I do story time at a library ages range from 2 - 8. What can I do?

Question

I do story time at a library ages range from 2 - 8. What can I do?

Answer 1

I had this problem when I taught in the Headstart program. When I thought back to my childhood, two ideas came to mind that I remember absolutely loving as a child.

1. You can try picking a story and then creating felt characters that go along with the book. As you tell the story you can reenact it for the kids on a felt board. Children love stories that are hands on and more visual.

2. Try telling a story with hand puppets. You can even ask for child volunteers to act out the story with you. We always practiced an hour before story time to make sure everyone was prepared.

Hope these ideas help you like they did me. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Other that reading books, you can sing songs and say rhymes. Try to incorporate movement in too, as the younger ones may not be able to sit for more that one or two books. The Hokey-Pokey is always fun!!! SM

Answer 3

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Answer 4

Look for a good book that is easy for a child to understand, yet enjoyable.  Books with a lot of pictures are a good bet.  Stories should be not too long, or the kids may get bored.  Look through the library for the good books to read out loud.  And don't forget to show the kids pictures.  

Answer 5

Wow ... that's a big age range.  Do you have the option of breaking it up?

One thing you might consider is a format where you switch back and forth between stories and songs --

Hello songs -- a couple of things you do every week

Introduce yourself/the first story/the theme

--story

--song

--fingerplay

--story

--motion

--fingerplay/song

--story

--closing song or game

Breaking up the stories with songs gives the kids a chance to refocus and get some of their wiggles out.  If you have any props you can pass out to use -- shakers, scarves, etc. -- that also helps keep their attention.

Flannel board stories are another good way to break things up and keep their attention.  They're not that hard to make.

Join the PUBYAC listserv (www.pubyac.org/) for ideas.

Useful sites --

http://www.geocities.com/mystorytime/the...

http://www.susanmdailey.com/

http://www.thebestkidsbooksite.com/

http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/...

http://www.jimgill.com/