My Basic Toddler Storytime Plan

Toddler storytimes are a relatively new thing for me. Previously, I almost exclusively did preschool storytimes, though I did sub a few times for toddler storytime. In my current position, when I first started in-person storytimes back up in 2022 I was only doing 1 family storytime per week, but then starting that summer I divided it into 1 toddler storytime and 1 preschool storytime. The toddler storytime is planned for ages 1-3, with the preschool storytime being for ages 3-5. However, those ages aren't strictly enforced, though I'm thinking of changing the toddler age range to 1-2 because I'm starting to get a lot of 3 year olds, which is taking away from the true toddlers, and many of them are ready for the preschool storytime.

I've played around with the format, and have finally settled on one that seems to be working pretty well for us, for now. There are some key differences between the toddler and preschool storytimes:

• Shorter
• More songs, fewer stories
• More movement
• Use shaker eggs, movement scarves, bells, or other "instrument" every time
• More repetition - use all the same songs & rhymes for 4-6 weeks (I do occasionally add a new one that ties into the book), in addition to the welcome and ending songs being the same all of the time
• Usually only 1 book
• Very short, simple books, preferably with bold illustrations, interactive, and a really good rhythm
• Always end with bubbles (before good-bye song and activities)
• Activities afterward, some overlap with preschool storytime as I always have at least 1 or two older kids, but I always put out the foam blocks, sensory tubes, sensory balls, and stacking cups for the younger ones.
  
  

Basic Toddler Storytime Plan:  

1. Open room and announce it's time for storytime (I found if I let them in early, they would get too restless and start running around and getting into stuff, better to let them stay in the play area and let entering the room signal it's time to settle down.).
2. Greet families as they enter and hand them program sheet.
3. Shut door after everyone is in to prevent escapees.
4. Greet and welcome the group, briefly go over expectations.
5. Sing short "Hello" song, then introduce myself and say hello to all the kids by name (I generally average 5-10, rarely more than 12.  I would not try that with a large group.)
6. Warm-Up Song - Something with a little movement.
7. Shaker Eggs/Scarves - With 2 songs or rhymes. I alternate; eggs one month, scarves the next usually. If doing scarves, I have them pick one up as they enter, if doing eggs I pass those out when we're ready to use them. I take things up afterward, before moving on, but I also tell parents it's not worth causing a meltdown if their child really doesn't want to part with them.
8. Lead-in song - I use "If You're Ready for a Story"
9. Read book - very short and simple!
10. Song/rhyme
11. On a very rare occasion, might attempt a second, very short book here
12. Bubbles! Sing "Ten Little Bubbles" count up, then blow bubbles to pop, then sing again counting down. Bubbles are not only fun, but encourage tracking and reaching across midline. (Letting kids blow bubbles also works their oral musculature for speech, but that's best left as a home activity. I use a bubble machine or gun; no blowing in a group to reduce germ spread.)
13. Good-bye song - first explain that there are optional activities after, but we're going to go ahead and sing our "Good-bye" song in case we don't get a chance to say good-bye to all of our friends later.
14. Activities - usually  2 or 3 plus other toys, if larger group add more. I try to keep them developmentally appropriate, play-centered, and working on some developmental skill. Sometimes do a craft, but not often for this age as it isn't developmentally appropriate. Some examples:
• Sensory bin, they LOVE this! I use a base such as water, sand, kinetic sand, shredded paper, rice, or water beads with manipulatives added (plastic animals, gold coins & jewels, figures, boats, ducks, measuring cups & spoons, fishing set, etc.)
• Sensory tubes & balls (always put these out)
• Paper & crayons
• Play dough - great pre-writing activity! Rolling and smooshing dough strengthens little hands and fingers.
• Dot painting - they loved these at first, but have gotten a little bored with it, so use infrequently
• Play food
• Counting & Sorting manipulatives
• Building sets (foam blocks, star builders, bristle blocks, etc)
• Toy cars & construction vehicles with activity mats
• Flannel sets on large flannel board
• Magnetic gears
• Magnetic letters
• Plastic animals
• Puppets & Finger puppets
The storytime part lasts about 20-25 minutes, and I do sometimes deviate from the above plan by throwing in an extra short song or rhyme or on rare occasions getting in a second book, and sometimes cutting it short. Some of the songs that I use can be found on the "Repeating Songs" tab above (even some possibly cringe-worthy videos of me singing them), or in the thematic storytime write-ups listed in the right-hand column. Jbrary.com is a great source for songs and rhymes, with videos so you can hear the tunes and see the motions.

The activities portion lasts anywhere from 15-30 minutes, depending on how many kids show up, their ages, and the activities. Occasionally I'll have a couple of families linger, but at 20-30 minutes I'll go ahead and put away anything they aren't using and go on out to the children's department, leaving the door open so I can keep an eye on things to be sure the room doesn't get wrecked and things don't "walk away" (sad, but true). Most families hang around in the children's department playing, socializing, and picking out books for a little while after storytime.


*Note for Outreach Storytimes - When I do classroom visits to daycares and preschools, I do not do crafts or activities, just the basic storytime. When I first start with a new client, or at the beginning of the school year, I usually shorten it a bit the first time or two. but I generally find I can do 2 books easily with toddlers in this setting as circle time is part of their daily routine. I currently am only able make visits once per month due to lack of staff and all the demands on my time, but my preference would be to visit every other week.



I'll add this plan to the "Storytime Plans" link above. If you'd like more detailed discussions of specific elements of storytime planning, check out all my posts tagged "Storytime Planning".

What does your Toddler Storytime look like?

