Story Mix for Three to Six: Blocks and Bunnies

Everyone at Story Mix loves toys!  This week's toys are those imaginative blocks and cuddly bunnies. Using motions and actual toys when singing the song and playing the game below, you'll be helping your child learn important concepts. Different kinds of playtime help children learn about language.   Playing also helps children understand that written words stand for real objects and experiences.  The more language experiences children have, the more words they learn.  So bring out those blocks and bunnies for a fun learning extravaganza!

The Goodnight Song
At night I see the twinkling stars
And a great big smiling moon.
My mommy tucks me into bed
And sings a good-night tune.   
     
The Block Rhyme Game (Using wooden blocks or another toy, you can make this an interactive song!)
1 block, 2 blocks, 3 blocks in a row
4 blocks, 5 blocks, 6 blocks – up they go
7 blocks, 8 blocks, 9 blocks going high
10 blocks, 11 blocks, 12 blocks – oh my!
Tumble! Rumble! Blocks in a jumble!    

Take a look at these books we read this week in Story Mix:

A Boy and His Bunny by Sean Bryan
One morning, a boy wakes up with a rabbit on his head and, although his mother is skeptical, he soon discovers that he can be fed, ride a bobsled, and even look cool with a rabbit on his head.
Check catalog availability

Jack the Builder by Stuart J. Murphy
A story about blocks and building introduces the math skill of counting on, an important step toward mastering addition. 
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How Will I Ever Sleep In This Bed? By Della Ross Ferreri
A child's new bed feels big and lonely until it gets filled up with stuffed animals. 
Check catalog availability

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
After Trixie and daddy leave the laundromat, something very important turns up missing.
Check catalog availability

Terrific Twos: The Color PURPLE

We continue our color theme this week at Terrific Twos with PURPLE! Remember all the great reasons to introduce colors to your young child:

• Colors can be useful
• Colors can be expressive
• Colors help children learn new words
• Colors help children identify objects and feelings
• Colors allow children to make visual connections with words

 Best of all, colors are a fun concept to help your child Get Ready to Read!


If You Like the Color Purple Song
If you like the color purple, clap your hands.
If you like the color purple, clap your hands.
If you like the color purple, if you like the color purple,
If you like the color purple, clap your hands. 
Stamp Your Feet and Shout Hooray!

Purple Pickle Song
If I had a purple penny or a purple nickle,
I'd go down to the purple store and buy a purple pickle.
Purple pickles, purple peas, purple pepperoni, purple pudding,
purple pie, and purple macaroni!

If I had a purple penny or a purple nickle,
I'd go down to the purple store and buy a purple pickle.
Purple pickles, purple peas, purple pepperoni, purple pudding,
purple pie, and purple macaroni!

Five Little Umbrellas (thanks to our friends at King County Library System)
Five little umbrellas by the back door,
The red one went outside & now there are four.
Four little umbrellas, pretty as can be,
The blue one was needed & now there are three.
Three little umbrellas, oh, they missed the blue,
So, the green one followed & now there are two.
Two little umbrellas, glad there was no sun,
The yellow one went into the rain & now there’s just one.
One little umbrella, all alone in the hall,
The purple one got picked up & that was all!

Stories we read in this week's Terrific Twos:

My Crayons Talk by Patricia Hubbard
Brown crayon sings "Play, Mud pie day," and Blue crayon calls "Sky, Swing so high" in this story about talking crayons.
Check catalog availability

Purple is Best by Dana Meachen Rau
Sue's blue paint and Fred's red paint get mixed together and create purple, the best color of all.
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Check out these other books about the color PURPLE:

Harold and the Purple Crayon by by Crockett Johnson
Harold's purple crayon helps him create wonderful adventures as he walks in the moonlight. 
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Purple as a plum = Morado como una ciruela by Molly Dingle
Simple text and illustrations introduce the color purple and objects that bear that color. / Los cuadros y el texto dan los ejemplos de las cosas que son moradas.
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The Perfect Purple Feather by Hanoch Piven
Rhyming text and illustrations take the reader on a journey, in which a simple purple feather becomes a whisker for a cat, a pen for an owl, a quill for a porcupine, and more.
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Wonderful Ones: Peek-a-Boo!

