USM Children's Book Festival/Telling Stories to Children

The USM Children's Book Festival was held April 7-9, 2010.This conference was inspiring and informative. Outstanding authors and storytellers spoke and entertained us.
I led a workshop about different ways to share stories with children. Often teachers and librarians are locked in to using picture books with their students but there are many other fun ways to hold their attention and enjoy stories together.

I recommend the following:
Telling stories using mime or sign language
Telling stories with an echo, chant, or call and response
Telling stories using a storytelling apron or flannelgraph board
Telling stories that you draw or cut out
Telling stories using puppets

Interactive storytelling is always engaging and fun!

Rabbits & Turtles - Using Poetry with Young Children

Rhyme is a great language builder for young children. Not only do they enjoy the sing song beat but they are learning about word families. Two fun and popular poems:

The Turtle
There was a little turtle who lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle and climbed on the rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito. He snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow and he snapped at me.
He caught the mosquito. He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow, but he didn't catch me!

The Rabbit
Hop little rabbit, hop, hop, hop!
Hop little rabbit - don't you stop!
Hop little rabbit 1, 2, 3.
Hop little rabbit just like me.
(Use two fingers of your hand to present a little rabbit.)