Make a New Plan, Stan - Storytime Planning in the New Normal

How many of you have had to change how you do storytime in the new normal? I certainly have, and judging from the feedback I got when I gave my "Fearless Storytime" presentation at the state conference last year, I bet most of you have.

And why is this? Well, a few reasons that I believe are directly and indirectly related to the pandemic. A big one is that children born just before and during the pandemic (and their parents) spent their early years in relative isolation, so are not used to structured activities, have less well-developed listening skills (not that 2 year olds are really expected to have any, but 5 year olds usually do), and aren't used to being around other kids, so the fact other kids are present is in itself a big distraction. Also, as a result of the pandemic years young families have not integrated attending storytime into their weekly routines, so attendance is much more sporadic and less regular than families in the pre-pandemic era. And finally, attention spans are noticeably shorter than before, and while I have no proof of this, I strongly suspect screen time plays a part. 

Other than occasionally subbing for toddler and baby storytime, all my pre-Covid storytimes were Preschool storytimes for ages 3-5 (or family storytimes, which I basically did the same), so that is where I have seen major changes. I did not start regularly doing Toddler storytime until after we returned to in-person programming in 2022. These are the changes I've had to make in Preschool Storytime, and following that is my new Preschool storytime plan:

• Fewer books - Pre-pandemic, I would routinely read 3 books during a preschool storytime, only occasionally dropping to 2 if it was the beginning of the school year for outreach visits, or if the kids were just particularly restless that day. Occasionally I would even get 4 books in. Now, I very rarely ever get a third book in, and some days it's hard to get a second book in.
• Shorter books - I am finding that some of my favorite books that always worked before with this age, now no longer work, and I have to use shorter books that I would typically use with toddlers or brand new 3-year old classes. I am scrambling to find shorter books that are still fun and not boring. So many of the new picture books I buy that I think would be really cute and fun turn out to be too long and/or text heavy.
• More Behavior Management - I am also finding I'm having to do more "classroom" management, as young kids now often aren't accustomed to structured group activities, and since storytime attendance is much more sporadic, some of them don't come often enough to ever learn the routine. I find I have to do a whole lot more re-directing than I used to.
• More Explicit Expectations & Reminders - In my job pre-pandemic, I really never needed to go over expectations, it just wasn't ever an issue. But now, I've found I need to start my sessions by briefly reminding them what age each one is geared for and how they differ, and what the behavior expectations are. Some caregivers need to know that it's okay if their toddler isn't perfectly still or quiet, and that it's ok if they have to leave early because they get too restless and to come back in when they calm down, or for the activities afterward, or try again next week. Others need to know that it's not okay for their child to be racing at break-neck speeds around the room, or in my "bubble" (if they're too close, others can't see; if they get behind me, I might step on them or knock them down, or I might trip and fall; and I don't want them getting into my stuff). 
• Trouble Learning Names - Because attendance is so sporadic and irregular, it makes it very hard to learn and remember names!  
• Replace Crafts with Activities - This is one change for the better, and one I was going to do anyway in order to be more developmentally appropriate, but it became a necessity due to the sporadic attendance. Never knowing how many to plan for (it could be 3 or 23) or what ages (it could be mostly 1-2 year olds or mostly 5 year olds) made it so hard to plan and prep for crafts, resulting in either a lot of wasted time and materials, or scrambling to prep more. I did have to gradually wean them from crafts to activities, but I think now they love it. That doesn't mean we never do crafts, and I always have paper and crayons available, but the focus is activities that require little prep, focus on developmental skills and play, and involve re-usable items.

Post-Pandemic Preschool Storytime Plan:
This plan is of course not written in stone, and I always adjust on the fly to meet the needs and abilities of the group I get on any given day. I generally do themes, but not always (for a discussion on using themes, see "To Theme or Not To Theme". I generally pick 4-5 books, and decide which ones I'll actually use in the moment, and usually just 2. I also don't always use every song or rhyme I have planned. I make a little program sheet (half page, front & back) that lists storytime expectations, songs and rhymes, and a literacy/development tip or suggested activity, sometimes announcements.

1. Open room and announce it's time for storytime (I found if I let them in early, they would get too restless and start running around and getting into stuff, better to let them stay in the play area and let entering the room signal it's time to settle down.).
2. Greet families as they enter and hand them program sheet.
3. Shut door after everyone is in to prevent escapees.
4. Greet and welcome the group, briefly go over expectations.
5. Sing short "Hello" song, then introduce myself and say hello to all the kids by name (I generally average 5-10, rarely more than 12.  I would not try that with a large group.)
6. Warm-Up Song - Something with a little movement, use the same one all month.
7. If there's a theme, introduce it. Sometimes share a few photos & facts from a non-fiction book when possible.
8. Lead-In Song - I use "If You're Ready for a Story"
9. Read first book
10. Song, action rhyme, or flannel rhyme. Repeat. If they really like it, may do a third time. If it's really short, may do a 2nd short one.
11. Read second book
12. Possibly another song/rhyme
13. Good-bye song - first explain that there are optional activities after, but we're going to go ahead and sing our "Good-bye" song in case we don't get a chance to say good-bye to all of our friends later.
14. Activities - usually  2 or 3, if larger group add more. I try to keep them developmentally appropriate, play-centered, and working on some developmental skill. Sometimes do a craft, but less and less often. Some examples:
• Sensory bin, they LOVE this! I use a base such as water, sand, kinetic sand, shredded paper, rice, or water beads with manipulatives added (plastic animals, gold coins & jewels, figures, boats, ducks, measuring cups & spoons, fishing set, etc.)
• Paper & crayons
• Play dough
• Dot painting - they loved these at first, but have gotten a little bored with it, so use infrequently
• Play food
• Counting & Sorting manipulatives
• Building sets (foam blocks, star builders, bristle blocks, etc)
• Toy cars & construction vehicles with activity mats
• Flannel sets on large flannel board
• Magnetic gears
• Magnetic letters
• Plastic animals
• Puppets & Finger puppets

