[kids-lib] Follow up on the Band storytime idea- with thanks!

[Korie Jones Buerkle]

Hi all,
A month or so ago I emailed KidsLib for ideas for a Band storytime. I really appreciated all the feedback, and based on those ideas and talking with our Flutist (Marilyn Godfrey), we came up with a successful program. It was easy, but the kids loved it and most of them had never seen a flute! This summer I'm hoping to do a Music Lab outdoors for elementary age kids. I hear our middle school band teachers are looking for different ways to recruit kids, so I'm planning to talk to them about involvement.

We did not have any funds for the program, so although I would love to have the Oregon Symphony at our library someday, that wasn't the option I went with. I've attached the plan Marilyn and I used, and I included the responses below that I received on KidsLib (with apologies if I missed any of them in my email jumble).

Thank you to Sara Simpkins, Sherri Lemhouse, Rick Samuelson (hmmm, I'm sure I forgot someone- sorry about that!).
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A number of libraries in Washington County have had Symphony Storytimes with members from the Oregon Symphony.  One instrument comes at a time.  The player introduces the instrument and a library storytime presenter reads some thematically appropriate books.  Tigard just wrapped one up.

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Band instruments are LOUD, especially in a small space. They can actually scare kids. Do you want the musicians who come to play a piece together, or just demonstrate their instruments? Do you want the kids to be able to touch their instruments? The answers to these questions makes a difference to the musicians.

Brass instrument players are usually fine with kids touching their instruments. Woodwinds and strings, not so much. Do you have rhythm instruments the kids can handle and play?

I haven't done an actual story time with musicians, but I've done a few programs for older kids in our separate meeting room with them. If I were doing a story time, I'd probably have the musicians with their instruments out and ready to go before story time starts, so kids and parents could look at them and talk to the musicians. Then we'd do story time as usual, with several books, and songs that use shakers (and maybe some of my other rhythm instruments for the older group). I know a wonderful trumpet player who would be great  adding sound effects to the Mo Willems book, Listen to my Trumpet. After that I'd have the musicians demonstrate their instruments and maybe play a simple piece of music. For the 3 to 6 age group, we'd probably make some sort of shaker, either from folded paper plates or toilet paper tubes, for them to take home. 

Korie Buerkle
Children's Librarian | Assistant Library Director
Newberg Public Library | OLA CSD Chair
Children's Desk: 503 537 0304 | Office: 503 554 7734
newberglibrary.org
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