Finally, that Fall preview I promised!
It has now been a year since I started going through the interview process to get my current job. In just over two months (November 8th), I will mark my first year actually working in the job. Over the last 10 months, I have learned a lot about what makes this community tick, and what kinds of programs they enjoy and want to attend. The last 7 months since we opened this new building have been especially educational, and I think this Fall, it's finally all coming together.
Story Time Changes.
The first change I made as summer reading came to a close was to revisit the age groups I was targeting with my various weekly story times. I took a look at who was actually attending story time at certain points in the week and adjusted accordingly. Family Story Time became Preschool Story Time, Baby Lap Time because Baby/Toddler Lap Time, and Tales for Fours and Fives, which never really caught on this summer in the first place, was eliminated. We are in the second week with these changes now, and it feels like things have really improved.
The New Baby Lap Time.
I also took on yet another project. Our baby/toddler story times are so huge, and so overwhelming for a lot of little ones, that I decided to offer a registration-only baby lap time. This program will run for six weeks, beginning in mid-September, and has been limited to 15 families per session. I'm limiting the age group to birth to 18 months, but I was somewhat lenient, and let in a few who are 19 and 20 months as well, because I know some of these families really don't like the loud and raucous story times we have the rest of the week, and I want them to have positive experiences here.
The response has been very strong, and so far it seems like 15 was the ideal number. We're three weeks away from starting and both sessions are full, but only three families are on a wait list, and it seems likely that I will just squeeze them in. I have a baby doll prop that my mom got for me from a kindergarten teacher she works with, and I'm working on organizing my six-week "curriculum." I am really excited to start and see how it goes, with the hope that we can repeat the same kind of program this Winter.
School-Age Programming.
Last but not least, I programmed for elementary school and middle school kids more heavily this season than any other so far. This should be my strong suit, given how much of these programs I did at my previous library, but we had smaller groups and more money there than we do here, so it's hard to compare them. Kids in this neighborhood are also very busy; music lessons, martial arts, tutoring, and other extracurricular activities keep them busy in the after school hours. Most parents seem to prefer the "grab and go" approach to borrowing books, and few families linger in the library. But the library system wants school-age kids coming in, so I'm doing my best to drum some up! Our first craft program is later this week, on Thursday. Kids in Grades K-3 will make pencil toppers and listen to a couple of back to school books. I'm really nervous about it, because I hate it when no one shows up, but I'm trying my best to promote it and stay positive! I've also got a magnetic poetry project for grades 4-8 later on in September.
So that's mainly what's going on here. I've also got a bunch of new flannel boards to share on upcoming Flannel Fridays, and I've introduced some new songs and rhymes. It's nice to feel like I finally have ownership over my department, and I think things will only continue to improve from here.
How's your Fall looking? Share what you're looking forward to - or dreading - in comments!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Baby/Toddler Story Time, 8/30
I really need to find a way to handle chatty adults. Stopping in the middle of the story time and asking them to quiet down doesn't work. My manager wants me to make announcements at the beginning of each story time next week explaining what the expectations are, but unless I have some great signal for getting their attention, I'm not sure they'll hear even that! But I know I have to nip it in the bud, and soon, because the story time is growing more and more popular all the time, and I had my first complaint today about not being firm enough. And it's true, I'm not. A year ago, I wouldn't have even been able to get in front of the room and sing - asking me to discipline people who don't take me seriously is another major hurdle. I know I can get over it, if I have a plan, but I'm floundering. Any ideas? I've had people suggest things like, "Raise your hand if you can hear me," and that kind of thing, but I don't want to treat them like children, I just want them to respect what I'm doing and let the kids enjoy it!
Anyway. This problem only presented itself during the second of my three sessions today. Otherwise, this collection of books, songs, and rhymes worked very very well.
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Book: 1,2, Buckle My Shoe by Anna Grossnickle Hines (2008)
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake
Song: Head and Shoulders
Song: Hands Are For Clapping
Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Little Apples
I didn't memorize this rhyme as well as I thought I had, so the words below are the ones I used today. It was a huge hit - all three sessions loved it. Apparently simple flannel boards are more appealing than I realized!
Five little apples hanging in a tree
As juicy and sweet as they could be
Along came the wind with an angry frown
And one little apple came tumbling down...
Four little apples...etc.
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Tommy Thumb
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
A full description of this, and all my weekly story time programs can be found here.
Anyway. This problem only presented itself during the second of my three sessions today. Otherwise, this collection of books, songs, and rhymes worked very very well.
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake
Book: Ten Tiny Babies by Karen Katz (2008)
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Head and Shoulders
Song: Hands Are For Clapping
Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Little Apples
I didn't memorize this rhyme as well as I thought I had, so the words below are the ones I used today. It was a huge hit - all three sessions loved it. Apparently simple flannel boards are more appealing than I realized!
Five little apples hanging in a tree
As juicy and sweet as they could be
Along came the wind with an angry frown
And one little apple came tumbling down...
Four little apples...etc.
