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!

Teen Passive Ideas- Summer Reading Round Two

Summer is sneaking up on us quickly. I basically went into panic mode and forced myself to plan and settle on ideas for Summer Reading this week.

I've mentioned this before that we have terrible teen program attendance, yes even in summer when we have over 100 teen volunteers visit us but very few stay for our programs. However we do have a great group of teen patrons who check out our books. ( I call them the "Invisible Ones") So having interactive passives on our display end caps is a good way to engage teens who might not be able or not want to come to our programs.

I wrote a post last year when out theme was Fizz Boom Read everything was loosely related science fiction. This year it is all about super heroes or with my twist...Super Villains!

We are having a "March Madness" style voting (all be it in summer) for our favorite super villains. There are four divisions- Comic. Disney, Movies, and Books.

Right now I'm totally stuck on Movies- I want to pick 4 villains the teens today know about but aren't from comic book movies or movies based on books. I'm hesitant to do just a match up of slasher horror villains. It's a work in progress.

For our other passives I'm rotating on a opinion poll and an interactive display every other week, Last years quizzes had their issue. Mostly I had little kids trying to fill them out and wanted to get a prize right then and there (which wasn't the point; it was an entry for a prize) Since teens have no seperate area and bump right into kids I get this issue alot.

Poll passives include would you rather questions such as...
Would you rather be a hero or a villain?
Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?
Would you rather write your own adventure story or live inside your favorite book?
Would you rather eat pancakes or waffles?


Display passives include:
Make your own comics, with blank comic strip pages
All About the Games: A Hunger Games Display (This came from CSLP maunnel) Check out the recently released posters The Heroes of Panem
Literary Heroes- A display about Classic literature
And this most excellent Adventure Time Scavenger hunt found at Bryce Don't Play!

If you have a suggestions for favorite villains, leave them in the comments!

What to do with all those leftover Easter eggs?

We have a memo from our boss. We are "supposed" to be moving into a new building within the next year or two, so all of our excess craft supplies we have hoarded in the basement needed to be used or thrown away because they are not moving into the new library!

(I'm all for this! This years of hoarding TP rolls was way before my time and I'm not a person who enjoys clutter. My stress levels rise when I have too many book on my tiny desk!)

We have a large book bin with plastic Easter eggs. They were used for activities a couple years ago but have mostly remained untouched. So I decided to reuse them for a craft, just in time for Easter spring break.

I'm channeling my inner "Khalessi" and making dragon eggs! I was looking for craft ideas to go with our spring break movie for today "How to Train Your Dragon 2" A search of dragon crafts for little kids was kinda of limited. But I loved the examples of dragon eggs (I'm totally doing this one) and thought I can adapt this so kids can create a simplified version.

The craft works just like paper mache. Kids have the option to use paintbrushes but I've always preferred using my fingers. It seems like it's a lost art among today's kiddos.

1) Select your egg. Spread a thin layer of glue over it. - I used clear glue but any glue or Mod Podge that dries clear will work fine.
2) Cover the egg with strips of tissue paper. Smooth down with your finger and use more glue when needed. Experiment with layers and different colors.
3)Provide a container (condiment cup, paper cup, etc.) for kids to place their egg when they are done. That way there is a safe way to carry them around the library and then home as they dry. Decorate with what ever art supplies your have home for extra flair.

Not just for Easter! Use this dragon craft idea all year round. Can also be used for Minecraft programs to create dragon eggs from the game.

Pranks

It's always been my private dream to become the office prankster. Wreaking a small amount of havoc and shenanigans in the workplace. Passivise aggressively annoying the co-workers who always annoy me in return.

But I'm not clever enough to do that and not get fired.
April Fools day in coming up and it's another chance to incorporate a passive seek and find program at your library.

Using the power of observation, patrons are asked to find at least 3 silly things in the library.

Here are some of the idea my coworkers and I came up with....

