Now That's a Story Time
My parents have my niece and middle nephew staying with them for a few days. My dad works, so when I saw during my visit to the library yesterday that they offer a Story Time on Thursday afternoons for kids ages 3-5 (perfect), I'd offer to give Mom a break.
She dropped us off (I don't have car seats) on her way to run an errand, and we went downstairs to where Miss B. was starting to read a story to about half a dozen kids on little rug mats (remember those from kindergarten?) and about an equal amount of grown-ups in chairs.
The theme was snow--because it snowed briefly this morning, and dang is it cold now--and by the second story my kiddos were really getting into it. They refused to stand up and sing, "If you're happy and you know it, waddle like a penguin," mind you, but they were completely enthralled during the third story. I sat with them on the floor (so they wouldn't freak), and if they weren't sprawled on the floor, they were snuggled up against me. I even saw my niece softly speaking the answers to the questions during the last story (spoiler: it rhymes "scarf" with "barf," and she hiccups up a snowman).
After the stories, the kids got to color a snowman picture on blue construction paper with crayons and chalk. This was very enjoyable to my kiddos, because, to quote my niece, they love "arts 'n' craps." Hahahaha. That is a running joke in our family.
Of course, they weren't satisfied to do just one, so they boldly asked for another one to color in. It was very nice of Miss B. to give them each another one, even as the other kids and grown-ups went upstairs. We wound up helping Miss B. collect and put away all the crayons and chalk. . . and they were still asking to do more, but they seemed to get that Miss B. had to leave so she could go pick her son up from school on time. These kids are arts 'n' craps addicts, I tells ya.
All in all, it took about half an hour for Story Time, and the kiddos were pretty well behaved, considering they hadn't been to this library before. It helped that when we went back upstairs, there were books to look at and puzzles to play with, and when my mom came in we all sat together to read and play for about half and hour or so more.
The kiddos were also pretty polite to my mom's friend who works at the library. She said hi to us when we were coming in, and came over on her way out to say bye to the kids. . . and also to tell me the library might have a PT position open for me.
Guess I'll be sending a couple of faxes out tomorrow.
She dropped us off (I don't have car seats) on her way to run an errand, and we went downstairs to where Miss B. was starting to read a story to about half a dozen kids on little rug mats (remember those from kindergarten?) and about an equal amount of grown-ups in chairs.
The theme was snow--because it snowed briefly this morning, and dang is it cold now--and by the second story my kiddos were really getting into it. They refused to stand up and sing, "If you're happy and you know it, waddle like a penguin," mind you, but they were completely enthralled during the third story. I sat with them on the floor (so they wouldn't freak), and if they weren't sprawled on the floor, they were snuggled up against me. I even saw my niece softly speaking the answers to the questions during the last story (spoiler: it rhymes "scarf" with "barf," and she hiccups up a snowman).
After the stories, the kids got to color a snowman picture on blue construction paper with crayons and chalk. This was very enjoyable to my kiddos, because, to quote my niece, they love "arts 'n' craps." Hahahaha. That is a running joke in our family.
Of course, they weren't satisfied to do just one, so they boldly asked for another one to color in. It was very nice of Miss B. to give them each another one, even as the other kids and grown-ups went upstairs. We wound up helping Miss B. collect and put away all the crayons and chalk. . . and they were still asking to do more, but they seemed to get that Miss B. had to leave so she could go pick her son up from school on time. These kids are arts 'n' craps addicts, I tells ya.
All in all, it took about half an hour for Story Time, and the kiddos were pretty well behaved, considering they hadn't been to this library before. It helped that when we went back upstairs, there were books to look at and puzzles to play with, and when my mom came in we all sat together to read and play for about half and hour or so more.
The kiddos were also pretty polite to my mom's friend who works at the library. She said hi to us when we were coming in, and came over on her way out to say bye to the kids. . . and also to tell me the library might have a PT position open for me.
Guess I'll be sending a couple of faxes out tomorrow.
Comments
Now if it was my niece I would teach her to say "c'mon, baby needs new shoes" right after she said that. But maybe that's just me.