Do you and your baby play Peed-a-Boo?  This week at Wonderful Ones, we bring together several interactive rhymes, such as Peek-a-Boo, that will help your little one learn eye-hand coordination, flexibility and even critical thinking skills.  Games such as these also help baby learn to associate sounds and words with objects.  Communication tools used by babies such as, sounds, hand motions and movements are essential to babies learning speech and spoken language.  Children who develop strong vocabulary and speech skills as infants and babies often have an easier time learning how to read.  It's never too early to get ready to read!  

When I’m Glad (to the tune of London Bridge)
When I’m glad, I clap my hands,
Clap my hands, clap my hands.
When I’m glad, I clap my hands.
Clap, clap, clap, clap!

When I’m mad, I stomp my feet,
Stomp  my feet, stomp my feet.
When I’m mad, I stomp my feet.
Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp!

Repeat using other actions such as Love/Hug and Sad/Cry

Peek-a-boo Rhyme
Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo
I see you!  I see you!
I see your button nose.
I see your tiny toes.
I see you!  Peek-a-boo!

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo
I see you!  I see you!
I see your button nose.
I see your tiny toes.
I see you!  Peek-a-boo!

Two Little Eyes Rhyme
Two little eyes that open and close,
Two little ears and one little nose,
Two little cheeks and one little chin,
Two little lips that open and grin.

Two little eyes that open and close,
Two little ears and one little nose,
Two little cheeks and one little chin,
Two little lips that open and grin.

Books we read together in this week's Wonderful Ones: 

If You’re Happy And You Know It by Annie Kubler
The words to a familiar nursery song encourage babies and their parents to have fun together.
Check catalog availability
 
Book: Eyes, Nose, Toes Peekaboo! by Dawn Sirett
Play peekaboo with baby and learn different parts of our bodies.
Check catalog availability

1, 2, 3 Go! More Nursery Rhymes

We've had so much fun sharing favorite nursery rhymes with our 1, 2, 3 Go attendees!  Nursery rhymes are a great way to help children make comparisons and hear contrasts between different speech sounds. The rhyme, repetition, and rhythm of the language also makes nursery rhymes such as these fun to read and sing over and over again.  Enjoy these funny takes on traditional nursery rhymes that your child is sure to love.

Sheep in the Meadow
Sheep in the meadow,
Take a little nap. (Pretend to sleep)
Thunder! (Stamp feet)
Lightning! (Clap hands)
Jump up and clap! (Jump to feet and clap)

Sheep in the meadow,
Take a little nap. (Pretend to sleep)
Thunder! (Stamp feet)
Lightning! (Clap hands)
Jump up and clap! (Jump to feet and clap)

Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a stool,
Humpty Dumpty thought he was cool,
No!  No!  No!
That’s not right!

Humpty Dumpty sat on a cow,
Humpty Dumpty didn’t know how,
No!  No!  No!
That’s not right!

Humpty Dumpty sat on horse,
Humpty Dumpty fell off course.
No!  No!  No!
That’s not right!

Humpty Dumpty sat on a bed,
Humpty Dumpty fell on his head.
No!  No!  No!
That’s not right!

Humpty Dumpty sat on a train,
Humpty Dumpty fell again.
No!  No!  No!
That’s not right!

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men,
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Yes!  Yes!  Yes!
That’s right!  Now you’ve got it!
Poor Humpty Dumpty!

Little Bo-Peep
Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can’t tell where to find them.
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them.

Here comes pink and here comes gray,
They’ve been visiting friends all day.

Here comes orange and here comes red,
They’ve been eating in the shed.

Here comes purple and here comes yellow,
They’ve been romping in the meadow.

Here comes blue and here comes brown,
They’ve been wandering all about town.

Here comes green and here comes black,
Now Little Bo-Peep’s sheep are back.

Little Bo-Peep has all her sheep,
They’re back home safe and sound!
They were hiding, it’s true, but thanks to you,
All of them now are found.

We read these nursery rhyme books at 1, 2, 3 Go this week: 

The Big, Big Wall by Reginald Howard / No Puedo Bajar by Reginald Howard
Humpty Dumpty's friends help him avoid a big, big fall. / Los amigos de Humpty Dumpty lo ayudan a evitar una gran caída. 
Check catalog availability / En Espanol

Mary Had A Little Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale
Presents the traditional nursery rhyme that tells the story of a schoolgirl and her faithful pet lamb. 
Check catalog availability

For even more nursery rhyme books, check out this reading list from Reading Rockets.

