Storytime from the Liberry: Get the Giggles

My success story! I recently went a a refresher workshop on Every Child Ready to Read. I learned a lot of new information and got to visit my favorite bubble tea place afterwards so it was a win-win for everybody. One of the more awkward parts of a job is a storytime presenter is talking to the parents on how they can carry on with reading and other activities at home to help their child learn. It's also a reminder to them that what library staff do when we present a storytime; we are doing it to benefit and teach our preschool patrons. We aren't just putting on a show because we love to perform and hear ourselves talk.(All though my degree is in theater and I often joke to myself that I pull off a one man show 3 times a week)

It's hard having to calm the chaos of a rowdy room to insert a literacy tip that you pray that it sticks. Last week I had one of my co-workers tell me a patron stopped in and asked for interactive picture books, a tip I had mentioned at my last storytime. My response! "They listened! Someone actually listened!"

Get the Giggles Storytime for Toddlers

Early Literacy Tip: Grown-ups, you'll notice that all of the stories I picked today aren't the traditional ones with beginning, middle and end. They are interactive, which is great to engage your child in "reading" with you. Kids this age aren't going to sit still the entire book of Make Way for Ducklings, and that is okay. Ask me later about some other interactive stories that will make reading book more fun for the both of you.

Opening Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Book: Don't Push the Button by Bill Cotter- Interactive as the story and pictures change as the child helps the grown up reader push the button. Similar to Press Here by Herve Tullet

Song: Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Book: The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli- Our crocodile friends swallows a watermelon seed. Can we guess what will happen? Will it grow inside of him?

Song:Walking Walking
Great for wiggly kids- Tune is Frere Jacques

Walking, walking, walking, walking
Hop, hop, hop, hop. hop. hop
Jumping, jumping, jumping
Jumping, jumping, jumping
Now we stop! Now we stop!

(Other actions- swimming, swaying, flying, skipping etc)

Book: The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone- If you never read this book or had it read to you as a kid, go read it right now!

Dancing Song: Shake Your Sillies Out

Book: Can you make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas -Interactive because this book speaks to the kids, instead of just being something read to them. Lots of opportunities for jumping, moving and using your imagination. Kid that won't sit still for a storybook? Read them this!

Closing Song: Wheels on the Bus

When you choose a great selection of books, it really shows in your presentation of storytime. Many people have said it over and over again so I'll add my voice to the chorus, choose books you love to read! It helps you get exicited for storytime to start and motivated as you read and process. All these books I consider my A-Team, book that I enjoy reading, possibly over and over again.

The patron in question did actually find me when I was working at the desk and I gave her some more suggestions for interactive stories.

I Spy Book or Spot it Books
Counting Books (What comes before or after...)
Press Here by Herve Tullet
Mo Willems Books
Jan Thomas Books
Any book that the narrative asks the reader to guess what will happen next
Any book that the character breaks the fourth wall and addressed the reader directly
Books with comic book bubbles
Chester by Melaine Watt
Tickle the Duck by Ethan Long
Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda
Going on a Bear Hunt or similar action stories
Lift the flap, touch and feel for babies and toddlers.

And more that I can't think of right now. Have any Early Literacy success stories or favorite interactive picture books to share. Leave them in the comments!

Go Green Week: Talking about Green

I've always treated St. Patrick's day as a pseudo holiday. I don't get worked up about it. Since St. Patrick's day is on a Tuesday this year, a night I work the PM shift @ the liberry and then "clopen" the next day to do storytime, I'm probably not going to be going hog wild in celebrating it.
I get to order Shamrock shakes this time of year and that's all that concerns me.

So how is it I ended up with two St. Patrick's Day theme programs this week? Beats me. But I'm actually really excited about these program than I am about the actual holiday. It's also one of the safe/some what non sacred holidays that usually people don't get up in arms about their kids celebrating.

All this week I'm presenting "GO GREEN WEEK" to help they rest of you out in library land to get excited about celebrating St. Patrick's Day at your location.

My storytime theme for the week is "The Color Green" and our Ready to Read skill is Talking.
I work with toddlers so I often have to do the leading in on conversations. I made some visual aids to help me.

"Spring is coming. We are finally going to see grass! Grass is green. The steams and leaves on flowers are also green. If someone says you have a green thumb, that means you are very good at gardening"

"Many animals are green, especially lizards, frogs and snakes"

"Lots of the food we eat is green. Healthy food like lettuce, broccoli, peas and avocados"

"Shamrocks are green and St. Patrick's Day is coming up soon"

I referenced some photos on the internet and drew up my own pictures  (except the shamrock)so they would be small enough for my flannel board. I use the flannel board in the beginning of storytime and bring it out afterwards so the kids can have a closer look.

