Wee Read - Birds

Early Literacy Tip: Choose books with one image to a page. Tap the image while saying the name of the object.


Books

• Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
• Baby Says by John Steptoe
• Duckie's Splash by Frances Barry
• Read Together book

Songs/Rhymes

See My Fingers Dance and Play

Sung to: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”

--Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Good Morning, Mrs. Perky Bird (with crow puppet)

Sung to: “Short'nin' Bread”

--Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

The Owl Goes Hoo! (with owl puppet)

Sung to “The Farmer in the Dell”
The owl goes hoo. The owl goes hoo,
Hi ho the derrio the owl goes hoo.

--Librarian Lisa’s Storytimes

One Little Duck Went Out One Day (on the felt board)

One little duck went out one day

Over the hill and far away

Mother Duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack!”

And two little ducks came waddling back.

Continue to five little ducks.

--Traditional

Red Bird

-- from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

*The idea for the bird props came from Dr. Jim Thomas at Itsy Bitsy Babies.

Wee Read - Hop Hop Hop

Early Literacy Tip: Let your baby hold the book and turn the pages on his or her own.

Books

• Two Little Monkeys by Mem Fox
• Are You a Cow? by Sandra Boynton
• Clap Hands by Helen Oxenbury
• Read Together book

Songs/Rhymes

Two Little Hands

Sung to: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Two little hands go clap clap clap

Two little feet go tap tap tap

Two little hands go thump thump thump (on the ground)

Two little feet go jump jump jump

One little body turns around

One little child sits right down.

--District 196

Little Frog (with frog puppet)

--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Little Green Frog (with frog puppet)

Mmm-ahh! Went the little green frog one day.

Mmm-ahh! Went the little green frog.

Mmm-ahh! Went the little green frog one day.

And the frog went mmm-mmm-ahh!

-- PreschoolEducation.com

I Clap My Hands

--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Jump, Jump

--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Here’s a Little Bunny (with bunny puppet)

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

Wee Read - Shake It Up

Early Literacy Tip: Welcome the opportunity to learn new words! Say the word out loud, then describe the meaning of the word and/or find a similar word.

Books

• Hop, Hop, Jump by Lauren Thompson
• The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems
• Baby Faces by Margaret Miller
• Read Together book

Songs/Rhymes

Hands Up High

Hands up high
Hands down low
Hide those hands,

Now where did they go?
One hand up, the other hand too.
Clap them, fold them, now we're through.

--Manly Library (this link will take you to a PDF version of their toddler songs)

Shake Your Eggs (with egg shakers)

Shake your eggs and shake them high.
Shake your eggs and shake them low.
Shake your eggs and shake them high.
Shake your eggs around you go.

--Librarian Lisa’s Storytimes

We Shake Our Shakers Together (with egg shakers)

Sung to: “The Bear Went Over the Mountain”

--Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Put Your Egg on Your Head (with shakers)

Sung to: “There’s a Spider on the Floor”
Put your egg on your head, on your head.
Put your egg on your head, on your head.
Put your egg on your head
Put your egg on your head.
Put your egg on your head, on your head.
continue with toes, tummy, etc.

--Librarian Lisa’s Storytimes

If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

Repeat with stomp your feet, shout hooray, do all three.

--Traditional

Dancing Up and Dancing Down

--Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Wee Read - Roll Roll

Early Literacy Tip: Look at “search for the picture” books. Try I Spy board books by Walter Wick.

Books

• Won't You Be My Hugaroo? by Joanne Ryder
• Puppies and Piggies by Cynthia Rylant
• Mirror Me! by Julie Aigner-Clark
• Read Together book

Songs/Rhymes
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear, teddy bear

Turn around

Teddy bear, teddy bear

Touch the ground

Teddy bear, teddy bear

Show your shoe

Teddy bear, teddy bear

          That will do

Teddy bear, teddy bear

          Go to bed

Teddy bear, teddy bear

          Rest your head

Teddy bear, teddy bear

          Turn out the light

Teddy bear, teddy bear

          Say good night!

--Traditional

Wind, Oh Wind (with scarves)

­-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Roll Your Scarf (with scarves)

-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Peek-A-Boo (with scarves)
Sung to: Are You Sleeping?
Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo.
I see you, I see you.
I see your button nose,
I see your tiny toes.
Peek-a-boo, I see you!
--Jim Thomas

Roll Roll Sugarbabies

Roll, roll sugarbabies (arms roll)
Roll, roll sugarbabies.
Push,
Pull,
Clap, clap, clap!

--Sharon from Rain Makes Applesauce

Jack in the Box

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

Wee Read - At the Farm

Early Literacy Tip: Sing the same song or recite the same rhyme multiple times.

Books

This Little Chick by John Lawrence
Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
Touch and Feel Farm by Dawn Sirett (read-together)

Songs/Rhymes

Head and Shoulders

Head and shoulders, knees and toes,

Knees and toes

Head and shoulders, knees and toes,

Knees and toes

Eyes and ears and mouth and nose

Head and shoulders, knees and toes

Knees and toes!

-- Traditional

I Went to the Farm One Day - With Puppets
-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Trot, Trot to Dover

-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm - With Puppets

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

E-I-E-I-O

And on his farm he had a cow

E-I-E-I-O

With a moo-moo here

And a moo-moo there

Here a moo, there a moo

Everywhere a moo-moo

Old MacDonald had a farm

E-I-E-I-O

(repeat using pig, chicken, and horse)

--Traditional

Five Little Piggies - Feltboard

Five little piggies rolling in the mud.

Squishy, squashy, felt so good!

Then along came the farmer,

who took one for a bath.

Continue to one little piggy

-- PreschoolEducation.com

Rooster Crows

--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Wee Read - Father's Day

Early Literacy Tip: Name objects, feelings, or events as they happen to your baby.

