Back to the Storytime Grind

Today kicked off our fall storytime season at the library. (I do thrice-weekly storytimes for 2.5 to 3.5 year olds.) I was a little on edge leading up to it. For one thing, I did something like four storytimes over the course of the entire summer, so I was out of the swing of things. For another, a new season often means a new batch of kids and caregivers to "train." And for a third thing, I, um, hadn't totally figured out what the heck I was going to read until this morning.

But it worked out fine. Of course. Ninety-five percent of the time it does.

After weeks of parents and caregivers asking, "When's storytime going to start?!?!" I had a small group. My guess is their desperation was actually for school to start, and now that the kids are out of their hair more, storytime seems less urgent. Still, I know that I'll see this morning's group of seven double or triple in the weeks to come.

Even though it was cold and drizzly today, we did an aquatic theme: Beach Day, by Lakin; Tugga Tugga Tugboat, by Lewis; Captain Duck, by Alborough; and my "Five Green and Speckled Frogs" flannel. I also tried out Abby (the) Librarian's "If You're Wearing Red Today" song, which went over well. For our craft, we made sailboat pictures with paper triangles.

I don't do much in the way of letter awareness with my group—I tend to focus more on colors, counting, and shapes with my marginally verbal pipsqueaks—but I've been enjoying MotherReader's new ABC Storytime curriculum. She's got some great storybook and song suggestions for any occasion. Preschool teachers and librarians, check it out!