Time to Eat—Yum! Yum!

Presenter Tip Sheet

About This Storytime • Pat-a-Cake, by Annie Kubler (Child’s Play International, 2012)
• Strawberries Are Red, by Petr Horacek (Candlewick, 2001)
There are so many foods in the world to discover, and
babies and toddlers are just beginning their exploration. This • Tickle Tum! by Nancy Van Laan (Aladdin, 2005)
storytime builds vocabulary related to the things we eat and
drink—the names of foods as well as their flavors, textures, • The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Finger Puppet Book, by Eric Carle
and colors. It also introduces several traditional rhymes. (Grosset & Dunlap, 2011)
• What Can I Taste? by Annie Kubler (Child’s Play International,
Books 2011)
• Yummy Yucky, by Leslie Patricelli (Candlewick, 2003)
For books to share in this storytime, pick three from the list
below, or choose other board books or picture books in your
collection that reflect the theme and are developmentally Songs
appropriate for babies and young toddlers. Always share your
longest book first. For your second, choose a participatory This storytime includes five songs. The same opening and
book that engages the child or both the caregiver and child. closing songs should be used each week if you are holding a
For the third and last story, share a book told through the series of storytime programs. Always provide movements or
use of a flannel board or magnetic board, or use a prop or motions to accompany each song, but keep these simple, such
other visual. The examples provided in the storytime program as the caregiver rocking the baby back and forth, bouncing the
fit these guidelines. If most children are restless and you feel baby in time to the music, or clapping the baby’s hands. Using
the program is too long for that day, skip the last story and recorded music during the storytime is fine, although it’s best
concentrate on the rhymes and songs. to sing the songs with a live voice, or sing along with simple
recordings, so that very young children can hear the words and
Book Suggestions: the sounds making up each word. Recorded music is often sung
too fast for this purpose. For your reference or to play during
• The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss (HarperCollins, 2004) storytime, The Very Ready Reading Program includes a CD of
songs recorded at an appropriate tempo. Track numbers for
• Crunch Munch, by Jonathan London (Harcourt, 2001)
each recording are provided in the songlist below and on the
• Eat! (Babyfaces), by Roberta Grobel Intrater (Scholastic storytime program card.
Cartwheel, 2002)
• I Like Fruit, by Lorena Siminovich (Templar, 2010)
Songs for This Storytime:
• Opening Song: “If You’re Happy to Be Here” (sung to the
• I Like Vegetables, by Lorena Siminovich (Templar, 2011)
tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”) 22 23
• I’m a Little Teapot, by Annie Kubler (Child’s Play International,
• “Apple Tree” (sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
2007)
Star”) 2
• Jamberry, by Bruce Degen (HarperCollins, 1983)
• “Pease Porridge Hot” 36
• Lunch, by Denise Fleming (Henry Holt, 1992)
• “Do You Know the Muffin Man?” 11
• My Food, by Rebecca Emberley (Little, Brown, 2002)
• Closing Song: “The More We Get Together” 28 29
• My Very First Book of Food, by Eric Carle (Philomel, 2007)
• Noodle Loves to Eat, by Marion Billet (Nosy Crow/Candlewick, Rhymes
2011)
This storytime includes three rhymes, with movements to
• Now I Eat My A B C’s, by Pam Abrams (Cartwheel, 2004) accompany them. Caregivers perform the movements with the
• Orange Pear Apple Bear, by Emily Gravett (Simon & Schuster, child, depending on the child’s ability. For babies, the caregiver
2007) can move the child’s hands, fingers, and body, or otherwise help
 Presenter Tip Sheet for Time to Eat—Yum! Yum!

the baby execute the movements. Young toddlers may be Activity Suggestions:
able to do the movements themselves, or may need a little
help. Keep in mind that children up to 24 months of age Rolling Pin Fun. Talk about the phrase “pat-a-cake,” and
have not developed fine motor skills to the same degree as recite the rhyme with families. Give children play dough that is
older toddlers and preschoolers; open and close motions are safe for babies (many recipes are available on the Internet), and
better than, say, putting one finger down at a time. The Very let them “roll it and pat it and mark it.” Caregivers can mark it
Ready Reading Program storytimes include different types of with a B—or the first letter of baby’s name.
movement rhymes for variety, such as bounce/lift, finger/hand, Artful Eats. Mix baby cereal or baby oatmeal with water
and toe/foot rhymes. (around three tablespoons to one half cup of cereal), or use
strained food from baby food jars. Place a blob of the food on
Rhymes for This Storytime: a clean paper plate or piece of colored construction paper for
each child. Encourage them to touch and taste the cereal, while
• “Pudding on the Plate” (bounce/lift)
spreading it and creating a picture. This is a wonderful sensory
• “Pat-a-Cake” (finger/hand) activity.

• “Hot Cross Buns” (finger/hand) Fruit or Vegetable Puzzles. Use an Ellison die-cut or
AccuCut machine, and cut out large colorful pieces of fruits or
vegetables, such as apples, pears, and oranges. Laminate them
Activities (or cover with contact paper). Cut each fruit or vegetable into
two or three large pieces, and give each family a set of puzzles
This storytime includes an optional theme-related activity, to assemble on the floor. Adults can talk about the type of fruit
to be completed after the closing song. Below are three to or vegetable, the color, what it tastes like, and so forth. Then
choose from, including at least one that is suitable for the the family can take the puzzle home to use.
youngest babies. The activity you choose might depend on
the size or predominant age of your audience, the amount of
time you have to prepare, your space or environment, and the Early Literacy Tips
materials needed. The activities are designed with safety and
the very limited attention spans of babies and young toddlers Promote the 7 Days • 7 Ways principles with parents and
in mind. However, always keep in mind and remind caregivers: caregivers by emphasizing the three early literacy tips found in
Any time an activity involves materials such as paint, the yellow boxes in the storytime program.
sand, string, or small pieces, close adult supervision is
required. Although each activity has a learning aspect, the
emphasis should be on fun!