For over 20 years the children of San Antonio have been calling in to Dial-A-Story to hear a children's story. The children's librarians record new stories every Tuesday and Friday, one in English and one in Spanish.
Just call 210.207.4466 to listen!
Two little hands, ten little fingers,
Two little hands, ten little fingers,
Two little hands, ten little fingers,
Count them all with me.
One, two, three little fingers,
Four, five, six little fingers,
Seven, eight, nine little fingers,
And one more makes ten.
Dos manitas, diez deditos,
dos manitas, diez deditos,
dos manitas, diez deditos,
cuéntalos conmigo.
Uno, dos, tres deditos,
cuatro, cinco, seis deditos,
siete, ocho, nueve deditos,
y uno más son diez.
Opening Song: H. E. L. L. O.
Read Aloud: Tap Tap Bang Bang by Emma Garcia
Action Song: Joanie Works With One Hammer
Learning Tools: Toolbox Song
Play Activity: Body Shop
Pretend that your child’s toy car (or other driving toy) has been in an accident and must be repaired. Help her set up a body shop in the driveway.
Materials: Toy car, pretend tools ( rocks, sticks or other plastic tools or toys that can be used as tools), bucket and sponge or water hose, tempura paint.
Let your child fix her “damaged” driving toy with the pretend tools. Once the body work is done, let her paint the toy. When the activity is over, use a wet sponge or garden hose to wash the paint away.
(from The Fitness Fun Busy Book by Trish Kuffner)
Opening Song: “Hello Everybody”
Story: “What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best” by Laura Numeroff
Movement Song: “I Love My Mommy”
Goodbye Song: “This Little Piggy” . Have kids put their hand up and each finger will be a little piggy. If it’s Baby Time, use baby’s toes or fingers.
Family Activity: What do the mommies do with their kids in this story? What do the daddies do with their kids in this story? How many different kinds of animals are in this story? Draw your mommy or daddy or both doing an activity with you—it’s ok for your grown-up to help you too!
Hello Song: Hello
Read Aloud: Splish Splash Ducky by Lucy Cousins
Song: Five Little Ducks
Rhyme: Little Baby Ducklings
Little baby ducklings – dash, dash, dash.
Jumped in the duck pond – splash, splash, splash!
When their Mother called them – quack, quack, quack!
Little baby ducklings – swam right back.
Activity: Water play
Babies and toddlers love water play! They love splashing in water and getting themselves soaked. During bath time, add in a few rubber ducks or other toys and see which items sink and which float.
Opening Song: Start this day with a song by Jack Hartmann
Read Aloud: Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla View the recording together. Remember, you can pause the video to have your own discussion
Action Song: Shake your Hands by Jack Hartmann
Song: Open my eyes (FIESTA)
Extension Activity: Make a FIESTA themed sensory bin, add flowers, red, green and yellow items, maracas and drums for musical instruments. Also play food like chilis and tacos.
Hello Songs: Story Time Hello Chant. Hola!
Read Aloud: Fiesta! by Ginger Foglesong Gibson Guy
Song: Head and Shoulders Baby 123
Song: Mi Cuerpo Hace Musica
Extension activity: Count
Are you dressing your baby? “One arm, two arms!” One foot, two feet!" Are you walking up the stairs with your toddler? “Let’s count the steps! One… two… three….” Count how many grapes or crackers she has, how many fingers are on her hand, how many toes, or how many keys are on the ring. When you point to each object as you count, you teach your child one -to- one correspondence.
Introductory Song: Gilly Gilly Gilly Good Morning
Read Aloud: Hickory Dickory Dog by Alison Murray
Action Song: Hickory Dickory Dock
Dog Video: Corgi's At Home Agility Course
Dog Video: Border Collie, Pink, Agility Champion
Note to caregivers: If you are considering getting a pet for your family, your public library is here to help. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises checking out books from the library to help you with that decision.
Hello Song: How Do You Do?
Read Aloud: Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney
Song: Dig it Up Excavator
Song: Cranes Reach High
Goodbye Song: Goodbye Friends
Activity: Construction Sensory Bin
Additional Books:
Welcome Song: Hello
Read aloud: Night Lights by Susan Gal
Action Song: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
Video Song: "The Man in the Moon"
Closing Song: "It Is Time to Say Goodbye to All Our Friends"
Activity: Flashlight Stroll—Take an unhurried evening stroll around the neighborhood with flashlights and marvel at the sights and sounds of the night. Bring a bug-catcher or jar to temporarily collect any interesting insect finds. Take time to let your child look at how bugs are attracted to street lights (or similar lighting) and be sure to explain why. Listen to the sounds of crickets and dogs, cars driving past, and other night sounds. Let your child explore safely. (from The Playskool Toddler’s Busy Play Book Over 500 Creative Games, Activities, Crafts and Recipes for your Very Busy Toddler by Robin McClure.
Click here to checkout this book!
Opening Song: Hello to You!
Read Aloud: Goodnight, Numbers by Danica McKellar
Fingerplay: The Numbers song
Song: Wheels on the Bus
Extension Activity: Make counting fun by making it an everyday thing. Count fun items like stuffed animals, blankets, and toys. You can make a chart to keep track of what item has the largest number.