Story Mix for Three to Six: Traveling Tunes

You may be traveling this week for the Thanksgiving holiday.  What better way to make the time in the car, train or airplane go faster than to share a fun song or book!  Children will also learn through repetition and rhyming sounds, syllables and words.   Repetition and rhyming help children understand word construction and meaning based on sound. The fun actions you can perform in each song such as the movements of a duck, or driving to Grandmother's house, make these activities memorable and entertaining. 


My Little Duck Song
My little duck says,
Quack, quack, quack
Quack, quack, quack
Quack, quack, quack
My little duck says,
Quack, quack, quack,
All day long!

My little duck goes
Waddle, waddle, waddle
Waddle, waddle, waddle
Waddle, waddle, waddle
My little duck goes,
Waddle, waddle, waddle
All day long!

My little duck goes
Splash, splash, splash
Splash, splash, splash
Splash, splash, splash
My little duck goes,
Splash, splash, splash
All day long!

My little duck goes
Paddle, paddle, paddle
Paddle, paddle, paddle
Paddle, paddle, paddle
My little duck goes,
Paddle, paddle, paddle
All day long!

Over the River and Thru the Woods
Over the river and thru the woods
To Grandmother’s house we go
The car knows the way
To go today
To Grandmother's house, hoo-ray!

Over the river and thru the woods
To Grandmother’s house we go
The play with the toys
And make lots of noise
And give Grandma a hug and kiss!

We read these stories in Story Mix this week:

All For Pie, Pie For All by David Martin
Grandma Cat bakes an apple pie that is heartily enjoyed by her family as well as the Mouse and Ant families that live nearby.
Check catalog availability

Grandpa Bud by Siobhan Dodds
A grandfather busily prepares all kinds of food for his granddaughter and the guests he thinks she is bringing to visit him. 
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Honk Honk!  Beep Beep!  by Daniel Kirk 
When a father and son set out early one morning for a cross-country drive in their jeep, they see all sorts of vehicles and pick up diverse passengers along the way.
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Terrific Twos: The Color ORANGE

We are exploring the color ORANGE in this week's Terrific Twos program.  Orange is often a color associated with Thanksgiving, so we've provided themed rhymes and stories to help you celebrate.  Colors can be both useful and expressive ways for children to not only learn new words, but also identify objects and feelings.  Using such skills, children can begin to learn about colors in books and get ready to read!

These are two great resources to use for learning more about how colors help children learn and grow:
Purdue University College of Consumer and Family Sciences
Kennesaw State University Educational Technology Center

Two Little Turkeys Rhyme
Two little turkeys are we.
We sat all night in a tree.
When the Indians came around,
We were nowhere to be found,
And that’s why we are still here, you see.

Two little turkeys are we.
We sat all night in a tree.
When the Indians came around,
We were nowhere to be found,
And that’s why we are still here, you see.

Five Little Turkeys Song
Five little turkeys standing at the door,
One waddled off, and then there were four.
Four little turkeys sitting near a tree,
One waddled off, and then there were three.
Three little turkeys with nothing to do,
One waddled off, and then there were two.
Two little turkeys in the morning sun,
One waddled off, and then there was one.
One little turkey better run away,
For soon it will be Thanksgiving Day.

Visit the DLTK Kid's site for a fun craft to make with this song!

Colors of the Rainbow Song
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
Colors of the rainbow, colors so bright.
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
Colors of the rainbow, a colorful sight.

Orange is a pumpkin
Orange is a carrot
Orange is a salmon
Orange is a traffic cone
Orange is an orange
Orange is a sunrise.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
Colors of the rainbow, colors so bright.
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
Colors of the rainbow, a colorful sight.

Sing verses for all the colors of the rainbow by visiting BusSongs.com

Enjoy these stories we read at Terrific Twos this week:

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
At Thanksgiving time, children express their gratitude for the people and things in their lives.
Check catalog availability

Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington
Jamie plants a pumpkin seed and, after watching it grow, carves it and saves some seeds to plant in the spring. 
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Click here for more fun color songs and books in Ready...Set...Read!

