Reaching out to Preschoolers

Tucking the flannel storyboard under my arm and slinging the book bag handle over my shoulder, I head out the back door to another outreach story time, rain or shine. When I arrive, I quickly fix the three legs of the tripod that will provide a stage for my stories on-the-go.

I love the opportunity to share stories, songs and tidbits of trivia with bright-eyed preschoolers and kindergartners. Rebecca Storyweaver, Jan Eastman and I share the outreach circuit that includes over a dozen Preschools, Day Care Centers and Early Childhood programs in Newport.

The clamor begins when I enter the room, “Did you bring your kitty? Did you bring Cricket?” I can expect to get these questions every time, since my grey-striped puppet, Cricket begins every presentation with his timid, shy manner and silly questions. Inez, the enthusiastic, book-loving mouse travels with Rebecca, while Jan packs Loretta the childlike, lovable rabbit in her bag for class visits.

With a multitude of themes to choose from, it’s a great opportunity for us to share a well-known classic fable or one of the shiny, new children’s books. There’s time for a book, a song, a flannel story, another book and a good-bye song with our puppets shaking paws or blowing kisses.

The big return comes when I’m back at my post in the children’s area of the library and a bouncing preschooler bounds down the stairs. After giving a giant hug to Clifford the Big Red Dog, the child exclaims “I saw you at my school!” Other times a precious four year old might whisper to their grown up “That’s the story girl who reads to us.” That’s secretly my favorite namesake.