What is sensory storytime?
As you read the title of this blogpost you may be wondering,
what is sensory storytime? Sensory storytime is a special storytime designed
for children with autism. It was a way to make storytime accessible to a
population of children and families who may not otherwise feel comfortable
coming to storytime. It fills a need in many libraries across the country.
According to Cottrell (2016) in 2015 1 in 45 kids was diagnosed with autism. Sensory
storytime allows the parents of those children to feel comfortable bringing
their children to storytime and allows the children to experience storytime in
a setting designed just for them.
What does sensory storytime look
like?
Sensory storytime means meeting
families where they are rather than expecting them to fit into the mold of
traditional storytimes. These children often have a hard time being quiet,
sitting still, handling crowds, and may be sensitive to noise so sensory
storytime is designed with this in mind. Sensory storytimes need to be
responsive to the needs of the children and feedback from parents is vital in
making that happen. That means they may change from week to week or month to
month depending on the audience. According to library personnel with the Akron Summit
Library (2014) sensory storytimes have to be extremely flexible. The needs of
the children that day may warrant the need for the storyteller to pivot: if
something isn’t going well end it early or if the children are really enjoying
something else then extend it or do it again.
According to personnel at the Akron Summit
Library (2014) sensory storytime should have a very simple setup with minimal
distractions. She usually just has a simple table up front with a simple toybox
containing her materials for the storytelling. It is also suggested by Frick
(2018) that you turn down the lights and noise since many children with autism
are sensitive to these things. Other helpful tips include providing a visual
schedule displayed and go over it at the beginning of storytime. This is
helpful because children on the autism spectrum need to know what’s coming and
have a way to transition from one activity to the next. Workers at Akron Summit
Library (2014) also suggest having some sensory tools in the space such as a
sensory balance beam or something similar. Overall the space and setup are very
underwhelming so that children are not overstimulated by their surroundings.
Those with experience in sensory
storytimes such as Akron Summit Library (2014) and Frick (2018) suggest
including several elements in your sensory storytimes. Including simple,
repetitive songs is one element. They recommend keeping the songs simple and
using the same song repeatedly so the children become familiar with it. Making
it interactive and using props helps to maintain the interest of the children. Provide
fidgets to the parents if their children need them. They also recommend a
social time where children and adults get to interact with one another.
Allowing time on the sensory tools such as a sensory balance beam is also a
great addition to a sensory storytime. Don’t be afraid to try new things. If
they don’t work, cut them short, and try something different the next time.
Sensory storytimes are an ever evolving program.
What are the benefits of a sensory
storytime?
According to Taylor (2023), children
with autism have improved language skills, improved listening skills, increased
attention spans, develop curiosity and creativity, and gain a better
understanding of nonverbal communication when participating in storytelling activities.
Improved vocabulary and comprehension are two language skills that are
increased by hearing stories told. Listening to stories builds a cognitive
framework for understanding, and this becomes even richer through dynamic
storytelling (Taylor, 2023). Incorporating a social time into sensory
storytelling also gives children with ASD an opportunity to build their social
skills in a structured and safe setting. Not only is the social time beneficial
to the children, it also provide their caregivers an opportunity to relax
knowing their children are safe and engaged. Caregivers also have an
opportunity to talk and socialize other caregivers. Sensory storytime has a
multitude of benefits for patrons with autism and makes the library more accessible
to everyone.
What are some good resources?
- · This is a website that gives helpful
tips and activities to include https://www.theyouthdesk.org/sensory-storytime
- · This link is to a informative PowerPoint
about sensory storytimes. https://libcoop.net/slc/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/SensoryStorytimeSlides.pdf
- · A sample outline of a sensory storytime
- https://www.flls.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Handout-2-Sample-Outline.pdf
What am I
reading this week?
This week I read a variety of
classic children’s literature. By classic children’s literature I am referring
to those classic stories that are a part of most libraries and that seem like “must
haves” for students to be exposed to. I was very excited about this assignment because
there are so many books that I LOVE either from my own childhood or from the
childhoods of my children. I had a very difficult time narrowing down my list
of classic literature to just six titles because there are so many on my
personal list. I’ll highlight a few of my favorites. I first picked Curious
George and Little House in the Big Woods because these classics were such a
large part of my childhood. I can still picture my elementary librarian walking
me over to the Curious George section and encouraging me to try one out. I was
hooked! Little House in the Big Woods was a chapter book that I read over and
over (along with the other books in the series). I was fascinated because I was
such a big fan of the tv show Little House on the Prairie. I chose Rainbow Fish
as one of my books because it was a favorite of my daughters growing up. One of
my daughters checked it out over and over from the public library for about 3
months. We finally bought her own copy so someone else would have a chance with
the library copy! I’ll hope you’ll enjoy looking at my list and rereading some
of the titles or maybe reading them for the first time.
References
Frick, K. (2018, October
5). Sensory storytime: Tips and tricks for a successful program. ALSC
Blog. https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/08/sensory-storytime-tips-and-tricks-for-a-successful-program/
Taylor, S. (2023, October
12). Important ways storytelling can benefit kids with autism. Autism
Parenting Magazine. https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/ways-storytelling-can-benefit-autism-kids/
Cottrell, M. (2016, June 1).
Storytime for the spectrum. American Libraries Magazine. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2016/03/01/sensory-storytime-spectrum-libraries-add-services-for-children-with-autism/
AkronSummitLibrary.(2014,
April 14). Sensory storytime: A program
designed for families of children with autism [Video}. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwAT88XQsK4&ab_channel=AkronSummitLibrary
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