Fun Food Rhymes

Jelly in the Bowl

Start with your baby on your lap. This is best to do with babies who can sit independently. As always, be careful and gentle when bouncing with your baby. Listen to your baby's cue - she will let you know if it's too much action! Wobblers and toddlers may also enjoy this one!

Jelly in the bowl, Rock baby back and forth.
Jelly in the bowl,
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble Gently wiggle baby's arms.
Jelly in the bowl. Rock baby back and forth.

Cookies in the tin Gently bounce baby on your lap.
Cookies in the tin.
Shake them up, shake them up
Cookies in the tin.

Baby on the floor, Gently bounce baby on your lap.
Baby on the floor.
Pick him (her) up, pick him (her) up Lift baby up high.
Baby on the floor. Lower baby to the floor.


Pizza Pickle Pumpernickle

Pizza, pickle, pumpernickel,
My little girl shall have a tickle.
One for here nose, one for here toes
And one for her tummy where the cracker goes!


Popcorn Rhyme

(bounce baby on knees)*
Popcorn, popcorn,
Sizzling in the pan.
Shake it up, shake it up,
Bam, bam, bam!

Popcorn, popcorn,
Now it’s getting hot,
Shake it up, shake it up,
Pop, pop, pop! lift baby up with each "pop"

*toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy acting this one out themselves. They can shake their bodies and stomp their feet for "bam, bam, bam!" Jump up in the air for "pop, pop, pop!"

No Infant Storytime on Wednesday 4/29

The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, April 29th for a staff in-service day. We will miss seeing, singing with, and reading to all of the babies at Infant Storytime, but look forward to our next storytime together on May 6th at 10:00 a.m. at the Corvallis Main Library.

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy sharing songs, rhymes, bounces, and books at home and on-the-go with your little one!

Children's Day / Book Day = El día de los niños / El dia de los libros

Join us at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library on Thursday for this family celebration!

Thursday, April 30 / el 30 de abril, jueves

Bring your family to enjoy these events:

10 am Special Preschool Storytime presented bilingually by Lincoln School students and Youth Services Librarian, Ruth Rose Hennessey

3:30 pm EastWest Dance Celebration performance with Corvallis Children's Chinese Dance Group

7 pm Nuestro Canto presents their dramatizations of Mexican legends

Brought to you by the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. All programs are free.

For more information, please call Youth Services: (541) 766-6794.

Pick of the Week: Please, Puppy, Please

Please, Puppy, Please by Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee, with illustrations by Kadir Nelson (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005)

Two toddlers delight in the wonder of their new puppy, who is adorable, energetic and undisciplined, as puppies are! Simple rhymes that ring true about life with a new dog will delight young listeners. The large, full-of-life illustrations of Kadir Nelson really bring out the exuberant personality of the puppy and aptly depict the pleas from the young children to please listen and behave! Adults with experience trying to reign-in a new puppy will also enjoy this one. Young dog lovers will want to have this one read again and again.

Pick of the Week: Best Bear

Who can resist a story about a small boy and his very best bear at bedtime? "Old bear, many mends. We are still best friends." Emma Dodd (author/illustrator of picture books such as Dog's Colorful Day: a messy story about colors and counting, Dog's ABC: a silly story about the alphabet, and No Matter What) brings readers a new picture that makes a good read at bedtime. Share this one with your toddler or preschooler who is a fan of bears!

Best Bear by Emma Dodd (Good Books, 2008)

Child Care Resource & Referral

Recently at the library I helped a patron who was looking for child care. While the library cannot recommend a specific child care provider or opportunity, we can direct patrons to a local resource at Linn-Benton Community College: Family Connections. The Family Connections department offers a Child Care Resource & Referral service, as well as guides to help parents determine what to look for in a child care setting. Family Connections also offers parenting education. Additionally, Linn-Benton Community College provides resources, support, and education for child care providers in Linn and Benton counties. To find out more, check out the Family Connections website. To access the Parent Advice Line, call (541)917-4899 or 1(800)845-1363.

Storytime Plus: Upcoming schedule

Join us for Storytime Plus!

Continue the storytime fun and explore how you can enhance your little ones' readiness to learn by developing their early literacy (pre-reading) skills. Each Storytime Plus will be tailored that that particular day's storytime age group. We will continue in the Storytime Room for 30-45 minutes after storytime wraps up. No registration is required.

Schedule:
May 8 - Wobbler Storytime - Topic: Book Sharing
June 3 - Infant Storytime - Topic: Summertime Fun With Books
June 9 - Toddler Storytime - Topic: Summertime Fun With Books

For more information, contact the Youth Services Department at (541) 766-6794.

Your Feedback is Needed: New Online Resources

We need your feedback! The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library is in the process of reviewing our online database offerings. New products under consideration include access to the encyclopedia Britannica Online, language-learning products like Mango, and several others. For a a link to all of the products under consideration, see this list here. I've highlighted a youth-oriented online resource (BookFlix) below.

