Flannel Friday: The Pets I Love (Magnet Board)

This week I did my first baby storytime!  SQUEEEEEE! While prepping for it, I knew I had to include the song “The Pets I Love” from the Baby Signing Time CD series by Rachel Coleman. I’ve talked about Baby Signing Time before and am a HUGE advocate for it.  Not only for the product itself, but for Rachel too. She’s a really magnificent woman who has gone through more in her life than I probably ever well.  And she never let it hold her down or felt sorry for herself.  She is who is she today BECAUSE of all those things.  And for that, I look up to her.  She has such a positive attitude and inspires me to be better.  If you get a chance, check out her blog. She doesn’t post often, but when she does, it’s always great.

ANYWAYS, back to my Flannel Friday!  I created magnet pieces to put on our board while we sing the song “The Pets I Love”.  Very simple, nothing fancy. I used clip art, laminated them, and attached a magnet!  Wallah! I know I could have done it on flannel pieces, but this was much faster 🙂

Baby Storytime-Animals

Well, I finally did my very first Baby Storytime!  I’ve been really excited about trying new things lately.  I’m trying to keep things fresh, and I’ve always only done preschool storytime (and still will).  We used to have baby ST as a part of our weekly STs, but over 2 years ago they got clumped together with the toddler time and are now one huge program of 0-5 year olds.  I really wanted to try to offer something for the littler ones because so many kids can be pretty overwhelming for them.  And now that we have more staff in my department, I figured why not try!  My boss is really great when it comes to trying new things.  In the past, she was the one who would do baby ST, so I took her outline and tweaked it a bit. Less work for me!  Also, we have kits that were created with a grant by our Outreach team (that doesn’t exist anymore).  They include at least 10 board books on the theme to be shared individually by the parent/baby, 1 book to read aloud, toys to be played with at the end etc. I only had one mom show up, but we still had fun and she was all about participating.  I’m having another one next month and hoping news will spread that baby ST is back!  Here is my outline:

Baby Storytime – Animals #1

Welcome Song: (Sign the song)

The more we get together, together, together, the more we get together, the happier we’ll be. Because your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends, the more we get together the happier we’ll be.

Names with Tambourine

We pass around the tambourine and each person mom/dad and baby get to tap out the syllables to their name. It’s a great way for everyone to learn who is who!

Nursery Rhyme – Hey Diddle Diddle

These Are the Pets I Love (Baby Signing Time, Vol. 1)

I made magnet pieces to put up while we sing this song of the different animals.

Book Sharing – Peek-a-Moo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti (I read this one aloud)

Song – Old MacDonald (Six Little Ducks CD)

Book Sharing (On their own) – Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle

Nursery Rhyme-Baa Baa Black Sheep

Song/Flannel Board – Five Little Ducks (Where is Thumbkin CD)

Goodbye Song
On my face I have a nose, and way down here I have 10 toes.

I have 2 eyes that I can blink and I have a head to help me think.

I have a chin and very near I have 2 ears to help me hear.

I have a mouth that I use to speak and when I run I use my feet.

I have 2 arms to hold up high and here’s a hand to wave goodbye!

New Year’s Party!!!

Today I had my 8th annual New Year’s Party for the little kids.  It was a smashing success as always!  Here is an outline of what I did:

The kids first came in and decorated their part hats with sequins, feathers, and pipe cleaners

Read There was a Cold Lady who Swallowed Some Snow By: Lucille Colandro

Danced to the Silly Dance Contest by Jim Gill with scarves

Read Winter Woes By: Marty Kelley

Danced to the Hokey Pokey

Had sparking apple cider and cookies

Passed out noise makers and confetti and had a countdown to New Year’s!

The kids loved everything about it.

The confetti mess at the end