storytime at Border or the library

I was just wondering what age is appropriate to start bringing the kids to storytime. I see the schedules all the time and I think it will be alot of fun once they can really start paying attention.

 

Check the age groups that they offer it for. Our Library has what they call a "Mother Goose Story Time". It is for any age under 5 (I think). The kids range from newborns to probably about 4-5 years old. We started last spring when the twins were 2 and Liam was about 4 months old.

Even my almost 3 year olds only pay attention 1/2 the time, but there are songs that we do and stuff there that they love. It lasts about 1/2 hour.

 

I belong to a local twins group and Borders is one of the events that comes up often. However, from the other moms who have gone, I have been told that the older kids (3 and up) tend to do a little better. The younger ones have a really hard time sitting down and listening. They are usually kept in the stroller which does not make them happy but if you take them out, they just want to run around. I have gone to the library for a couple of things but not for a story time yet. I know my girls are just not ready yet. We go to Mommy and Me once a week and during snack time the teacher reads a stroy but most of the kids are just all over the place (including mine) so I know they are not ready. I guess it depends on your kids and what their attention span is like. At this point, we are still reading mostly label books with some very short "story" type books in the mix. They just don't have the vocabulary comprehension and patience to listen to a story that they don't understand right now, kwim?

 

Hi Ladies,

I just went to our first storybook at our local library. I am the only one has twins with our session. My daughter, Rianna sit well and was checking around, sat and listen to the librarian. For my son, Justin I couldn't get him to sit next to me. He just wanted to get up and run around. When we started to sing he calm down.

Problem Solved: I belong to a large play group of Moms in my home town. I will be asking them to watch 1 of them and take turn every week. This way I have Mommy and Me time alone with each one. It is the only way for now but when they get older they'll go together.

Diana w/Rianna and Justin (15 mos)

 

We went to our Lap Sit story time at the library for awhile ( for 3 and under) and it was nice becuase it is geared for movement, and sitting for long stretches is not required. Lots of songs, dances, and sit/jump/stand stuff that keeps them engaged. I did not have a lot of trouble with both of them. But we tried a more traditional storytime and that was a nightmare...they were all over and totally not interested.

I would try it and see... maybe see if you can bring an extra pair of hands until you know how they will do. Never hurts to try and most of them are free.

 

My girls started going with our au pair at around 18 months.

 

I took my girls once about a month ago, but we didn't participate. In our library, the area outside of the story room is full of toys, puzzles, and books. The girls didn't want to leave this area, so I didn't force them. Story time is held in a glass room so they were able to watch and still run around playing with toys outside the room. I'm glad I didn't try to force them in because the session was for 2-4 year olds and the girls were only 19 months at the time. The kids sat independently in the front of the story room with moms clustered in the back. No way would my girls have done that -- it would have been so embarrassing.

One mom did pull her boy out because he was being disruptive. He said he wanted to play with the toys with my girls, but she made him go back in the room and sit quietly. I felt so bad for him! He looked miserable. Way to instill a love of books!!

I think I'll go back and let them play outside the story room a few more times before venturing in. Like a PP, I could probably get one to sit still during story time now, but I don't think I can handle both. Maybe in a few more months, we'll see.

Environments and expectations really vary from place to place. If you can find a story time for 1-2 year olds that doesn't mandate "sit and listen" time, that might work best. Good luck!!

 

I started taking my daughter when she was two. It was at the library and she loved it. Each Wednesday morning she looked forward to story time, and I really liked that the librarian said that it was only for the 2 year olds, not the parents. She was able to keep the attention of the kids much better when out the parents in the room.

I remember after about a year of going to story time the librarian did have time to pull some books for storytime and chose a very kids friendly video that went along with the teddy bear theme that month. Once my daughter realized that there was not going to be a story read and that instead they were watching a movie, she got up and walked out. The librarian ask her why she didn't want to watch the movie and her reply was priceless, "I come to the library to read not to watch movies." We did not stay for storytime that day, and the librarian let me know that she will always read a story from that point on.

My daughter is now 16 and loves to read. I think it was from those early years that hooked her on books.

 

Storytime is often happening when we're at the library on Saturday mornings, but we haven't formally attended it yet. The girls are interested in watching the lady read, for about 15 seconds, then they just want to do their own thing. But I've seen kids who are not much older (2.5-3) really enjoying storytime.

The way they do storytime is pretty relaxed -- the librarian sits in a chair in the regular children's room, and there's a rug in front of her where the kids who really want to listen can sit. But most toddlers sit with their parents, and anyone who is just browsing can also sort of listen.

 

We've been a couple times. I haven't been in a couple months b/c the room they use at our local library is a meeting room with a small kitchenette. My boys think it's wonderful to spend storytime emptying the pots and pans from the cupboards. It's exhausting.

I should try it again though. I do take them to the other libraries (without kitchenettes) occassionally and have been since about 14m. They enjoy it and it's a free distraction.

 

We've been going to our local library's storytime since my boys were about 8 months old. Our library has very age-specific classes - we used to be in one geared towards babies up to one year of age, and now we are in a class for toddlers 1-2. They hold our classes in an enclosed room, so I just let the boys run around (as do other moms) if they aren't in the mood to sit still for a story. The classes also include lots of songs and some crafts, which the boys love. I'm very glad we started going to these classes. I'm the only one with twins, but we've made some great friends with the other 'regulars'. I find there's always someone willing to help out if the boys start getting into trouble on opposite sides of the room !

 

We just did story time at Borders... the babies were more interested in the other kids but lasted through three whole stories. The crafts were not age appropriate but it was a good time. Our Library only allows one lap per child!

 

I go to story time at my library with them. (I usually take my mom along, too! )Most of the kids wonder around the entire time, so I do not feel too bad when mine decide to wonder...

 

We do story time at Barnes and Noble as often as possible. Started at around 18 months. There are women there with very young babies all the time(probably there more for the socializing) so I wouldn't worry about your kids being old enough. My kids, along with others around their age just tune in and out of the story. Their favorite part is just checking out the other kids and the last book which is always an interactive book called Clap Your Hands where all the children get to participate. This Barnes and Noble also offers crayons and coloring pages at the end of story time, so there's more to it than just the story.

The only kids that really sit and pay attention to the story seem to be in the 3 and up range.

 

We did pre-school story time today. It was for 3-5 yo. I did the toddler one before but it had way too many people and we just couldn't even hear the stories.