Story time advice
May 8, 2019 4:50 PM Subscribe
I work in a public garden and we are expanding our public programming. We were thinking about adding a Sunday morning storytime. Librarians and other experienced story hour people, help me think this through so we can make it work.
Looking for advice on things like time of day, how to be a good reader, resources for good books or how to choose a good book, pitfalls we can avoid, and all the other factors I’m totally not thinking about.
I want to do it on the weekend because it seems like most of the local story hours are during standard work hours and I’ve always wanted to take my kid to a story hour but couldn’t.
Saturday is out due to a scheduling thing with another local non-profit.
Looking for advice on things like time of day, how to be a good reader, resources for good books or how to choose a good book, pitfalls we can avoid, and all the other factors I’m totally not thinking about.
I want to do it on the weekend because it seems like most of the local story hours are during standard work hours and I’ve always wanted to take my kid to a story hour but couldn’t.
Saturday is out due to a scheduling thing with another local non-profit.
The most important things the reader needs to do:
1. Read loudly
2. Read slowly
3. Read with expression
4. Pause to make eye contact with kids in the audience.
Personally I love Elephant and Piggy books.
posted by mai at 5:16 PM on May 8, 2019 [4 favorites]
1. Read loudly
2. Read slowly
3. Read with expression
4. Pause to make eye contact with kids in the audience.
Personally I love Elephant and Piggy books.
posted by mai at 5:16 PM on May 8, 2019 [4 favorites]
For book content I'd make friends with local library folks. What's new and cool. I like to see the Coretta Scott king award books (might be mis naming/it is something like that...). Look into plant ones - I am a bunny is a perennial fave at my place ;)
Are you wanting to build a small library/reading area from the books you select?
Beatrix Potter did kids books and was a naturalist/mushroom scientist!
Anyhow, gotta fold laundry, must stop procrastinating, good luck!
Edited to add - lots of book readers on you tube. Maybe watch and see what you like/what you think works. Not being stiff or bothered by kids being kids....
posted by PistachioRoux at 5:20 PM on May 8, 2019
Are you wanting to build a small library/reading area from the books you select?
Beatrix Potter did kids books and was a naturalist/mushroom scientist!
Anyhow, gotta fold laundry, must stop procrastinating, good luck!
Edited to add - lots of book readers on you tube. Maybe watch and see what you like/what you think works. Not being stiff or bothered by kids being kids....
posted by PistachioRoux at 5:20 PM on May 8, 2019
Think about stroller parking if you're in a walkable location.
posted by cocoagirl at 5:39 PM on May 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by cocoagirl at 5:39 PM on May 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
I alternate a book and song that has movement— this breaks it up for stragglers and gets the wiggles out. For 30 minutes I shoot for 4-5 books. Jbrary.com is your best source for songs and “dialogic reading” is a key concept for reading with children, not just at them.
Tip: many picture books are kind of long, paperclip pages together to make a story time edit and improve the timing and appeal of the book.
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:40 PM on May 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
Tip: many picture books are kind of long, paperclip pages together to make a story time edit and improve the timing and appeal of the book.
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:40 PM on May 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
I take my kids to a lot of storytimes. Our favorite is at the Missouri History Museum. The reasons I specifically like that one are:
- the room has some adult seating, kid-size seating, and cushions on the floor. There are some fun structures in there that kids can play on before the storytime starts (like, there is a "tree" you can crawl inside). So it's a comfy room to be in for a while.
- the readers are really expressive, loud, clear and engaged. I think they are all museum educators who must receive some great training.
- the readers Do Not Care if kids are wiggling, moving around, shouting things out, etc. They just roll with it.
- they have a big easel next to the reader where they pin up pictures relating to the theme. The readers are great at engaging the kids to identify the pictures and talk about them. If there are some particularly keen kids in the front row they will have back-and-forth interaction with them (like, we went to one that was themed on "shoes" recently and the reader talked to the kids about their favorite pairs of shoes and what kind of shoes they were wearing that day).
Most of the storytimes we go to follow the basic structure of: welcome song, 2-3 books interspersed with movement songs, goodbye song, and then an optional toy time, craft, or bubbles.
When we haven't liked a storytime, it is almost always because the facilitator is very prescriptive - like, insisting that everyone wear nametags even though kids are just ripping them off. Or, if they have advertised it as being for a specific age range but then the books or activity are pitched much older.
posted by cpatterson at 6:00 PM on May 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
- the room has some adult seating, kid-size seating, and cushions on the floor. There are some fun structures in there that kids can play on before the storytime starts (like, there is a "tree" you can crawl inside). So it's a comfy room to be in for a while.
- the readers are really expressive, loud, clear and engaged. I think they are all museum educators who must receive some great training.
- the readers Do Not Care if kids are wiggling, moving around, shouting things out, etc. They just roll with it.
- they have a big easel next to the reader where they pin up pictures relating to the theme. The readers are great at engaging the kids to identify the pictures and talk about them. If there are some particularly keen kids in the front row they will have back-and-forth interaction with them (like, we went to one that was themed on "shoes" recently and the reader talked to the kids about their favorite pairs of shoes and what kind of shoes they were wearing that day).
Most of the storytimes we go to follow the basic structure of: welcome song, 2-3 books interspersed with movement songs, goodbye song, and then an optional toy time, craft, or bubbles.
