Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Best Seat in the House

Today I was reminded again of why I like my job so much... it's the kids! And because I am a storyteller at the library, and two year olds (with caregiver) are the audience, I truly feel like I have the best seat in the house as I get to watch their expressions with stories, songs, flannelboards, crafts and music activites! Everything is so new to these little ones, and exciting to boot. You'd have thought they were rolling real snowballs, making real snowpals, and having a real snowball fight. You'd have thought they were hearing a story for the first time as they were read the story of Snowballs by Lois Ehlert. Or that their little eyes would pop out with the pop outs of The Snowmen Pop-Up Book by Carolyn Buehner. (The tale is about what snowmen do when it's night time and you're asleep. Hopefully asleep.) And, who would think that a flannelboard poem about 'Five little snowpals riding on a sled...one fell off and bumped his head' would cause laughter out loud? And, how on earth those pieces can stick to a felt board is always a mystery to these little ones. Or how having a snowball fight inside the library (holding using a large white tablecloth by the hands, then bouncing the styrofoam balls off of it) is almost as good as having one outside minus the winter garb and not getting hurt when hit in the head? No tears today! Then, the ringing of sleigh bells. You can imagine the horses in the snow pulling you along, right? Finally, the young artists got to work making a "snow" of white Ivory Snow powder with a bit of water to finger paint on a snowman cutout. Sprinkling glitter on this wet mix is the final touch...EVERYTHING works better with glitter is a craft mantra in my opinion. Sorry, due to privacy issues, I can post no pictures of what actually went on with the 40 in the audience today, but I can assure you that the best seat in the house was mine!!! To think...I actually get paid for doing this job! Lucky me. (Thanks for the Starbucks gift card mittens, Anne! I knew they could be used somehow!)

3 comments:

Sarah said...

You're so creative Deb, as always!!!

____ said...

Love this post!

Marta said...

This sounds like such a fun event, Deb!! What great activities.

I have never heard of the term 'snowpal' before. Is this the new PC word for snowmen? I'll have to start using it myself, I like it.

And I was thinking, maybe we could have an indoor snowball fight at Diann and Larry's tomorrow. What are your thoughts?