The storytime part lasts about 25-30 minutes, and I do sometimes deviate from the above plan by throwing in an extra short song or rhyme or on rare occasions getting in a third book (usually in my outreach visits), and at least once having to stop after 1 book! I occasionally use shaker eggs, scarves, or bubbles, but not as often as with the toddlers, and sometimes a puppet or other prop. Some of the songs that I use can be found on the "Repeating Songs" tab above (even some possibly cringe-worthy videos of me singing them), or in the thematic storytime write-ups listed in the right column. Jbrary.com is a great source for songs and rhymes, with videos so you can hear the tunes and see the motions.

The activities portion lasts anywhere from 15-30 minutes, depending on how many kids show up, their ages, and the activities. Occasionally I'll have a couple of families linger, but at 30 minutes I'll go ahead and put away anything they aren't using and go on out to the children's department, leaving the door open so I can keep an eye on things to be sure the room doesn't get wrecked and things don't "walk away" (sad, but true). Most families hang around in the children's department playing, socializing, and picking out books for a little while after storytime.

*Note for Outreach Storytimes - When I do classroom visits to daycares and preschools, I do not do crafts or activities, just the basic storytime. When I first start with a new client, or at the beginning of the school year, I usually shorten it a bit the first time or two. I currently am only able make visits once per month due to lack of staff and all the demands on my time, but my preference would be to visit every other week.

I'll add this new plan to the "Storytime Plans" link above, and I'll write up my general Toddler storytime plan next. If you'd like more detailed discussions of specific elements of storytime planning, check out all my posts tagged "Storytime Planning".

What changes have you made in your storytimes in the new normal?

Fearless Storytime, Redux

Ten Eleven Things You Should Not Be Afraid to Do As a Storytime Presenter

 

This is an updated and expanded version of an article I first wrote five years ago, and recently gave a presentation on at our state conference. (If you are interested in the slides from my presentation, they can be found on my share drive.)

I decided it was a good time to re-visit this topic post-pandemic because there has been so much turnover in the field, thus a lot of people new to storytime, and because people are different now. Attention spans are shorter, more trouble following directions (both kids and adults!), storytime attendance much more sporadic, and more behavioral issues than pre-Covid days, so even veteran storytime presenters are having to refresh and re-evaluate how they do things.

Don't be afraid to:

Sometimes It's Just A Hokey-Pokey Day, Redux

 

* I originally wrote this article a little over five years ago, when I was doing an average of 10 preschool storytimes a week and training others in early literacy programming as an early literacy outreach specialist. I have found myself referring back to it after I began rebuilding in-person programming in a post-pandemic reality where none of the kids and few of their caregivers are accustomed to structured group activities, and attention spans have gotten even shorter, so I thought it would be a good time to re-post it.

Incorporating Math Literacy Into Storytime and Other Programs

Incorporating math and science into storytime is something I've always tried to do, especially when I was in outreach, but I've realized it's not something everyone thinks of, or knows how to do. Or maybe you are doing some of these things anyway, and just hadn't really connected them to math or science. After seeing an article with a list of children's books to encourage an interest in math, I've been thinking more about ways to incorporate math and encourage a positive attitude about math, and trying to be more purposeful in incorporating math into storytime and other programs.

Now if you're thinking "oh, great, something else I have to worry about doing in storytime...", I get it! First storytime was just about reading stories, then it was about early literacy skills, then we had to add parent education and passing along development and early literacy information, and now we're talking about adding math! 

It is challenging to try to include so many different elements in 20-minute storytime, but some of these you are likely already doing anyway, and others are easy to incorporate. Plus, I'm a big believer in starting small, and that you don't have to do ALL the things every time. So try them every now and then, and as you get more familiar and comfortable with them, look for ways to incorporate them more often.

First, I'll start with some of the more obvious and work to some that are less obvious:

• Counting Books - There are lots of counting books, some better and more interesting than others. Keep the age of the audience in mind. For babies and toddlers, counting up from 1 to 5 or 10 is enough, but for older kids, look for books that count up to 20, and for books that count down. One that comes to mind I really like for older kids is Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 by Bill Martin, Jr., Michael Sampson, and Lois Ehlert. This introduces "skip counting", or counting by ten's up to 100. Also keep an eye out for books that have an actual story, as opposed to just counting, like Ellen Stoll Walsh's Mouse Count.
  
  
• Counting Songs & Rhymes - Again, for preschool and up, be sure to include rhymes and songs than count down as well as up, and try to use more that go up to/down from 10 and not just all the "Five Little..." somethings (though those are still good, too). Whenever I do the "Ten Little..." something song, I always do a second verse counting back down from 10 to 1 (this is also good for fine motor skills, as is repeating the "Five Little" somethings using the non-dominant hand).
  
  
• Shapes - The obvious connection here is geometry, which is true, but any type of activity that involves categorizing and classifying things involves mathematical thinking and is a pre-science skill as well. There are not a lot of great shape books, but two that I have used a lot are Shape By Shape by Suse McDonald (even though she got the Brachiosaurus' teeth completely wrong) for younger kids and Circle, Square, Moose by Kelly Bingham for older kids. Tangled: A Story About Shapes by Anne Miranda and Eric Comstock is a newer book that looks promising.
  
