Library Aims

Music and Nametags

Before participants come into the story time space, I start a themed playlist to set the vibe. I then open the doors and greet each participant. Each participant receives a handwritten nametag. I make sure to spell their names correctly and will redo tags if needed. After everyone has been greeted and given a nametag, I fully introduce myself and set the expectations for the space:

• Please sit on the story time rug or with your grown-up. If you need to get wiggles out, please make sure everyone can see and make your way to the back. Feel free to come and go as needed.
• Try your best to keep distractions put away. If you have snacks, please eat them at the snack table. Please also keep all electronics in your pocket or bags so everyone can fully enjoy this time together.
• Have fun!

Welcome Song

After expectations are stated, I will jump into my welcome song. I start by having everyone wiggle their fingers. Then we jump into Hello, Everybody found on Jbrary’s YouTube Channel:

Well, hello everybody!
Can you touch your toes?
Touch your nose?
Touch your nose?
Well, hello everybody!
Can you touch your nose?
Hello, everybody!

(toes, pat your head, rub your tummy)

If there are infants in my story time, I will use a baby doll to model to caregivers how to interact with their baby. I encourage them to face their child and follow the directions of the song by gently touching baby.

Transition

Transitions can be tough for children (they are for adults as well). To mitigate this, I like to have a clear signifier that one song/rhyme/book/activity is over. I do this by having everyone do a “round of applause.” This just means that we clap our hands in a circle while saying “yay!” I will mark this in the outline with *round of applause*

Book One

For the first book, I will read “The Super Hungry Dinosaur” by Martin Waddell with illustrations by Leonie Lord. This book requires distinct voices and some illustration explanation to keep the plot afloat for story time.

I have been practicing the pacing with my dinosaur and small child voice. I have also been rehearsing what to say when the dinosaur is wrangled with the hose. Smaller children might not pick up what is happening by the illustrations alone. Make sure to take the time to prepare to read this to a group.

*round of applause*

Early Literacy Tip

Physical Development Moving their whole bodies not only helps
children internalize and understand what is happening in the story, but also helps them gain a sense of themselves in space. This is called “proprioception.” This helps children later as they are learning to write.

– Pioneer Library System

The Pioneer Library System has developed early literacy tips for caregivers to be displayed in collections and modeled at story time. These tips are based off of Saroj Ghoting’s work in Supercharged Storytimes. The best practice at Pioneer is to add an early literacy tip in story time and model to caregivers how to develop the skill with their children.

I chose physical development for my dinosaur theme because children love to imitate dinosaur movements. I also have books, rhymes, and songs about dinosaurs that lend themselves well to this tip.

Flannel

In the depths of a library filing cabinet, I found these amazing foam dinosaurs foam with Velcro on the back. I plan to use them on my flannel to the Princeton Public Libraries “5 Enormous Dinosaurs.” I will connect this with the early literacy tip by showing caregivers that you can add movement during transitions.

Five enormous dinosaurs
Letting out a roar. “ROAR!”
One stomped away
And then there were four.

Four enormous dinosaurs
Knocking down a tree, “CRASH!”
One stomped away
And then there were three.

Three enormous dinosaurs
Eating leafy stew
One stomped away
And then there were two.

Two enormous dinosaurs
Playing in the sun
One stomped away
And then there was one.

One enormous dinosaur
Alone is no fun
She stomped away
And then there were none!

*round of applause*

Rhyme

Repetition is great for children. That is why I try to fit this movement rhyme into each of my story times: “This is Big, Big, Big”

This is big, big, big.
This is small, small, small.
This is short, short, short.
This is tall, tall, tall.
This is fast, fast, fast.
This is slow, slow, slow.
This is yes, yes, yes. 
This is no, no, no. 

This rhyme also shows caregivers a way to incorporate movement into their routines. By singing familiar movement rhymes with children, it is easier to incorporate movement in your day.

*round of applause*

Instruments

Another great way to incorporate movement is through keeping a steady beat or doing action songs. A great way to do this in story time is with instruments. I will give every participant (child and grown-up) an instrument. For this story time, I am handing out egg shakers and easy-grip jingle bells. Once everyone has their instruments, I have participants do these things while I get the song set up:

• Shake them up high (above their head)
• Shake them down low (by their feet)
• Shake them really fast (allegro)
• Shake them really slow (adagio)

Once I have the song cued, I take the participants through the actions of the songs. For this story time, I plan to play “Dinosaur Stomp” performed by Mother Goose Club. Before I play the song, I will model to participants how we will use our instruments:

• Steady Beat: You can tap the beat on your hand or legs.
• Stomp: You can stomp your feet while keeping your steady beat.
• Chomp: You can make alligator arms and then clap your hands together
• Crunch: You can pretend to claw and jingle your instrument
• Munch: You can pretend to eat and jingle your instrument

There is no wrong way to do this activity. Make sure everyone has an instrument (old and young) and be clear about how to handle the instrument. After we are done, I will direct them to stay in their seats while I pick up the instruments. We will sing “The Clean-up Song” from Barney while I do this:

Clean up, clean up, 
Everybody, everywhere, 
Clean up, clean up, 
Everybody do your share. 

*round of applause*

Movement Rhyme

After a lot of activity, it is important to recenter the story time. I do this through mindful movement and breathing. I like to do “Dinosaur Pretend” from the Handley Regional Library System:

Dinosaur Pretend
Spread your arms, way out wide,
Fly like a Pteranodon, soar and glide.
Bend to the floor, head down low,
Move like Stegosaurus, long ago.
Reach up tall, try to be
As tall as Apatosaurus eating on a tree.
Using your claws, grumble and growl
Just like Tyrannosaurus on the prowl.  
Then sit back down.

*round of applause*

Book Two

For my last book, I will slow it down with “Dino Pajama Party – A Bedtime Book” by Laurie Wallmark with illustrations by Michael Robertson. This book has a great rhyming sequence that also lends well to the physical development early literacy tip. I will have participants mimic the noises and actions in the book as I read. I will point out to caregivers that children can also mimic their actions and noises to help with their literacy development.

*round of applause*

Goodbye Song

If you're happy and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it, 
If you're happy and you know it,
clap your hands.

If you're happy and you know it,
stomp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it,
stomp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it, 
If you're happy and you know it,
stomp your feet.

If you're happy and you know it,
shout hooray.
If you're happy and you know it,
shout hooray.
If you're happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it, 
If you're happy and you know it,
shout hooray.

*round of applause*

I tell the children to turn on their listening ears and look at their grown-up to know what to do next.

Stay & Play

For the stay and play, I will set up three stations for play:

• Station 1: Sensory bin with kinetic sand and dinosaur toys.
• Station 2: Dinosaur coloring sheets with regular and jumbo crayons.
• Station 3: Dinosaur yoga with yoga poses participants can try based on pictures.

Bubbles

To signal the end of story time, I will turn on a bubble machine for 2-5 minutes then turn off the music.

Alternative Books