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Tommy Thumb
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
A full description of this, and all my weekly story time programs can be found here.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Preschool Story Time, 8/29
This is already my second week on my Fall schedule, even though Fall still feels like a long way off. This story time was formerly a Family Story Time, but it didn't really draw in families, so I changed it slightly and have shifted the focus to preschoolers. And though I only had five kids in the target age range today, this was one of the best story times I have ever done. The kids - three boys and two girls - sat on our new little stools right in front of me, and they hung on my every word, doing everything I asked, and actually lamenting the end of story time when it came. It is programs like this that make me love this job, and that make all the other dramas of working in libraries seem worth it. Here is what we did:
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Song: If You'd Like to Read a Book
Book: What the Ladybug Heard by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Lydia Monks (2010)
This is the story of how the small and silent ladybug alerts the farm animals to a criminal plot to steal the prize cow, and engages all the animals in a plot to thwart the theft. The boys, especially, laughed non-stop at the animals each making each other's sounds.
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake (three times)
I had this idea in my head that rhymes were best for babies and toddlers, but that has not been the case these past two weeks. The older kids love having someone to mimic, and they catch on well enough to repeat the rhyme on their own later on. I had the two wildest boys who have been disrupting my story time with running and shouting and name-calling for months, sitting there calm as can be doing this rhyme.
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
"This is fast fast fast" was definitely the most thrilling part of this rhyme for my group.
Song: Hands Are For Clapping
Book: Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Stephen Michael King (2011)
This group was a little young to get all the jokes in this book, but once I started pointing out the funny parts and encouraging them to think about whether branches, twigs, and baby brothers would make good pets or not, they laughed themselves silly.
Song: Turn Around
Flannel Board Rhyme: Knock Knock! (from Good For You! Toddler Rhymes for Toddler Times by Stephanie Calmenson)
This was the breakout hit of the day. I started out saying knock, knock and asking the kids to say who's there, but by our third time through (they asked me to do it again!), they were saying knock, knock, and trying to name all the relatives themselves. I was nervous when they didn't laugh after the first time through, but they quickly got into it after the second time. We'll be doing this one many more times in the future, I hope!
Song: Tommy Thumb
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
The nicest thing about this session? I didn't have a single complaint about skipping The Wheels on the Bus, ABCD Medley, and Chickadee. It's nice to have one story time, at least, where I can get away without doing them! I'll work on the Tuesday group next...
A full description of this, and all my weekly story time programs can be found here.
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Song: If You'd Like to Read a Book
This is the story of how the small and silent ladybug alerts the farm animals to a criminal plot to steal the prize cow, and engages all the animals in a plot to thwart the theft. The boys, especially, laughed non-stop at the animals each making each other's sounds.
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake (three times)
I had this idea in my head that rhymes were best for babies and toddlers, but that has not been the case these past two weeks. The older kids love having someone to mimic, and they catch on well enough to repeat the rhyme on their own later on. I had the two wildest boys who have been disrupting my story time with running and shouting and name-calling for months, sitting there calm as can be doing this rhyme.
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
"This is fast fast fast" was definitely the most thrilling part of this rhyme for my group.
Song: Hands Are For Clapping
This group was a little young to get all the jokes in this book, but once I started pointing out the funny parts and encouraging them to think about whether branches, twigs, and baby brothers would make good pets or not, they laughed themselves silly.
Song: Turn Around
Flannel Board Rhyme: Knock Knock! (from Good For You! Toddler Rhymes for Toddler Times by Stephanie Calmenson)
This was the breakout hit of the day. I started out saying knock, knock and asking the kids to say who's there, but by our third time through (they asked me to do it again!), they were saying knock, knock, and trying to name all the relatives themselves. I was nervous when they didn't laugh after the first time through, but they quickly got into it after the second time. We'll be doing this one many more times in the future, I hope!
Song: Tommy Thumb
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
The nicest thing about this session? I didn't have a single complaint about skipping The Wheels on the Bus, ABCD Medley, and Chickadee. It's nice to have one story time, at least, where I can get away without doing them! I'll work on the Tuesday group next...
A full description of this, and all my weekly story time programs can be found here.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Baby/Toddler Lap Time, 8/26
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers (twice)
Book: Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy by Denise Fleming (2010)
I've started revisiting successes, and this book is definitely a great one. I used it in one of my first lap times ever, and the simple concept and rhythm made me want to read it again.
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Clap Along With Me
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Song: You Are My Sunshine
Book: Subway by Anastasia Suen, illustrated by Karen Katz (2004)
Great author/illustrator combination! I love the simplicity and repetition of Suen's language combined with Katz's characteristic bright, patterned illustrations. This book also seems to have the power to stop babies from crying!
Song: Wheels on the Bus
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers (twice)
I've started revisiting successes, and this book is definitely a great one. I used it in one of my first lap times ever, and the simple concept and rhythm made me want to read it again.
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Clap Along With Me
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Song: You Are My Sunshine
Great author/illustrator combination! I love the simplicity and repetition of Suen's language combined with Katz's characteristic bright, patterned illustrations. This book also seems to have the power to stop babies from crying!
Song: Wheels on the Bus
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Tales for Twos and Threes, 8/26
This story time was great. I had fun, the kids had fun, and the adults had fun. This combination of books, songs, and rhymes is a winner!
