I've been meaning to check out "Baby Storytime" at our local library. The biggest obstacle to me actually getting there has been the time it is scheduled. Typically Feven is still taking her morning nap when Baby Storytime starts, and I'm not sure if it's one of those events where you can just drop in after it has started.
This morning Feven didn't take a nap but instead chose to use that time talking, singing, removing her socks, and turning her shirt into a shrug. I decided we were just going to go for it! I took her out of the crib and put her shoes on....Baby Storytime, here we come!
When we walked inside the library, the door to the meeting room was open and there were two adults in there with their small children in their lap. Phew! I found the right place! I soon learned that Feven and I needed a carpet square and one copy of each of three books. We went to the bins that were set up in the room, gathered our materials, and found a spot on the floor.
More adults and kids came in, making the total number of kids in the room around 20. As I looked around the circle, all of the children were sitting calmly in their adult's lap. There were some dads, some moms, some grandparents, and even a childcare provider that had all brought children to Baby Storytime. My little (overtired) angel was not sitting still like the other children, but squirming around and flailing a bit. I told myself that these other children had been here before and knew what to expect. They had the routine down, and it was new to Feven so that's why she was so crazy. Let's hope that was the case...
As storytime started, we sang songs together and read the three books aloud together as a big group. Feven got pretty squirmy during the books which is unusual because she sits pretty well at home for books these days. When the music came on and all the kids were doing hand motions to the songs, my little one stood up to dance. I tried to relax a little and let her do her thing. That resulted in her going into the center of the circle and smiling at all the people looking at her. I stood up and pulled her back out of the center of the circle (embarrassing!) and put her back in my lap. You can imagine how that went over.
Let me contrast this experience with one from my own childhood. As the story goes, as a toddler I clung to my mom's leg our entire first ECFE session. And the second. And probably the whole year. My mom was worried because I never wanted to say anything during class or do any of the activities the rest of the kids were doing. I was most comfortable to just sit in her lap and watch everyone else.
Now I have my own daughter. She is not content to sit in my lap and watch; she wants to get up, dance, and explore the whole room. I feel just as much at a loss as my mom did with me!
Even though I was a little embarrassed by Feven's antics, it was really a good time together. She took my hands and clapped them along to some songs, she enjoyed seeing the other kids, and I had a great conversation with another one of the moms whose daughter is just 2 weeks older than Feven. It was a nice way to spend a cold, rainy morning. I look forward to seeing what we do at the next Baby Storytime!
This morning Feven didn't take a nap but instead chose to use that time talking, singing, removing her socks, and turning her shirt into a shrug. I decided we were just going to go for it! I took her out of the crib and put her shoes on....Baby Storytime, here we come!
When we walked inside the library, the door to the meeting room was open and there were two adults in there with their small children in their lap. Phew! I found the right place! I soon learned that Feven and I needed a carpet square and one copy of each of three books. We went to the bins that were set up in the room, gathered our materials, and found a spot on the floor.
More adults and kids came in, making the total number of kids in the room around 20. As I looked around the circle, all of the children were sitting calmly in their adult's lap. There were some dads, some moms, some grandparents, and even a childcare provider that had all brought children to Baby Storytime. My little (overtired) angel was not sitting still like the other children, but squirming around and flailing a bit. I told myself that these other children had been here before and knew what to expect. They had the routine down, and it was new to Feven so that's why she was so crazy. Let's hope that was the case...
As storytime started, we sang songs together and read the three books aloud together as a big group. Feven got pretty squirmy during the books which is unusual because she sits pretty well at home for books these days. When the music came on and all the kids were doing hand motions to the songs, my little one stood up to dance. I tried to relax a little and let her do her thing. That resulted in her going into the center of the circle and smiling at all the people looking at her. I stood up and pulled her back out of the center of the circle (embarrassing!) and put her back in my lap. You can imagine how that went over.
Let me contrast this experience with one from my own childhood. As the story goes, as a toddler I clung to my mom's leg our entire first ECFE session. And the second. And probably the whole year. My mom was worried because I never wanted to say anything during class or do any of the activities the rest of the kids were doing. I was most comfortable to just sit in her lap and watch everyone else.
Now I have my own daughter. She is not content to sit in my lap and watch; she wants to get up, dance, and explore the whole room. I feel just as much at a loss as my mom did with me!
Even though I was a little embarrassed by Feven's antics, it was really a good time together. She took my hands and clapped them along to some songs, she enjoyed seeing the other kids, and I had a great conversation with another one of the moms whose daughter is just 2 weeks older than Feven. It was a nice way to spend a cold, rainy morning. I look forward to seeing what we do at the next Baby Storytime!
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