Please try out some of the online products we are considering for our website.
Please click on the following link to give us your feedback.

Feedback Form

BookFlix
A new online literacy resource that pairs fiction and nonfiction to build a love of reading and learning in all children!

Username: bookflix
Password: library

Music Pick: Catch the Moon (Loeb/Mitchell)

Catch the Moon - Lisa Loeb & Elizabeth Mitchell (Sheridan Square, 2007)

This is my pick of the week. Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell have combined their talents here to give young listeners a sampling of gorgeous renditions of classic folk songs for children. From "Big Rock Candy Mountain" to "Fais Do Do", this album contains delightful music for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers that even adults will appreciate. This is one CD I wish I'd had when my own child was a newborn. To check the catalog for this CD or place a hold, click on the image above. To get a feel for the album, watch the video clip below from YouTube:

Let's Play!

I am very interested in the subject of play and am always keeping an eye out for new books on this subject. So my interest was piqued when I saw this book at the library:

Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown, M.D. with Christopher Vaughan (Avery, 2009).

I haven't had a chance to check this book out yet, but Publisher's Weekly gave it a starred review, writing, "This close psycho- and sociological examination will yield insights for parents and educators, adults who have a hard time opening up, and anyone else curious about the everyday games people play.

George Bernard Shaw once said, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

Here is a small selection of books you can find at the library to inspire you on the subject of play:

Be the Coolest Dad on the Block: all of the tricks, games, puzzles, and jokes you need to impress your kids (and keep them entertained for years to come!) by Steve Caplin and Simon Rose (Broadway Books, 2006)

Jokes, tricks, puzzles, games and more to bring out your "cool dad" self.






Backyards for Kids by Ziba Kashef and the editors of Sunset Books (Sunset, 2008)

Maybe your idea of play takes you outdoors and into sandboxes, play houses, climbing structures and more. If you're handy and looking for a project, maybe you'll find inspiration for your family here.






A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity and Free Time Create a Successful Child by Rae Pica (Marlowe & Company, 2006)

Contents include Keeping it real : how kids really learn -- Ready or not, here come organized sports -- Helping your child master movement -- The real standards for "smart" -- Does your child play enough at school? -- Finding the right organized activity program -- You've gotta have heart : why compassion matters more -- Than competition -- Finding creatures in the clouds : the value of downtime -- Getting back on track : family first.


Child's Play: Montessori Games and Activities for Your Baby and Toddler by Maja Pitamic (Barrons Educational Series, 2009)

Contains more than 60 activities to help parents enjoy, encourage, and assist in their child's key developmental stages. The emphasis is on fun and play as your child begins to explore the surrounding world. Divided into six chapters, the book explores the development of the senses, coordination, art, movement, language, and nature. The activities are simple to set up and follow, and they require no specialized knowledge or materials. Templates that relate to the activities can be found at the back of the book. --Page 2 of cover.


The Playskool Toddler's Busy Play Book: 500 activities for any situation - sick days, play dates, holiday cheer, indoors, outdoors, and educational play by Robin McClure (Sourcebooks, 2007)

Contents include: Seasonal celebrations -- Holiday fun -- Indoor activities -- Outdoor adventures -- Toddlers on the go -- Family fun -- Parents' night out -- Special events -- Calm and quiet -- Memorable play dates -- Smart zone -- The sickies. There's a baby version too.



The Practical Guide to Weekend Parenting by Doug Hewitt (Hatherleigh Press, 2006)

Maybe you are co-parenting and your time for play is limited or part-time. Here's a guide for you. You can find fun ideas to inspire your quality time together as a family.






Mister Rogers' Play Time: encourage your child to create, explore, and pretend with dozens of easy-to-do activities by Fred Rogers (Running Press, 2001)

More than 80 entertaining games and creative activities for parents and caregivers of children from the beloved, sweater-wearing childhood expert and the creator of the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.





The Everything Toddler Activities Book: Games and Projects that Entertain and Education by Joni Levine, M. Ed. (Adams Media, 2006)

Contents include: All about toddlers -- Activities throughout the day -- What to do on a rainy day -- Away from home -- Art and exploration -- Sensory activities -- At a table or on your lap -- Dance and movement -- Let's pretend -- Games -- Songs and music activities -- Backyard and nature activities -- Literacy activities -- All about me -- Building social and emotional skills -- Exploring themes -- Exploring concepts -- Seasonal activities -- Holiday activities -- Party time.


Your Child at Play: One to Two Years: Exploring, Learning, Making Friends and Pretending by Marilyn Segal, Ph.D. (Newmarket Press, 1998)

Hundreds of creative play activities for the toddler, ideas for encouraging creativity and language skills; strategies for toilet training, dressing, going out in public, controlling temper tantrums, and much more. Check out others in this series for a variety of ages.



Super Granny: Great Stuff to Do With Your Grandkids by Sally Wendkos Olds (Sterling, 2009)

Infancy to age three -- The preschool years (3 to 6) -- The school years (6 to 11) -- Adolescence (12 to 18).







