Day!

For Parents & Caregivers: Why are you so important?  You know your child best! Children learn by doing things and they love doing things with you. Take every opportunity you have to read, talk, and play with your child.

Article: February Kindergarten Skills Development

Storytime Books

The Secret

A Hug for You

The Cuddle Book

Secret Valentine

Rhymes

Music CD: "Skidamarink" Wiggleworms We Love You

Valentine Storytime Booklist

Black History Month

Special celebration of African-American heritage and families!

Storytime Books
Storytelling: Anansi tale, "The King's Drum"
My People
Feast for Ten
Our Children Can Soar

Music CDs: "Che Che Kule" & "John the Rabbit" Come and Make a Circle; "Shortin' Bread" Come and Make a Circle 2 and "Do What the Spirit Say Do" Experience 101.

African-American Character Storytime Booklist

Forest Friends

For Parents & Caregivers: Children who enjoy books will want to learn how to read.  Make book-sharing time a special time for closeness for you and your child.
Article: Creating a Reading Environment at Home

Storytime Books
The Wild Woods
Sally Goes to the Mountains
Counting on the Woods
In the Snow

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Anilae\Chipmunk" Wee Sing Around the World; "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" Whaddaya Think of That?; "Baby Bird" Wee Sing Children's Songs and Fingerplays and "Skunk" Stories with a Twist

Put on Your Dancing Shoes

For Parents & Caregivers: Silly songs, rhymes, and chants in storytime help children hear and play with language. They build phonemic awareness and vocabulary.
Article: Learning with Music

Storytime Books
Kitchen Dance
Dancin' in the Kitchen
Twist with a Burger, Jitter with a Bug
Chicken Dance
Do Donkeys Dance?

Rhyme:
(twist) Oliver Twist, Twist, Twist can't do this, this, this.
(do actions as indicated)
Touch his hair, hair, hair
Touch his toes, toes, toes,
Touch his back, back, back
Touch his nose, nose, nose
(twist) Oliver Twist, Twist, Twist can't do this, this, this.
BUT YOU CAN!

"Dancing" Music:  "All Around the Kitchen" American Folk, Game, and Activity Songs for Children; "Can You Point Your Fingers and Do the Twist?" Dance Party; and "Chicken Dance" Dance Along

Movement Storytime Booklist

Let's Eat!

For Parents & Caregivers: We ask "what" questions during storytime beacause it helps build narrative skills.  Narrative skills = Comprehension
Article: Dialogic Reading

Storytime Books
Don't Forget the Bacon
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Victor Vito and Freddie Vasco
On Top of Spaghetti

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Peanut Butter and Jelly" Cathy and Marcy Collection; "Victor Vito and Freddie Vasco" Whaddaya Think of That?; and "On Top of Spaghetti" Six Little Ducks.

Food Storytime Booklist

Polar Friends!

For Parents & Caregivers: We use music during storytimes because it's fun and: 1. encourages creativity 2. improves coordination 3. improves concentration 4. literally makes brains grow!
Article: Singing as a Teaching Tool

Storytime Books
My Little Polar Bear
Tacky the Penguin
Bear Play
Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Doing the Penguin" Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs; "On an Island" ABC Sing-Along Flip Chart; and "Penguin Polka" Hop Like a Bunny, Waddle Like a Duck

Winter Animals Booklist

Families

For Parents and Caregivers: Being able to hear the beginning and ending sounds that make up words will help children sound out words when they begin to read.  Most children who can "play with sounds" have an easier time learning to read.
Article: Say It Slow/Say It Fast Game

Storytime Books
Families
Grandmother and I
Bumpety Bump
Ten, Nine, Eight
I Go with My Family to Grandma's
Me and My Brother
Me and My Sister

Rhymes

Music CDs: "Grandpa's Farm" Cathy & Marcy Collection for Kids; "Skid-a-Marink" Wiggleworms Love You; and "Gert's Grandpa Gregory" ABC Sing Along Flip Chart

Family Booklist