Sally and Erika's Storytelling Programs for Young Children

The Importance of Baby Songs and Rhymes
The Importance of Baby Songs and Rhymes

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About Sally

Sally Jaeger began storytelling in kindergarten with a riddle and has shared stories, rhymes and songs ever since. Moving to Toronto, Ontario from Wisconsin in 1972, Sally pursued storytelling at The Storytellers School of Toronto.

Sally created Mr. Bear Says Hello in 1981 and has developed an effective method of training parents and caregivers to use rhymes, songs and stories as powerful tools for establishing strong physical and emotional connections with their children from birth to 3 years.

Sally is a member of Storytelling Toronto, SC-CC, Mariposa in the Schools, The Osborne and Lillian H. Smith Collection and a founding member of Storytellers for Children.

About Erika

Erika Jaeger, trained in Sally Jaeger’s method of storytelling for babies and toddlers, teaches parents and caregivers essential skills for bringing stories, rhymes and songs into everyday life. These skills build a strong connection and nurture early literacy and language development.

The daughter of Toronto storyteller Sally Jaeger and David Jaeger, composer and former CBC radio producer, Erika grew up in a musical and storytelling family.  Erika attended the Storytellers School of Toronto before she was born!

Erika joined Sally as a storyteller and teacher in 2001.

Erika is a member of Mariposa in The Schools and an executive member of Storytellers for Children.

Sally -You continue to live, walk, breathe, eat, play, and evolve your work.  It is your passion, your play, your inspiration, your muse... your love.  You are the educator for our future.  YOU (and Erika!).  You are not a business, franchising with many little programs all over the city.  While other programs may have fancy packaging, cool advertising, bells and whistles, nothing replaces heart and soul.  And you have it in spades. xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Nicole Piller
Nicole PillerCertified Pilates/Yoga Instructor
Dear Sally and Erika, Evalyn loves singing all your songs, and we love having you two in our living room pretty much on a daily basis 🙂 Vivienne gets super excited every time we sing your songs to her! I make sure to tell the moms in my programs to check out your classes and CDs.
Catherine Tyrrell
Catherine TyrrellMommy Connections Midtown Toronto Program Director
I will continue to let families know about your program - I still recall (and quote) many of the fine points about rhyming, oral tradition and singing with babies/toddlers that I learned from you, Sally! Make time for rhymes!  Make time for rhymes!
Dave Page
Dave PageEarly Literacy Specialist at The Macaulay Child Development Centre
...We like you so much and believe so strongly in the love and passion you provide for all children and parents through songs and stories.
participant"Happy Birthday, Mr. Bear!" DVD
...I bought your CD and Dylan and I sing along every morning before I head to work and again when I come home in the evenings. It was a pleasure to meet you.
Mom and 10 month old
The rhymes are such a great tool to teach, to make them smile and of course, to distract!
Mom and 12 month old.
Hi Sally and Erika, I wanted to let you both know that last week I was driving the kids up to the farm... I was hoping both kids would fall asleep in the car. Well doesn't Annie start to cry about 40 minutes into the trip and Ephraim is clearly tired, yet wide awake. So what do I do? I start singing good old "Hello Everybody" and Annie stops crying then I sing it a little slower and she falls asleep and then, I sing it even slower and Ephraim falls asleep. THANK YOU!! That song never fails me.
Mom with 3 and 1 year olds
..." We made the decision to move to Australia. We packed up and moved our entire house..But I cannot seem to find your song lyrics. A fly just landed on Kingsley's glass of milk. She started singing "shoo fly".
Mom with 2.5 and 1 year olds.
Hi Sally, I just wanted to send you a thank you note for putting together a most amazing program. Not only has it solidified Kieran's love of music, your songs have become part of our daily lives and will be some of the most precious memories I will treasure of these past few months. Thank you again for your energy, enthusiasm and spirit!
Mom and 15 month old
thanks for contributing to a new mom's "tool box"!
Mom
I just wanted to pass on a sweet tidbit. Leah has a little doll that she loves to cuddle.  Whenever she picks it up she sings it "By lo."  She is awesome! It has been several months since she was at Mr. Bear but that song really stuck!"
Mom and 20.5 month old
..... "I'm sure you'd be happy to know that the only way I am able to change Leah now is by saying "Jeramiah blow the fire". She wiggles and rolls and tries to fling herself off the change table. When she hears the first few words of Jeramiah, she stops and anticipates me blowing in her face"
Mom and 8.5 month old.
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