Upside down posters
Goofy faces/Smiley faces places in the library
Re-label subject heading signs  Gross Body Parts= Health 612's   Long Ago = History
A book on toilets or potty training that has been "TP'd"
Googly eyes or Cartoon eyes on poster or protraits
Plastic goldfish in a bowl near books about aquariums
Section of books with spines facing the wrong way or upside down
Re-label office signs- From the Harmless (Minstry of Silly Walks) to the bold. I want to add "Of Farts" under the sign Administrative Office but I might chicken out because our director seriously lacks a sense of humor
If you have puppet or stuffed animals decorating your area, put sunglasses, hats, or headphones on them.
Have the staff members wear a silly hat or put a on a name tag with a clearly made up name (Yoda, Humpty Dumpty, Burt Macklin, FBI)
Have a upside down bowl out with a sign "Don't move the bowl unless you plan to kill what is under it!"
Places mirrors with signs that read "Mirror under repair, do not use!"
Plastic bats, bugs, or spider rings stuck to the windows
Cut out some Ellison Die "E" in brown paper. Place at a service desk with a sign reading "Free Brownies"

My cunning idea for a prize would be to tell the kids they get a tattoo for playing. Then ask them to roll up their sleeves while I change the needle of of my tattoo gun. Laugh and say "Just Kiddding!" and let them pick out a temporary tattoo.

Yeah, we'll see how many get that joke.....

Storytime From the Liberry: Ducktales

How to do a storytime about ducks at your library

Step 1: Call it Ducktales
Step 2: Gather your books and supplies.
Step 3: Play the theme from Ducktales before your storytime starts. Watch as the parents listen and chuckle at your joke. Shout "Woohoo!" Enjoy your storytime
Step 4: If no one laughs or notices, take bittersweet comfort in know you are the coolest person in the room.

I've done this storytime two year ago, and the parents just thought my pun was a riot. Fast forward to the present, with most of the caregivers' noses are glue to their phones and oblivious to all, my "comic genius" falls on deaf ears. Sigh. Oh well let's read some books about ducks!

Opening Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Welcome: My usually spiel with my penguin puppet helper. Afterward I made him say quack. "Quack? Do penguins say quack, friends? What bird says quack?"

Book: Swim Duck Swim by Susie Lurie- A sweet story in rhyme with accompanying photos of one adorable duckling.

Song: All the Little Ducklings

Book: A book of Babies by Il Sung Na -One of my personal favorite authors. Great book about baby animals, eggs and perfect for the start of spring.

Song: Ten Little Ducklings
I made ten flannel silhouettes of rubber ducks so we could practice counting before we started. They lasted all of ten seconds before some sticky toddler fingers made off with them. But at least the flannel pieces got their attention so that we could all stand up and do the song together.

Tune: Ten Little Indians
One little, two little, three little ducklings
Four little, five little, six little ducklings
Seven little, eight little, nine little ducklings
Ten ducklings in the pond.

Extra Verses- Quack quack quack, quack, quack little ducklings....
Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim little ducklings





Book: Tickle the Duck by Ethan Long- If your kids and grownups aren't giggling at the end of this book, check their pulse because they might be dead.

Dancing Song: Shake Your Sillies Out

Book: Five Little Ducks by Ivan Bates (Illustrator)- The best part of being your own storytime boss is you can make your own rules. The version of this song that I remember (and most of my group seems familiar with ) doesn't fit with the words in this book. So I sang the version I was comfortable with so I wouldn't get flustered with my words.



Way back in the day, when I was in middle school, I recall vividly going to the elementary school across the street to help read to the kids. The extra challenge was this was a school that had a large population of handicapped students, and the group I read to were mostly confined to wheelchairs and had serious developmental delays. This situation might strike fear in the heart of adult librarians, but I was a blissfully ignorant  6th grade kid who knew nothing about that. I knew how to read stories. I knew I should hold the book out to face the kids and turn it so everyone could see the pictures. I wasn't nervous if the my audience understood me or not. I guess one could call this the cockiness of youth.

The first book I read was a Ducktales book. I don't recall the title but it was a standard Golden Book format cranked out due to the popularity of cartoon show. It was way too long to be read out loud, but I wasn't given a choice in my material to read. I read for another 30 minutes, picking up one book after another. After I was done I was thanked by the teachers and I felt great...and not just because my volunteer work had excused me from class.

I was the oldest child in my family. I read books to my little brother and sister. I read out loud to my stuffed animals. But my first public performance of a storytime was in 6th grade.

And the book was Ducktales.

Woohoo!