First Infant Storytime

I did my first Infant Storytime at Bellevue on April 22, 2008. The idea behind a storytime for babies ages 6 to 11 months is that a baby's senses are developing very quickly at that stage. Parents can help with this development by stimulating their baby's senses. The librarian instructs parents: "Touch your baby often, and give them things to touch. Sing and speak to them (remember, your baby loves the sound of your voice no matter who else does!). Look at them, and let them look at your face. Move with them: up and down, swaying side to side, turning around." Infant Storytime incorporates the baby's senses as much as possible.

The Storytime consists mostly of nursery rhymes, sung or spoken ryhthmically, and interaction with the baby. I modeled the interaction and rhymes with a baby doll. The picture books chosen feature baby animals. Even though it looks like there is a lot going on with all the rhymes, the whole storytime took barely 20 minutes. (When it was over I was afraid I had done something wrong, but the other librarian said that is the right amount of time - babies can't pay attention for too long.) Afterwards we encourage the mothers to stay and talk to each other - there is nothing booked in the storytime room afterwards so they can stay as long as they like. This gives the moms some adult interaction and time to compare baby notes.

I was nervous at first, but once I relaxed and looked around at all the baby faces, it was really fun. The babies crawl around a little bit and I had to sit on my notes so they wouldn't put them in their mouth. Otherwise it was a very involved and well-mannered group of mommies and babies!

The following is the outline for the infant storytime:

Opening Song: "Hello Song" (to the tune of London Bridges)
Hi, Hello, and How are you?
How are you? How are you?
Hi, Hello, and How are you?
On this lovely morning.

I am fine hope you are too
You are too, your are too.
I am fine hope you are too,
On this lovely morning.

Opening Announcements: Storytime guidelines, why we are here, etc.

Clapping Rhyme: Baby on lap, clap their hands together
Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold,
Peas porridge in the pot 9 days old.
Some like it hot, some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot 9 days old.

Rolling Rhyme: Roll baby's hands over each other
Rolling, rolling, little hands,
Rolling down the street.
Rolling slowly, Getting faster
Roll, roll, roll, roll, roll!

Bouncing Ryhme: Bounce baby on lap
Acka backa soda cracker,
Acka backa boo.
Acka backa soda cracker,
I love you!

(I have a print out of the rhymes and more detailed interactions.)

Tickle Rhyme:
"Criss Cross Applesauce"

Leg-Crossing Rhyme:
"This is Bill and this is Jill"

First Read-Aloud Story:
Silly Little Goose by Nancy Tafuri

Flying Baby Rhyme:
"Pop Goes the Weasel"

Free Dance: Put on a music CD and let moms stand up and dance around with their baby. I played the CD "Baby-O: Activity Songs for Baby Playtime and Lapsit" by MaryLee Sunseri.

Second Read-Aloud Story:
Who Says Woof? by John Butler

Calming Rhyme:
"These are Baby's Fingers"

Waving Song:
(sung to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Wave to [mommy], wave to [mommy],
Wave, wave, wave,
Wave, wave, wave.
Say [hello] to [mommy], say [hello] to [mommy],
Wave, wave, wave
Wave, wave, wave.

Goodbye song: (to London Bridges)
Bye, goodbye, we'll see you soon.

Don't forget to check out the Mother Goose collection! (J398.8)

I showed some of the mothers to the Mother Goose collection afterwards and to the children's music collection. I said to find a baby CD just look for children's drawings or pictures of babies, or the words, "newborn" or "toddler" on the cover.