These slides accompanied a program session at the 2014 ALSC National Institute by Amy Commers, Melissa Depper, Amy Koester, and Marge Loch-Wouters.

1. Thinking Outside the Storytime Box:!
Building Your Preschool Programming
Repertoire
Amy Commers
Amy Koester
Melissa Depper
Marge Loch-Wouters

2. Welcome!
• We want to explore:
• Why it’s important to expand beyond
storytime for preschoolers
• Program ideas, rationales, & resources
!
• Then, we want to hear from YOU!

3. Why Program Beyond Storytime?
• Draw particular focus to 1-2 of the 5
practices

4. Why Program Beyond Storytime?
• Draw particular focus to 1-2 of the 5
practices
• Reach different types of kids

5. Why Program Beyond Storytime?
• Draw particular focus to 1-2 of the 5
practices
• Reach different types of kids
• Provide different learning experiences

6. Why Program Beyond Storytime?
• Draw particular focus to 1-2 of the 5
practices
• Reach different types of kids
• Provide different learning experiences
• Highlight pockets of the collection

7. Why Program Beyond Storytime?
• Draw particular focus to 1-2 of the 5
practices
• Reach different types of kids
• Provide different learning experiences
• Highlight pockets of the collection
• Model a range of early literacy-positive
activities for caregivers

8. Let’s talk programs!

9. Book Parties
• An easy way to
celebrate
preschoolers’
favorite characters!
• Think GIANT
storytime!

10. Book Parties Rationale
• Great stepping-off point
• Storytimes DO make a
difference
• VIEWS2 Findings:
“Purposeful focus on early literacy
principles makes a difference in
programs and in children’s early
literacy behaviors.”

11. Book Parties Resources
• “Book Character Parties: A Round Up” by
Jbrary
http://jbrary.com/book-character-parties-round/
• “A Seuss-tastical Celebration” by From the
Short Stacks
http://fromtheshortstacks.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-suess-tastical-celebration.
html
• “Big Character Programs” by library bonanza
http://librarybonanza.com/big-character-programs/

12. Dance Parties
• Combination of
structured elements
(like bubble time)
and free dance
• Encourages music
making and
appreciation as well
as gross motor
movement

13. Dance Parties Rationale
• Welcoming active bodies
can reach a different
group
• Music & singing =
building literacy in
different ways:
• listening skills
• phonological awareness
• oral language skills
• vocabulary acquisition
• sequencing/patterning

14. Dance Parties Resources
• “Bibliobop” posts by Storytiming
http://storytiming.com/category/bibliobop/
• “Music & Movement — BABY DANCE!” by
fat girl reading
http://fatgirlreading.com/music-movement-baby-dance/
• Preschool Dance Party by The Show Me
Librarian
http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/2013/01/in-which-i-share-
details-of-my-first.html

15. Preschool Obstacle Course
• Open kinesthetic play
• tunnels
• parachutes
• hopping sacks
• Include chairs, tables, &
open-ended art activity
• Play music
• Don’t forget a baby
area! TUMMY TIME!

16. Preschool Obstacle Course Rationale
• This is what pre-writing can
look like!
• Gross and fine motor skills:
• bilateral movement
• core muscles
• crossing the midline
• hand strength
• Read OT blogs for activity
ideas & background
knowledge

17. Preschool Obstacle Course Resources
• “Pool Noodle Obstacle Course” by PBS
Parents
http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/pool-noodle-obstacle-
course/
• “Indoor Obstacle Course” by Sarah
Richards
http://www.education.com/activity/article/
overandout_preschool/

18. Preschool Players
• You tell the story &
the kids play the
parts.
• No lines, few
costumes, & kids
learn easy stage
craft.

19. Preschool Players Rationale
• Repeated readings lead to
vocal building &
comprehension
• Simple props =
representational play
• Cognitive stepping stone to
understanding printed words
stand for objects & ideas

20. Preschool Players Resources
• “Preschool Players” at Menasha Library
http://www.menashalibrary.org/node/3041
• “Book Plus Theater = Literacy
Excitement” by Tiny Tips for Library Fun
http://tinytipsforlibraryfun.blogspot.com/2010/03/books-plus-
theater-literacy-excitement.html
• “Write This Down: Story Dictation” by
Storytiming
http://storytiming.com/2014/09/05/write-this-down-story-dictation-
in-the-library-is-awesome-and-vivian-gussin-paley-is-
a-goddess/

21. Library Dramatic Play @ Outreach
• Recreates a library
experience for kids in
childcare settings
who may not visit the
library with their
families

22. Library Dramatic Play Rationale
• Books, books, books!
• Print-rich
environments
• Access to books is a
critical component of
literacy development

23. Library Dramatic Play Resources
• “Play Literacy” from Madison Public
Library
http://www.nfls.lib.wi.us/Play_Literacy_green_bay.pdf
• “Teaching Tools: Dramatic Play
Center” by Digital Kindergarten
http://www.adigitalkindergarten.com/2011/05/teaching-tools-
dramatic-play-center.html
• “Dramatic Play” posts by Getting
Giggles
https://gettinggiggles.wordpress.com/tag/dramatic-play/

24. Preschool Science
• Facilitate exploration of
science concepts
• Share a story & talk about
it
• Use vocal & ask questions
• Offer demos & hands-on
activities
• Promote learning at home

25. Preschool Science Rationale
• So much to talk about!
• So much to learn about!
• The more background
knowledge children bring
to the books they read,
the more they will
understand what they find
there.

