More Than Books: The Magic of Children's Story Time

One of my greatest joys as a book lover was reading to and with my kids. It is never too early to read with children, and Beth Emmons, Early Learning Specialist at Frankenmuth Wickson District Library, know this. Mrs. Emmons brings Story Time to the youngest patrons every week, and the rewards are immense. The kids recently shared what they love most about Story Time.

Each week Mrs. Emmons chooses a different author or topic to highlight. From there, she chooses books and creates related activities through which “kids are hearing rich language, practicing listening and turn-taking, strengthening early literacy skills, moving their bodies, and learning that books are joyful.”

The book-related endeavors at Story Time incorporate a lot of sensory activities, as young kids learn best when all of their senses are engaged. For example, one favorite activity is the sensory table, which is an ideal way to “support fine motor skills, encourage language growth, foster inclusive play and help build brain pathways strengthening how children make sense of their world.” The table is filled with something such as uncooked rice or sand and small objects that the kids can dig around for and pull out. Gracelyn (age 4) said her favorite part of Story Time is the sensory table.

Another highlight for many of the kids, including Riley (age 4), Lucy (age 2), and Eliana (age 4), is the snacks. Building on the importance of the senses, Mrs. Emmons makes sure to include taste. After each story the families spread out to enjoy several stations, one of which is the snack station that goes along with the story theme. Recently the group enjoyed Teddy Grahams to accompany the Corduroy stories.

More activities include singing and dancing, which is a favorite for Wesley (age 3.5), Kelsie (age 1.5), and Reagan (age 2). How fortunate the kids are to have Mrs. Emmons read, sing and dance with them. In fact, many of the kids, including Fitz (age 4) and Penelope (age 2) shared that their favorite part of story time is Mrs. Emmons herself! A few other children said they enjoy playing with Play-Doh, such as Loren (age 2) and Liam (age 2.5).

And Jackson (age 3) said that his favorite part of Story Time is the closet. I had to ask Mrs. Emmons about that one. She has a closet to store all the Story Time supplies, which she opens to bring out the toys for everyone to play with. And on special occasions balloons even float out of it!

Mrs. Emmons said it best: “I’m really lucky to get to do this work. Story Time isn’t just ‘reading a book out loud’ for me, it’s one of the first places a child can feel safe, seen, and successful in a group. I love it because the progress shows up in tiny moments; when a shy child starts joining in, when a toddler learns the routine, when a family finds their new favorite book, or when a caregiver tells me, ‘This is the highlight of our week.’ I don’t take that trust lightly.”