Taking Inspiration From My Audience

So last week I did a bird-themed storytime.  I got the idea to go with birds from the beautiful felt birds we've all seen on Mel's Desk.  I'd seen the pictures here before, but just now when I created the link, I realize I had the same idea - to use these pieces with Elizabeth Mitchell's Little Bird song.

My birds are not as pretty as the originals but they'll do!

I got the idea from the CD which I had just ordered.  Instead of singing it, I played the song.  While the song was playing I "flew" the birds back and forth, from hand to hand.  I thought this would be fun enough for my littles, but one of the moms did the coolest thing!  She took the name tag we had made (bird shapes!) and flew the bird along with me!  I quickly encouraged the rest of the audience to do the same, and what started as a rather static flannel board song, became an interactive activity!  When I do this song again, I think I will have bird cutouts ready, glued to popsicle sticks, with the appropriate bird (the song mentions several kinds of birds) attached.

This storytime went really well.  We read Feathers For Lunch by Lois Ehlert.  The kids really like Lois Ehlert's illustrations, even if sometimes, the stories are a little complicated for two-year olds.  

We also danced and shook our eggs to Laurie Berkner's I Know a Chicken which happens to be my favorite shaky egg song!  In case you haven't heard it before, Laurie guides the kids through movements with their shaky eggs, including making a circle, up and down motions and fast and slow motions.  I feel like the kids really like it when they can follow the directions in a song.  They definitely seem more involved and excited when we use songs that guide them through.

We had a great magician perform at our library.  Ming the Magnificent!  He was amazing - he really got the kids involved, was able to control quite a large crowd, and mystified us all with his magic tricks!  I'd recommend him to anyone!

Summer reading is around the corner, and I've got lots of plans already.  I hope to share some with you soon, plus some more storytime ideas too!