Once a year, I am assigned to Early Walker story time. At first I dreaded it. Now I actually look forward to it (shh, don’t tell anyone). I enjoy it because the early walkers (anywhere from 11 – 23 months) are so much fun. We plan the weeks as a team with the person who does the infants (birth to walking), which makes it less cumbersome and we plan them based on a formula not a theme. Let me explain the formula: song, mother goose rhyme, book, something with puppets etc and repeat as needed. When it’s time to plan, we just insert items into the planned formula.
Opening Song – Hello Song + Bubbles
Song: Clap Hello to (baby’s name)
Miss Mouse Hides Behind Bears: You’re never too young for Miss Mouse. But the young kids get a different version. Today there were five bears and each had an item underneath them (the same items for all five weeks this session). We yell, “Miss Mouse, Miss Mouse, Come out! Come Out! Come Out!) then I say, Oh, is Miss Mouse behind the Green bear? We check — no, it was a pair of two warm mittens. It goes on until bear #5 where Miss Mouse is hiding.
Mother Goose Rhyme: Peas Porridge Hot this was on a Wiggleworms CD from the Old Towne School of Music.
Book: Baby Faces by Miller
Prop Story: When Cat Gets Up (Wiggleworms) (with puppets) “When cats get up in the morning, this is what they say, when cats get up in the morning this is what they say. They say Meow. Meow. This is what they say…” And it goes on with different animals.
Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds
Book: Baby Animals by Sami
Fingerplay: Roll Roll Sugar Babies
Activity: There’s a dog on my …. (dog plush).We purchase plush animals from Oriental Trading for each session. The kids names are on the dogs and they’ll get to take them home. Then we sing: There’s a dog on my knee on my knee (ruff ruff) There’s a dog on my knee on my knee (ruff ruff) there’s a dog on my knee there’s a dog on my knee there’s a dog on my knee on me knee (ruff ruff) etc picking different body parts.
playtime
Closing Song: Jack Be Nimble
Oh, I love the idea of getting to take home a little friend at the end of the session!