Libraries Serving Children with Autism

Sensory Story Time

October 7th, 2011 Gina Lipkin

I started doing sensory story times in January 2011.  This story time, which is opened to all children ages 2-5, is especially geared to children with sensory integration issues.  It is also for those children who may have difficulty sitting through regular story times.  I hold this story time one day every other month.  I have been holding this story time during the week, usually in the morning, but starting in January 2012 I will hold this story time on Saturday mornings.  I have noticed that story times during the week don’t always work well for families that have children with sensory issues and I don’t want this to just turn into a regular story time.  I am hoping that Saturday mornings will work better with people’s schedules.

I struggled with being able to only do this story time once every other month.  I originally wanted to do it on a more regular basis, but I just didn’t have the time in my schedule.  However, I feel that the children will benefit from and enjoy the story time, even if I am only able to offer it on a limited basis.

For each story time I pick a theme, such as colors or the farm, and read books related to that theme.  We always start and end with the same songs.  We also do fingerplays/rhymes, three stories (at least one story is an interactive story that the children can help me with), and often an activity with scarves (usually moving the scarves to soft music).  After we sing our goodbye song I blow some bubbles and then the children have the opportunity to color a picture related to the theme, while parents can visit with one another.  I also put out stuffed animals and fidget balls for the children to use during the story time and a picture schedule of the activities is on the wall behind me during the program.

I advertise this story time at local preschools, in our monthly e-newsletter, in brochures/advertisements within the library, in the local newspaper, on our website, and I am now sending letters and flyers to local organizations that offer head start, early intervention, and therapy for children with autism.

Entry Filed under: Programming,Storytime