Professional Development: Annual Storytime Share Out

Professional Development: Annual Storytime Share Out

At ACL’s Oct. 11, 2024 meeting, members shared resources used for storytime and class visits. Resources include songs, books, finger plays, websites, and props (puppets/instruments). Below are some of the suggestions that can help you hold the attention of children:

Tips:

Ukelele Usage: Storytime Solidarity (FB Group) announced a Niche Academy class on Ukelele. (9) Storytime Solidarity | Facebook.

American Sign Language (ASL): Be sure to use the correct signs – baby sign language is often made up. Try using one word and sign that word every time it comes up in storytime. For example, sign the word for “cat” and then ask kids to make that sign every time it comes up in a book or song.

ACL YouTube: If people are comfortable, record yourself doing songs and fingerplays and put it on ACL’s YouTube Channel (not for public viewing).

Use a Microphone that connects to your iPad or phone, or Bluetooth speaker to amplify your voice.

Books:

Carter, David A. If You’re A Robot and You Know It by Musical Robot. Cartwheel, 2015.

Child’s Play. Cuando Mi Siento/When I Feel Angry, (biligual board books series), illustrated by Paula Bowles. Child’s Play International.

Geis, Patricia. Pipa y Otto en la Amazonia. Combel Editorial, 2023.

Fingerplays:

“These Are My Glasses” Best Kids Songs – “These Are My Glasses” by Laurie Berkner.

Songs:

“The More We Get Together” – Ukelele. The More We Get Together | Nursery Rhymes & Kids’ Songs | BusSongs.com.

“Wheels on the Bus – Halloween Style” – Ukelele. Spooky Wheels On The Bus | Halloween Spooky Songs ‪@AllBabiesChannel – YouTube.

“Hello Friends” – American Sign Language: Hello and Goodbye Song Using Sign Language.

“There’s a Dog in the School” There’s a Dog in the School

BayViews List of Sing-Along Picture Books: Sing-Along Picture Books for Storytime.

Props:

Colorful Plastic Eggs w/fingerplay song (pop open eggs, each one has a felt

animal that lives inside).

Tissue box made into a washing machine, with tiny felt socks, put them in the washer and sing the song to try and pull out a matching pair of socks.

Flannelboard alternatives:

     Business card magnets, used for laminated cardstock,

     Magnets on the back of cardstock when flannel isn’t strong enough,

     Flannel on the back of the cardstock as well, to stick to the flannel side.

Websites:

Bibliocuentos website (great source for Spanish bilingual storytime resources): Bibliocuentos.

ACL’s BayViews: Storytimes.

Apps:

Novel Effect: “Bring the story to life: The Novel Effect app responds to your voice with interactive music and sound effects, creating magical moments when you

read aloud from children’s books.”

     Example: this app was used with the book Dragons Love Tacos.Give kids a warning that there will be sounds. It’s a smart app that listens to you reading it and will add sound effects on cue with where you are in the book. Tip: always read the books before you commit to storytime so you can be familiar with what sounds will play for this book. Novel Effect: Read Aloud Books – Novel Effect.