The Preschooler's Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities to Keep Your 3- to 6-Year-Old Busy by Trish Kuffner (Simon & Schuster, 1998)

Ideas for every day of the year to keep your young child busy, happy, exploring, creating, learning and having fun!





"Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold." -Joseph Chilton Pearce

Or, another way of looking at it, according to Confucius, is: "It's better to play than do nothing." :)

Pick of the Week: No Babysitters Allowed!

No Babysitters Allowed by Amber Stewart, with illustrations by Laura Rankin (Bloomsbury/MacMillan, 2008)

When it comes to things like bugs, Bandaids, and going down the slide at the park, Hopscotch is a very brave bunny. But when his parents go out for the evening and leave him in the care of the babysitter, Mrs. Honeybunch, Hopscotch is not feeling so brave after all. In fact, he is so worried that he develops a tummy ache. After his parents reluctantly leave, Hopscotch builds a fort under a table where "no babysitters [are] allowed!" But kind Mrs. Honeybunch knows just what to do to turn the evening around and Hopscotch learns that he can be brave (and have fun!) while his parents are out. In fact, he might just look forward to the next time Mrs. Honeybunch comes over! This is a good one to share with children who are still uneasy about having a babysitter.

Kids & Summer Workshop

"Kids and Summer" - May 9 Workshop and Resource Fair

"Kids and Summer," a free workshop and resource fair for parents, will be held Saturday, May 9 at both the Corvallis and Albany public libraries. The Corvallis event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon, and the Albany event (at the new library) from 1 to 3 p.m.

The workshop, "Keeping Kids Active & Learning This Summer," will feature guest speaker DaNette Wernette, who will share fun ways to integrate learning and play into everyday routines and how to foster social skills through play. Whether preschool or elementary age, these fun techniques help kids retain and build upon the abilities they've developed during the school year.

To help parents plan for summer, the event will include resource booths featuring local organizations that provide summer activities, camps and education. Child care will be provided free for the first 20 children on a first come, first served basis.

Ms. Wernette has been a professional parent trainer since 2001 and is passionate about promoting child learning and emotional well-being. She says, "I believe play is a multi-purpose parenting tool." DaNette leads parenting classes for LBCC, is a program manager and volunteer supervisor at CASA Voices for Children, and is a local parent.

This first event introduces a new series called Growing Families Together sponsored by a wide range of organizations, including LBCC's Parenting Education department, both Albany and Corvallis Parks and Recreation departments, both Albany and Corvallis public libraries, Samaritan Health Services and OSU Extension.

Monday's Music Pick

Moving Rhymes for Modern Times - Jim Gill (c. 2005, Jim Gill Music)

Need some musical inspiration for getting children moving and singing this week? Moving Rhymes for Modern Times offers a variety of catchy tunes for dancing, clapping, jumping, and moving together. Jim Gill's music has received recognition from the American Library Association and the Parents Choice Foundation. Visit here to listen to music clips from Moving Rhymes for Modern Times. The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library offers a diverse selection of music for children in the Juvenile CD collection. The library collects popular songs for children, movie soundtracks, lullabies, folk music, classical music, world music, holiday music, patriotic music, and much more. Need a recommendation? The Youth Services Librarians are happy to help! Contact us by phone (541.766.6794), email YouthServices@ci.corvallis.or.us, visit us on Facebook, or stop by in person!

All About Babies!

The wonderful thing about working with babies is that everything is new and wonderful to them. They are little scientists - making new discoveries everyday, trying new things, experimenting, and learning is joyful! Stop by Infant Storytime at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library on a Wednesday morning and you'll see a great, diverse group of babies all gathered with their caregivers and discovering language, songs, books and each other! It's so much fun, especially when we come to the part of our program where we're up and moving around the room with the little ones. Each baby has a chance to see and "meet" another little one. The delight in their eyes is evident when they've made that connection, as if to say, "Hey! You're a baby like me, too!"

Parents of babies also quickly find that many times their child's favorite first book is a board book full of baby faces, like those found in Margaret Miller's Baby Faces board book series. The board book shown here is by David Salariya and is aptly titled All About Me! A Baby's Guide to Babies (Random House, 2008). You can find this selection, as well as Margaret Miller's board books in the library's board book collection.

For more information, see this resource on simple ways you can help boost your baby's brain development through love and play from Oregon's Child: Everyone's Business.

Pick of the Week: Word Builder

Word Builder by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009)

Lovers of words and construction will be delighted to see the two concepts united in Word Builder by Ann Whitford Paul. This construction project begins with taking twenty-six letters and building words. From words we build sentences, add punctuation, then more sentences...and we frame those sentences into paragraphs, adding more and more...and eventually we have constructed "a whole world of book." This would be a great picture book to use for discussing print awareness and prompting a writing project for early elementary-aged students. Younger children may just love it simply for the large-format, bold illustrations of construction. Share this with a young child and maybe along the way you'll be building (pun-intended) a future writer!