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Song: If You'd Like to Read a Book
Book: Kitten Red, Yellow, Blue by Peter Catalanotto (2005)
Mrs. Tuttle has a special way of telling apart the 16 calico kittens she recently gave away to the various helpers in her community. I'm working on adapting this to the flannel board, but it requires more cutting than my hands are interested in doing!
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake (three times)
(Original source: Mel's Desk)
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
Book: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (1999)
This book is always a huge hit, and it went especially well today because many in the group had not heard it before.
Song: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Turn Around
Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Enormous Dinosaurs
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Tommy Thumb
Song: The Wheels on the Bus (Raffi)
Song: ABCD Medley
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Song: If You'd Like to Read a Book
Mrs. Tuttle has a special way of telling apart the 16 calico kittens she recently gave away to the various helpers in her community. I'm working on adapting this to the flannel board, but it requires more cutting than my hands are interested in doing!
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake (three times)
(Original source: Mel's Desk)
Blue is the lake
Hold arms out in a circle in front of you
Yellow is the sun
Move arms, still in circle, overhead
Silver are the stars when the day is done
Wiggle fingers overhead
Red is the apple
Make a round ball with your fingers in front of you
Green is the tree
Hold arms up like branches
Brown is a cookie for you and me
Rub tummy!
Hold arms out in a circle in front of you
Yellow is the sun
Move arms, still in circle, overhead
Silver are the stars when the day is done
Wiggle fingers overhead
Red is the apple
Make a round ball with your fingers in front of you
Green is the tree
Hold arms up like branches
Brown is a cookie for you and me
Rub tummy!
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
This book is always a huge hit, and it went especially well today because many in the group had not heard it before.
Song: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Turn Around
Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Enormous Dinosaurs
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Tommy Thumb
Song: The Wheels on the Bus (Raffi)
Song: ABCD Medley
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Flannel Friday: Fall Post #1: Apples
I've made all my Fall flannel board items - leaves, squirrels, acorns, pumpkins, and apples - and now it's time to decide what to do with them. Today I'll focus on the apples.
Anne posted her flannel board for 5 Little Apples last week, and I guess great minds think alike, because I've had the same rhyme sitting in my email waiting for me to do something with it for the last couple of weeks! (My original source is here.) Here is my interpretation. (I put the animals up in any old order while I was taking photos, so they're not in the same order as the original rhyme. I don't think it matters. I also changed "the farmer didn't care" to "the farmer wasn't looking.")
(I'm a sucker for all the animals coming back at the end. It's a great way to review vocabulary, and also brings a nice happy ending to the rhyme, rather than leaving it hanging with an empty flannel board.)
I also found this cute apple rhyme that might be simpler for younger groups:
Five little apples hanging in a tree
The juiciest apples you ever did see
The wind came by and gave an angry frown
And one little apple came tumbling down...
Four little apples...etc.
And another possibility, to the tune of Farmer in the Dell (found here):
Five apples sat on a gate,
five apples sat on a gate.
Heigh dee ho, dee high dee ho,
Five apples sat on a gate.
The first apple said, "Hello",
the first apple said, "Hello"...
Heigh dee ho, dee high dee ho,
Five apples sat on a gate....
(continue counting apples down to one)
(I think it might make more sense for the apples to say goodbye, if we're counting them down. I'll have to practice it both ways and see how it goes.)
How will you use your apples this Fall? Feel free to share your favorites below.
Don't miss this week's Flannel Friday round-up, hosted by Mollie.
Update, 8/27/11: Here's the clipart I used for Five Little Apples. Most of it came from pamsclipart.com. Enjoy!
Anne posted her flannel board for 5 Little Apples last week, and I guess great minds think alike, because I've had the same rhyme sitting in my email waiting for me to do something with it for the last couple of weeks! (My original source is here.) Here is my interpretation. (I put the animals up in any old order while I was taking photos, so they're not in the same order as the original rhyme. I don't think it matters. I also changed "the farmer didn't care" to "the farmer wasn't looking.")
Five little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn't looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A caterpillar! Munch munch munch!
Four little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn't looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A horse! Munch munch munch!
Three little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn't looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A pig! Munch munch munch!
Two little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn't looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A bird! Munch munch munch!
One little apple
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn't looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A scarecrow! Munch munch munch!
Now the tree is bare
There are no more apples there
But when next fall comes around
Guess who'll be there!
The caterpillar
The horse
The pig
The bird
And the scarecrow!
But when next fall comes around
Guess who'll be there!
The caterpillar
The horse
The pig
The bird
And the scarecrow!
(I'm a sucker for all the animals coming back at the end. It's a great way to review vocabulary, and also brings a nice happy ending to the rhyme, rather than leaving it hanging with an empty flannel board.)
I also found this cute apple rhyme that might be simpler for younger groups:
Five little apples hanging in a tree
The juiciest apples you ever did see
The wind came by and gave an angry frown
And one little apple came tumbling down...
Four little apples...etc.
And another possibility, to the tune of Farmer in the Dell (found here):
Five apples sat on a gate,
five apples sat on a gate.
