Handouts in Storytime

So recently Jenny asked for some advice about creating a handout for storytime families, and we decided we both wanted to hear what everyone else had to say too!

Do you have handouts for your families? If you do create handouts for storytime, what goes on them? All the songs, rhymes, books, from your storytime plan? Other books on your theme that you didn’t read in storytime?

Sometimes libraries do a weekly handout that is different for each storytime, and sometimes libraries put together a nice “permanent” booklet of rhymes and songs that they can dip into and out of from week to week.

I also remember when ECRR1 was gaining in popularity there was a lot of renewed interest in using a handout to help convey literacy information. What is your library doing to convey literacy information in a printed format, either paper or digital?

I’ve certainly used handouts in storytime before–and no matter how lovingly arranged or thoughtfully written (or not!) I have seen a whole range of responses to them: sometimes parents use them just during storytime, sometimes they tuck them in diaper bags to take home, and sometimes they are left on the floor, crumpled and half-chewed. What has been your experience? How do you make it manageable for parents who are juggling kids and strollers and bookbags to deal with one more piece of paper?

Thanks for sharing your experience and advice!