  Aside from books and simple shape identification activities, other activities that could be incorporated during storytime or as part of a craft or playtime afterward are flannel boards with all different felt shapes kids can play with and put together, crafts using cut-out shapes to make collage pictures or tangrams, magnet board shapes, good old-fashioned wooden building blocks that come in different shapes, and various shape-sorter toys. Encourage parents to point out shapes in real life, like signs, windows, doors, wheels, etc. There are several books that involve identifying shapes in the environment, but City Shapes by Diana Murray is particularly nice, and Bryan Collier's illustrations are lovely.
  
  
• Introduce Addition & Subtraction Concepts - An example that we frequently use are the counting up and down rhymes with the "Five Little" somethings, where we add or take away things one at a time. Look for stories that have this element as well, and reinforce it. Essentially, all the counting up stories and rhymes are doing addition, and the counting down ones are using subtraction; we just have to be intentional about pointing it out and describing it using those terms.
  
  
• Introduce Addition & Subtraction Equations - For preschoolers and up, occasionally show them the written equation and talk them through what the symbols mean and how it represents the situation just described. Two books that are great for this are Little Quack by Lauren Thompson and Derek Anderson, which counts up from 0 to 5 and showing the addition equations, and Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin and James Dean, which counts down from four to zero as Pete loses each button and shows the subtraction equations.
  
  
• Sorting & Matching - There are any number of items you can provide to have children sort and/or match by color, size, shape, or any other characteristics. This can be done with flannel or magnetic boards or with physical objects. A favorite activity of one of my volunteers was leaf-sorting using foam leaf cutouts that could be sorted by color, shape, or whether they were sparkly. This Attribute Apple set is great, too; it has apples in three sizes and colors, some with leaves, and some with worms, so there are many different criteria by which to sort them. This is also a great pre-science activity, and using a pincer grasp to sort small objects makes it a pre-writing activity as well!
  
  
• Patterns - Just like sorting, you can using various characteristics and activities to explore patterns using flannel pieces, blocks, beads on a string, and more. Seeing patterns is an important skill in mathematical thinking (think statistics, coding, data analysis, etc.). And again, manipulating small objects with a pincer grasp, as with stringing beads, is also great for writing.
  
  
• Spatial Relationships - Think directional terms and prepositions! Up, down, on the table, in the basket, over the rainbow, beside the chair, under the blanket, over there, etc. Use these to be descriptive, and ask questions that will elicit similar descriptive terms from the children. Also relative size and position, such as bigger than, smaller than, higher, lower, farther, nearer; big, bigger, and biggest, etc. I bet you already do this without realizing it relates to math as well as expressive language! The Berenstain Bears' Inside Outside Upside Down and Jez Alborough's Tall come to mind.
  
  And of course for a hands-on activity, it's hard to beat building with blocks for spatial relationships, but a treasure hunt where they have to follow directional instructions as well as relative descriptions and counting is a really fun way to incorporate several math skills.
  
  
• Measurement - Have kids measure and estimate things - quantity, length, height, weight, volume. One activity I have used, since we are in the middle of horse country, is tape a row of handprint cutouts up the wall and have the kids guess how many hands high they would be, then measure and see. This is a great science activity as well.
  
  
• Graphing - This activity is probably best for ages 5 and up, who have started to develop a greater sense of symbolic/representational thinking. This is simple to add onto any of the sorting or counting activities you do by just drawing a simple bar graph to represent your totals, and explaining how each unit of the bar represents 1 whatever you are counting.

Again, don't feel pressured to incorporate math into every single storytime, but just try to be a little more mindful and intentional with some of the activities when you can. Some are a little easier to do than others, and it does depend on the age of the kids. And if you aren't able to fit it into storytime as much as you'd like, then try to sneak it into other programs.

And to help, here are some links to various lists of books that relate to math in a positive way, and most are nicely categorized:

• Math for Kids - Children's Books That Build a Love of Math 
• 40 Children's Books That Foster a Love of Math 
• 16 Picture Books About Math to Inspire Curious Kids
• The Biggest List of the Best Math Picture Books Ever
• 72 of the Absolute Best Math Picture Books for Kids

For more ideas for activities:

• 15 Toddler Math Activities
• Preschool Math Activities That Are Super Fun!
• 15 Hand-On Math Activities for Preschoolers
• Play Based Math Activities for Kids
• Counting and Math Rhymes [and songs]
• Maths Songs and Rhymes

And my previous "Shapes" and "Numbers" storytimes:

• 1, 2, 3, Read With Me
• 1, 2, 3, Count With Me
• Numbers & Counting - The Winter Edition
• Shapes All Around Us
• A World of Shapes

If you have any suggestions for books or activities, or know other helpful resources, please share them in the comments! 

(And remember, regardless of your own personal feelings or possible struggles with math, please be careful to refrain from expressing any negative attitudes about math around children!)

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Sometimes It's Just A Hokey-Pokey Day

Ok, so you are well-versed in the principles of ECRR and storytime planning in general; you have an established beginning routine, you've selected some really great books, chosen some fun songs, rhymes, and a great flannel board activity. Things start out okay, but quickly disintegrate. Or maybe you can sense the energy level is all wrong as soon as they come in. 

So, what do you do when it isn't working?? Here are a few things to try*:

1. Extend the beginning routine. If they are extra wiggly that day, add a couple of very familiar songs before you start the first book. I've noticed all kids LOVE to sing the ABC song, and that almost always pulls everyone together so they are engaged as a group.
   
   
2. Just stop. Hopefully they will realize you are waiting for them to quiet down and will settle down on their own.
   
   
3. Redirect. Remind them they need listening ears, to sit down, catch a bubble. Establish a signal, such as a clapping pattern or saying like "1, 2, 3, all eyes on me" that they will immediately recognize as a cue to settle down. Remind them of expected storytime behavior. Sometimes I will even repeat all or part of the begining routine. If it is one or two specific individuals who continue after a general redirection, call them by name and ask them a question about the story. In some cases you may have to call them by name and tell them specifically what you need to them stop doing and what they should be doing instead.
   
