Baby Story Time - Bubble Play!

Let's talk about Bubble Play in Baby Story Time! 

Around the end of the summer, I did some research, invested in some bubbles, and dove in to bubble play during story time!  We pull them out about once every other month (sometimes more often) and they are just so much fun!

I posed a question about using bubbles in story time to the Storytime Underground group on Facebook (Are you in this group? Such a great resource!), and the overwhelming response was to use Gymboree's Bubble Oodles Bubble Blower.

I headed straight to our local Gymboree store and picked up this small set for about $6.00.

They are MAGICAL!! The blower makes these teeny tiny bubbles that float and hang in the air for the longest time.  When they finally land, they don't pop! We've found them resting on bookshelves hours after story time has finished!

There are only two negatives: you have to put your mouth to the blower, so A) it's harder to sing a song while blowing the bubbles, and B) you wouldn't want to share the blower with your fellow librarians! (We're close, but not THAT close!)

A story time mom also brought me in a Fubbles Bubbles Mini Bubble Blaster (a bubble fan) which she got from Target, on clearance for about 75 cents! The bubbles are a little bigger and don't last as long, but it's small and quiet, and you don't have to use your mouth, so it's a great alternative!

So you've got some bubbles, now what?

Bubbles go great with themes like "Bathtime" or "Playtime" or just any time you feel like using them!

I went to YouTube in search of bubble songs and what do you know? Gymboree to the rescue, once again! They use bubbles in their classes and have posted some of the songs they use - check them out here and here!

Here are a few easy ones:

(Tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It")
There are bubbles in the air, in the air. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles in the air, in the air. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles everywhere,
There are bubbles in the air, in the air. (blow, blow)

There are bubbles way up high, way up high. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way up high, way up high. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way up high, there are bubbles in the sky,
There are bubbles way up high, way up high. (blow, blow)

There are bubbles way down low, way down low. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way down low, way down low. (blow, blow)
There are bubbles way down low, there are bubbles on your toes,
There are bubbles way down low, way down low. (blow, blow)

(Tune of "Ten Little Indians")
One little, two little, three little bubbles,
Four little, five little, six little bubbles,
Seven little, eight little, nine little bubbles,
Ten little bubbles go POP! POP! POP!

You can also sing each child's name, blowing bubbles at them. Hint: Try to blow them just over the children's heads, not right into their faces!
(Tune of "Frere Jacques")
Bubbles for ______, bubbles for ______
Bubbles for ______, bubbles for ______
(just continue with the tune until you've done each child, ad lib to finish the tune)

You can also just have music playing while you blow bubbles. I recently used them with the first two songs on Hap Palmer's cd More Babysongs - "Rub-a-dub" and "My Baby." The music really complemented the gentle play, and allowed me the freedom to play with the babies and bubbles, rather than trying to juggle blowing bubbles and singing at the same time!

 

Maybe it's time you try bubbles in your baby or toddler story times! They are fun, inexpensive, and easy, and add an extra special touch to your program.  Give it a try, and let me know what works well for you and your babies!

Baby Story Time - Bathtime!

Rub-a-dub-dub, babies love the tub!

OPENING SONG: "The Hello Song" *

GREETING SONG: "Hello" (Name Song) *

WAKE-UP RHYME: "Bubbles, Bubbles" ("Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" chant)
Bubbles, bubbles all around.
     (roll baby's arms)
Bubbles, bubbles on the ground.
     (lower baby to ground)
Bubbles, bubbles on my nose.
     (touch nose)
Bubbles, bubbles on my toes.
     (touch toes)
Bubbles, bubbles in my hair.
     (touch hair)
Bubbles, bubbles everywhere!
     (reach arms out)

1st Book: Tubby by Leslie Patricelli

"I'm naked! Wheee!!" What's not to love about this cute board book?

 

Action Song: Tiny Tim (from Dr. Jean Sings Silly Songs)

I learned this funny song from an early childhood teacher.  Just mime the actions in the song.

Sing it to the tune of "We're Going to Kentucky."

 

I had a little turtle, his name was Tiny Tim.

I put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim.

He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap.
And now he's sick in bed with a bubble in his throat!

POP!

     (clap!)

 



Lap Bounce Song: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" (from cd "Songs for Wiggleworms")
This song is so PERFECT to do with a baby in your lap! Get your hands on this cd if you don't already have it!

Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

2) Twist, twist, twist your boat...
3) Bounce, bounce, bounce your boat...
4) Sway, sway, sway your boat...
5) Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your boat...
6) Tickle, tickle, tickle your boat...

2nd Book: Barnyard Bath! by Sandra Boynton

This is actually a water-proof book, made for the tub! We got out our washcloths (scarves) and followed the directions!

 

Since we had our scarves out, we did some more fun scarf activities:

 

Action Song: "This is the Way" (tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush")

This is the way we wash our arms,

Wash our arms, wash our arms.

This is the way we wash our arms

When we're in the bathtub!

 

Keep scrubbing different body parts - try tummies, toes, nose, and hair!

 

Next we did some free play with the scarves.  A natural thing to do is play peekaboo! Since the scarves are see-through, this is a non-scary and gentle game for babies to play with their caregivers. Very sweet!

 

3rd Book: Noisy Peekaboo! Splash! Splash! by Dawn Sirett (from DK)

This is one of those books you can't really read aloud to a group, but the noises are too fun to resist. We just lifted the flaps and heard what each animal had to say.

 

 

CLOSING SONG: "If You're Happy and You Know It" *

GOODBYE SONG: "Babies, Bye-Bye" *

CLOSING RHYME: "Thank You" *



*Check out my Baby Story Time page for the words to all of my weekly songs and rhymes.

 

This was a very fun story time! Check out my next post to see how to incorporate BUBBLES into your next baby story time.  They go great with the "Bathtime" theme!