26. Preschool Science Resources
• “Preschool Lab” by Abby the Librarian
http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/search/label/steam
%20programs
• “Explore! Preschool STEAM” by Read
Sing Play
http://klmpeace.wordpress.com/category/steam/
• “All Things STEAM” from The Show Me
Librarian
http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/p/all-things-steam.
html

27. Baby Book Bees
• Passive (stealth) and DIY
program
• Based on the 1000 Books
Before Kindergarten
concept
• Encourages parents to read
100 books to their baby in
the first year

28. Baby Book Bees Rationale
• “The benefits of [shared
reading] increased the
earlier [they] were
started and the longer
they were
implemented.”
- CELLreview, Vol. 5, No. 4

29. Baby Book Bees Resources
• “Baby Book Bees” by Reading with Red
http://readingwithred.blogspot.com/2013/11/baby-book-bees.
html
• “Goal: 1000 Books Before
Kindergarten” from SLJ
http://www.slj.com/2014/01/standards/early-learning/
vivacious-vocabulary-turning-little-ones-into-strong-readers-first-steps/#_
• “Let 1000 Books Bloom”
http://www.pinterest.com/lochwouters/let-1000-books-bloom/

30. Parachute Play
• A program that
encourages gross
motor development,
listening skills, and
cooperative play
through structured
parachute activities.

31. Parachute Play Rationale
• Executive functioning:
• Working memory
• Mental flexibility
• Self-control

32. Parachute Play Resources
• “Parachute Games” by Libraryland
http://lisaslibraryland.blogspot.com/2013/07/parachute-games-
2013-edition.html
• “Program Idea: Parachute Playtime” from
so tomorrow
http://www.sotomorrowblog.com/2013/08/program-idea-parachute-
playtime.html
• “Baby Parachute Playtime!” by Narrating
Tales of Preschool Storytime
http://nikarella.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/baby-parachute-
playtime/

33. “Meet a Real…”
• Tap the community for
people with interesting
jobs
• Staff read a story
• Experts talk about their
jobs & share skills
• Time & space for photos
• Simple activity option

34. “Meet a Real…” Rationale
• Children build
vocabularies in rich
learning environments
• Children can sound
out a word more
quickly if it’s a word
they already know

35. “Meet a Real…” Resources
• “Marching Band Storytime” by Future
Librarian Superhero
http://www.futurelibrariansuperhero.com/2013/05/marching-band-storytime.
html
• “Ballet Storytime” by The Show Me Librarian
http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/02/thinking-outside-book-
ballet-storytime.html
• “Soccer Storytime” by The Show Me Librarian
http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/06/thinking-outside-
book-soccer-storytime.html

36. Now it’s your turn to share!
• How do you program beyond storytime
for preschoolers?

37. To Wrap Up…
• Go beyond storytime for preschoolers.
• Be intentional about your goals for all
preschool programs.
• Use the resources available to you.

38. Questions & Closing
• Questions?
? ? ?
!
!
!
• Find all our resources on our Pinterest
board for this presentation:
http://goo.gl/6EUs1c

39. Thanks!
• Amy Commers, South St. Paul Public Library,
@choosejoytoday
• Melissa Depper, Arapahoe Library District,
@MelissaZD
• Amy Koester, Skokie Public Library,
@amyeileenk
• Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public
Library, @lochwouters

40. Additional Resources: Reading
• Children’s Access to Print Material and Education-Related Outcomes,
from RIF, http://bit.ly/1AeoiZ4
• National Reading Panel Report, http://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/
supported/Pages/nrp.aspx/
• “Books in home as important as parents' education in determining
children's education level,” http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/
2010-05/uonr-bih052010.php
• A research overview about repeated book readings, from CELLreview,
www.earlyliteracylearning.org/cellreviews/cellreviews_v5_n5.pdf
• “Proof of benefits of reading to children,” http://
www.theage.com.au/national/proof-of-benefits-of-reading-to-children-
20130302-2fd7s.html

41. Additional Resources: Writing
• OT Mom Learning Activities for Kids, http://www.ot-mom-
learning-activities.com/
• Therapy Street for Kids, http://
www.therapystreetforkids.com/Skills2.html
• Early Literacy--Pre-Writing Skills posts from Family
Child Care Academy, http://
familychildcareacademy.com/early-literacy-pre-writing-
skills/
• The Motor Story, http://themotorstory.org/

42. Additional Resources: Singing
• Beyond Twinkle Twinkle: Using Music with Infants and Toddlers, by
Parlakian and Lerner, https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/
201003/ParlakianWeb0310.pdf
• Music and Early Childhood Literacy: Why Sing? by Stewart,
http://www.nancymusic.com/music-why-sing.htm
• Musical Storytelling Blog from MELSA, http://www.melsa.org/
melsa/index.cfm/for-library-staff/legacy-amendment/musical-storytelling/
• A research overview about nursery rhyme knowledge, from
CELLreviews, http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/cellreviews/
cellreviews_v4_n1.pdf

43. Additional Resources: Talking
• Project VIEWS2 (3-year IMLS grant measuring early literacy
outcomes), https://www.facebook.com/VIEWS2/info
• The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3
(Hart & Risley), http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/
ae/spring2003/hart.cfm
• Child Talk (speech therapist blog), http://
www.talkingkids.org/
• Playing with Words 365 (speech therapist blog), http://
www.playingwithwords365.com/

44. Additional Resources: Playing
• Building Language & Literacy Through Play, by Leong and Bodrova,
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/building-language-literacy-
through-play
• Oral Storytelling: Building Community through Dialog, Engagement,
and Problem Solving, http://www.naeyc.org/tyc/files/tyc/file/V5I2/
Oral%20Storytelling.pdf
• Telling and Retelling Stories: Learning Language and Literacy, http://
www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/file/200203/
Isbell_article_March_2002.pdf
• Key Concepts: Executive Function, Harvard Center on the Developing
Child, http://developingchild.harvard.edu/key_concepts/
executive_function/