   
4. Move on. Sometimes a particular book just isn't going to work with that group on that day. If you've made a couple of attempts to redirect and they are still not listening, it's okay to just quit in the middle and say something like, "I think we'll save this book for another time" and move on to a more interactive book or activity. If some are engaged and you don't want to cheat them out of the ending, feel free to paraphrase and shorten to get through the book faster.
   
   
5. Just move! Stop and do some type of movement activity to get their wiggles out. Maybe even two! Then follow that with a quieter activity then ends with them sitting back down, and try another book.
   
   
6. Sing. Doing very familiar songs really seems to help get them all involved and everyone re-focused and on the same page, things like the ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Itsy Bitsy Spider, etc. Once you have them focused, then try another book.
   
   
7. Hokey-Pokey Day. A very wise and now retired youth services manager had a great saying, "Sometimes it's just a Hokey-Pokey day." Some days no matter what you do, books just aren't going to work. So do what will work; sing songs, do the "Hokey-Pokey", play with instruments, blow bubbles with music, get the parachute out. It's okay. I guarantee there will be other days where all they want is stories. It all works out.
   
   
8. Cut it short. If you've tried everything, and nothing works, kids are melting down or climbing the walls, it's okay to end early. Really, it is! There is no point in trying to force something that is just not going to work; it's better to quit before everyone gets too frustrated and try to end on a positive note. Just cheerily say something like, "Well, I think that's enough for today, I'll see you next week!" If the kids seem disappointed, I might add something like "maybe we can work on our listening skills and next time we'll be able to do more stories", but not in a scolding way, just a matter-of-fact. I want to keep storytime a positive experience for everyone, as much as possible.
   
   Sometimes things are just out of your control, sometimes kids are new to storytime, sometimes they are just a little young for a full-length storytime. When I get a class of brand new 3 year olds at the beginning of the school year who have never been to storytime, it's going to take them a little while to learn the routine, so we do more singing, maybe only one book, and end a little earlier. I let the teacher know that's normal and expected, so they don't feel like the kids misbehaved.
   
   Other times, there is just something in the air, a change in routine, missed a nap, having a party or something else special going on that day. The worst time I ever had was when it started snowing the first snowfall of the year just as the kids were coming out to the Storytime Bus. I knew storytime was going to be a lost cause then! Just think about how magical that first snowfall is to a 3 or 4 year old. I gave it a go, tried all of the suggestions above, and NOTHING could keep them engaged, and they were literally climbing the walls! It was absolute and utter chaos. So I said, "Well, this is not working today, so let's just stop now and we will try again next time!" And the next visit they were perfectly fine.

So the bottom line is, trust your instincts, don't feel like you have to force something that isn't working, and don't beat yourself up for a bad day or needing to end early. It likely has nothing to do with you! 

*I based this on my experience with preschoolers; obviously expectations should be developmentally appropriate and would be a bit different for toddlers.

The Start of a New School Year - Easing Anxiety, Encouraging Engagement

Currently, all my storytimes are outreach storytimes done at preschools and daycares, either with the Storytime Bus as part of our Storytime-To-Go program, or what I refer to my "regular" storytime where I go in the classroom that is not part of the STG program. Just as summertime brings new challenges with the changes in routine, less structure, staff changes, distractions, etc., the beginning of the new school year has its own challenges.

This is when kids move to different classes, start daycare/preschool for the first time, or return to daycare/preschool after being home all summer. So we are often dealing with separation anxiety, some tears, and all the little bumps and hiccups with scheduling that are bound to happen. Also, we are starting with a new crop of 3 year olds that don't know the routine and may have not ever had storytime before.

So, I usually keep things short and sweet, and while I generally like to use storytime to introduce new books and authors, for the first storytime of the school year I generally use books I expect them to be very familiar with, for a couple of reasons. For one, having something familiar provides a little bit of comfort, and hopefully helps ease their apprehension (particularly when getting on the Storytime Bus for the first time), and already knowing the words and story encourages participation and keeps them engaged. I also do songs they will already know, or activities I know will be particularly fun and engaging.

So, for the last two weeks I picked a simple, straightforward theme of "Colors", knowing that most of them already know at least some colors, and they typically love identifying them and talking about their favorites.

The Books

(Click on image to view larger version)

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin & James Dean. By now, most kids are familiar with Pete the Cat, and I know from when we had the song on our listening station in the library that kids LOVE singing his song. This book packs a lot into a short, simple story: colorful illustrations, making predictions, identifying colors, singing the song and saying repeated lines, and teaches as lesson about not letting every little thing upset you.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. & Eric Carle. This is an old favorite for generations that many kids know by heart and love reciting with you. I've seen many nervous little faces light up when I pull this out and they see something familiar. It has great rhyme and rhythm, and of course Carle's wonderful illustrations, and the kids can see themselves in the diverse children's faces at the end.

Snappy Little Colors by Dugald Steer is a bright, and color ful pop-up book with different animals, my favorite being the shark. You can never go wrong with a pop-up book!

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh, and Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austen (and I just realized I have the British book cover in my collage, whoops!) are both fun books that introduce the idea of primary and secondary colors (though not using those terms). Each book shows how to make new colors by combining the primary colors. I usually save these for the older kids because the brand new 3's generally don't quite grasp the concept yet, and Mouse Paint in particular is a bit longish. All the kids giggle at the end of Monsters Love Colors, when the last little monster wants to be "super mega tropical rainbow with raspberry swirl on top!".

