Rain for Babies
Storytimes for babies and toddlers offer an opportunity to model great read-aloud techniques for parents and gives them the confidence to read to their children every day. A baby-toddler storytime can be followed by an extra 20 to 30 minutes of playtime, which encourages parents to talk to each other and for the young children to learn to play with others. It also demonstrates the importance of play to parents.
Welcome song: “Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed”
Mother Goose rhyme: “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring”
Get ready song: “Open, Shut Them”
First book: Puddle by Richard Jackson. A puddle is sad because she is so deep, until the sun comes out and she reflects a rainbow.
Fingerplay: “Raindrops Falling”
Second book: Pete the Cat and the Itsy Bitsy Spider by James Dean. Pete and his friends encourage a spider.
Movement song: “The Playful Windshield Wipers”
Third book: Splish, Splash, Ducky! by Lucy Cousins. Ducky enjoys the rainy day, complete with the repeated refrain of “Quack, quack, quack!”
Song: “Rain, Rain, Go Away”
Extra book if needed: Rain, Rain, Go Away, the Dinosaurs All Want to Play by Joe Fitzpatrick. Because of the rain, the rowdy dinosaurs must play inside where they make a mess.
Board book for parents: Maisy’s Day Out by Lucy Cousins. In this board book with tabs, a little white mouse goes various places, including taking a walk in the rain. A great way to build vocabulary.
Closing song: “Hello and Goodbye” .
Penny Peck, San Jose State University iSchool