MARCH Book Babies + Toddlers: Food

by | Mar 10, 2026 | Blog, Book Babies, Kid's Corner, Toddler Time | 0 comments

It may not surprise you that many toddlers are picky eaters, preferring foods like macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and fruit snacks. This is actually normal, but you can help them develop their palate and move toward healthier eating—though you might have to be crafty about it. Check out the tips at KidsHealth and introduce them to some great books about a variety of foods. Happy eating!

Book Babies: Wednesday @ 9:30am in Community Room

Babies not yet walking (Ages 0 – 12 months)

Toddler Time: Monday & Tuesday @ 9:30am in Community Room

Toddlers who are walking (Ages 1 – 2 years)

Welcome Songs

Here We Are Together

Here we are together, together, together! Oh, here we are together in our library. There’s (sing names)… Here we are together in our library!

Hello Everybody

Hello everybody let’s clap our hands*, clap our hands, clap our hands. Hello everybody let’s clap our hands today! *pat our head, stretch up high, wiggle our fingers, tickle our knees, kick our feet, bounce up high!

S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play

TIP

When you give your child positive reinforcement by clapping or telling her she did a great job, you are encouraging her to act both independently and cooperatively. To encourage independence and cooperation at home, use activities that your child can do easily and don’t forget to give lots of positive reinforcement. – “Reading Picture Books With Children” by Lambert

 

Activity

Give your child a simple job, like putting toys away, wiping off a high chair tray, or even crawling to reach a toy, and let her do it herself. Praise her with clapping, hugs, or kisses for her efforts. This teaches her that she is capable and an important part of a team.

 

Books Presented

Book cover for The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Follows the progress of a very hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food, until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep.
Book cover for The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson

The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson

While all the other animals on the farm enjoy eating their regular food, the cow chooses to eat the one thing that she loves best.
Book cover for Lunch by Denise Fleming

Lunch by Denise Fleming

One hungry mouse peeks out of his hole and sniffs … LUNCH! Children can guess what fruit or vegetable comes next as the voracious rodent munches his way through yellow corn, green peas, orange carrots, and the rest of the colors vibrantly represented by Denise Fleming’s unique, eye-catching style.
This book can be found in the Mice are Nice discovery kit.
Book cover for Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Little Pea hates eating candy for dinner, but his parents will not let him have his spinach dessert until he cleans his plate.
Book cover for Yummy, Yucky by Leslie Patricelli

Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli

A toddler finds out that spaghetti is yummy, but worms — and blue crayons, and sand, and other things too gross to mention — are definitely yucky when tasted.
Book cover for Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

A father and child grow vegetables and then make them into a soup.
Book cover for The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Dinner: A Shapes Book by World of Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Dinner: A Shapes Book by World of Eric Carle

Die-cut pages illustrate the concept of shapes as a hungry caterpillar eats different things for dinner.
Book cover for Eat Up, Bear! by Terry Pierce

Eat Up, Bear! by Terry Pierce

Black bears just want to eat! Juicy berries, crunchy nuts, tender grubs, and sticky honey–that’s good bear food. But if park visitors don’t watch out, their food will be bear food, too! Bouncy rhyming text and vibrant pictures share how families can do their part to keep bears safe and thriving.
Book cover for Baby Signs for Mealtime by Linda P. Acredolo

Baby Signs for Mealtimes by Linda P. Acredolo

Demonstrates signs for communication with adults at mealtime, before a child can talk, using gestures for eating, drinking, and requesting certain foods.

Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays

Pudding on a Plate

Pudding on a plate, pudding on a plate (rock from side to side)
Wibble, wobble, wibble wobble
Pudding on a plate!
Candies in a jar, candies in a jar (bounce up and down)
Shake ’em up, shake ’em up
Candies in a jar.
Candles on a cake, candles on a cake
Blow ’em out, blow ’em out 
(tip baby upside-down and blow on baby’s face)
Candles on a cake. (give baby hug)

Source: King County Library System

Apples on the Ground

Apples* on the ground (shake on floor)
Apples in the trees (shake high)
Apples on the rooftop (hold above head) 
but not on me! (drop)

*Lemons, oranges, plums, cherries, limes

Adapted from Jbrary

Popcorn Kernels

(Tune: Frere Jacques)
Popcorn kernels (wave scarves overhead)
Popcorn kernels
In the pot (bunch scarves up in fists)
In the pot
Shake it, shake it, shake it (shake fists)
Shake it, shake it, shake it
Til they pop (throw scarves)
Til they pop

Source: Jbrary

Hey, Mr. Caterpillar

Hey, Mr. Caterpillar, how are you?
Do you like to eat? 
Oh, yes you do!
What do you like?
Oh, you like  _______! 
Munch, munch, munch!
We know you do, ‘cause you ate it through!

Source: Katie Leigh

Vegetable Soup… Bubble, Bubble, Pop!

One little carrot
Cooking in the soup pot,
Cooking in the soup pot,
Cooking in the soup pot.

One little carrot
Cooking in the soup pot,
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble…POP!

Adapted from Jbrary

Roly Poly

(Tune: “Frère Jacques”)
Roly poly, roly poly
Up, up, up… up, up, up
Roly roly poly, roly roly poly
down, down, down… down, down, down!
Repeat with: out/in, fast/slow

Source: Jbrary

Round and Round the Butter Dish

Round and round the butter dish (circle fingers on back or tummy)
One, two, three (tap)
A little here, a little there (tickle ears)|
As tasty as can be! (nibble neck)

Source: King County Library System

Toss Your Scarves

Tune: Jingle Bells
Toss your scarves, toss your scarves
Toss them way up high.
Toss your scarves up in the air,
‘til they reach the sky.

Wave your scarves, wave your scarves,
Twirl them ‘round and ‘round.
Twirl your scarves one more time,
Then let them, all fall down.

Source: Acorn Song Library

The Sneezing Song

Please don’t feed me black-eyed peas
You know what they will do
For if you feed me black-eyed peas
I’m going to sneeze
Ah-ah-ah-choo!

Please don’t feed me macaroni and cheese…

Please don’t feed me chocolate chip cookies…

By Jim Gill

Baby Sign Language

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