Heigh dee ho, dee high dee ho,
Five apples sat on a gate.
The first apple said, "Hello",
the first apple said, "Hello"...
Heigh dee ho, dee high dee ho,
Five apples sat on a gate....
(continue counting apples down to one)
(I think it might make more sense for the apples to say goodbye, if we're counting them down. I'll have to practice it both ways and see how it goes.)
How will you use your apples this Fall? Feel free to share your favorites below.
Don't miss this week's Flannel Friday round-up, hosted by Mollie.
Update, 8/27/11: Here's the clipart I used for Five Little Apples. Most of it came from pamsclipart.com. Enjoy!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
6 Chapter Book Series About School
 | My Weird School by Dan Gutman AJ hates school, but sometimes his wacky teachers manage to teach him something anyway. |
 | Bailey School by Debbie Dadey Meet the strange and mysterious grown-ups of Bailey City! |
 | Polk Street School Kids by Patricia Reilly Giff First grade with the students in Ms. Rooney's room. |
 | Dragon Slayers Academy by Kate McMullan Wiglaf tries to become a hero at dragon slaying school. |
 | Robin Hill School by Margaret McNamara An easy reader series about a year in first grade. |
 | How I Survived Middle School by Nancy Krulik Jenny and her friends try to turn negative middle school experiences into positives. |
Wrapping Up Summer Reading 2011
Saturday marked the official end of summer reading in my library system and I have to say, as crazy as it was, I think it went pretty well. It was my first year in this library, and in this system, so there was quite a learning curve, and I made my share of mistakes, but I also think I rose to the occasion, and provided pretty decent programming for a newbie.
The numbers.
Here is how it all breaks down statistically.
319 kids signed up for the program. Of those, about 75 actually finished and came back in to report that they had finished.
I personally performed 62 story time sessions, broken down by age and type as follows:
Story time attendance was continually high all summer, and there were a few Tuesdays where over 140 babies and toddlers came to Baby/Toddler Story Time.
What worked.
We had a really successful kick-off program where we asked school-age kids to add a square to a quilt. While we were unable to hang up the quilt due to repainting in the story time room and other various issues, they seemed to enjoy expressing themselves in that way, and it was a project in which we were able to involve camp groups as well.
Some story time books were hit or miss, but there was a good number of them that worked so well I will definitely want to repeat them in the future. My top ten are listed below:
What to improve.
Because this was my first year here, and this library building's first year in existence, there were a lot of things to learn. Now that I know them, there are some definite changes I'll want to make next year. Here they are in no particular order:
Be more flexible. Because I'm new, and because this library system is much larger and much more heavily regulated by administration, I was very wary of thinking outside the box and coming up with my own creative ways to approach summer reading. I realized late in the summer that other branches didn't restrict themselves nearly as much, and I hope I will feel more comfortable putting my own creative touches onto the program next year.
Do a better job of promoting performers. We had many programs this summer with low attendance. I did promote the programs with fliers and on the library website, but I didn't realize how much I'd need to hand sell them to individual kids. I also wasn't on my neighborhood list-serv until halfway through the summer, because I didn't realize what a useful promotional tool it was. That has already been remedied for the fall, and I'm crossing my fingers for at least a small crowd for my craft programs.
Plan more of my own school-age programming. I relied heavily on the summer reading committee's performers to draw in school-age kids, but the kids didn't come. I want to find ways to make the summer reading experience more interactive and personal for kids between ages 5 and 12.
Have an end of summer party. I have a good number of people angry with me right now because I didn't plan a party. We always had one at my previous library, so I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me, but it never did. I won't make that mistake again.
I'm sure more ideas will surface over the next 10 months, but I feel like that is a good start. I definitely learned a lot from my summer experience, and I feel like I have finally taken ownership of my department and its programming. I am well-prepared for Fall and looking forward to our first full school year at this location.
Check back before the end of this week for my summer preview post. Also feel free to share your own summer reading lessons and advice in comments!
The numbers.
Here is how it all breaks down statistically.
319 kids signed up for the program. Of those, about 75 actually finished and came back in to report that they had finished.
I personally performed 62 story time sessions, broken down by age and type as follows:
- Family Story Time: 6
- Baby/Toddler Story Time: 30
- Tales for Fours and Fives: 7
- Baby Lap Time: 9
- Tales for Twos and Threes: 3
- Class and Camp Visits: 5
- Saturday Family Story Times: 2
Story time attendance was continually high all summer, and there were a few Tuesdays where over 140 babies and toddlers came to Baby/Toddler Story Time.
What worked.
We had a really successful kick-off program where we asked school-age kids to add a square to a quilt. While we were unable to hang up the quilt due to repainting in the story time room and other various issues, they seemed to enjoy expressing themselves in that way, and it was a project in which we were able to involve camp groups as well.
Some story time books were hit or miss, but there was a good number of them that worked so well I will definitely want to repeat them in the future. My top ten are listed below:
- Hunwick's Egg by Mem Fox
This book really clicked with the preschool crowd, ages 3-5. The Australian animals were unfamiliar, so the kids enjoyed guessing at those, and they also got creative with their speculation about what might be inside Hunwick the bandicoot's egg. It also tied in well with Cuddly Koalas and Taba Naba, two Australian songs I chose to go with the theme.
