Storytime: All About Bugs

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing!

Our Story Time Format: When the kids first arrive, we do some songs together and sometimes have a prop/fun thing to use during music time. Then I read them a story. After the story we do an activity, sometimes a game or we use the flannel or magnet board and then move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with a special toy or sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go!) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 30-45 minutes all together.

Last week's Storytime with Shay was All About Bugs! 🐛🐞🕷

Song: There’s a Spider on the Floor by Kathy Reid Naiman - I was going to make some little spiders for the kids out of yarn but since my group is pretty little I was worried there might be some that were scared of spiders so we used our scarves instead. (Wonder why you should use scarves for story time? Read about it here.)

Book: Some Bugs by Angela Diterlizzi - This book was great for the toddler/preschool age group I have because the sentences were short and sweet. And then when we got to the end with the huge group of different bugs (with labeled names) we pointed and talked about some of the different ones they recognized.

Activity: Bug in a Rug flannel - We used the flannel board today and a set that the librarian before me had prepared with different kinds of bugs - similar to this one from Mel's Desk. I let the kids take turns picking a bug and hiding them under the rug and then trying to figure out which one their friend had picked. 

Craft: We made these ladybug headbands from Simple Everyday Mom and they were enjoyed by all. Even me. 😁

Play Time: We played with Hex Bugs! We've used these for STEM activities here at the library but I thought maybe the littles would like them - and it went along with the "bug" theme. They had a good time watching them zoom around and only needed a bit of help assembling the walls.