What happens on a Tuesday morning “Story Time” at Barbee Library on Oak Island, especially when the Friends of the Library Southport & Oak Island (FOLSOI) calendar promises “fun stories, songs, dancing, crafts and more”?
That may seem like a tall order for a one-hour session, but that’s exactly what Ms. Sarah recently delivered to an audience of four children aged two months to four years, three moms, and your intrepid correspondent.
The session began with an upbeat bluegrass song to get everyone dancing. After a few minutes of clapping, stomping, jumping, and spinning, our brains were fully oxygenated and ready to listen. I couldn’t help but wonder how much more productive corporate meetings would be if participants followed this regimen.
Settled on the colorful carpet surrounded by gorgeous animal murals in the Story Time space, everyone was ready for Ms. Sarah’s first story “Does A Cow Say Boo?” The kids chimed in with the animal sounds; the newborn slept blissfully throughout. An action rhyme about a little chicken, a second farm-animal-noise story book, and an animal guessing game followed, then a third story, a tale of farm animals stricken with the flu and a young boy’s creative efforts to treat them with compassion in his mom’s absence.
Story Time wrapped up with crafts, the kids decorating farmhouse pictures with glued-on cloth and crayons. Ms. Sarah handed out coupons for the moms and junior firefighter hats and Halloween trinkets for the kids. All this activity was packed into 45 minutes, allowing the moms time to select library books to continue the experience.
Story Time fosters learning, family bonding, and fun, and helps kids hone their confidence. Stop by Barbee Library some Tuesday between 10:00 and 11:00 and check it out!