Don’t Forget those Old Favorites!

Doing storytime multiple times every week can be exhausting. I for one am always looking for ways to include repetition while also adding in new books, songs and props that will make storytime more interesting for me. Many librarians are incorporating technology into their storytimes as well, which is a fascinating development. However, with all of these exciting new tools, don’t forget about one of those old favorite props, PUPPETS!!

I had the best children’s librarian when I was a kid. I absolutely adored Miss Barbara. When I would return home from the library each week, I would pretend to be her, putting on storytimes for all of my stuffed animals. One of the things I loved the best about storytime was the fun puppets she included every week. She had different voices and personalities for each puppet, and she made them all come alive during that magical half-hour.

I had forgotten about the pure joy puppets can bring to children. A few months ago, my coworker and I decided to start building up our branch’s puppet collection. I now use them every week in my toddler storytime.

Photo taken by the author of this blog post. 

With the addition of puppets, the Slippery Fish song has become a Brisbane Library favorite. The kids walk up to me throughout the song, hoping to get their hands “bitten” by the shark or the whale. After storytime, I let everyone play with the puppets and enjoy watching the little ones try to figure out how the puppets work.

In the midst of all the wonderful books and interesting new technology emerging, I’m happy to have rediscovered one of my old favorite storytime tools!

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Stephanie Conrad is the Senior Librarian at the Brisbane Library in California and is writing this post for the Early Childhood Programs and Services Committee.