- Sail Away by Donald Crews
My baby/toddler group enjoyed this one. The onomatopoeia, in particular, got the nannies in the audience to participate, which in turn, made the kids more attentive to the book.
- Fortune Cookies by Albert Bitterman
Perfect for family story times, this new book allows the reader to pull out the fortunes from each cookie and then follow along as each one comes true. Babies, big kids, and grown-ups, all enjoyed this one, and it was a lot of fun to read.
- I am a Backhoe by Anna Grossnickle Hines
A definite favorite of the twos and threes. I wasn't sure they'd understand the concept of the book - the child pretending to be each of these digging machines, but it resonated surprisingly well, and some savvy threes could name each machine before I said it.
- Hop! by Phyllis Root
I'd do this one again with babies, for sure. By adding in a simple bunny rabbit gesture with two fingers and saying, "Hop, hop!" at the end of each page, it became a wonderful interactive experience for the babies and their caregivers.
- Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli
I love everything about Leslie Patricelli's books, and this one, especially, is a great read-aloud because you can adjust your voice depending on whether you're reading a quiet page or a loud page. I also made this one interactive by asking the grown-ups to say "Shhhh" after each quiet activity.
- Actual Size by Steve Jenkins
Four year old boys can't get enough of this book. I read it very conversationally, and asked the kids lots of questions, which made it a fun experience for all of us, myself included. I'll definitely considering using this one for class visits.
- Dogs by Emily Gravett
I have great luck with all of Emily Gravett's books, but this one has the best surprise ending, and though I didn't have the kids bark at the end of each page, that's another way to make it interactive.
- The Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz
I've already used this book three times since my library got it just a couple of weeks ago. It's been a wonderful change of pace from my usual Wheels on the Bus, and the kids seem to really like it and respond to the illustrations as well as the new motions it introduces to our usual Wheels on the Bus routine.
- My Little Sister Hugged an Ape by Bill Grossman
This book really is hilarious, and I know one five-year-old boy who couldn't get enough of it. Another one to save for school visits.
What to improve.
Because this was my first year here, and this library building's first year in existence, there were a lot of things to learn. Now that I know them, there are some definite changes I'll want to make next year. Here they are in no particular order:
Be more flexible. Because I'm new, and because this library system is much larger and much more heavily regulated by administration, I was very wary of thinking outside the box and coming up with my own creative ways to approach summer reading. I realized late in the summer that other branches didn't restrict themselves nearly as much, and I hope I will feel more comfortable putting my own creative touches onto the program next year.
Do a better job of promoting performers. We had many programs this summer with low attendance. I did promote the programs with fliers and on the library website, but I didn't realize how much I'd need to hand sell them to individual kids. I also wasn't on my neighborhood list-serv until halfway through the summer, because I didn't realize what a useful promotional tool it was. That has already been remedied for the fall, and I'm crossing my fingers for at least a small crowd for my craft programs.
Plan more of my own school-age programming. I relied heavily on the summer reading committee's performers to draw in school-age kids, but the kids didn't come. I want to find ways to make the summer reading experience more interactive and personal for kids between ages 5 and 12.
Have an end of summer party. I have a good number of people angry with me right now because I didn't plan a party. We always had one at my previous library, so I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me, but it never did. I won't make that mistake again.
I'm sure more ideas will surface over the next 10 months, but I feel like that is a good start. I definitely learned a lot from my summer experience, and I feel like I have finally taken ownership of my department and its programming. I am well-prepared for Fall and looking forward to our first full school year at this location.
Check back before the end of this week for my summer preview post. Also feel free to share your own summer reading lessons and advice in comments!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Baby/Toddler Story Time, 8/23
The air conditioning isn't working again, so today's story time reflects 90 minutes of sweat (mine) and tears (many of the babies.) I don't have time to write more commentary right now because I'm off to a children's librarians' meeting!
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Book: A Child's Day: An Alphabet of Play by Ida Searles (2008)
Not a great choice for reading aloud, even if the pictures are great for babies.
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Tommy Thumb by Sharon, Lois, and Bram
Book: Leap Back Home To Me by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Matthew Cordell (2011)
A nice one for rhyming, but sort of on the boring side. I tried to get the grown-ups to ribbit with me, but with little success. Nice read-alike for The Runaway Bunny, though.
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Song: Head and Shoulders (Session 1 only)
Song: Hands Are For Clapping by Jim Gill (Session 1 only)
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb (Session 2 only)
Song: You Are My Sunshine (Session 2 only)
Book: The Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz (2011)
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Not a great choice for reading aloud, even if the pictures are great for babies.
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Tommy Thumb by Sharon, Lois, and Bram
A nice one for rhyming, but sort of on the boring side. I tried to get the grown-ups to ribbit with me, but with little success. Nice read-alike for The Runaway Bunny, though.