Wonderful Ones: Shhh, It's Sleepytime

Make sleepytime an interactive activity, with these calming and memorable rhymes and stories.  Share reading together during bathtime or while cuddling with a favorite toy.  Such activities help begin setting patterns and set routines for baby..  By adding reading at bedtime, it can quickly become one of your favorite activities to enjoy together.  For children to become skilled readers later in childhood, acquiring general knowledge, such as the elements of bedtime, is essential.  Word knowledge then becomes easier for them to grasp and makes it easier for baby to understand and remember what is learned.  

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Rhyme
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

Here Are My Eyes Rhyme
Here are my eyes,
One and two.
I can blink.
So can you.
When my eyes are open,
I see the light.
When they are closed,
It’s dark as night.

Here are my eyes,
One and two.
I can blink.
So can you.
When my eyes are open,
I see the light.
When they are closed,
It’s dark as night.

Be Very Quiet Rhyme
Shhh!  Be very quiet.
Shhh!  Be very still.
Fold your busy little hands,
Close your sleepy little eyes.
Shhh!  Be very quiet.

Books we read together at this week's Wonderful Ones: 

Sleep Tight, Teddy! by Annie Kubler
Teddy's in bed, and ready for a chat! There's a ready-made rhyming conversation in the book, and you can make up your own as well! 
Check catalog availability
Check out these other books by Annie Kubler, which babies are sure to love! 

Baby’s Bedtime by Fiona Watt
A baby does many things to get ready for bed. 
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Check out these other books by Fiona Watt on a variety of fun topics for babies!

Did You Know?
The writer of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' was English poet Jane Taylor. The poem was first published in 1806 in 'Rhymes for the Nursery' a collection of poems by Jane Taylor and her older sister Ann.

Story Mix for Three to Six: Teddy Bears

Does your child have a favorite teddy bear?  This week at Story Mix, we have a whole post devoted to these lovable dolls.   Through the songs and rhymes, consonance and dissonance are incorporated, which help children hear the sounds letters and words make.  This language technique then improves vocabulary and builds language.  Children also develop creative thinking skills when using different words in the teddy bear book rhyme.  This skill also helps them increase their word knowledge and get Ready to Read! 


Teddy Bear Rhyme
This little teddy has a soft furry suit.
This little teddy is sweet and cute.
This little teddy is sassy and cross.
This little teddy thinks she’s the boss.
This little teddy likes berries and honey.
But when gets them on his face,
He looks very, very funny!

Teddy Bear Song (Sung to the tune of B-I-N-G-O)
There was a boy who had a bear
and Teddy was his name-O
T-E-D-D-Y, T-E-D-D-Y, T-E-D-D-Y
and Teddy was his name-O.
       
Teddy Bear Book Rhyme
Teddy reads a red book, red book, red book
Teddy reads a red book all day long!

Teddy reads his bear book, bear book, bear book
Teddy reads his bear book all night long!

Repeat using additional colors and objects such as "blue book" or "fish book."  Choose items you're child is interested.

We read these fun books at Story Mix this week:

Anna's Book by Barbara Baker
Anna loves her new book, so after her mother reads it to her three times, she starts reading it to her teddy bear.
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Book! by Kristine O’Connell George
Children's poetry about books and reading. 
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What Does My Teddy Bear Do All Night? by Bruno Hachler
A little girl spies all day to catch sight of her teddy bear's secret life. What child hasn't wondered what her teddy bear really does all day while she's away? This is a delightful story for anyone who's ever wondered what their toys really do when no one's home.
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Terrific Twos: The Color GREEN

We are continuing our color theme at Terrific Twos this week.  GREEN is the color of the environment, grass, leaves and nature.  It can also take on the meaning of growth.  When children are painting, and combine the colors YELLOW and BLUE,  they create the color GREEN.

Help your child learn the color GREEN using the great tactics of reading aloud, talking, singing, playing and writing.  Help Your Child Get Ready to Read!

• Read one of the books below about the color GREEN.
• Talk about the different images you see outside that are GREEN.
• Sing the rhyme below about the GREEN turtle.
• Play the game below about the GREEN stoplight.
• Have fun with finger painting or watercolors, and create the color GREEN.

