JANUARY Book Babies + Toddlers: Dogs & Puppies

by | Jan 9, 2026 | Blog, Book Babies, Kid's Corner, Toddler Time | 0 comments

Through books, visits to petting zoos, and interactive animal puppets and toys, your child will explore the animal kingdom by learning the sounds animals make. This includes discovering the wide range of vocalizations from dogs, understanding the differences between adult dogs and puppies. You can help them notice how these animals differ not just in size, but in their barks, whimpers, growls, and even sighs. So the next time ask your child, ‘What does a dog say?’, you can share the happy, yipping sounds of a puppy alongside the deeper bark of an adult dog.

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

Being able to coordinate small muscles in hands and fingers enables children to hold things, cut with scissors, tie their shoes, and fasten buttons. Fingerplays such as, “Where is thumbkin?” starts as a simple activity but soon develops into a complicated exercise as more fingers are used. Development of fine motor skills also helps children to write. ~Lambert

 

Activity

Pick a favorite fingerplay to do with your child like, “Five Little Puppies,” or “Where is Thumbkin?” For younger children, just move your thumb, but older children can practice moving all their fingers.

 

Books Presented

Book cover for Bark George by Jules Feiffer

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

A mother dog tries to teach her pup how to bark, and is surprised at why he wasn’t learning.
Book cover for Where's Spot? by Eric Hill

Where's Spot? by Eric Hill

A mother dog finds eight other animals hiding around the house before finding her lost puppy. Flaps conceal the animals.
Book cover for Let's Go Visiting by Sue Williams

Let's Go Visiting by Sue Williams

A counting story in which a boy visits his farmyard friends, from one brown foal to six yellow puppies.
Book cover for One Pup's Up by Marsha Wilson Chall

One Pup's Up by Marsha Wilson Chall

Rhyming text counts off ten puppies as they awaken one by one, chase and bounce around the house, eat kibble and get washed, then fall back to sleep.
Book cover for The Babies and the Doggies Book by John Schindel

The Babies and Doggies Book by John Schindel

When you stop and think about it, babies and doggies do many of the same things. They squirm, sniff, sit, and splash. They play ball and cuddle. Lots of things babies do, doggies do too! This board book explores all of the similar actions shared by baby and baby’s best friend. Illustrated with beautiful, full-color photographs featuring an array of dog breeds and a diverse cast of babies, The Babies and Doggies Book is a visual feast for infants, a fun read-aloud for parents, and treat for baby- and dog-lovers.
Book cover for Dog's Colorful Day: A Messy Story About Colors and Counting by Emma Dodd

Dog's Colorful Day: A Messy Story About Colors and Counting by Emma Dodd

In this colorful story of a sloppy dog, you can count on a happy ending.
Book cover for One Two That's My Shoe! by Alisson Murray

One Two That's My Shoe! by Alison Murray

Illustrations and rhyming text encourage the reader to count from one to ten when a mischievous puppy runs off with his owner’s shoe.
Book cover for This Dog. That Dog. by Jade Orlando

This Dog. That Dog. by Jade Orlando

A humorous dog-centric board book provides a rhyming read-aloud for teaching opposites, and young ones will love spotting funny details and recognizing the differences within themselves and within their favorite furry friends.
Book cover for Corgi Can! by Junyi Wu

Corgi Can! by Junyi Wu

An adorable board book of puppy love. Corgi can do LOTS of things. Corgi can play! Corgi can cuddle! Corgi can shake! Corgi can…roll around in a muddy puddle. Oh, corgi. There are so many things you can do, and so many reasons that we love you. This board book with simple text and adorable art is as easy to fall for as it is to read.
Book cover for Dog & Friends: Busy Day by Emma Dodd

Dog & Friends: Busy Day by Emma Dodd

A humorous dog-centric board book provides a rhyming read-aloud for teaching opposites, and young ones will love spotting funny details and recognizing the differences within themselves and within their favorite furry friends.
Book cover for Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book by Sandra Boynton

Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book by Sandra Boynton

Dogs of all shapes and sizes bark from one to ten.

Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays

Five Little Puppies

Five little puppies were playing in the sun. (Hold up hand, fingers extended.)
This one saw a rabbit, and he began to run. (Bend first finger.)
This one saw a butterfly, and he began to race. (Bend second finger.)
This one saw a kitty cat, and he began to chase. (Bend third finger.)
This one tried to catch his tail, and he went round & round. (Bend fourth finger.)
This one was so quiet, he never made a sound. (Bend thumb.)

Source: King County Library System

Little Dog, Little Dog

Little dog, little dog; come out and play!
What color house are you in today?
Are you in the _(color)_ house?
Source: Verona Story Time

Clap Tap Bend

I take my little hands to go clap clap clap
I take my little hands to go clap clap clap
I take my little hands to go clap clap clap
Clap Clap
All day long
…Little feet… tap…
…Little knees… bend…

Five Little Puppies

Five little puppies were playing in the sun. (Hold up hand, fingers extended.)
This one saw a rabbit, and he began to run. (Bend first finger.)
This one saw a butterfly, and he began to race. (Bend second finger.)
This one saw a kitty cat, and he began to chase. (Bend third finger.)
This one tried to catch his tail, and he went round & round. (Bend fourth finger.)
This one was so quiet, he never made a sound. (Bend thumb.)

Source: Verona Story Time

Ten Little Doggies

Ten little doggies went out one day, (hold up ten fingers)
To dig in the dirt and play, play, play. (dig, slap knees on each ‘play’)
Five were spotted, and five were not, (hold up one hand, then the other)
And at dinnertime they ate a lot! (pretend to eat)

Baby Needs a Diaper Change

Tune: London Bridge
Baby needs a diaper change,
Diaper change, diaper change.
Baby needs a diaper change,
Please, and thank you!

Source: King County Library System

Leg Over Leg as the Dog Goes to Dover

Leg over leg, (bounce baby on knees)
As the dog goes to Dover.
When he comes to a wall,
Jump! He goes over! (lift baby up)

Source: Verona Story Time

Shake My Sillies Out

I’ve gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out…
I’ve gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out…
I’ve gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out…
I’ve gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out.

B-I-N-G-O!

There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!

Baby Sign Language

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