My Baby-Toddler Storytime Set

So every librarian does their storytime differently. This is how I structure my baby-toddler storytimes and the regular songs and fingerplays that I use. 

Opening song: Good Morning/ Buenos Días (Sung to the tune of Frere Jacques)

Good morning! Good morning!

How are you? How are you?

Very well I thank you.

Very well I thank you.

How about you?

How about You?

¡Buenos días, buenos días!

(Bweh-noes dee-ahs)

¿Cómo está, cómo está?

(Coe-moe ehs-tah)

¡Muy bien, gracias, muy bien gracias!

(mwee bee-N grah-see-ahs) 

 ¿Y usted, y usted?

(E ou-stead E ou-stead)

Opening fingerplay: One Little Finger

One little finger, one little finger

One little finger goes

tap, tap, tap

Point to the ceiling

Point to the floor, 

And place it in your

lap, lap, lap.

Two little fingers, two little fingers…

Three little fingers, three little fingers

Four little fingers, four little fingers…

Five little fingers, five little fingers

Five little fingers go clap, clap, clap…

Literacy: Book, felt or puppet story

Song/movement break: Open Shut Them

Open, shut them

Open, shut them.

Give a little clap, clap, clap!

Open, shut them

Open, shut them.

Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

Creep them, creep them,

Creep them, creep them,

Right up to your chin, chin chin.

Open up your little mouth (AHH!)

But do not let them in!

Literacy: book, felt or puppet story

Song/movement break: I usually introduce one new or different song here

Literacy: book, felt or puppet story

Closing fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill

One named Jack, one named Jill.

Fly away Jack. Fly away Jill

Come back Jack. Come back Jill

Two little blackbirds on the go

One named Fast, one named Slow.

Fly away Fast. Fly away Slow

Come back Fast. Come back Slow

Two little blackbirds sitting around

One named Up, one named Down.

Fly away Up. Fly away Down.

Come back Up. Come back Down.

Closing song/movement: Hokey Pokey

You put your right hand in,
You put your right hand out;
You put your right hand in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your left hand in,
You put your left hand out…

You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out…

You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out…

You put your whole self in,
You put your whole self out…

I see you face. You’re thinking three books? With toddlers? This girl is crazy! But it works a lot of the time. Just have to have the right combination of song and movement distractions, plus be prepared for wiggly kids. If you’ve lost your audience to the wiggles, close the book and improvise.