Stories Songs (circle times, Puppets Flannel boards Finger Plays Insturments (shakers, tambourines, etc.) Stickers Stamps on hands Scarves or beanbags Balls Balloons Coloring pages Games Parachutes Draw & Tell or Cut & Tell How about something that makes it "your" storytime? Bubbles Hoops Cones Cartoons Storyboards Water colors Overhead projection Reader’s Theater Audience Participation Videos or Filmstrips Parades: for example, if she does a hat storytime, she lets the kids put on hats and march through the library. I know another librarian who lets the kids stomp on bubble wrap to music. Floor puzzles: although that works best with a smaller group Activity sheets to send home
One of my predecessors used a little silver bell as her "gimmick" - she would ring it, then pass it around to let the children ring it as well. It was part of her "opening" at storytimes.
To help with some of the "Every Child Ready to Read," campaign, I often cut out letters in both upper and lower case and have the kids spell words, such as "cat," "dog," "mouse," or phrases like "Happy Birthday," or "Happy St. Patrick's Day." This helps to learn how to spell and shows that we read from left to right.
You could also use audio books to give your voice a break. The picture books that come with the books and tape are very nice to use. Those are fun because the kids enjoy the sound effects and again, it gives you a break.
Maybe even have a Show-and-Tell storytime sometime and have the kids bring in one of their favorite toys and have them tell you about it and you could read books about toys.
I might add a puppet, a bird's nest, a bit of knitting unraveling, and lots of creativity. I believe passionately that the true treasure of storytime with preschoolers is the spoken word - the ideas, the imaginings, the information, the singing, the rhymes - and the community of coming together week after week to share it all. But the book is central. I learned this in library school and from my colleagues along the way, and find it ever more true now.
One of the children's librarians in our system has special storytimes where everyone brings a sack lunch and has storytime out on the lawn. It sounds like fun too.
For one of our Pirate storytimes, I drew a map of the library with guides to finding a "buried treasure" and then helped them interpret the map to find the treasure which was filled with a small gift for them.
When I have extra help we might try something like planting some flowers outside or doing games outside on our lawn or take a nature hike & use the items we found in a craft.
Resources (books, websites, etc.):
Flannel Braod http://www.nuttinbutkids.com/flannel.htm http://hometown.aol.com/Ivinsart/handbook.html
Science http://www.hcpl.net/cgi-bin/ebranch/story_time/print_theme.pl?id=299 http://www.hcpl.net/cgi-bin/ebranch/story_time/print_theme.pl?id=156 http://www.hcpl.net/cgi-bin/ebranch/story_time/print_theme.pl?id=327
Storytelling http://www.libsci.sc.edu/storytelling/stories.htm
I often use these websites as resources for my programming: http://www.preschoolexpress.com/ http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/ http://www.thebestkidsbooksite.com/ http://www.123child.com/ http://stepbystepcc.com/themes.html http://www.hummingbirded.com/ http://www.kizclub.com/index.html (has some great flannel board patterns)
atozteacherstuff.com
Check out the www.ala.org and go to ALSC and that will give you some ideas for "Every Child Ready to Read."
I'm a Little Teapot! by Jane Cobb The Big Book of Stories, Songs, and Sing-Alongs by Beth Maddigan, Early Literacy Storytimes @ Your Library: Partnering with Caregivers for Success by Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting Cool Story Programs for the School-Age Crowd by Rob Reid are a great resource for humourous storytimes
Music:
Anything by Sharon, Lois, and Brahm, Songs for Wiggleworms, Raffi, Laurie Berkner, and Jim Gill. Justin Roberts Cathy Fink Laurie Berkner Ralph Covert Dan Zanes “We are the Dinosaurs" by Laurie Berkner "Drivin in my Car" by Ralph's World for the younger crowd Greg & Steve's "Movement Medley" or "the Freeze" for the older. "I Wanna Have Dog Breath" by Howard Hanger Jazz Fantasy (on Dog breath & other mind boggling hits for kids) "The Goldfish" by Laurie Berkner
CD's by Georgiana Stewart? She has cd's with songs that are perfect for
using scarves or even bean bags.
Mailbox Magazine
- The Sound of Storytime, by Tiara Dixon and Paula Blough
- Mother Goose on the Loose: a Handbook and CD-ROM Kit with Scripts, Rhymes,
Songs, Flannelboard Patterns, and Activities for Promoting Early Childhood Development, by Betsy Diamant-Cohen