Winter Storytime pt. 1
Reading
Winter by Ailie Busby
Winter: A Pop-up Book by David A. Carter
Singing
The Mitten Song
Mittens, mittens for the snow time, when the world is white. (wiggle fingers down)
Mittens for my two hands, (hold up hands)
Mittens left and right. (show left & right)
Mittens, mittens with a thumb place, (show thumbs)
Mittens warm and snug, (rub hands together)
Mittens make me feel like a warm cozy hug. (hug self)
Extension Activity (a feature in the recap email to parents & caregivers)
I encourage you to keep singing at home with your children. No matter what you think you sound like, your voice is your child's favorite sound in the whole wide world! Singing together not only is a great bonding activity, but it also helps teach your child new words in context, boosting their vocabulary.
Additionally, according to the American Library Association for Children's Services (ALSC), listening to and singing songs is one of the best ways for children to build their phonological awareness because often each syllable of a word connects to a note. Many songs and rhymes have rhyming words. Both pieces help children hear the individual parts of each word.
To help you continue singing with your children at home, I've created a bundle of printable winter song cards! If you need them printed, let me know and I can print them for you the next time I'm in the library (will be a few weeks). Once you have the cards printed, keep them accessible to your child so that they can request singing time! Find the cards attached to this email.
In addition to The Mitten Song (linked under "singing" above), I have uploaded videos of me singing 2 other winter songs in the printable bundle, on our library's YouTube channel here:
Have a happy, healthy, cozy holiday! I will see you all next Tuesday.
Little People, Big Feelings: A Special Storytime
Little People, Big Feelings was special storytime that I hosted back in August 2020 to address the young child’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had an great showing, which I think goes to show that parents and caregivers are recognizing that their little ones are dealing with their own set of social/emotional struggles right now. I hope that everyone was able to come out of it knowing that it is natural and OK for their children to feel this way, and with some new ways to help their little ones process their big feelings.
Reading
The Don't Worry Book by Todd Parr
Tummy Ride... Calming Breaths for Little Ones (Mindful Tots Series) by Whitney Stewart
Singing
This song can be like magic to children in the midst of feeling big emotions! All of the movements in the song encourage children to ground themselves, resulting in a calmer state of mind.
A Big Star Fish
A big starfish, a big starfish (stretch!)
Little cuddle clam (hug yourself), and a big starfish
A big starfish, a big starfish
Little cuddle clam, and a big starfish
A puffer fish, a puffer fish, (breathe in deep, hold in your cheeks, then push it out with your hands)
Little cuddle clam and a big starfish
A puffer fish, a puffer fish,
Little cuddle clam and a big starfish
I've Got Peace Like a River
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river in my heart
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river in my heart
Other verses: I've got love like an ocean, I've got joy like a fountain
Tips & Talking Points (sent in an email to parents & caregivers)
Let's not beat around the bush: We're in the middle of a pandemic. Our children do not fully understand the weight of the recent events in the world. As grown-ups, we are feeling so much these days. Whatever situation you are in, we can all say that we've felt overwhelmed, sad, and angry at some point over the last several months.
Children notice our feelings. They notice our stress and sadness. They notice when we're too busy and overwhelmed. Because children pick up on these feelings, you may notice your child has increased feelings of anger or sadness recently. That's all on top of increased video and screen use, less time with family and friends, and feelings of uncertainty. Help your child by talking about their feelings. Help them identify their feelings and work through them appropriately (this is called "self regulation").
Here are some ways to help your little ones cope with feelings of anger, sadness, or other upset feelings, which can overwhelm them:
Take some deep breaths together. Try placing your hands on your tummies when you breathe in. Watch your hands rise and fall, like waves in the ocean, as you breathe.
Give your little one some ice to throw on the sidewalk outside. Watch it crash into pieces! Safety note: Be mindful that they do not hold the ice in their hands for too long.
Give your little one some clay, play-doh, slime, or something else that they can squish or break apart in their hands.
When they're calm enough, ask them why they're angry/upset/that feeling. They may not know, but be patient and help them arrive at an answer by asking open-ended questions. For example, "what were you doing when your anger/sadness/etc started?"
Define your child's feelings for them. They don't naturally know what each feeling is called when they're experiencing it. For example, if your child is upset because they cannot get their shoe on, you could say "I notice you're feeling angry because you cannot get your shoes on."
Define wrong choices your child makes when they're expressing their feelings. For example, "I notice that you're angry, and you hit your sister. Remember, hitting hurts. We do not hurt others. When we're angry, we keep our hands and feet to ourselves. Instead, let's take a deep breath and give your pillow a great big squeeze."