The Turtle Rhyme
There was a little turtle – he lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle – he climbed on some rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito – he snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow – he snapped at me!
He caught the mosquito – he caught the flea.
He caught the minnow – but he didn’t catch me.

There was a little turtle – he lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle – he climbed on some rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito – he snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow – he snapped at me!
He caught the mosquito – he caught the flea.
He caught the minnow – but he didn’t catch me.

We read these books at Terrific Twos this week: 


Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
In a question and answer game, a teacher and her group see a variety of animals, each one a different color.
En un juego de las pregunta respuesta, una maestra y su grupo ven una variedad de animales, cada un de color diverso.
Check catalog availability / En Espanol

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
A story about many different sheep, and one that seems to be missing.  / Ésta es la oveja azul. Y ésta es la oveja roja. ¿Pero dónde está la oveja verde?
Check catalog availability / En Espanol

---

Check out these other fun rhymes and books about the color GREEN:

The Green Line by Polly Farquarson
A child takes a walk to and through a park and notices blossoms on a tree, flowers growing through a fence, a grassy hillside for rolling down, clouds in the sky, a friendly dog, rain splashing in puddles, and much more!
Check catalog availability

Green = El Verde by Sharon Gordon
Shows many different things that are green. / Muestra varios objetos verdes. 
Check catalog availability

Green by Anita Loughrey
Offers fun activities for early learners to find out about the color green.
Check catalog availability


Green Says Go Game! (From our friends at King County Library System)
Green says, “GO!” (hold up the color green)
Go! Go! Go! (march in place)

Yellow says, “Slow!” (hold up the color yellow)
Slow…sloooow…slooooow (march slowly)

And red says, “Stop!” (hold up the color red)
(freeze)

(Hold up Green) Go! Go! Go!

(Hold up Yellow) Slow…sloooow…slooooow

(Hold up Red) STOP! (everybody freeze!)

Wonderful Ones: A Rainbow of Colors

Colors are a great way to introduce babies to the world around them.  Babies learn that there are many colors to represent different objects.  Games, such as the 'Baby Game' below, is also a great way for baby to learn new words.  By patting your nose, baby learns how to associate the spoken word for the physical object.   These skills then provide new opportunities for your child to learn new words and enhance vocabulary in order for your baby to develop a strong language.  A strong vocabulary and spoken language enhances early literacy skills and reading success later in childhood. 

If You’re Wearing Red Today Rhyme
If you’re wearing red today, (Clap)
Red today, red today,
If you’re wearing red today,
Please stamp your feet.

If you’re wearing blue today, (Clap)
blue today, blue today,
If you’re wearing blue today,
Please stamp your feet.

Repeat the rhyme using different colors such as pink, yellow, and green.

Here We Go Rhyme
Here we go – up, up, up,
Here we go – down, down, down,
Here we go – moving forward,
Here we go – moving backward,
Here we go round and round and round.

Here we go – up, up, up,
Here we go – down, down, down,
Here we go – moving forward,
Here we go – moving backward,
Here we go round and round and round.


Baby Game
Touch your ears, pat your nose,
Tickle baby’s little toes.
Hide your eyes,
Where are you?
Baby’s playing peek-a-boo!

Touch your ears, pat your nose,
Tickle baby’s little toes.
Hide your eyes,
Where are you?
Baby’s playing peek-a-boo!

Share a Book and Read Together:

Rainbow Colors Peekaboo! By Dawn Sirett
Play peekaboo with baby and learn different colors. 
Check catalog availability

Learn to Love Reading: Books About Books!

Helping your child learn to love reading will be fun when choosing a book from this list!   When sharing stories together, talk with your child about what your favorite book or character was when you were their age, and why.  If you don't remember, visit the library together and discover a new favorite book you both enjoy!  Reading aloud and sharing stories helps your child learn new words and build vocabulary, understand story structure and the format of a book, along with having fun.