I did occasionally use a couple of other books, but these were by far the ones I used the most, particularly Pete and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, which I used for my brand new class of 3-year olds at my "regular" storytime.

Songs & Activities

Little Mouse, Little Mouse

This flannel board activity is probably my absolute favorite because we have so much fun with it. I inherited this set, and have since added two more colored houses, as well as a cookie and an apple. I usually hide the mouse in the very last house, behind the apple, and build suspense as we look behind each house, saying "Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the  (color)  house?" I really ham it up, and by the end they know he has to be in the last house. But then I remove the house and reveal the apple, and play dumb when they say they see the mouse. They get so excited when the see his little ears and feet peaking out!

I also used the song "If You're Wearing  (Color)  Today", first telling them to stand up, then once they were all standing, I'd call different colors and ask them to sit down until everyone was seated again. I saved this for the older kids because the young ones seem to have too much trouble following the directions and understanding what's going on.

For my brand new class of 3-year olds, I stuck with a few songs I knew they would know, like the "ABC's" (kids always want to sing that), "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", and "Itsy Bitsy Spider", which encouraged participation and made them feel like they knew what was going on. I also introduced our welcome song, story song, and closing song.

How It Went

Overall, the first round of storytimes for the new school year went very well. There were a few hiccups with scheduling and and the youngest kids that don't know the routine yet are always a little harder to keep engaged, which is why I just plan on shorter sessions at first, so we end on a positive note. I was pleasantly surprised that there were no tears this year, though some new kids were a little nervous about getting on the Storytime Bus. It seems like they are always either afraid that we are going to take them somewhere, or disappointed that we don't. But I am happy to report that one of the kids that was very apprehensive his first time last year, is now one of my most enthusiastic fans!

It was a little sad for me, as it was the first round without the kids who had left to start kindergarten, and I would find myself missing their familiar little faces, particularly the ones who were always very ethusiastic participants. But, I have lots of new faces to get to know, and they will be seasoned veterans in no time.

And for your entertainment, a baby being thoroughly entertained by a very enthusiastic reading of Brown Bear, Brown Bear:

Fearless Storytime

10 Things You Should Not Be Afraid To Do In Storytime

*For an updated and slightly expanded version of this article, go to "Fearless Storytime Redux", written 5 years after the original.

This is a somewhat random compilation of things, in no particular order, I have learned thus far in my 3 years of doing storytime. Feel free to add your own in the comments!

Don't be afraid to:

1. Sing! 🎶-- I have often heard people talk about not being comfortable singing in storytime because they feel they can't sing well. But, guess what? The kids DO NOT CARE! I promise. (In fact, most of them don't sing well, either.) I'm a lousy singer, but not one of the hundreds of kids I've had in storytime has ever noticed.
   
   
2. Be silly.💃 -- Kids love to see adults acting silly, so get up and dance with them, use silly voices, be goofy. Don't be afraid of silly books, either. Even ones that mention underwear, butts, or poop 💩 can be used to develop early literacy skills, and it teaches kids that books are fun!
   
   
3. Learn as you go. 🏫 -- You don't have to know everything in the beginning, and you don't have to use every technique at first. Observe a few storytimes by different people, read up on child development and early literacy, follow a few blogs; but the best way to learn is by doing! Start with what you are comfortable with, then gradually expand your repertoire and comfort zone as you continue to learn.
   
   
4. Fail. 😓 -- Don't let a fear of failure keep you from experimenting and trying new things, or you will stagnate. Mix it up! Give it a try! Some things won't work, and that's okay. Some say we learn more from our failures than our successes, and one less than spectacular storytime isn't going to kill anyone. But, you might discover something wonderful as well!
   
   
5. Take advantage of others' knowledge & experience. 💻 -- There are so many online resources available to use today, so take advantage of them! We all share and borrow ideas from each other, and it's okay to copy part or even all of someone else's storytime in a pinch (just be sure to give credit to your sources). It's also okay to repeat part or all of your own storytimes if your audience is different. We don't have to always reinvent the wheel.
   
   
6. Set Boundaries! 📵 -- This is not only necessary for your sanity, but for a successful storytime. Be sure your expectations of the children are developmentally appropriate, but never be afraid to ask the two chatty moms in the back to wait until after storytime, or to ask that child care worker to please put their phone away and stop texting. I will admit dealing with adult behavior is the one that is the most awkward and difficult for me.
   
   
7. Change gears in the middle. -- If whatever you're doing just isn't working that day, don't be afraid to quit, even right in the middle of a book or activity, and move on to something else. Not every book/activity suits every group. Maybe they just need a different book, maybe they just need something more active right then to get some energy out. They may not be able to sit and listen to stories at all that day, but they might do fine with songs, dancing, or something else. As a very wise former manager once told me, "Sometimes it's just a hokey-pokey day."
   
   
8. Cut it short. ✂ -- Some days nothing is going to work, and no matter what you try the kids are melting down or climbing the walls. Maybe their schedule is off, or something special is going on at school that day, or it just started snowing. It could be you have a group of brand new 3 year olds that just aren't quite ready for a full-length storytime. Don't be afraid to just cut it short, with a pleasant "Well, I think that's enough for today, we'll try again next time." It's better to quit before everyone gets too frustrated, and keep it positive.
   
   
9. Find your own style. -- No two people will present a book the same way. For that matter, we don't all like the same books. So don't feel like you have to use a book because it's an award winner or every other person you knows loves it; use books that you genuinely like. No two people do storytime the same, either. There are many different formats and styles, so experiment and figure out what works best for you and your audience.
   
