SENSORY STORYTIME
(for 3- 5 year olds)
AT
THE FERGUSON LIBRARY
STAMFORD, CT
What is Sensory Storytime?
• A program that combines the books, songs and
movement activities of a typical preschool
storytime with therapeutic activities from
Sensory Integration.
• Includes “sensory diet” activities, but this is not
therapy
• Sensory Storytime is good for ALL kids, not just
kids with autism or sensory processing issues
Important Elements
Pre-Program
Parent Participation
Predictability (and Repetition)
Personalized
Peer Inclusion
Preparation
Program Plan (Picture Schedule)
Pre-Program
• Provide Social Story
• Encourage use of Sensory Diet
– Alerting, organizing and calming
activities before program
• Library Visit Brochure
http://www.fergusonlibrary.org/sites/default/files/pdf/ASD
Visit.pdf
Parent Participation
• Regular programs for 3-5 year olds can
have one adult for many children
• Sensory Storytime has close to one-to-one
ratio:
– Models activities for parents/caregivers
– Gives librarian assistance from adults who
know children well, so program leader doesn’t
have to be an expert
– Provides opportunity for parents to network
Predictability (Repetition)
• Most activities and sequence of activities
repeats each week
• Book for the next session is introduced
Personalized
• Goal is to make the children feel
comfortable and safe. Success is greater
participation, not mastery.
• Many of these families are used to
apologizing for their children and trying in
vain to control their behaviors.
WE WELCOME AND ACCEPT THEM AS
THEY ARE!
Peer Inclusion
• Mix of children with special needs and
typically-developing peers
• This is preparation for included school
programs
• Provides disability awareness for “typical”
kids
• Members of both groups learn from the
other children
Preparation
• Participation in Sensory Storytime helps
make the library available to families:
• Prepares some children to join in other programs
• Prepares children with ASD for regular library visits
with family members or school group
• Leads to decrease in negative behaviors as
children become familiar with the library and staff
and feel safe and welcome
Program Plan
(Picture Schedule)
Shows children what will happen and the order of activities
We use Boardmaker from Mayer-Johnson to make
schedule and pictures for flannel board
The Program Begins With:
Sit In A Circle
Children sit on Educubes
Parents sit behind children on stools
The leader is in front, next to a flannel board
Welcome
Shirt Song:
____ is wearing a
_____ shirt,
_____ shirt,
_____ shirt,
___ is wearing
a ____ shirt,
and he/she
Is here today.
Color discrimination, learning names, self-identification, texture of flannel, following
directions
Stretch Song
Pull on therabands to classic songs (Itsy,
Bitsy Spider; Head, Shoulders, Knees and
Toes; Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
We use the yellow (lowest resistance). Heavy muscle
work while learning common preschool songs
Brush Your Teeth
• Oral motor stimulation (and teeth brushing
practice) to Raffi “Brush Your Teeth” song
We use individually wrapped toothettes, available from Amazon.com
Bean Bag Parade
• Weighted bean bags (one-half pound
each) give proprioceptive input as we
march around the room to “Beanbag
Parade” by Tumble Tots
Bean bags from funandfunction.com
Balance Beam
We walk on the oval tactile path to Laurie
Berkner’s “Balance Beam” song
Read a Story
We use multiple board books when possible
Book-related Sensory Activity
For example: Mouse Paint by Ellen Stohl
Walsh (mix colors using cool whip and
food colors)
Ends With
Free Play Time
• Kids can play in a less structured way
• Parents can use this time to talk to
program leader or each other
For More Information
Contact :
Barbara Klipper
Youth Services Librarian
The Ferguson Library
1 Public Library Plaza
Stamford, CT 06904
Bklipper@fergusonlibrary.org
(203) 351-8243
June, 2011