Depending on how your child is feeling, doing something silly can also be an effective option! Whether it is wearing underwear on your head, like in Todd Parr's book, or dancing to a favorite song, something silly can definitely help those upset feelings subside.
When you get angry, upset, or sad yourself, identifying those feelings for your child can help. If you hurt yourself and yell something out, that can frighten a child. Gently apologize and identify your feelings, "I am sorry I yelled. I stepped on something sharp, and I felt really upset because it hurt. I'm going to take a deep breath, because I know that will help me feel better." Being honest with your child about feelings like this is a great way to lead by example!
If you are looking for some other good books about feelings, and regaining feelings of calm, check these out:
When Sadness is at Your Door by Eva Eland
Breathing Makes it Better: A Book for Sad Days, Mad Days, Glad Days, and All the Feelings In-Between by Christopher Willard
A Kiss Means I Love You by Kathryn Madeline Allen
Under the Lilacs by E.B. Goodale
The Listening Walk by Paul
1-2-3 A Calmer Me by Colleen Patterson
Loving Kindness: Happy Feelings for Little Ones (Mindful Tots series) by Whitney Stewart
Sweep by Louise Greig
Danny and the Blue Cloud by James Foley
Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
One More Hug by Megan Alexander
How Do You Feel? by Lucy Rockwell
The "What To Do" series by Dawn Huebner
Thank You for Attending!
I hope you and your little one enjoyed our "Little People, Big Feelings" storytime today! I also hope that these suggestions help. I'm not an expert in child psychology, but I have worked with young children in libraries and the Montessori classroom for several years. I am giving these suggestions based on my own personal experiences working with children, and they may not work for everyone.
By the way, as I mentioned today, I am a huge fan of Mister Rogers, who was the king of feelings! His show is timeless, so look it up and take a watch with your little one if you're looking for something calming and uplifting to watch.
Please note: If you have serious concerns about your child's emotions and/or behaviors, you may consider speaking with a medical professional.
Winter Songs & Rhymes
Enjoy these free printable cards to sing at storytime, circle time, or at home with your children!
Winter Storytime Books
Here is a collection of winter books I've used in toddler storytimes.
And here are some winter books that I've used in storytimes for preschool-aged children. Some of the books above (for toddlers) I’ve also used interchangeably with preschool groups.
I Love Me! A Storytime all About Self-Confidence
Reading
I Love Me! by LaRonda Gardner Middlemiss (at the suggestion of my colleague Emily C., I have the children repeat the same refrain, "I Love Me!" and hug themselves as it repeats throughout the story)
No Two Alike by Keith Baker
Singing
We talked about all of the parts of us that we love, now let's sing a song about those parts, too! From our shoulders to our bellies, we love our whole selves. This is a song I made up called “I Love Myself All Over” because sometimes if you can’t find the perfect song for storytime, you just have to write it yourself.
I love myself all over
From my head to my toes
I love my little hands and my pointy elbows!
I love my little shoulders, and I love my tiny nose!
I love myself all over, and this is how it goes...1, 2, 3, 4
( repeat song from beginning)
Group Activity
At the start of storytime, I ask the grown-ups viewing with the children to ask their child "what is one thing you love about yourself?" I tell them, "If your child is having a hard time answering, you can model. For example, say, 'I love my eyes because they are green, and that is a fun color!' You can also tell your child something you love about them, such as, 'I love the way you sing! Your voice is my favorite sound!'"
Then, I have the parents type what their child said they love about themselves (could also be what you they loved, if child does not answer). At the end of storytime, I read them all aloud for everyone to hear!
Extension Activity
You have so many opportunities throughout the day to help your child boost their self-confidence. One way you can do this may be unexpected -- and that's through your child's artwork! Does you toddler ever bring you a picture they made (scribbles? unrecognizable marks? all the paint colors mixed together?), looking for your praise? Help your child build a growth mindset with these tips from Sunny Seed Co.:
1. Rather than saying "good job," make neutral observations and praise your child's effort.
Studies show that children who are praised for specific effort show more creativity and intrinsic motivation whereas hearing "good job" or "you're so smart" limits a child's effort, perseverance, creativity, and risk-taking. A child who constantly hears "good job" learns to seek approval and validation from others.
2. Ask your child to tell you what their picture is about! Here are some talking points:
- Make observations, such as, "I see you used a lot of blues and greens."
- Ask questions, instead of guessing, such as, "Can you tell me about this?" and "how did you make this part?"
- "Wow, I can tell you worked hard on this!" and "You were very focused!" both praise effort.