Read Anything Good Lately? by Susan Allen and Jane Lindaman
An alphabetical look at some different places and things to read, from an atlas at the airport to a zodiac at the zoo.
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What Are You Doing? by Elisa Amado
Before he leaves on his first day of school, Chepito plays outside and encounters many different people in his neighborhood who are all reading, and each person has a different response when Chepito asks them "Why?"
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The Best Place to Read by Debbie Bertram and Susan Bloom

A young child with a new book hunts inside and outside the house before finding the right chair for reading.
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I Like Books by Anthony Browne
A young chimp declares his love for all kinds of books, from funny books and scary books to song books and strange books.
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Maybe a Bear Ate It! by Robie H. Harris
At bedtime, a young boy who cannot find his favorite book imagines the various creatures that might have taken it from him.
Check catalog availability


Lola Loves Stories by Anna McQuinn
Lola loves to hear Daddy read a new library book each night, an activity that spurs her imagination and results in inventive play the next day.
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Library Lilly by Gillian Shields
From the day her mother introduces her to the library, Lily wants to spend all of her time reading until she meets Milly, who hates reading but loves adventure.
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Carlo Likes Reading by Jessica Spanyol
Labeled scenes from a young giraffe's life--at home, at the market, in the park, and at the library--offer opportunities to learn new words.
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How Do You Read to a Rabbit? by Andrea Wayne von Königslöw
Youngsters will laugh out loud at the antics of the 13 animals -- and the child who tries to read to them -- in this delightful picture book.
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Baby Bear's Books by Jane Yolen
Throughout the day, Baby Bear finds a book to fit every special moment.
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1, 2, 3 Go! This Little Piggy

One of the first learning concepts children are exposed to are numbers and counting.  Counting aloud not only introduces new sounds and words, but also creates a stimulating learning environment.  The rhymes below bring together interaction between you and your child in an engaging and positive atmosphere, with counting actions and concepts.  We thought counting pigs was extra fun. 

This Little Piggy
This little piggy went to market
This little piggy stayed home
This little piggy had roast beef
This little piggy had none
And this little piggy went wee, wee, wee, wee, all the way home.

Five Squeaky Clean Pigs
Five pigs so squeaky clean
Cleanest you’ve ever seen
Wanted to go outside and play
Oink! Oink!
One jumped into the mud
Landed with a big THUD
Then there were four clean squeaky pigs…

Four pigs so squeaky clean
Cleanest you’ve ever seen
Wanted to go outside and play
Oink! Oink!
One jumped into the mud
Landed with a big THUD
Then there were three clean squeaky pigs…

Three pigs so squeaky clean
Cleanest you’ve ever seen
Wanted to go outside and play
Oink! Oink!
One jumped into the mud
Landed with a big THUD
Then there were two clean squeaky pigs…

Two pigs so squeaky clean
Cleanest you’ve ever seen
Wanted to go outside and play
Oink! Oink!
One jumped into the mud
Landed with a big THUD
Then there was one clean and squeaky pig…

One pig so squeaky clean
Cleanest you’ve ever seen
Wanted to go outside and play
Oink! Oink!
He jumped into the mud
Landed with a big THUD
Then there were no clean and squeaky pigs…

For more little piggy fun, check out these stories:

Pig Takes a Bath by Michael Dahl
A muddy little pig takes a bath and gets clean before escaping back to his messy fun. 
Check catalog availability
 

Z-Z-Zoink! By Bernard Most
A pig has trouble finding a place to sleep because she snores so loudly and wakes up the entire barnyard. 
Check catalog availability

Story Mix for Three to Six: Bathtime!

Singing and playing are two wonderful ways to incorporate early literacy skills into your child's everyday life.  What better way to incorporate both but a bathtub full of bubbles and laughter!  Engage your little one with numbers and counting through this week's songs, rhymes, and stories.  Counting aloud not only introduces new sounds and words to help build vocabulary, but also creates a stimulating learning environment.  Rhyming helps young children remember these important concepts and reinforces what they are learning in a positive manner.  Playing in the bath makes winding down the day even easier and makes learning fun.

Five in the Tub
There are 5 on the tub and the blue one says, 
“Move over, move over!”
So they all move over and one flops in!
There were 4 on the tub and the blue one says,
“Move over, move over!”
So they all move over and one hops in!
There are 3 on the tub and the blue one says,
“Move over, move over!”
So they all move over and one falls in!
There were 2 on the tub and the blue one says,
“Move over, move over!”
So they all move over and one slides in!
There’s one on the tub and the blue one says,
“Let’s swim!”

Bathtime Rhyme
After my bath
I try, try, try
To wipe myself
Till I’m dry, dry, dry

Neck to wipe
And fingers & toes
And 2 wet legs
And a shiny nose

Just think how much
Less time I'd take
If I were a dog
And could shake, shake, shake!

