Good vs Bad Storytimes- How to Tell the Difference

I used to frequent library storytimes consistently when I was a nanny but I have been much more lax about it since I had Little A. I believe pretty strongly that little ones need their parents to lead them into the world of reading and literature so after mounds of mommy guilt, I finally sought out the nearest story time and started to attend.

Now, I want to start this next bit by saying that I LOVE the library. It doesn't matter if it's just a little rinky-dink building or a state of the art facility, I am a big fan of books and booklovers. That said, I was very disappointed by the experience Little A and I had at our local storytime. My experiences with previous storytimes were very good so I was a bit shocked by the lack of quality. 

I've been thinking about this issue for a while now. How many parents have only attended this storytime, or ones like it, and don't know the greatness of a truly wonderful storytime? It makes me sad to think about. So I thought I would write a post about how to tell the difference between a good and bad storytime. 

GOOD storytimes have...

-Teachers that are energetic, engaging and informative. A good story time teacher will be fun and understand different age levels to the point that they can engage the children properly. They also need to be able to provide you, as the caregiver, with lots of good book and community references.

-A space that is big and inviting. The size of the room isn't as important, as I've seen great storytimes in small rooms, but it is a factor to consider as some of the smaller groups will be limited to a certain number of participants.  The space should also be inviting and welcoming for the kids. Maybe there are decorations or music playing. Another key is that the storytime be set up in a circle or semi-circle formation. This optimizes the engagement that the kids get with the librarian.

-A balance between reading of books and activities that engage the kiddos. A good balance is typically one for one, but this depends on the leader and the age of the kids.

-A music/play/social time afterwards. This is pretty key, especially for toddlers. The teacher of the group should put on some "dancing" type kid music and provide a craft or toys for the children to play with. This atmosphere helps kiddos learn social skills with one another and gives the parents time to bond while the kids are playing.

BAD storytimes have...

-Teachers that lack energy and/or don't provide you with solid information. Many librarians tend to be of the older set but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be expected to have the energy to lead the class. I have noticed that our leader tends to be too quiet and is a little anti-social. She doesn't seem to have a spark for children.

-A space that is either too big or too small. A big space, especially when lit with bright, florescent bulbs, can be overwhelming for children. Also, these spaces seem to invite over-crowding. One of the things about a bad storytime space is if it's set up with the teacher in front and the children all sitting on the other 3/4 of the room. This sets an emotional and spacial boundary that isn't comfortable for kids. Our librarian actually puts tape on the floor to make sure that the kids don't pass into her space. Ugh.

-No social time afterwards or a social time that is subpar. At our storytime, we have a "social time" with music but the music is so quiet that you can't hear it unless you're on top of the boombox, which makes it hard to dance. Also, we don't have any toys or crafts during this time. The librarian prompts us to socialize our kiddos but it's hard for the kids (all toddlers) to bond when they're all just standing around, staring at each other, with nothing to do. Frustrating.

So, what do you do if you find that your storytime isn't the best? Well, you could always find another one near you. Unfortunately, most storytimes within a library system are pretty similar. The other option is to work to change your storytime for the better. Make a list of suggestions and schedule a time to talk to a librarian about your ideas. Don't try to talk to the librarian right after or before the scheduled story hour. S/he is not going to be in a mindset to really take your ideas seriously, with all the commotion going on. 

What do you think about your local storytime? What is good or bad about it? Leave your comments below.