Early Literacy Storytime: Narrating Actions

Here’s a way to model talking with kids during your storytime! You probably already do this without even thinking about it. Just add a comment to the grownups in your storytime to help them learn how it helps their children get ready to read.

Pick a time during storytime when you are handing something out to the children, or getting a flannelboard or a CD player ready. Instead of just doing it, narrate what you’re doing out loud. Just keep a running commentary going. For instance, “OK, it’s time to hand out our egg shakers so we can sing Shake Your Sillies Out! I’m going to walk around with the box so everyone can choose some. There are different colors of shakers! Emily took a blue one. Ethan took a green one. There’s enough for everyone! When everyone has one, we’ll start our song.” Etc.

Then before you start the song, tell the parents, “We know that children with big vocabularies have an easier time when it comes to reading, because they recognize more of the words that they see on the page. One of the ways you can help your child is by telling them what you’re doing as you do it, like I just did when I handed out the shakers. The more words they hear, they more words they learn! Talking with your children will help them get ready to read.”