STORY TIME:
A KEY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
ow does she do it?” New parents
bringing children to their first Story
Time almost always want to know
how Miss Barb keeps a group of
normally active children quiet and
engaged. The answer, of course, is magic!
All right, maybe not. The real answer is practice, hard
work, planning, and a deceptively simple utilization of early
childhood literacy strategies and techniques. We want to share
some of her expertise so that you can use these strategies to
help your child become a lifelong reader.
The first key is familiarity. By limiting story time reading to
Miss Barb, the children recognize that she is a steady concept in
their lives. Children crave stability.
These story time kids will all-too-soon become early
readers, who may need help finding a leveled reader or
getting a book suggestion. They will be more comfortable
approaching an adult with whom they have already formed
a connection in their lives. As time progresses, the kids will be
researching and that again brings questions to that person
they know and trust will be willing and able to help them find
the books they require.
The second key is interaction. There is a reason why she
asks the children questions while reading, such as “What
do you think will happen next?” or “Let’s count how many
monkeys are on this page!” These questions stimulate
the child’s development in terms of comprehension and
vocabulary. And sometimes the children notice aspects of the
stories that we don’t even see!
The third key is familiarity. The structure of
our story time follows a familiar pattern. Did we
mention before that children crave stability?
By learning what to expect, they can anticipate. The
structure is preparing the children for a school setting.
When they enter school, they may start their day with a
song, then by talking about the weather or what day of the
week it is, so we do the same at story time.
The final key is to start early. We’ve had parents say they’ll
be at story times once their child is old enough. Any age
is old enough! Share your love of books and stories and
reading with them early. Picture books are often RICH in
vocabulary that may not be heard in everyday conversation.
For example, one of our children’s librarian’s favorite picture
books, “Some Dogs Do” by Jez Alborough, uses the word
‘daft.” After she reads that section, she explains what the word
means and then repeats that line. Experts state that the one
pre-kindergarten skill that matters above all others is the
child’s vocabulary upon entering school. The child who has
the largest vocabulary will understand the most.
In addition, when you read aloud, you increase your child’s
ability to pay attention and concentrate, which are invaluable
tools to have when beginning school.
And don’t underestimate the power of play in the role
of literacy in children’s lives! We have a large collection of
puppets in the Children’s Library, and families creating
stories of their own with our puppets is a delightful thing
to witness. After story times, the puppet theater is often
in demand, as well as the “grocery store” bin full of fruits,
vegetables and a cash register. It’s fun to hear the children
use their imaginations, plus it’s a great way to build that
precious vocabulary!
We hope these key concepts will help you
build your own family story time with your child,
and we look forward to seeing you next time in
Story Square!
100 Caruthers Lane, Irwin PA • www.norwinpubliclibrary.org • 724-863-4700
NORWIN ❘ SPRING 2019
3