Recently my theme of the week was Pigs at storytime. It was magical – the kids and adults were engaged, the stories were great, everyone was happy. Reading aloud to groups of young children and their caregivers is a joy – their honesty, sense of wonder and engagement keeps me motivated week after week (year after year) to find creative themes and ways to foster a love of reading. But why storytime? Why is it so great? Does it serve a purpose?
Here are my top 3 reasons why storytime is awesome:
- It helps develop language skills and a love of reading. Typically each week I read 5 books, sing 5 songs and do a variety of other activities which help develop links between words and pictures as well as providing many opportunities for language development, phonological awareness and listening skills.
- It builds connections! Connections to books, to the library, to the community and with other participants.
- It is FREE! That’s right – library cards, programs, services and materials provided by the library are free.
Some great pig books to enjoy with children:
Pigs! by Robert Munsch
Bottoms Up! by Yusuke Yonezu
Ten Clean Pigs by Carol Roth
The Book Hog by Pizzoli
Ribbit by Rodrigo Folgueira
Some adult suggestions inspired by the joy of reading:
The Reading Promise by Alice Azma
The Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller
Dear Fahrenheit 451 Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence
Storytimes take place on Wednesday mornings at 10:30 in our Amherstview and Napanee branches. Why not join us?
Patricia is a Library Assistant at the Napanee Branch. She is known for her fun and educational children’s storytimes and being a great resource for any reader seeking out the latest and greatest romance and chick-lit novels.
