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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

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. 
at

2 comments:

  1. JenniferAugust 30, 2011 at 3:20 PM

    Try to get the parents involved in the storytime, I've heard that works - have them help with rhymes etc. Do you have time for chatting before and/or after? We always have "social times" after storytime in the program room so everyone can talk and play.

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  2. KatieAugust 30, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    I think the big issue is that they're not the parents. 90% of the adults are nannies who see this as free time for themselves. Most of the ones who are problems don't seem at all invested in whether the kids getting anything out of the story time or not. They are also the ones who refuse to participate, even when invited.

    We do leave the story room open pretty much all day, and there is plenty of room outside the story room for kids to color and adults to chat. But the nannies are using the story time like they might a TV set. They put the child down in front of me for 30 minutes and expect me to keep them entertained with no help from the nannies at all.

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