   
10. Accept hugs.💕 -- Not everyone would agree, but I refuse to accept a world where we are afraid to show young children affection. One caveat - I never *initiate* any physical contact with a child (other than for safety), but I will gladly accept all the hugs and high-fives they want to give. Some of the kids I see in outreach are desperate for adult attention and approval, and who knows, that hug from you may be the only one they get that day.
    
    [Of course, if your employer or the facility you're visiting has rules against showing physical affection, you should follow them. Perhaps high-five's or fist-bumps could be an acceptable alternative?]

Feel free to add your thoughts and suggestions in the comments!

I have been toying with the idea of using this topic as a presentation for one of the smaller local or state conferences, but I fear it may be too basic and only of interest to beginners. What do you think? Common knowledge and boring to those with some storytime experience, or would it be suitable for a mixed audience and lead to some good discussion?

To Theme, Or Not To Theme; That Is The Question

The topic of using themes seems to come up for discussion fairly frequently among storytimers. Do you use themes or not? Do you have to use themes? What do you do if you don't have a theme?

There are really very few have to's in storytime, other than to have fun and tell stories! Everyone has their own style, and every group has it's own dynamic, so no two storytimes are the same. So, while many use themes, many others do not. It is really what works best for you, and it never hurts to try both ways or mix it up occasionally!

I do use themes for my storytimes for the most part. Mostly to aid in planning, as I feel like I need some kind of direction. Otherwise, I sometimes become overwhelmed trying to decide what to do because I have too many ideas swirling in my head. Sometimes I'll think of a theme, and then try to find books to go with it, or I may come across a book that inspires a theme. Or I may start with a theme in mind, but it may evolve depending upon the books I find, or I might have to scrap an idea and start over. I try to keep an open mind and not get too set on anything or force a theme that just isn't coming together.

Themes can be fun, but they shouldn't be a burden. It's great to come up with something new or somewhat unique, but you shouldn't feel like you have to re-invent the wheel every time, either. There's certainly nothing wrong with using tried and true hits like dinosaurs, farm animals, zoo animals, etc. Or do a slightly different take, for example, I did "unusual pets" instead of "pets", and my "under-the-sea" theme evolved into a "shark week" theme that turned out to be one of the most fun storytimes I've done.

But themes should be a help in planning, not a hindrance! If you can't come up with a theme, don't worry about it! Are there some books you've been wanting to use but just haven't fit in for one reason or another? New books you can't wait to try out? Old favorites you haven't used in a while? Great, your "theme" can be "books I wanted to read"! There have been times I just didn't have time to think about a theme, and just pulled several books I had been wanting to use, hadn't gotten around to yet. And it works just fine. In fact, this week I'm going theme-less because I came across some books I couldn't wait to use, but didn't necessarily fit into an obvious theme.  So I guess my theme is "Fun books Miss Jennifer just discovered" :)

And if you prefer not to use themes at all, more power to you. Whatever works! As with any aspect of storytime, start with what you're most comfortable with, and branch out from there. Don't be afraid to experiment. If something doesn't work, it's not the end of the world. Every time we try something new, it helps us grow and develop as professionals. If you happen to be one who doesn't generally use themes, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Storytime - More Than Reading Stories

People who are new to storytime (either presenting or attending) are sometimes surprised that we do more than just read stories, and I have been asked on occasion why I also include songs, action rhymes, fingerplays, flannel board activities, etc. (often referred to as "extension activities").  The answer is more complex than you might think.

The first, and most obvious reason, is that children have a limited attention span, and the younger they are, the more limited it is.  So they really can't sit still quietly through one story after another.  They need a chance to talk and to move, and do something different, and the younger the child, the more movement to be expected.  That's why a preschool storytime might be 3 books and a few movement activities, but a toddler storytime may be almost all movement and only 1 simple, short book.  We have to keep our programs and expectations developmentally appropriate, and fun for everyone.

Another reason is that extension activities help reinforce basic concepts beyond the theme of the storytime, as they often involve counting, color recognition, rhyming words, matching and sorting, shape recognition, number recognition, and others; working on pre-math and science skills as well as language and early literacy skills.

Fingerplays work on dexterity and fine motor skills.  All the five- and ten- little something songs and rhymes are really good for this.  Not only do they work on the concepts of counting, addition, and subtraction, they require a great deal of dexterity in being able to raise and lower different groups of fingers at a time.  Action rhymes and songs involve larger movements and work on gross motor skills, coordination, and rhythm.

Singing is one activity that many presenters are uncomfortable with when they first start doing children's programs and storytime (myself included), but it is so important to incorporate at least some songs and music.  For one thing, children enjoy music and different types of music are known to be related to different areas of cognitive development. Music also encourages movement and imagination.  You can incorporate movement scarves, shaker eggs, or instruments to encourage participation and expression.

Vocal music is actually an important tool in language development, and therefore early literacy skill development.  When we sing, it often slows down the language, breaking up the words into their individual syllables and sounds, making it easier for children to discern and learn all the smaller sounds that make up language.  So don't be afraid to sing!  Trust me, the kids really don't care!  Stick with tunes to familiar songs that you are comfortable with if you need to, and practice.  You can also supplement with recorded songs; songs from children's performers like Laurie Berkner, Jim Gill, and Raffi are popular, but carefully selected pop songs work well sometimes, too.  If you still aren't over your stage fright, check out my previous post "I Can't Carry A Tune In A Bucket..."

And one last benefit to using all these other activities is cultural literacy.  Children today are less and less familiar with all the older, traditional folk tales, songs, and nursery rhymes, so by incorporating some of them in storytime we can keep them alive and pass them down to another generation.  Not to mention, they often contain more complex language and new vocabularly as well.