With older groups, there is a ton of more green things to talk about which is a great way of showing kids (and parents) an example of a conversation starter to help promote early literacy and learning. Green in foods, Green in Nature, Green in animals, Green in signs or logos...you get the picture.

Don't forget the Hulk, he is green too!

So here's my first post kicking off  "GO GREEN WEEK" Feel free to borrow any ideas you see here on this blog for your library programs. If you could, give me a link back or feature me on your blog, I would totally appreciate it. (Plus you would be an awesome human being)

Next Up: A Song for St. Patrick's Day

Storytime from the Liberry: Make Mine Music

Why pay big bucks to sign up your toddler for fancy drum circle sessions when you can come to my music story time and do it for free?
I have never understood the phenomenon behind music classes for babies and toddlers and why people shell out major bills just sing to their kiddo. Probably because I already do that stuff at home. Half my conversations with my daughter are some sort of music. I don't need to fork over 100 bucks to have some person tell me its good for her development to bang on some pots and pans.

So I'm inviting all parents to a "free preview class" of my toddler storytime were we sing together, read stories and have fun. As a bonus, if you enjoy your first session you can continue to come to our storytimes for free! As many as you want! No cost to you! Act now!

(Maybe I'm in the wrong business, I should start charging for this)

The title for this story time comes from the overlooked Disney film of the same name.

Books:
I had a really hard time deciding on what books to read because their are some many to choose from!
I narrowed my selection down to five but still was only able to read four at each storytime.

Baby's Got the Blues by Carol Diggory Shields- This book is hilarious. Very appealing for the grown ups in the crowd.
Can you Dance to the Boogaloo by Alice Lickens
Boom Bah by Phil Cummings- This book as great opportunities for movement and audience participation.
Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
The Orchestra Pit by Johanna Wright

Songs and Activities:
Our ready to read skill this week was singing (duh!) so we did lots of songs and dancing on top of our usual stuff.

Old MacDonald Had a Band -Classic Piggyback method. I do have to warn my group ahead of time but sometime "farm" slips in there a couple times as we sung. Raffi has a version on CD

The Grand Old Duke of York - Can You Dance to the Boogaloo ended with the line "Just don't you dare sit still" so it was a great transition to get the kids up on their feet.

We Wave Our Scarves Together- This song comes from the gals at jbrary
Our baby storytime librarian ordered these rainbow dancing scarves (similar to these) which helped out with the dreaded "I want this color!" whining that usually happens. I happily passed these out exclaiming, "They are all the same color. We will all have rainbows!!" I also feel this could be a simple DIY craft for libraries on a budget.

We ended our session with music instrument free play time. I sat back and smiled watching the kids go nuts and just wanting to take on any old fart who dared complained about children making too much noise in the library.

Storytime from the Liberry: Animals

I have about dozen or so storytimes themed around certain types of animals. But sometimes it's just great to do a generalized storytime about something everyone likes. And who doesn't like animals?

Fizz Boom Roar: Toddler Storytime about Animals for Summer Reading 2014


Books:
My Heart is like a Zoo by Michael Hall


Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems



This is maybe the third or forth time I tried reading a "Pigeon" book with my toddlers and this time it finally clicked! Despite my wild enthusatic readings of these titles, I usually got met with alot of blanked bored faces. This group of kids seem to understand directions. I asked them if they knew the word "No" (What toddler doesn't know the word no?) and to help me by shouting the word "No"! They did a great job, until the pigeon offered them "5 dollars". One little girl's eyes grew very big and she jumped up from her seat shouting "Yes! Yes!"

Dear Zoo by Rob Campbell
Can You Cuddle Like a Koala by John Butler

Songs and Activities:
I scoured the realm of Pinterest to find add on songs and activities to go with our stories.
Storytime ABC's had a great Flannel Friday post about Pigeon including a puppet craft that I gave to the kids to use during the story.


They also had a fabulous magnetic board and activities to share for My Heart is Like a Zoo. The magnetic board looks fantastic and came with instructions for a craft. But this was just a little too advance for my storytime friends. We used the piggyback song for "If You're Happy and you know It"

It was also my first time trying a hiding game. We did "Little Mouse, Little Mouse, Are you in the Red House?" The kids had a blast with it and it was also a very easy flannel board to make. Win win!
Check out the Kings County Library Wiki for instructions.


Kangaroos Fingerplay
5 baby kangaroos all in a row
(Hold up 5 fingers.)
When they see their mother they kick just so
(Let fingers thrust forward.)
For their mothers they have missed,
(Hold up other hand.)
So they run and give her a great big kiss.
(Wiggle right hand fingers toward left hand and touch fingertips.)

Social hour activity was a simple imaginative playtime using many of our jungle animal puppets. I also had a give away craft for the kids. Animal masks made from the pre-printed animal paper plates that you use to be able to find everywhere a few years ago. I couldn't find the ones made by Hefty but Oriental Trading had some that worked out well.