1. STORY TIME MY LIBRARY EXPERIENCE

2. WHY? PEOPLE LOVE STORIES MEMORIES FUN!

3. STARTING OUT PREPARE ONE STORY SUPPORT FROM ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER OR TEACHER – DO THE STORY-TIME TOGETHER PLAN ACTIVITIES AROUND THE STORY END ON A SONG / MUSIC /JOKE

4. WHEN? IMPROMPTU REGULAR ORGANISED EVENTS CLASS VISITS

5. WHERE? IN THE LIBRARY IN SCHOOLS OUTSIDE EVENTS / FESTIVALS STAFF EVENTS

6. REPETITION RHYME RIDDLES TOOLS

7. HOW? PREPARATION PEOPLE PROPS PRACTICE PATIENCE

8. PREPARATION READ MARK STOPPING POINTS / VOICES KEEP LISTS THEMES NOTES

9. PEOPLE TODDLERS / INFANT CLASSES Be flexible, move around, involve adults, nursery rhymes, repetition, rhyming stories, voices. Short and sweet Keep it simple 1ST / 2ND / 3RD CLASS Longer picture books, snippet of chapter books, prizes, ask questions, songs, assign roles, move around, voices. Pick a subject that the kids love Find the audience’s sweet spot – ask them Tell jokes and plenty of banter

10. PEOPLE OLDER CLASSES Introduce non-fiction, themed stories around what is being learned in school. Free style What happened next? End on a cliff hanger MIXED GROUP all of the above!

11. PROPS PUPPETS PICTURES HATS TOYS

12. PRACTICE CHILDREN YOU KNOW OUT LOUD ALONE BOOKS YOU KNOW TOYS / PROPS

13. PATIENCE EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED SET GROUND RULES PHONES KEEP SMILING!

14. HAVE A BACK-UP MY FAVOURITES: WINNIE THE WITCH DR. SEUSS- GREEN EGGS AND HAM FARMER DUCK OWL BABIES GEORGE FLIES SOUTH (SIMON JAMES) GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ANY JULIA DONALDSON

15. JOKE WHAT DO YOU CALL A CHICKEN WHO CROSSES THE ROAD, ROLLS IN THE MUD, AND THEN CROSSES BACK AGAIN? A DIRTY DOUBLE-CROSSER

16. QUESTION TIME MNEEDHAM@OFFALYCOCO.IE STURNER@OFFALYCOCO.IE