I started doing Baby Storytime at my library last year and I will admit that this was a cute, but challenging journey. I have been so used to toddlers and preschoolers being so engaged that I had forgotten that babies work differently and therefore need a much different storytime. The key to a baby storytime is lots of songs, from bouncing songs to prop songs. Here are some bounce and tickle songs that my baby storytime families love!
Tag: songs
Movement Songs for Your Storytime!
Storytime would not be storytime without a couple of hit songs, from classics like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” to songs that are new to our audiences. My storytime group is so much fun to work with, but sometimes the little ones just need to get their wiggles out! Here are some movement songs you can incorporate into your storytime. The Elevator Song This is my go-to song when my storytime group is feeling a little antsy. This song allows the children to stand up and move up and down. I also like to do this song twice: once at a normal pace and then the second one really fast. The kids have a blast with the fast version! Oh the city is great and the city is grand There’s a whole lot of people on a little piece of land And we live way up on the 57th floor and…
Baby Storytime Songs
Baby storytime is my FAVORITE! Baby storytime songs have been on my mind lately because storytimes just started up again for the season. Generally, I stick to a few favorite songs because repetition is so important for the littles. Repetition also helps the adults learn the songs and they are more likely to join in if they know the songs well. Occasionally, I add a new song if there is a fun theme for the week. Songs can create a structure in storytime which helps them know what to expect. Having a starting song or two and a few songs in between books is a great place to start. Singing is also one of the five early literacy practices! It helps slow down language and often has different notes for each syllable. I think songs are just as important as books in storytime, especially for babies and toddlers.
Monolingual in a Multilingual World? Let’s Talk (and Maybe Sing) about It
Some experts believe New York City is home to as many as 800 languages, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world. But whether you work at a small rural library or in the middle of a bustling city like New York, at least some of your patrons speak another language – maybe even exclusively.
Songs by Librarians for Librarians
In January 2018, the New York Public Library (NYPL) released their first-ever album of original children’s music, NYPL Sings! Former NYPL children’s librarian Emily Elizabeth Lazio wanted to showcase the multifaceted talents of NYPL staff who, in addition to making books and learning come alive for our young patrons and their families every day, wrote and performed all the songs on this album. The album was made possible through the NYPL Innovation Project, generously supported by the Charles H. Revson Foundation, which supports Library staff for creative, unique ideas that improve programs, services and processes at NYPL. The early literacy team and education department at NYPL served as project managers, and over forty past and present staff members lent their songwriting, instrumental, vocal, and performance skills! Each song on the album represents a different way for caregivers to prepare their children for a lifetime of learning. NYPL focuses on singing…