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Song: Head and Shoulders (Session 1 only)
Song: Hands Are For Clapping by Jim Gill (Session 1 only)
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb (Session 2 only)
Song: You Are My Sunshine (Session 2 only)
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Monday, August 22, 2011
Preschool Story Time, 8/22
Fall Story Time Schedule starts today! But not Fall books and rhymes because it's still so hot, and I'm saving them for September and October. So even though today's story time has changed from Family Story Time (All Ages) to Preschool Story Time (Ages 2-5), no other major changes have been made. But stay tuned for a summer wrap-up post and a Fall preview post, coming soon!
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Book: Bus Stop by Janet Morgan Stoeke (2007)
In honor of the first day of school, which is today for the local public schools. (Only a small percentage of my library kids go to public school, but still.) This is the simple story of several kids and a bus driver preparing for the bus ride to school, and eagerly waiting to do it all again when school is over. The oldest child in the audience said the book was too short, but she informed me that she did like it.
Song: The Wheels on The Bus
Book: Dancing Feet! by Lindsey Craig, illustrated by Marc Brown (2010)
This book is set up like a guessing game. An animal's feet appear on one page, and the reader must guess who is dancing. Most of the twos and threes were too shy to make guesses, but one or two reliable little voices correctly guessed each one. (Except the lizard. He's tricky.)
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Song: Turn Around
This is a good one for calming down a wild group. They can't participate if they don't listen, and turn the volume down so they won't be able to hear if they're shouting.
Book: Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom, illustrated by Bruce Degen (1986)
I just started reviewing the books in this series on my book blog this weekend, and wanted to see how it would go at story time. Not so well, is the final verdict. The rhyme is great, but the pictures didn't seem to engage most of the kids. Then again, this group is either climbing the walls or sitting in stony silence, so I try not to judge books based on their reactions!
Song: Monkeys on the Bed
Song: One Little Finger
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: Skinnamarink
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
In honor of the first day of school, which is today for the local public schools. (Only a small percentage of my library kids go to public school, but still.) This is the simple story of several kids and a bus driver preparing for the bus ride to school, and eagerly waiting to do it all again when school is over. The oldest child in the audience said the book was too short, but she informed me that she did like it.
Song: The Wheels on The Bus
This book is set up like a guessing game. An animal's feet appear on one page, and the reader must guess who is dancing. Most of the twos and threes were too shy to make guesses, but one or two reliable little voices correctly guessed each one. (Except the lizard. He's tricky.)
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Song: Turn Around
This is a good one for calming down a wild group. They can't participate if they don't listen, and turn the volume down so they won't be able to hear if they're shouting.
I just started reviewing the books in this series on my book blog this weekend, and wanted to see how it would go at story time. Not so well, is the final verdict. The rhyme is great, but the pictures didn't seem to engage most of the kids. Then again, this group is either climbing the walls or sitting in stony silence, so I try not to judge books based on their reactions!
Song: Monkeys on the Bed
Song: One Little Finger
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: Skinnamarink
Friday, August 19, 2011
Baby Lap Time, 8/19
Our air conditioning hasn't been working, so our story room was basically an oven this morning. The air seems to be back now, thank goodness, but I'm still recovering!
This was also my last drop-in Baby Lap Time. These sessions will convert to Baby/Toddler Lap Times next Friday, and a separate registration-only Baby Lap Time will start in September. I'm hoping to make a post wrapping up the summer, and another introducing the Fall, but we'll see what time actually allows.
Here is today's Lap Time agenda:
Opening Song: Clap Along With Me
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers (twice)
Book: What Shapes Do You See? by Begin Smart Books
Not my greatest choice, but we had a hectic morning, and I didn't have time to make a better selection once I realized it wasn't right for my audience. It was fine, but not as baby-friendly as the books I usually do.
Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider (a cappella)
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb (a cappella with puppet)
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Head and Shoulders
Book: I Like Bugs by Lorena Siminovich (2010)
Song: Flutter, Flutter Butterfly
Book: The Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz (2011)
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
This was also my last drop-in Baby Lap Time. These sessions will convert to Baby/Toddler Lap Times next Friday, and a separate registration-only Baby Lap Time will start in September. I'm hoping to make a post wrapping up the summer, and another introducing the Fall, but we'll see what time actually allows.
Here is today's Lap Time agenda:
Opening Song: Clap Along With Me
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers (twice)
Not my greatest choice, but we had a hectic morning, and I didn't have time to make a better selection once I realized it wasn't right for my audience. It was fine, but not as baby-friendly as the books I usually do.
Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider (a cappella)
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb (a cappella with puppet)
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Head and Shoulders
Song: Flutter, Flutter Butterfly
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tales for Fours and Fives, 8/18
Only one child in the intended age group showed up today for the final Tales for Fours and Fives. The other 10 or so kids in attendance were ages 3 and under. But it was worth it to bore them with these longer books to see the way just that one little boy's face lit up. I'll be saving all three of the books below for school visits and story times for the local preschools!
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Book: Peter Spit a Seed at Sue by Jackie French Koller, illustrated by John Manders(2008)
The rhyme in this is sometimes difficult to read correctly, but the humor of the story is worth it. Silly, summer fun.
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Book: If I Built A Car by Chris Van Dusen (2005)
In the style of Dr. Seuss, Van Dusen relates one boy's imaginings about the perfect car. This book won the 2006 E.B. White Read Aloud Award.
