Recommended Books

Where Are You Going, Maisy? by Lucy Cousins.  Candlewick, 2003.

Maisy the mouse is out and about!  In a series of large lift-the-flap pages, readers must put the clues together to figure out the places she is visiting in her neighborhood.

The Sounds Around Town by Maria Carluccio.  Barefoot Books, 2011

Baby enjoys a stroller-ride through town with his mommy, listening to the sounds of the city, from morning birdsong to an afternoon café to evening traffic.

Flannelboard

Five Little Trucks

(to the tune of “5 Little Ducks”)

5 little trucks drove out one day,

Over the hills and far away.

Mama Truck said, “Beep, beep, beep!”

4 little trucks came home to sleep.

4 little trucks…

3 little trucks…

2 little trucks…

1 little truck…

Mama Truck said, “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!”

5 little trucks came home to sleep!

Click here for a printable flannelboard pattern.  

It’s easy to add American Sign Language to this song!  Click here to learn how in this video tutorial with Kathy MacMillan.

Rhymes, Songs, and Bounces

Bounce: A Smooth Road

(adapted traditional)

A smooth road, A smooth road.

A rough road, A rough road.

A bumpy road, A bumpy road.

An icy road, An icy road.

Oh no, there’s a…HOLE. (drop baby gently through legs)

Bounce: Trot, Trot

(adapted traditional)

Trot, trot upon a horse,

To the library we’ll go.

We’ll open books

and read just so.

“Sammy” from Getting to Know Myself by Hap Palmer (CD).  Educational Activities, 1994.

Sammy imagines that he is a bird, a fish, a bug, and a bunny as he explores different ways to move on his way to the store.  Adapt this movement song for babies by introduces animal puppets before the song and encouraging parents to move their babies in ways that mimic the animals:

• Bird: hold babies in the air
• Fish: Rock baby while making fish faces
• Bug: Let older babies crawl; put younger babies on their backs and move their legs back and forth
• Bunny: Bounce baby in lap
• Me: Cuddle!