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!

Imagination Station - Let's Play "Post Office!"

 

Our most popular Imagination Station thus far has been, hands-down, our Post Office! Let's take a look at some of our activities:

 

The Post Office (puppet theatre):



 

The Mail Bag and Envelopes:

Made of felt, obviously!

Do you recognize these from a Preschool Story Time post? We didn't want to ruin Miss Sue's set, so we made a second mail bag and envelopes to be played with.

 

Postcards and Stamps:

Although kids loved this activity, it did, unfortunately mean a lot of paper waste.

Don't forget to mail your postcards in the Mail Box!:

A hidden flap in the bottom so we could retrieve the mail! Miss Kristie's creation!

 

And who wouldn't want to drive the Mail Truck??:



Duct tape straps made this so easy to slip on and "drive" around!
(This truck has since been recycled into a school bus!)

Miscellaneous:

We had foam visors, which once said "Mail" in foam letters, but they kept falling off!
Miss Kristie also made those little mail boxes, which we placed around the room.  That way kids could deliver the mail around the neighborhood!

 

This was probably our messiest Imagination Station so far, because we were constantly cleaning up the papers and stamps, emptying the envelopes, rounding up all of the pieces and straightening up.  But it was also the most fun! Kids really enjoyed driving the truck, wearing the visors and mail bag, and leaving us mail in the big mail box!

 

Looking back, it's clear that children were able to practice at least four of the ECRR2 practices:

Reading - "mail" related books were on display

Writing - they wrote on postcards

Talking - that puppet theatre got A LOT of use

Playing - just look at all of these cool things to play with!

 

Feel free to borrow any of these ideas - we borrowed some of them, ourselves! And share with us any great ideas you've had for imaginative play!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Imagination Station! Let's Play "Library"!

Back in the spring, Miss Kristie and I attended a workshop about pretend play in the library, and we were inspired to create an Imagination Station in our own branch!

We worked hard to get it set up for the beginning of the summer reading program, and our theme for the month of June was "Let's play 'Library'!"  Miss Kristie made some super cute and eye-catching sign out of felt!

We commandeered a table in the children's area for our library "desk" and made a pretend computer out of a cardboard box. Our IT guys were kind enough to send us a box of old tech equipment, such as a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard, and we had a broken scanner that I cut the wire off of and covered the end in duct tape.

Every librarian needs a pair of glasses, obviously.

I made a sign for the kids, with ideas of what they could do at the 'library,' such as sort and check out books, make a library card, and recommend books for others.  I also made a sign for the parents, discussing why pretend play is so critical for developing young minds, and how it helps their emotional and social development.

Miss Kristie found these great pretend book spines from Deceptively Educational, which we printed off, laminated, and added call numbers and author's names. Our idea was that children could practice putting them in order, but these are often the books that they 'scan' and 'check out'!

Kristie also made some pretend library cards. They are just printed on cardstock so kids can take them or leave them.  We have some crayons and pencils sitting out so they can practice writing their names.

These are slips for book recommendations that children can leave in their favorite books.  Mostly, they just like to write their names on them. :o)

Here is our supervisor, Miss Ann, having some fun playing with some kids :o)

And this sweet girl is working hard on the computer!

People were a little hesitant at first, but the Imagination Station has really taken off! It has been wonderful to see children playing and pretending, especially when the adults join in! This is something we are eager to keep doing, and we're just about ready to change it out for the month of July.  Next month's play station will be a Veterinarian's office! Check back for details!