At Story Mix, we read these books full of bathtime fun!

Elwood's Bath by Larry Dane Brimmer
Young Elwood prepares for bathtime as he adds his favorite playmates, including eight large elephants, to the water.
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Love-a-Duck by Alan James Brown
After falling out of the window and spending an unforgettable day outdoors, a plastic duck is returned home safely, just in time for little Jane's bath. 
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Kid Tea by Elizabeth Ficocelli
On every night of the week, a new color of "kid tea" is created in the bath, depending on the activities of that day. 
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Terrific Twos: The Color YELLOW

This week at Terrific Twos, we continue with our color theme.  The bright and vibrant color of YELLOW will be presented to those terrific two year olds!  Colors are a great way to introduce the many facets of a storybook and its pictures.  Through visualization of colors in books, combined with the new word of the color, enables your child to connect the two ideas.  By saying the word aloud, it enhances the concept of learning new words through new sounds and syllables.    Together, all these skills will help you get your child, Ready to Read!

Little Baby Rhyme
This little baby is ready for his nap,
Lay him down on his mother’s lap.
Cover him up so he won’t peep,
And rock him, rock him till he’s fast asleep.

This little baby is ready for his nap,
Lay him down on his father’s lap.
Cover him up so he won’t peep,
And rock him, rock him till he’s fast asleep.

Star Light, Star Bright Rhyme
Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight,
Wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight,
Wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.

More books about Colors!  We read these at Terrific Twos:

Goodnight Goodnight Sleepyhead by Ruth Krauss
In simple rhyming text, a child says goodnight to the things around her.
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Carlo Likes Colors by Jessica Spanyol   
Carlo the giraffe sees many different colors in various places--red in the street, brown in the woods, white at a wedding, and orange at a cafe.
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In My New Yellow Shirt by Eileen Spinelli
A boy wears his new yellow shirt and is transformed in his imagination into a duck, a lion, a daffodil, a trumpet, and other things.
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Wonderful Ones: Happy Hands

Keep those little baby hands busy with these catchy and fun rhymes and books.  You'll be helping your baby learn hand-eye coordination while putting smiles on your faces.  This critical skill is also essential for your baby to learn new communication techniques, which in turn help them develop language skills.  Children involved in activity such as these games, tend to generate more language than just playing with toys alone.  Help your baby learn more language so they will be 'Ready to Read', by playing together!  

Open, Shut Them Rhyme
Open, shut them,
Open, shut them,
Give a little clap.
Open, shut them,
Open, shut them,
Put them in your lap.
Creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them,
Right up to your chin.
Open up your little mouth,
But do not let them in.

Two Green Apples Rhyme
Way up high
In a tree,
Two green apples
Smiled at me.
So I shook that tree
As hard as I could,
And down fell the apples.
Mmmm, they were good!

Way up high
In a tree,
Two green apples
Smiled at me.
So I shook that tree
As hard as I could,
And down fell the apples.
Mmmm, they were good!

One Potato, Two Potato Rhyme
One potato, two potato,
Three potato, four,
Five potato, six potato,
Seven potato, more!

One potato, two potato,
Three potato, four,
Five potato, six potato,
Seven potato, more!

Books we read at this week's Wonderful Ones include:

Bib on, Bunny! by Annie Kubler
Put your finger in the bunny's head and get talking about time to eat.
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Baby’s Mealtime by Fiona Watt
Baby and Fido get ready to have a meal. 
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Story Mix For Three to Six: We Love Toys!

Story Mix is the weekly program for kids ages 3 - 6 and introduces stories, songs, activity and fun!  We are beginning our second Fall 2011 session with a Toys themed rhymes and stories to share.  Shared reading is valuable because your child has your full attention, and you are enjoying the experience together.   Shared reading with your child develops vocabulary, comprehension and encourages imaginative thinking.

Through singing and rhyming together, your child will improve their counting skills, learn rhythm which is important for learning syllables and vocabulary, and develop more ways for creative play as you come up with ideas for new people, places and things in the rhymes.

Roll Over Rhyme/Game
There were 6 in the bed and the little one said...
Roll over, roll over!
They all rolled over and the doll fell out.