Books

I Love My Daddy by Giles Andreae

Daddy Cuddles by Anne Gutman

Who Uses a Hammer? by Nancy Davis

Read-Together Book

Songs/Rhymes

*Before singing our songs, I showed everyone how to do the ASL signs for Daddy and Grandpa.

Bend and Stretch

--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Acka Backa

-- from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

I Love Daddy

--from Toddler Storytime Programs by Diane Briggs. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1993.

Daddy’s Ties

Sung to: Mary Wore a Red Dress

Felt Board

Daddy wore his purple tie,

purple tie, purple tie.

Daddy wore his purple tie

All day long.

Continue with blue, green, yellow, and red.

--Story Time Secrets

Clap Hands, Clap Hands

--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Blue Bird, Blue Bird

Blue bird, blue bird,

On my window.

Blue bird, blue bird,

On my window. 

Blue bird, blue bird,

On my window. 

Oh, Daddy I'm tired.

--Jim Thomas

*Substitute Grandpa, Grandma, or Mommy for Daddy. 

Wee Read - Let's Pretend

Early Literacy Tip: Enjoy pop-up and lift-the-flap books together. Talk about what might be hiding under the flaps.

Books

This is the Way a Baby Rides by Susan Meyers

Jump by Steve Lavis

This book is a bit long. I cut it short when the babies began to get restless.

Little Miss Muffet by Tracey Campbell Pearson

Read-Together book 

Songs

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream!

--Traditional

Balloons

--My First Action Rhymes illustrated by Lynne Cravath. New York: HarperFestival, 2000.

Dancing Up and Dancing Down

-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Here’s a Cup

--Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Roll Your Scarf (with scarves)

-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Wind, Oh Wind (with scarves)

­-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Peek-a-Boo (with scarves)

Tune: Are You Sleeping?

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo

I see you, I see you

I see your button nose,

I see your tiny toes.

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

--Jim Thomas

Wee Read - Eggs

Early Literacy Tip: Develop your baby’s listening skills by using puppets and props to tell a story instead of reading it.

Books

 That's Not My Bunny by Fiona Watt

Baby Loves Spring by Karen Katz

Spring Peeps by Cindy Eng

Read-Together Book

Songs/Rhymes

I’ll Touch My Chin

--Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

We used the egg shakers for the first time. They were a big hit! See this post about how I made them.

Shake Your Eggs

use shaker eggs
Shake your eggs and shake them high.
Shake your eggs and shake them low.
Shake your eggs and shake them high.
Shake your eggs around you go.

--Librarian Lisa’s Storytimes

Shake Your Shakers

-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Put Your Egg on Your Head

Sung to: “There’s a Spider on the Floor”

Put your egg on your head, on your head.
Put your egg on your head, on your head.
Put your egg on your head
Put your egg on your head.
Put your egg on your head, on your head.
continue with toes, tummy, etc.

--Librarian Lisa’s Storytimes

Blue Bird, Blue Bird

Blue bird, blue bird

On my window,

Blue bird, blue bird

On my window.

Blue bird, blue bird

On my window,

Oh, Mommy, I’m tired.

--Jim Thomas

Wee Read - Let's Move!

Early Literacy Tip: Be positive. Try rephrasing a request so that it doesn’t include don’t, no, can’t.

Books

Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig

Dance With Me by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Wiggle Your Toes by Karen Katz

Read-Together Book

Songs/Rhymes

Bend and Stretch

--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Can You Kick with Two Feet?

-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

I Wiggle My Fingers

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

Jack in the Box

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

Trot, Trot to Dover 
-- Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

Wee Read - Bathtime

Early Literacy Tip: Sing, sing, sing! Turn mundane tasks, such as grocery shopping, getting dressed, or taking a bath, into a song or rhyme.

Books

Bathing by Liesbet Slegers 

Pig Takes a Bath by Michael Dahl 

Spot at Home by Eric Hill 

Read-together book 

Special Songs/Rhymes

Two Little Hands

Sung to: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Two little hands go clap clap clap

Two little feet go tap tap tap

Two little hands go thump thump thump (on the ground)

Two little feet go jump jump jump

One little body turns around

One little child sits right down.

--District 196

Wash the Dishes

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

Five Little Piggies

Five little piggies rolling in the mud.

Squishy, squashy, felt so good!

Then along came the farmer,

who took one for a bath.

Continue to one little piggy

-- PreschoolEducation.com

Wash your dirty hands (with scarves)

Sung to: The Farmer in the Dell
Wash your dirty hands, wash your dirty hands
Rub and scrub and rub and scrub and wash your dirty hands

--Kids Count in Public Libraries

Peek-a-Boo (with scarves)

Tune: Are You Sleeping?

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo

I see you, I see you

I see your button nose,

I see your tiny toes.

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

--Jim Thomas 

Wee Read - Rainy Day

Early Literacy Tip: Always talk to your baby. Talk about your day, narrate as you’re completing a task, or discuss future plans.

Books

Baby, I Love You by Karma Wilson

Baby Giggles by Rachel Hale

Duckie's Splash by Frances Barry

Read-Together Book

Songs/Rhymes

The Great Big Spider

This song is the same as the "Itsy Bitsy Spider", just replace "itsy bitsy" with "great big" and make the motions bigger. This makes it easier for the babies to participate, since they don't yet have the fine motor skills necessary for the itsy bitsy version.

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

Rain on the Rooftops

-- from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Five Little Ducks (felt board)

Five little ducks went out one day,

Over the hills and far away.

Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack!”

But only four little ducks came back.

--Traditional

I Hear Thunder

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.

The Rain is Falling Down

--from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.