laptimeandstorytime

Laptime and Storytime

a library storytelling resource

Defining Storytime and Laptime

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Laptime:

A 15 to 20 minute storytime for babies and toddlers. One, maybe two stories mixed in with a lot of songs and fingerplays designed to introduce these youngest children to spacial relationships, color, sound, fine motor skills, baby sign language and body movement.

Storytime:

A 30 minute storytime for three-year olds and preschoolers. Three to four stories alternated with action/get-the-wiggles-out songs and rhymes with an overall purpose of introducing children to books and stories.

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A note from Amy:

I am creating this website as a reference resource for library storytellers, as well as parents and child care givers.

I finally decided that there needs to be some way to update and keep all my years of research and data current and easily accessable. I also want to share what I have learned. If you love this site, let me know! If you have a theme you would like to see, again just hop over to the blog and drop me a line. Hopefully this will be just the beginning.

Themes

A mix of Laptime & Storytime programs

Welcome...
ABC's (in progress)
Barnyard Busy-ness
Bedtime
Bees Alive! (in progress)
Bugs and Spiders
Christmas with the Animals - storytime
Color my World
Counting (in progress)
Curious Creatues and Caretakers
Egg-stra Eggs-cellent Eggs - storytime
Farm Day Fun (in progress)
Dinosaurs Galore (in progress)
Frog Frolics (in progress)
Going Green
Halloween Happenings -laptimes and storytimes
I am Who I Am - individuality (in progress)
Kindergarten Here I Come! (in progress)
Love ya Baby
Manners (in progress)
Monkeying Around
Monster in the House -storytime
Monsters in Space and more - laptime
Monster Scares -storytime
Move it Baby - laptime
Music and Rhythm - some notes
My Day - laptime
My Day - storytime
Picnic Party
Pig-a-rific! (in progress)
Pirates for St. Patrick's Day
Rhythm Sticks
Sea Shore Fun - laptime
Springtime and Garden Fun - laptime
Tickle it up Time! - laptime
Thanksgiving Pie and All - storytime
Things that Go (in progress)
Trains - list of ideas
Turtle Turn (in progress)
Valentines Day - laptime or storytime
WhoOoo are the Witches - storytime
Winter (in progress)
Zoo (Moo) Who Day - storytime
Zoo Day - laptime
...Goodbye

Quick link to my handmade felt stories

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My goal is to have this site achieve the following:

1- Create an up-to-date repository for my collected fingerplays, children's songs, tell-aloud books and ideas and links for storytimes and laptimes. I will always try to credit my sources, track down the original authors, and provide a link to them if possible.
My history:

I have worked in the Children's department of the Orem Public Library since 1995. I am a product of this incredible library and proud of it. Let me add that this site is not part of the Orem Library, I just work there. I'm doing this for fun, for me, for the kids. It's a labor of love.

Most of the fingerplays, songs and rhymes I have collected are from hearing our wonderful volunteers, over a period of many years, as they have presented their programs. That means that tracing back the original source is difficult, if not impossible.

I also do a lot of adjusting to my fingerplays. For me, they have to have a catchy ending, be a learning tool or just be incredibly fun to perform. I revise fingerplays that seem to 'fall flat', I try to make them more interesting and I want them to make sense. I never was fond of nonsense rhymes. Other times I just go on a google search to see what I can find!

Since coming to work at the Orem Library, with it's very large children's wing, I have had the opportunity to observe and participate in many many types of storytelling experiences: from the pros at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Orem Utah, the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough Tennesee, to the everyday one on one read-aloud time that no child should be deprived of.

I warn you, I am not a musical person, What I do have is enthusiasm and a love of helping little minds grow while providing opportunities for parent to child bonding.