SENSORY STORYTIME (for 3- 5 year olds)

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SENSORY STORYTIME(for 3- 5 year olds)

• AT
• THE FERGUSON LIBRARY
• STAMFORD, CT

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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

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Important Elements

• Pre-Program
• Parent Participation
• Predictability (and Repetition)
• Personalized
• Peer Inclusion
• Preparation
• Program Plan (Picture Schedule)

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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/ASDVisit.pdf

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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 doesnt have to
  be an expert
• Provides opportunity for parents to network

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Predictability (Repetition)

• Most activities and sequence of activities
  repeats each week
• Book for the next session is introduced

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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!

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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

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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

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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
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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

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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
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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
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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
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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
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Balance Beam

• We walk on the oval tactile path to Laurie
  Berkners Balance Beam song

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Read a Story

• We use multiple board books when possible

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Book-related Sensory Activity

• For example Mouse Paint by Ellen Stohl Walsh
  (mix colors using cool whip and food colors)

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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

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For More Information

• Contact
• Barbara Klipper
• Youth Services Librarian
• The Ferguson Library
• 1 Public Library Plaza
• Stamford, CT 06904
• Bklipper_at_fergusonlibrary.org
• [phone]
• June, 2011