Virtual Storytime Spotlight: B is for Bedtime

Sing: Hello, Hello*

Welcome

During my welcome and pre-storytime announcements, I asked the grown-ups to find a substitute scarf for their child and stay nearby throughout storytime to help type answers in the chat box. I also thanked them profusely for making reading a part of their bedtime routine, because…

Lit Tip: Reading Routines & Print Motivation

Reading together at bedtime is a great way to help your little one build print motivation. The more positive memories your child has of cuddling close and reading with you NOW, the more motivated they will be to learn how to read on their own LATER!

Sing: If You’re Ready for a Story…*

Read: Friday Night Wrestle Fest by J.F. Fox

My new favorite bedtime storytime book! I absolutely adore the loving, diverse family and the bright illustrations. Most of all, I love the bold, punchy text that just BEGS to be read aloud. The narrative really encourages caregivers to get into it and be animated!

I took the frequent opportunity the text presented to sneak in another early literacy tip: “Look at these BIG words! When words are BIG like this, that means the author wants us to read the words in a loud voice. Can you help me say LET’S GET READY TO WRESTLE in a big, loud voice?”

Lit Tip: Building Print Awareness by Pointing Out Words

Grown-ups, I love books with big, bold words like this because they help your little one build print awareness. When you point out words like this while reading, you help your child understand how words work – that the squiggles they see on the page have meaning. This print awareness is an important first step on the road to reading!

Turn/Talk/Type: How do you get ready for bed?

“The Tag Team Twins got ready for bed with a wrestle fest. How do you get ready for bed?”

My storytime friends had lots of suggestions: singing songs, reading books, taking a bath…

Sing: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (x3)

Speaking of baths, we grabbed those substitute scarves and washed off from head to toe!

Sing: Brush Your Teeth, Doo Doo…

“Oh no! We forgot to brush our teeth! We can’t go to bed without brushing our teeth!”

Tune: Baby Shark

Brush your teeth, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.

Brush your teeth, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.

Brush your teeth, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.

Brush your teeth!

Repeat:

Round and round…

Top and bottom…

Front and back…

One more time…

Now we’re done…

CREDIT: PIGGYBACK

Read: Hip Hop Lollipop by Susan McElroy Montanari

Next we read a boppin’ book with great rhythm and vocabulary! Lolli just can’t stop moving. She even gets ready for bed by dancing to a beat!

Sing: Sleeping Bunnies by Kathy Reid-Naiman (x3)

Speaking of hopping and bopping around…

Turn/Talk/Type: Animal Suggestions

We sang this song a few times through. I asked the kids for suggestions in the chat box for additional verses. We were also Sleeping Lions and Sleeping Bears!

Read: Silly Lullaby by Sandra Boynton

And speaking of lullabies…

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star / ¿Estrellita, Donde Estas?

Sing: Our Storytime is Over, Wave Goodbye*

Share: Stuffed Animal Show and Tell

At the end of storytime, we turned cameras on and I invited everyone to introduce their stuffed animal on screen. I also encouraged families to extend the experience and explore the Publisher Activity Guide for Friday Night Wrestle Fest and dropped the link into the chat box: https://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/activity-guides/9781250212405AG.pdf

---

*Please visit this page to learn more about my regular storytime songs and routines.

Bedtime is one of my favorite storytime themes to pair with a Print Motivation early literacy message! What are some of your favorite theme/message combos? Would love to learn more in the comments below!