Looking for more in Learning resources?
Bookbug Session Plans: Autumn!
We have created a Bookbug Session plan for autumn and have carefully selected songs, rhymes and a picture book that focus on different aspects of the season, including the changing weather, outdoor play and small creatures.
The session plan reflects Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) experiences and outcomes to help session leaders and early years practitioners working with families and children to get the most out of sharing songs, rhymes and stories.
Introduction song
Benefits
Familiar start – lets everyone know a Bookbug session has started.
Tips
Smile and use the names of the children. You can also use Makaton to support The Hello Song.
Familiar rhyme
Benefits
This Scots rhyme is a great one to encourage positive touch, ticking and anticipation.
Tips
Repeat this rhyme on different parts of the body, and model face-to-face interaction using Bookbug. This rhyme links to the story in this session, and you could use the mouse finger puppet, too.
Familiar song
Benefits
This song is sung to a familiar tune – Ten Green Bottles – which will help new families join in. This is a great song to sing to encourage finger play, face-to-face interaction, positive touch and counting to ten.
Tips
Remind everyone that apples ripen at the very end of summer, which tells us that autumn is approaching. Model positioning Bookbug safely on your lap to allow the use of both hands. This offers a fun way for families with young babies to take part.
Transition song
I wonder what's in my bag today?
Benefits
Builds anticipation and keeps the children's attention.
Tips
Sign the key words if you know them. Sing to the tune of 'Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush': 'I wonder what's in my bag today, bag today, bag today. I wonder what’s in my bag today, come and take a look… at Bookbug’s favourite book!'
Story
Snug by Carol Thompson
Benefits
This book is all about creating cosy spaces like the sleepy or hibernating creatures in the story. You might want to talk about den-building or warming up after a wet or windy autumn walk.
Tips
Encourage participation by asking questions about the various shapes of the dens and cosy spaces. 'What shape is the snail’s shell?' Children might enjoy pretending to burrow underground like the mole.
Familiar song
I Hear Thunder
Benefits
This song is sung to the tune of Frère Jacques and is all about wet and wild autumn weather! It also features some rich vocabulary such as 'Hark!'
Tips
Sing it all together, or sing it as a call-and-response song. This song features in Gaelic as October 2022's Makaton Monday song on the Bookbug Instragram, so why not try to incorporate some signs as you sing?
Lycra activities
Familiar song: Shake and Stop
Benefits
This song introduces the sparkly blanket and encourages everyone to take part.
Tips
You might want to sing 'I wonder what’s in my bag today?' to introduce the sparkly blanket. Add anticipation by playing around with speed and when you call ‘Stop’!
Song lyrics:
'We’re going to. . .
Shake and shake and shake and STOP!
Shake and shake and shake and STOP!
Shake and shake and shake and STOP!
And then we're going to shake a bit more…
We're going to shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and shake and STOP!'
Rhyme: Umbrellas Go Up
Benefits
Imagine the sparkly blanket is a giant umbrella as you chant this rhyme together, moving it up and down, flipping it over and shaking it to show the wild wind.
Tips
Repeat this short rhyme a few times, or play around with the words. What else goes up and down and gets flipped over in strong winds? Fallen leaves, perhaps?
Rhyme words:
'Umbrellas go up when it’s raining Umbrellas go down when it’s dry Some umbrellas turn inside out When the wind goes whistling by.' (from Wiggle My Toes: And Other Action Rhymes Kaye Umansky/Nick Sharratt)
Familiar rhyme
Benefits
Working together as a group, everyone can imagine the sparkly blanket is a growing pea pod, stretching outwards.
Tips
Build up anticipation and pause before everybody claps and the pod goes pop. Great for supporting attention and listening skills, and a great way to end play with the blanket.
Lullaby / calming song
You are my Sunshine
Benefits
This soothing song has a steady beat perfect for calming everybody down at the end of the session. It is lovely to sing this while enjoying a cuddle, and face-to-face time.
Tips
Babies and toddlers will enjoy being rocked gently in time to the beat. Older children may enjoy swaying from side to side if they choose not to cuddle in. Repeat the song by humming quietly.
Last song
Benefits
Tells everyone the session is coming to an end.
Tips
Smile, wave and use the children's names again.
Please read our guide on permission to read books aloud online(this link will open in a new window).