When we haven't liked a storytime, it is almost always because the facilitator is very prescriptive - like, insisting that everyone wear nametags even though kids are just ripping them off. Or, if they have advertised it as being for a specific age range but then the books or activity are pitched much older.
posted by cpatterson at 6:00 PM on May 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
We just started this at my work and it's been awesome! Here are my tips:
1. Open with introductions - who are you, where are you, welcome people AND where are the bathrooms!!
2. Talk to librarians about good books - find a theme and be specific about an age group. Plan to only do large books with good, big pictures. Always pause to show the pictures.
3. Plan to have an activity or songs as well, so it's not just one story and you are done.
4. Think about where people will be sitting - will they need blankets to sit on the grass? - and think about potential noise.
5. Consider bringing in an ASL interpreter to make the story times open to more families. We did and we had a very strong showing.
posted by Toddles at 8:15 PM on May 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
1. Open with introductions - who are you, where are you, welcome people AND where are the bathrooms!!
2. Talk to librarians about good books - find a theme and be specific about an age group. Plan to only do large books with good, big pictures. Always pause to show the pictures.
3. Plan to have an activity or songs as well, so it's not just one story and you are done.
4. Think about where people will be sitting - will they need blankets to sit on the grass? - and think about potential noise.
5. Consider bringing in an ASL interpreter to make the story times open to more families. We did and we had a very strong showing.
posted by Toddles at 8:15 PM on May 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
Oh yeah, and in terms of time of day - 10am is good, but on a Sunday it means church, so consider 2pm?
You really can't win with naps, someone is napping at every time you could think.
posted by Toddles at 8:17 PM on May 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
You really can't win with naps, someone is napping at every time you could think.
posted by Toddles at 8:17 PM on May 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
Have you called your local library? Their resources vary, but mine would be thrilled to come with large-format books designed for storytimes.
Will this be outside? If so, pay attention to ambient noise... a place that seems quiet can be surprisingly loud if you're trying to talk to a group.
posted by metasarah at 6:25 AM on May 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Will this be outside? If so, pay attention to ambient noise... a place that seems quiet can be surprisingly loud if you're trying to talk to a group.
posted by metasarah at 6:25 AM on May 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Your local library also might be happy to send professional children's librarians to do the story times for you! I work at a public library and we are happy to do outreach in the community -- stories in the park are one of my favorite parts of summer.
posted by tangosnail at 10:15 AM on May 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by tangosnail at 10:15 AM on May 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh yes, Elephant and Piggy! You can read those to a group of mixed ages and everyone will get something out of them. I am partial to Happy Pig Day. You can get the kids to hop up and down and sing "oiky oink oik!"
I also like a big book with colorful complex pictures, like the books of Chris Van Dusen. Pointing at something on the page and saying "What's this?" seems to be enjoyed by kids. Don't be afraid to leave out some sentences if the kids are very small.
Definitely introduce yourself by name and get all their names if feasible. Some people like to do an introductory song like "If you're happy and you know it." I don't like to sing but usually have one or two animal puppets that talk to the kids and they can all pet them or shake hands with them after the story. I also like to have an extra, very short book or a poem available because a surprising number of people ask for one more story. At the end I say thank you and applaud the kids and parents to make it clear we're done.
posted by BibiRose at 4:11 PM on May 9, 2019
I also like a big book with colorful complex pictures, like the books of Chris Van Dusen. Pointing at something on the page and saying "What's this?" seems to be enjoyed by kids. Don't be afraid to leave out some sentences if the kids are very small.
Definitely introduce yourself by name and get all their names if feasible. Some people like to do an introductory song like "If you're happy and you know it." I don't like to sing but usually have one or two animal puppets that talk to the kids and they can all pet them or shake hands with them after the story. I also like to have an extra, very short book or a poem available because a surprising number of people ask for one more story. At the end I say thank you and applaud the kids and parents to make it clear we're done.
posted by BibiRose at 4:11 PM on May 9, 2019
Oh, not to abuse the editing window-- totally do something scientific or relating to your garden, if you want to. My favorite storytime last summer was with the author of this book who came dressed like a bug and let the kids hunt for little laminated bugs.
Tree by Britta Teckentrup is a cool plant-related book.
posted by BibiRose at 4:18 PM on May 9, 2019
Tree by Britta Teckentrup is a cool plant-related book.
posted by BibiRose at 4:18 PM on May 9, 2019
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Lap sit infant? Toddler? Etc... Most things I've been to (have toddler) is 30 minutes max
Having an 'opening song' for continuity and stragglers arriving
Involve music and movement to round out a brief story. Sitting for long periods with small kids is tough to obtain.
Context of the book - is it related to time of year, etc... Can match to the music(music match to book)
What is presenter into - musician? Bring the instrument.. From a different country? Teach a word/phrase in another language.. make it a bit personal? Is it same presenter each time?
Bubbles at the end is always a big hit (portable battery operated with lots of bubbles).
And then a sticker at the very end? I mean, obviously on what you're into
This is my gleaning from attending local storytime at libraries. I'm not a child professional educator
Edited to add - look into nap timing re:ages too. There isn't a one size fits all - but probably mean nap for age situation...
posted by PistachioRoux at 5:12 PM on May 8, 2019 [1 favorite]