Bookbug Session Plan: Bookbug's Big Quest!

The Hello Song

Benefits

Familiar start – lets everyone know a Bookbug session has started.

Tips

Smile and use names if you know them. Clap or tap along to the beat and use signs if you know them.

Mum and Dad and Uncle John

Benefits

Chanted rhymes like this help your child feel safe and connected. They learn to trust you because the play is predictable, gentle, and responsive to them. Even the exciting parts are safe – because youre right there.

Tips

With a baby, hold them close, face to face, and keep the movements slow and gentle, using your voice and rhythm to help them feel safe while you watch their cues and respond to their reactions. With an older toddler, make it bigger and more playful, let them join in with the galloping, horse noises or clip clopping of hooves. Swap in names: 'Gran and Dad and baby Joe…’ This strengthens connection and belonging.

When I was One

Benefits

This song supports early counting and number awareness through its simple, repetitive structure. It also builds language and memory, while the swaying and actions support coordination and body awareness, helping to soothe and regulate the child through predictable, rhythmic movement.

Tips

With a baby, hold them close, make eye contact, and sing gently, using slow swaying or rocking so they feel safe and connected while they take in your voice and expression. With an older toddler, model the actions – swaying, rocking, moving 'this way, that way’– and invite them to join in with a pirate voice or sounds of the sea, you can hold hands and moving together,

A Big Red Bus

Benefits

This song supports language development through repeating words and fun transport sounds, helping children tune into rhythm and join in. The actions (driving, steering, flying) build coordination and body awareness, while naming different vehicles supports vocabulary and early understanding of the world.

Tips

Join in by using your body – pretend to drive, steer, and fly along with the song, adding clear actions your child can copy. Make the transport sounds together (beep beep, vroom) and pause to let your child fill them in. Follow your child’s lead – repeat their favourite parts, change the speed, and keep it playful and fun.

Round and Round the Garden

Benefits

This rhyme is great for positive touch, interaction and building anticipation and excitement.

Tips

Repeat this rhyme several times, swap hands and use other parts of the body too, e.g. feet, tummies and backs. This rhyme opens up opportunities for turn – taking with older children, e.g. taking turns in tickling each other. This song can be shared outside in a garden or park where children can move around in a circle and take big steps before the tickle!

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

Benefits

This beloved children’s adventure story іs about a family who sets out іn search оf a bear! It supports language and memory through repetition, while the actions build coordination and body awareness. The journey helps children understand sequencing and storytelling, and the shared play builds confidence, imagination, and connection.

Tips

Bring the story to life by acting it out together – use cushions or scarves to create the journey and exaggerate your voice and expressions as you move through each part. Little ones will want to shout along with you and make sounds together as the family swoosh around grass and squelch through the mud. Add a teddy as the bear, pause for your child to join in with the repeated phrases, and let them take the lead by choosing actions or retelling sections. Take the story outdoors and turn your surroundings into the adventure – walk through long grass, jump in puddles, squelch in mud, or tiptoe through forest, garden or park areas.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Benefits

This song reinforces language and listening skills via repetition and rhyme, the countdown introduces numeracy, and the sequence of actions (crouch, sway and jump) build coordination and body awareness. The countdown to 'blast off' enhances anticipation and excitement.

Tips

Crouch together for the countdown, getting more excited with your voice, then jump up for 'blast off.' Then simple actions like swaying and bouncing with pauses to let your child join in, and follow their lead, repeat things you like or speed up. Use your imagination to pretend putting on your spacesuit, boots and helmet and getting into a rocket, put on your suits and boots. Once you have landed on the moon walk and move as slowly as you can, jumping from crater to crater.

Rig a Jig

Benefits

This song promotes listening and rhythm with its steady beat, which helps children listen and engage with patterns. Dancing and movement enhance coordination and body awareness, and greeting others promotes socialisation. Repetition allows confidence and participation to grow, creating a positive shared experience of fun and connection.

Tips

This song promotes listening and rhythm with its steady beat, which helps children listen and engage with patterns. Dancing and movement enhance coordination and body awareness, and greeting others promotes socialisation. Repetition allows confidence and participation to grow, creating a positive shared experience of fun and connection. Make it a game as you both keep a steady beat, bounce your child on your knee, clap or tap to the beat, then increasingly elaborate with bigger dance moves, or jumping up and down. Invite your child to move around the space, greet others with a wave, smile or a handshake and then join in all the recurring phrases.

Swing Me Over the Water

Benefits

This song encourages rhythm and timing as the children move in time with the gentle swing, developing coordination and body awareness. The physical closeness enhances a sense of safety, trust, and connection as children swing, and the idea of 'swinging over water' stimulates imagination and early role play.

Tips

Get involved yourself by holding your child securely by the hands or on your lap and gently swinging or rocking them in sync with the song. Use a blanket or sheet as the 'water' and gently lift it or have your child sit or lie on it for a gentle rocking motion. Keep motions slow and predictable, use your voice and eye contact to build relationship and pause to allow your child to anticipate and respond, repeating favourite moments while keeping it gentle, playful, and safe.

The Goodbye Song

Benefits

Tells everyone the session is coming to an end.

Tips

Wave, smile and use names if you know them. If you know Makaton you can support this song with signs.