Storytime Magic: 400 Fingerplays, Flannelboards, and Other Activities

by Kathy MacMillan, Christine Kirker

Enriching and supplementing storytelling programs with fingerplays, flannelboards, and other props will be a cinch thanks to this generous sampling of art and craft ideas, songs, and action rhymes. This time-saving resource includes

* Thematic organization to make program planning easy
* Recommended books for each theme
* Easy-to-follow craft and flannelboard patterns
* Quick Tips boxes that enhance the early literacy component

A unique addition to the programming shelf, this treasure trove of storytime tools is designed to help veteran librarians refresh and enliven ongoing programs, while providing novice storytime planners what they need to get started!

Genres: Storytime, Professional Development, Nonfiction

139 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2009

About the author

Kathy MacMillan is a writer, American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and signing storyteller. She writes picture books (the Little Hands Signing series and The Runaway Shirt, Familius Press), children’s nonfiction (She Spoke: 14 Women Who Raised Their Voices and Changed the World, Familius Press), and young adult fantasy. Her debut young adult novel, Sword and Verse (2016) was a finalist for the Compton Crook Award, and its companion novel, Dagger and Coin (2018) has been called a “complex feminist fantasy” by author Heidi Heilig. She has also published 8 resource books for educators, librarians, and parents, including Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press). Kathy serves as the Mentorship Program Coordinator for the Maryland/Delaware/West Virginia Region of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She lives in Baltimore, MD. Find her online at www.kathymacmillan.com or on Twitter at @kathys_quill.

Reviews

[Alina Karapandzich]

Some great ideas for beginners/those new to story times. The book is organized by theme, making it easy to quickly find ideas. Appendix B also has some excellent quick guides on different materials for story time that you can make quickly and inexpensively (such as flannel boards, puppet sticks, lap theaters, etc.).

[Sushie]

The songs in this book are a treasure trove, though the activities are mostly not my style. Unfortunately I don't have enough of a repertoire to have an opinion on the book lists.

[Shelby]

Wonderful flannel board and finger play resource for story time.

[Maeve]

A collection of fingerplays, flannelboards, and other activities (grouped by theme) to be used in storytimes.

[Kristel]

This professional resource is very handy and designed to be simple and practical. The authors break the text into themes, like world cultures, specific holidays or learning to be safe. With each topic, the book gives you songs, finger-plays, flannelboard and craft ideas and book suggestions. For librarians and teachers looking for fresh ideas on tired subjects, this is a great resource. If the educator is just starting out this book gives some very well-thought-out suggestions that can help newcomers to the field plan excellent programs. The index makes it easy to look up a specific theme or topic and the book does not use jargon so even parents can use it on those rainy days. The authors also provide some main takeaways about programming for different ages and best practices within storytimes. Highly recommended for public libraries.

[Shauna Masura]

Storytime Magic is a comprehensive resource for traditional library storytelling techniques. Ideas for theme-related programs are presented, and each theme includes sample songs, poems, flannelboard presentations, activities, and crafts. Storytime Magic primarily focuses on techniques that have already been covered by former professional development resources and misses out on delving into incorporating web 2.0 applications to enrich and update traditions. All in all, this books speaks to an era of librarianship that is desperately over-indulged and not recommended for purchase.

[Paula]

Enriching and supplementing storytelling programs with fingerplays, flannelboards, and other props will be a cinch thanks to this generous sampling of art and craft ideas, songs, and action rhymes." "A unique addition to the programming shelf, this treasure trove of storytime tools is designed to help veteran librarians refresh and enliven ongoing programs, while providing novice storytime planners what they need to get started!"
www.ala.org/editions/extras/macmillan...
Website has lots of patterns for felt sets

[Ina]

I stumbled upon this book at the library...while looking for something else and then went out and bought a copy I liked it so much. This is a great resource for anyone who plans and executes storytimes...or even for someone thinking about planning and executing them!

[Julie]

Some great ideas in this one! I immediately made the ice cream shop flannel.

[Micha O'Connor]

Great resource for children's librarians.