Song: The Wheels on the Bus (Raffi version)
Book: Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Stephen Michael King (2011)
Prudence wants a pet so badly, she begins adopting household objects and trying to teach them tricks.
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Song: Skinnamarink
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
The rhyme in this is sometimes difficult to read correctly, but the humor of the story is worth it. Silly, summer fun.
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
In the style of Dr. Seuss, Van Dusen relates one boy's imaginings about the perfect car. This book won the 2006 E.B. White Read Aloud Award.
Song: The Wheels on the Bus (Raffi version)
Prudence wants a pet so badly, she begins adopting household objects and trying to teach them tricks.
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Song: Skinnamarink
6 Cumulative Picture Books
Flannel Friday: Five Enormous Dinosaurs
Just a simple one this week, adapted from here. I plan to use this until it's time for all the apples, pumpkins, and fall leaves ideas I'm working on!
Five enormous dinosaurs letting out a roar.
One stomped away (stomp, stomp, stomp stomp)
and then there were four.
Four enormous dinosaurs knocking down a tree. Clunk!
One stomped away (stomp, stomp, stomp stomp)
One stomped away (stomp, stomp, stomp stomp)
and then there were three.
Three enormous dinosaurs eating tiger stew. Ew!
One stomped away (stomp, stomp, stomp stomp)
and then there were were two.
Two enormous dinosaurs sitting in the sun.
One stomped away (stomp, stomp, stomp stomp)
and then there was one.
One enormous dinosaur left all alone.
He stomped away (stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp)
and then there were none.
Full-size clip art for this rhyme is available here. This week's Flannel Friday host is Tracy at 1234 More Storytimes.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Baby/Toddler Story Time, 8/16
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Book: Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett (2008)
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Cuddly Koalas
Book: Kitty's Cuddles by Jane Cabrera (2007)
I find it somewhat difficult to read books that are written as a list of questions. My voice tends to get higher and higher and squeakier and squeakier as the book goes on. But I couldn't resist this one. Which animal is Kitty's favorite to cuddle? Not the peacock, the armadillo, or the porcupine, but her own baby brother! Perfect for this audience where there are lots of baby siblings.
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
During session three, a child climbed up on the steps where I sit and pressed stop on the CD player. I had to ask her nanny twice more after that to stop her from touching it. Thankfully I know it so well I could sing it in my sleep.
Song: Head and Shoulders
Book: The Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz (2011)
We sang this book in lieu of our usual Wheels on the Bus. And it was awesome! I spoke the unfamiliar verses before we sang them, and introduced some wonderful new motions. I want to make a flannel board for this one so I don't need to have the book on hand every week.
Song: Where is Thumbkin?
I only did this song in the first session because I forgot how singing-intensive it is. There are no instrumental breaks! So I couldn't do it three times in a row.
Song: You Are My Sunshine
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Song: Skinnamarink
I've decided to start recycling books that have worked really well. I'm slowly transitioning from trial and error to actually knowing that a book will be a success before I read it. This is one of my favorites because of the rhythmic repetitive text, and the way that the illustrations hint at what the monkey and little girl will see on the next page, through their movements and expressions. Great stuff.
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Cuddly Koalas
I find it somewhat difficult to read books that are written as a list of questions. My voice tends to get higher and higher and squeakier and squeakier as the book goes on. But I couldn't resist this one. Which animal is Kitty's favorite to cuddle? Not the peacock, the armadillo, or the porcupine, but her own baby brother! Perfect for this audience where there are lots of baby siblings.
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
During session three, a child climbed up on the steps where I sit and pressed stop on the CD player. I had to ask her nanny twice more after that to stop her from touching it. Thankfully I know it so well I could sing it in my sleep.
Song: Head and Shoulders
We sang this book in lieu of our usual Wheels on the Bus. And it was awesome! I spoke the unfamiliar verses before we sang them, and introduced some wonderful new motions. I want to make a flannel board for this one so I don't need to have the book on hand every week.
Song: Where is Thumbkin?
I only did this song in the first session because I forgot how singing-intensive it is. There are no instrumental breaks! So I couldn't do it three times in a row.
Song: You Are My Sunshine
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Song: Skinnamarink
Monday, August 15, 2011
Family Story Time, 8/15
This was a completely crazy story time. It's one of those that was so chaotic that I don't even want to talk about it. So I'll just discuss the books instead!
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Book: Rah Rah Radishes! A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley Sayre (2011)
This book gives a litany of yummy vegetables, accompanied by photos of each one. Great for building vocabulary, promoting healthy eating habits, and experimenting with rhyme!
Song: One Little Finger
Book: Big Sister, Little Sister by LeUyen Pham (2005)
The illustrator of the Alvin Ho books relates the relationship between two sisters from the younger one's point of view. Very sweet - perfect for family story times! Even boys could relate to the story, especially when it comes to inequalities between older and younger siblings. I love Pham's distinctive style, especially her figures' faces.
