Altoona wiggles
Storytime Break Activities in Altoona
Anyone who has spoken with me about youth services knows that I am a very big proponent of taking breaks from weekly storytime. It gives you a chance to try new things, keeps you from burning out, allows you time to focus on other projects or take a vacation, and provides you with a chance to encourage early literacy and child development in new ways.
When I spoke with Regina at Altoona recently, she mentioned two programs that work well for her to keep engagement with the library high during her 6 week storytime break (between mid-November and early January).
Get the Wiggles Out Week
Get the Wiggles Out Week is a gross motor play bonanza for young kids and their parents! Regina uses the Lend Items/Libraries WIN Programming Kits to supplement her own supplies to set up their meeting room with fun gross-motor play with tunnels, stepping stones, hoops, floor mats, liquid floor tiles, and more.* Children and caregivers explore prompts to have fun with various stations. Regina sets things up to allow for conversation, print awareness, and lots of fun!
*IFLS Folks: If you don’t have a Lend Items account and you want one, please contact Leah! If you need a refresher in how to use it, please contact Leah!
Popcorn Club
Children birth through grade 5 who check out books between the end of storytime through the restart of storytime (this year it is November 11-January 4) receive an Official Popcorn Club Card that staff stamp up to once per week. Participants also receive a piece of giant paper popcorn that they can write their name on and add to a display, and the color changes each week. The program culminates with a special Saturday storytime that includes creating cardboard cars for a drive-in movie with a short movie and (surprise!) popcorn.