Do you have to all of these, all the time?  Should you stress about being sure you are incorporating everything I've mentioned in your storytimes?  Of course not!  Start with what you are most comfortable with and enjoy first, then as you gain experience and confidence gradually add more to you repertoire.  Mix and match, so that overall, you are doing a little bit of everything. 

Please feel free to mention any extension activities and/or benefits I may have forgotten in the comments, and tell me which work best for you.  No matter how long one has been doing storytime, there is always something new to learn from others.  Conversely, even if you have only been doing storytime a short time, you have something to share.  Most of all, have fun!

The Importance of A Beginning Routine

I was reminded this week of the importance of a regular beginning routine with repeating elements for storytime.  I've had a bit of a cold this week, and almost lost my voice, so
I had to let my volunteers take the lead and do most of the talking for storytime for a couple of days.

The volunteer I was with on the first day works with me frequently and knows my usual routine, and followed it.  However, the second day I was with a volunteer I don't work with very often and she does not really use any kind of beginning routine, just introduces the topic, and jumps right into reading stories.  All morning I kept thinking, "Boy, the kids all seem to be having a hard time settling down today," and then it finally dawned on me, we were not doing our usual routine.  Even though it was in the middle of storytime, I went ahead and did my usual opening song and behavior reminders before I read the next story, and it was like night and day.  I noticed their faces light up as they recognized the familiar song, and they immediately settled down and did a much better job listening after that! 

It doesn't matter what you do; it could be songs, rhymes, an activity, or any combination thereof.  What matters is that it's something you do every time.  Kids like routines and repetition.   If something is repeated, they will learn it and participate.  Familiar routines help get them engaged, and give them cues as to what is coming next and how to behave.  Kids are more comfortable and cooperative when they know what to expect.

So, here is my beginning routine, but yours might be totally different.  First, the kids take a seat and we sing a "Welcome Song".  Then, I give a brief introduction to the topic, which may sometimes include a short rhyme or activity related to it, but often does not.  Then we go to what we have come to call our "Story Song", which is based on "If You're Happy And You Know It", but says "If you're ready for a story..."  I like using this because I can add or subtract verses based on how wiggly the kids seem.  The more wiggly, the more verses I do to help them settle down.  I start with large movements and work down to smaller ones, ending with them sitting down and saying "Shhh".  Sometimes I may incorporate something related to the theme.  I really like the flexibility of using this song.

Then, we are ready for a story.  Before I start, I remind them that I need everyone sitting on their bottoms, "criss-cross applesauce," ears ready to listen, eyes up front, hands in our laps and not up our noses or bothering our neighbors, and catch a bubble.  Then I start the story.  I give this little speech before every story, and if necessary I will even sing a shortened version of the "story song" to transition from movement activities to subsequent stories ("If you're ready for a story, take a seat").

That is what I do for my "regular" storytime -- the one that I've been doing on my own for a while, where I go to the classroom, and I don't have to worry about time.  For the "Storytime-To-Go" program, it's a little abbreviated because of the time constraints.  At most we have 25 minutes per group, as we have to stay on a tight schedule to get everyone in, and sometimes less when classes don't show up promptly.  So in this case, I omit the "Welcome Song" and it still seems to work pretty well.  When I first started with the program, it was staffed by volunteers only, and no one established any kind of beginning routine.  I saw right away that one was needed and gradually worked towards introducing one, and could see a big difference once I had.  The kids really like having something familiar each time, and a routine to help them settle down.

So figure out what works best for you and your group.  You may find something shorter or longer works better.  You might do rhymes or fingerplays, or use a puppet.  It really doesn't matter, and its okay for it to gradually evolve and change over time.  I bet you will find that even you like it better with more of a routine to lead into things.  If you already have an established routine, tell me about it in the comments! I love to hear what works for other people, too.

My Storytime New Year's Resolutions

Aside from the annual resolutions to try to eat better, work out, and get in shape, I thought I'd take the time to write out a few storytime resolutions as well.  Some of these are inspired by the workshop with early literacy expert Saroj Ghoting I attended recently, some are just things I would like to try or feel need to be done.

     (1)  Use more non-fiction books in storytime.  I do use non-fiction books
            occasionally, usually with the more "science-y" topics, but I want to make
            the effort to use them more.

     (2)  Experiment with working in the early literacy tips (or "asides" as Saroj
            calls them).  This one I have mixed feelings about.  It feels a bit awkward
            and preachy to me, and I don't really think it applies to my outreach storytimes
            as much as it would the in-library storytimes when each child comes with a
            parent or caregiver.  I generally just see one or two teachers/aids with my
            groups and I feel like most won't be interested at all.  But I do want to at least
            experiment with the idea.

     (3)  Develop/finish 3-4 more new storytime kits for my storytime-to-go collection. 
            I have one I am working on now, an idea for another brand new one, and
            my predecessor left several partially developed kits that I am gradually
            finishing and adding to the collection.  These kits are a themed "storytime-
            in-a-box" that contain 8-12 books of various styles and lengths, several
            songs, rhymes and fingerplays; feltboard stories, and other activities.  
           
     (4)  Finishing re-vamping the existing storytime kits.  When I joined the program,
            there were about 32 finished storytime kits in the collection.  I have found
            that some of them really need a couple more good activities for more variety,
            and that many of them could use 2 or 3 more books, particularly ones that are
            good for the younger and more wiggly groups and more my style.

     (5)  Find opportunities to get experience with storytimes (or other programs) with
           other age groups.  If that doesn't work out, then at least observe some of the
           other storytimes in my system.

So, these are my resolutions, and I have a few others not related to storytime (read more, work on reader's advisory, and take a class).  What are yours?