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Song: Head and Shoulders
Book: Cat and Fish by Joan Grant, illustrated by Neil Curtis (2003)
This is such a weird book, but the black and white illustrations draw the reader right in. It's simple enough for twos and threes but engaging enough for fours and fives. It would pair well with other stories of unlikely or opposite friends - Bink and Gollie, Elephant and Piggie, etc.
Song: Monkeys on the Bed
Song: The Wheels on the Bus
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: Skinnamarink
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
This book gives a litany of yummy vegetables, accompanied by photos of each one. Great for building vocabulary, promoting healthy eating habits, and experimenting with rhyme!
Song: One Little Finger
The illustrator of the Alvin Ho books relates the relationship between two sisters from the younger one's point of view. Very sweet - perfect for family story times! Even boys could relate to the story, especially when it comes to inequalities between older and younger siblings. I love Pham's distinctive style, especially her figures' faces.
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Song: Head and Shoulders
Book: Cat and Fish by Joan Grant, illustrated by Neil Curtis (2003)
This is such a weird book, but the black and white illustrations draw the reader right in. It's simple enough for twos and threes but engaging enough for fours and fives. It would pair well with other stories of unlikely or opposite friends - Bink and Gollie, Elephant and Piggie, etc.
Song: Monkeys on the Bed
Song: The Wheels on the Bus
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: Skinnamarink
Friday, August 12, 2011
Baby Lap Time, 8/12
In two weeks, this session will become Baby/Toddler Lap Time. It pretty much already includes toddlers, so I'm making it official. I'm also offering two registration-only baby lap time sessions this Fall to hopefully give the families who want a true lap time the opportunity to enjoy one. So things will be changing soon!
But in this transition time, I'm sticking with the original title and the same old routine:
Opening Song: Clap Along With Me
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers (twice)
Book: Busy Fingers by C.W. Bowie, illustrated by Fred Willingham (2003)
Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider (a cappella)
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb (a cappella with puppet)
A new one for us. I asked, "Do you know Mary Had a Little Lamb?" and a girl of about three in the back of the room shouted, "YEEEEEEESSSSS!" Amazing.
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Head and Shoulders
Book: Things That Go by DK Publishing (2009)
Song: Flutter, Flutter Butterfly
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Wheels on the Bus
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
But in this transition time, I'm sticking with the original title and the same old routine:
Opening Song: Clap Along With Me
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)
Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers (twice)
Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider (a cappella)
Song: Mary Had a Little Lamb (a cappella with puppet)
A new one for us. I asked, "Do you know Mary Had a Little Lamb?" and a girl of about three in the back of the room shouted, "YEEEEEEESSSSS!" Amazing.
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: Head and Shoulders
Song: Flutter, Flutter Butterfly
Song: One Little Finger
Song: Wheels on the Bus
Song: ABCD Medley
Song: Chickadee
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Tales for Fours and Fives, 8/11
Only two more (possibly one more) Tales for Fours and Fives before summer comes to an end! While I enjoy being able to read longer and more complex books, there has never really been an audience for this age group, so I don't think there is a real need for it. Still, though, today's group was nice and small and we had a great time.
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Book: My Little Sister Hugged an Ape by Bill Grossman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (2004)
This is one of the best - and most hilarious - rhyming books I have ever read. Just perfect for this age - and especially for boys with little sisters!
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Book: Bob by Tracey Campbell Pearson (2002)
A rooster learns to crow, but not before making a lot of other noises. The funniest moment in this entire book was when the owl says "Whooo? Whooo? Whooo?" and Bob whispers back, "Bob, Bob, Bob." That was the highlight for today's group!
Song: Monkeys on the Bed
Song: ABCD Medley
Book: Doodler Doodling by Rita Goldman Gelman, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky (2004)
Surprisingly, it was the babies and toddlers who loved this book, not the older kids.
Song: Wheels on the Bus (Raffi version)
Song: Chickadee
Song: Skinnamarink
If I was going to continue this story time in the future, I'd work on finding some new songs. They worked well for the younger siblings, but the older kids were annoyed by them. In fact, if I ever do story time for older kids like this again, I'd think about doing no songs at all outside of the hello and goodbye.
Do you sing songs with kids in this age group? What about with Pre-K and K class visits? Leave your thoughts and suggestions in comments!
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
This is one of the best - and most hilarious - rhyming books I have ever read. Just perfect for this age - and especially for boys with little sisters!
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
A rooster learns to crow, but not before making a lot of other noises. The funniest moment in this entire book was when the owl says "Whooo? Whooo? Whooo?" and Bob whispers back, "Bob, Bob, Bob." That was the highlight for today's group!
Song: Monkeys on the Bed
Song: ABCD Medley
Surprisingly, it was the babies and toddlers who loved this book, not the older kids.
Song: Wheels on the Bus (Raffi version)
Song: Chickadee
Song: Skinnamarink
If I was going to continue this story time in the future, I'd work on finding some new songs. They worked well for the younger siblings, but the older kids were annoyed by them. In fact, if I ever do story time for older kids like this again, I'd think about doing no songs at all outside of the hello and goodbye.
Do you sing songs with kids in this age group? What about with Pre-K and K class visits? Leave your thoughts and suggestions in comments!
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