The Bubble Express

Forget planes, trains, and automobiles.  The most environmentally friendly mode of transportation is a bubble, of course.  No ticket required - just a good imagination.  I've used this activity in storytime with splendid results (and I even  forgot the words to the song.  Yes, a song that I made up.  Kids are so forgiving).  

1.  Ask the kids to think of the one place they'd like to be at this moment - and anywhere is fair game.  Grandma's house, Hawaii, Jupiter, the toy store...it's wherever they want to be.  Tell them to keep that place in their head, because that's exactly where they're going.

2.  Ask your audience to stand up.  Now take out your bottle of magic (and pretend) bubbles.  Slowly pull out the pretend wand (careful not to drip!) and very slowly blow the biggest bubble you can.

3.  Got a big bubble?  Good!  Now slowly...sloooowly....crawl inside (you can demonstrate by keeping your hands held out as if you were in a bubble...remember, we're using our imaginations here, and some kids will naturally latch onto the idea while others may need a little encouragement.  A leader who is a great pretender can make this work.).

4.  Time to get this bubble off the ground!  With faces pointed skyward, take a deep breath and BLOW!

5.  Got your bubble up in the air?  Great!  Time to go to our destination.  Explain to the kiddos that when you say their name, they can call out where they would like to visit.  When the bubble pops, they clap their hands and fall to the ground and land...you got it!...exactly where they want to be.  

The song (to the tune of "I'm A Little Teapot"):

Flying in a bubble way up high

Higher than the birds and the clouds in the sky

If you see (child's name), she won't stop

'Till she/he gets to (destination) and her/his bubble goes POP!

Little White Rain Cloud

Winnie-the-Pooh isn't the only one who can create rain clouds out of sheer imagination.  During bath time or playing in the pool, saturate a washcloth with water (it doesn't have to be white).   While it's slightly balled up in your hand, hover it above your child and sing this rhyme to the tune of "Sing a Song of Sixpence." When cued to do so in the song, squeeze out the water and let the "rain" fall.  The forecast?  One hundred percent chance of giggles. 

Little white rain cloud high in the air.

Little white rain cloud here and there.

Little white rain cloud right over me,

Tickling my (arm, leg, belly, back, etc.) as gentle as can be.  

Hush, Little Baby

The picture you see is from last year's Christmas card.  The greeting read, "May you sleep in heavenly peace this season."  My daughter is going on two and half years old, and sadly, I have experienced only one silent night in that span of time.  

As you can imagine, bedtime in our house is not just a phase of day, it is an event.  After receiving mounds of advice (mostly unsolicited), and reading books, articles, and websites on the subject, I have found only one thing that soothes Clara's spunk: music.  

Typically, my voice is all she needs to calm down, but there are some nights I'm just too wiped out to sing every single verse of "Rainbow Connection."  Luckily, while I was pregnant with her, I created a "sleepytime" playlist that included the following songs (I must have anticipated a high-energy child).  It really does work.  In fact, when I play it today, she makes a face and starts whining because she knows what my motives are.  

1. Midnight Lullaby - Tom Waits, Closing Time
   
2. All the Pretty Horses - Laurie Berkner, Whaddaya Think of That?
   
3. Annie's Song - John Denver, The Essential John Denver
   
4. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Harry Nilsson, You've Got Mail soundtrack
   
5. Rainbow Connection - Sarah MacLaclan, For the Kids
   
6. In Your Dreams - Barenaked Ladies, Stunt
   
7. When the River Meets the Sea - John Denver and the Muppets, A Christmas Together
   
8. I Don't Want to Live on the Moon - Ernie, Sesame Street's Platinum Album
   
9. Butterfly - Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell, Catch the Moon
   
10. Baby Mine - from Disney's Dumbo
    
11. La La Lu - from Disney's Lady and the Tramp
    
12. My Mom - Tony Bennett, The Playground
    
13. Russian Lullaby - Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook
    
14. All Through the Night - Shawn Colvin, Holiday Songs and Lullabies
    
15. Goodnight My Someone - Jessica Molaskey, Make Believe 
    
16. Stay Awake - Julie Andrews, from Mary Poppins soundtrack
    
17. Baby Mine - Bette Midler, from Beaches soundtrack
    
18. Fais Do Do - Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell, Catch the Moon
    
19. Birds and Ships - Natalie Merchant w/Billy Bragg and Wilco, Mermaid Avenue 
    
20. Slumber My Darling - Allison Krause, Heartland
    
21. Appalachia Waltz - Edger Meyer, Heartland
    
22. Braham's Lullaby

A Hot Spot for Stories

This summer, I had the great privilege of holding storytimes at The Hot Spot Coffee House in Johnstown, Ohio.  With suitcase in hand and Tiptoe Mouse leaving "clues" to our next destination, we took trips to the beach, the city, our own backyards, the jungle, and my personal favorite, wherever our imaginations took us.  I'm not sure who had more fun - me, or the kids.  

Thanks to the moms and dads who gave donations during our storytime journey.   The money collected went to the purchase of three books: To the Beach by Thomas Docherty, Birds by Kevin Henkes, and If I Were a Jungle Animal by Amanda Ellery.  These titles will be added to the picture book collection at the Mary E. Babcock library for the delight and enjoyment of all children in Johnstown and the surrounding community. 

And many, many thanks to Cille at the Hot Spot for allowing us use of her back room for all of the singing, stomping, clapping, dancing, and general craziness that goes on during storytime. 

Tiptoe Time will return to the Hot Spot at 10:00 a.m. on the first and third Fridays of every month, starting in September.  As always, donations are gladly accepted and will be used for the purchase of library books.