Opening Song: “Hello Everybody”
Read Story: “You Are New” by Lucy Knisley
Movement Song: “Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes” (Iyou can sing and point to baby’s body parts).
Goodbye Song: “This Little Piggy” . Have kids put their hand up and each finger will be a little piggy. For baby, use baby’s toes or fingers
Family Activity: Act out some of the emotions in this book: Act mad, scared, blue/sad. Demonstrate some actions of the babies in this book: Napping, looking, touching, hearing.
Hello Song: If You're Ready for a Story
Read Aloud: Ten Tiny Babies by Karen Katz
Song: Open Shut Them
Lap Bounce: Charlie Over the Water
Rhyme: Swing Me Over the Ocean
Activity: Cupboard Fun
If your baby is on the move, he's surely curious to raid your cupboards. Leave one designated for play — it's a great way to allow some controlled exploration in the kitchen. Put some pots, pans, wooden spoons, and other safe objects within their baby's reach so that he can entertain himself.
Opening Song: Well Hello Everybody, Can You Touch Your Nose?
Read Aloud: Astro Girl by Ken Wilson-Max
Song: Zoom Zoom Space Song
Song: Sun, Moon, and Stars
Closing Song: Goodbye to You!
Activity: Moon Dough
CALL NUMBER: JUVENILE EASY COLBY
Opening Song: Hello to You!
Read Aloud: Crocodiles Need Kisses Too by Rebecca Colby
Fingerplay: Caterpillar Crawled
Song: Bananas Unite
Extension Activity: Using stuffed animals ask your child how they would kiss/hug each animal. Share with them how you would kiss/hug each animal as well if it is different.
Opening Song: Can You Say Hi?
Read aloud: Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Redd
Song: This is the Way We Go To Bed
Song: Sesame Street: I Love My Hair
Goodbye song: Can You Say Bye?
Activity: Make a special bedtime fort with blankets and flashlights and read our favorite bedtime stories in the fort.
Opening Song: “Hello Everybody”
Bouncy Rhyme/Song: “Polar Bear Song”
Read Aloud: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? By Bill Martin Jr.
Ending Rhyme: “Polar Bear, Polar Bear” (point to child’s body parts or stand up and mime movements).
Polar bear, polar bear turn around, Polar bear, polar bear touch the ground,
Polar bear, polar bear bend down low, Polar bear, polar bear touch your toe.
Polar bear, polar bear slide on the ice, Polar bear, polar bear spin around twice,
Polar bear, polar bear reach up high, Polar bear, polar bear wave goodbye.
Family Activity: What animals did you see in the story? What sounds did you hear the animals make in the story? Can you or your grown-up make some of the sounds very quietly? How about very loudly?
Welcome Song: H. E. L. L. O.
Read Aloud: Sleepy Me by Marni McGee
Action Song: Five in the Bed
Action Rhyme: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Closing Song: Good Night by The Beatles
Bedtime tips: Routine is very important for children, especially when it comes to getting ready to go to sleep. Doing the same things every night (brushing teeth, reading a story, putting on PJs,) will help children associate the bedroom with good feelings and give them a sense of security and control. Also, since bedtime means separation, a personal object, such as a teddy bear, doll, or blanket can further your child's sense of security and comfort and reassure her before she falls asleep.
Welcome song: If You’re Ready for a Story
Read Aloud: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jane Cabrera
Song: Skidamarink
Song: Ten Little Fingers
Activity: Hidden stars
Cut out stars from any paper you have around the house - magazines, wrapping paper, paper bags. Hide the cut out stars around the room: under toys, on a chair, in a toy bin. Deposit a basket or any container in the middle of the room. Invite your child to find the stars and deposit the stars they find in the basket.
Opening Song: Hello Everybody
Movement Song: The Wheels on the Bus
Story: My Bus by Byron Barton
Goodbye Song: This Little Piggy. Have kids put their hand up and each finger will be a little piggy.
Family Activity: Look and see how many other types of transportation are in this book. What are they? How many riders are on the bus driver’s bus? How many cats get on at his second stop? How many dogs get on at his last stop?
Opening song: When Cows Wake Up in the Morning
Read aloud: From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
ABC Time: ABC song
Song: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Activity: Baby Pokey (Tune: Traditional Hokey Pokey)
Try singing to baby in front of a mirror!
You put your legs in (hold babies legs out straight)
You put your legs out (turn your body, swing babies legs to the side)
You put your legs in
And you dance them all about!
You do the baby pokey, and you turn yourself around
'Cuz that's what it's all about!
(Repeat with "hands", and "whole bod"y)
Toddlers can sing and dance to Hokey Pokey 
Opening Song: Hello to You!
Read Aloud: Pom Pom Panda Gets the Grumps by Sophy Henn
Fingerplay: Open Shut Them
Song: 10 in the Bed/Roll Over
Extension Activity: To help deal with the grumps find the technique that works best for you and your little one. One you can try is showing them how to take calming breaths as many as they may need. Another is having them sit with you and hug them quietly until they are ready to talk about it or till they feel better.
The Baby Chicks Are Singing/Los Pollitos Dicen by 
The Birthday Box by 
Duck Sock Hop by 
So Far Up by 
Watersong by 