There were 5 in the bed and the little one said...
Roll over, roll over!
They all rolled over and the truck fell out.

There were 4 in the bed and the little one said...
Roll over, roll over!
They all rolled over and the ball fell out.

Replace the underlined words with funny objects and names of people.
Count down from the starting number and replace it with the new number. 


Action Rhyme:  
Flop your arms, flop your feet,
Let your arms go free,
Be the floppiest rag doll,
You ever did see!

Pretend you and your child are a rag doll and act out the motions in the rhyme and you sing. Try this with other characters, such as a tree with branches that sway in the wind or a scary monster:

Sway your arms, move your feet,
Let your branches go free,
Be the biggest tree
You ever did see!

Make a scary face,
Raise your arms in the air,
Be the ugliest monster
You ever did fear!


During Story Mix, we read these books:

I’m Not Scared by Jonathan Allen
When Baby Owl takes his stuffed Owly out for a walk in the moonlit woods, he insists that he is not afraid of the other animals that keep popping up and making them jump. 
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Just Like Jasper by Nick Butterworth
Jasper Cat goes to a toy store to spend his birthday money. 
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Emma In Charge by David McPhail
Emma pretends that she and her dolls spend a day at school.
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Tips for Reading to Babies

It’s never too soon to read to your baby.  The moments you share together can make a reader for life.  Start now!

Tips for Reading to Babies

• Share a book with your baby every day.  Even a few minutes makes a difference.
• Talk with your baby while you read, and show your baby that reading is fun.
• When you read, point to pictures, ask questions, and talk about what they’re seeing.  When they babble to you, listen, smile, and talk.
• Read the same books over and over again.  One to two year olds love to hear the same words again and again.
• Read when your baby is rested and in a good mood.  If your child gets restless, it’s okay to stop for now.
• Cuddle up and sing your favorite children’s songs.
• Use every moment you have.  At bath time, bedtime, bounce time, say nursery rhymes, sing lullabies, play pat-a-cake, count toes – and let your baby listen.

Terrific Twos: The Color BLUE

Colors are a great way to introduce the many facets of a storybook and its pictures.  Picture books allow children to both hear and visualize the words as you read them together.  Through the use of colors, children will learn how to identify the aspect of the color to an object, such as 'the sky is blue.'   This then provides new opportunities for your child to learn new words, enhance vocabulary, and make connections between sounds and syllables.   Together, all these skills will help you get your child, Ready to Read!

Wiggle Rhyme
A wiggle, wiggle here,
A wiggle, wiggle there,
Wiggle your hands up in the air.

Wiggle your shoulders,
Wiggle your hips,
Wiggle your knees,
And move your lips.

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle
And wiggle some more,
And now please sit down on the floor.

Color Rhyme
Red, green, blue
Orange, purple, yellow
I like all the colors, yes I do!

Red, green, blue
Orange, purple, yellow
I like all the colors, yes I do!

We also read these books at Terrific Twos:

One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano
An introduction to the numbers one to ten. Various insects see a blueberry fall to the ground and want to eat it. Which one will get the blueberry?
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Kitten's Autumn by Eugenie Fernandes
Autumn has settled on the farm, but fallen leaves aren't the only signs of the season. Find out what animals kitten sees preparing themselves for winter.
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More Fun Rhymes and Books About the Color BLUE:

Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett
A lonely chameleon tries to change his color and shape to fit in with other animals, including the swirly snail, the pink cockatoo, and the green grasshopper, but he cannot find anyone that is just like him.
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Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck
A child explores the treasures of the deep blue sea from the safety of a bathtub.
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The Old Blue Pickup Truck by Candice F. Ransom
As a girl and her father run errands in their old blue pickup, she discovers how many different ways they can use their truck.
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Little Boy Blue Rhyme
Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn.
The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn.
Where is the boy that looks after the sheep?
He's under the haystack, fast asleep. 

Five Little Blue Birds (Use fingers to represent the birds.)
Five little blue birds, hopping by my door
One went to build a nest, and then there were four

Four little blue birds singing lustily
One got out of tune, and then there were three

Three little blue birds, and what should one do,
But go in search of dinner, leaving only two.

Two little blue birds singing for fun
One flew away, and then there was one.

One little blue bird sitting in the sun
He took a little nap, and then there was none.