Many thanks to Becky Arenivar of Prescott for this guest post. NOTE: If you haven't yet sent in kit requests for fall 2015, please send them to me via email at langby @ ifls.lib.wi.us. Full list of kits.
Maybe you don’t need the
time-saving convenience of IFLS Storytime Kits. Maybe your Storytimes are
all planned months in advance. Maybe you’re a seasoned Storytime veteran,
who knows all the good read-aloud books, songs, fingerplays and movement
activities for more than 100 Storytime themes by heart.
Maybe, just maybe, you are missing
out on some little-known, but amazing, advantages of using Storytime Kits.
I was one of those Storytime
librarians - I only used Storytime Kits to save time, when I was overwhelmed by
(choose all that apply) SLP, outreach, increased desk hours, new tasks and
responsibilities, etc. and still had to plan and present Storytimes. I
was unaware of the transformative power of Storytime Kits! Confession
time - I’m also one of those rogue Storytime librarians who don’t do
puppets. Not at all. Let’s save that discussion for another time,
though.
Spring 2015: I realize I might be
on leave during June and July. Panic ensues, “what will happen to SLP, to
summer Storytimes?” After a fruitful and calming discussion with my
Library Director, I ordered a Storytime Kit for each summer Storytime. If
I was here, I’d do Storytime; if I wasn’t here, another staff member could do
it.
Turns out, I did not go on leave
after all, and it was convenient and time-saving to have a Storytime Kit arrive
each week. But one week, magic happened. Inside the Families
Storytime Kit was the Monkey Face Flannel story, a fun, engaging and
heartwarming story. But, seriously, 5 puppets plus flannel board pieces!
You know the end of this story,
don’t you? I practiced and practiced, presented the Monkey Face flannel
story and it was fun and the kids loved it. I used puppets and flannel
board pieces and read from a script - all at the same time! Were
fireworks bursting and lightbulbs going on? Yes. Will I become the
most awesome puppeteer in the kingdom? Probably not, but I will work on
bringing puppets into my Storytimes. And, I definitely will order
Storytime Kits, even when I don’t need the convenience, probably one or two
each session. Because I know that Storytime Kits not only save time, but
will help me expand skills, overcome timidity and create magic.
Labels: change, inspiration, story kits, storytime