About the Blog || About Katie || Current Storytimes || Retired Storytimes
“Storytime Katie” was created in the fall of 2010, over a year after I had taken over all storytime duties at my library in 2009. I started to blog about my storytimes partly so I could access and search my records easier, but mostly because I had been inspired by all of the blogs who had helped me in a storytime pinch. (Particularly, Sarah — my amazing friend and former co-worker’s blog at Awesome Storytime.) It was a way that I could hopefully give back!
storytime katie 
Thanks for sharing your ideas with us Katie! I wasn’t an early childhood person either when I became a school librarian but now it’s my favorite part of the day too. 🙂
Hello, I make Flannelboards for sale Flanneltastic Felt Board Stories. I thought I’d share. I saw an old post where you use Tempra and a paper clip for painting. Michaels and Walmart sell puff paints. Tulip brand have the best tips nice small opening Scribbles brand have new tips which are a little to big now. But I also fill my empty puff paint bottles with acrylic paints which the larger opening are great for, because I only use them for filling large areas.
Plus you can always refill your empty Tulip bottles with scribbles brand.
Thanks for the tip! I still mostly use the paint since it doesn’t squirt. I have horrible luck with bottled paints and getting air bubbles. But that might just be me!
Thank you so much for your website! I love all of your flannel ideas. I can’t wait to try some of them out. I bet the children in your library LOVE you! 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words! Let me know if you make any of the flannels — I’d love to see pictures!
I’m new to your blog and I really enjoy the information you provide. I’m a stay-at-home mom and I use your ideas with my two boys.
I’m wondering if you’ve ever provided a tutorial of how you make them (i.e. what tools you use for cutting, etc.) because yours look so beautiful and neat.
Thanks so much for sharing all that you do!
Shelley
Honestly, I use probably the oldest pair of scissors in the library to make the flannels! I suspect it’s a pair of Fiskars, but it doesn’t have the brand-name on the blade or handle. They’re child-sized. I have found that some scissors just do not cut felt. (And it’s not even brand-related — I’ve had two pairs of the same brand and one will cut felt and one will not.) One of these days, I’ll get around to doing a post of my felt kit and what it looks like!
Oh, and thank you for reading! I’m glad that you are reading and doing literacy activities at home with your boys!
Katie did you ever do the post about your felt kit? I am doing story time going on my…4th year? And I want to tackle flannel!
Hi Stacey,
I did a felt kit post back in 2011 and things haven’t changed, haha. You can find it here: https://storytimekatie.com/2011/10/07/flannel-friday-flannelboard-kit/
I love reading about your story times! I get so many ideas since I am starting Signing storytimes in my local libraries. Thank you so much! I really wish I could make my own flannels! I’ts just so hard to cut! But, if you can do it, I am sure I could!
Thank you so much, Doggies is my next class! My last class is Twins – Any suggestions?
I haven’t done a Twins storytime yet, but I do have a list of twin books at work because I have twin cousins (age 3) that I’ve been compiling for since they were born. I’ll make sure to get you a copy when I go into work on Monday!
FANTASTIC RESOURCE! You are generous to share all of your fab ideas. Can I just ask how do you get the flannel boards to look so professional? What tips do I need in order to get my own flannelboards up and running?
I highly recommend checking a presentation that I did about this very topic: https://storytimekatie.com/2014/11/21/storytime-flannelboards-presentation/
I really want to get your flannel board story figures. How much do sell them for ? please im dying to get your flannel board is there anyway i can get the flannel board story figures. Please let me know
On the Flannelboards page, I try to link up the template that I used so that you can make the flannels yourselves. At this time, I have no plans on making flannels to sell, I’m sorry!
What kind materials, fabric, glue, paint etc.. did you use to make your flannel board figures
I use regular felt that you can purchase at any craft store. I purchase mine at Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics, and Hobby Lobby. For glue, I use Aleene’s Tacky Glue. For paint, I use the giant bottles of tempera paint that’s in the basement of the library. (I think the brand for those is Color Splash or Crayola.) As for scissors, I use a regular kids pair of scissors. (I’ve tried using others, but some scissors cut felt better than others.)
Katie, just wanted to let you know, I steal a lot of your ideas! Just did your “tools” storytime craft and the parents & kids absolutely loved it (I had to confess I stole the idea from you – my parents think I am really super creative!) I keep my ideas on pbworks: http://estherstorytimes.pbworks.com
if you ever want some ideas from another librarian, I love surfing other children’s librarian blogs to get inspired. 🙂
-Esther
I’m glad that you steal things — that’s the whole point of putting it up on the Internet! Thanks again for reading!
I’m so glad I came across that. I’m currently in the same situation-my toddler time lady is leaving and I’m taking over. As I plan each day, I feel a little better, but it’s still slightly terrifying, mostly because I know how much everyone loved her. Thanks for all the great ideas, I’ll definitely be on here visiting a lot! How long did it take for you to get comfortable with storytime?
I would say that most days, I’m really comfortable for storytime. But I still (after three years!) have moments of “What am I doing here? All these children are looking at me and I haven’t the faintest clue what I’m doing!” I wish you all the best — I know that you’ll do great!
Katie, Thank you for sharing all these great ideas! I started out as cataloger then ‘graduated’ to including story times as part of my job. I love the kids – but at times lack for ideas. You are a great resource.
You’re welcome! I’m glad to help in any way that I can, and am grateful to have readers!
I love your site and am going here for lots of resource ideas in the fall. I’m sharing a toddler (0-3) storytime spot in the fall here in Saudi Arabia. It’s my first time doing it, do you have a specific theme suggestion for the first day? Thanks so much!
I like doing a “Hello” theme for the first day: https://storytimekatie.com/2015/05/12/toddlers-hello/
Katie, I’m a preschool media specialist and love popping onto your site for extra ideas! This is my first year at this school and the library has never been organized. I saw somewhere that you organize your library into neighborhoods. Could you explain that concept to me. It sounds preschool friendly. Also, do you know any free/ inexpensive ways to create a checkout system? Right now, we are simply recording checkouts in a binder under each classroom/ child’s name, but it is a headache! Thanks for all of your creativity! I love seeing someone else who is in love with flannel boards as I am.
I’ve written a lot about the neighborhoods under this tag: https://storytimekatie.com/tag/picture-book-city/
I don’t personally know of any checkout systems that are free. I would try sending this question of to a listserv like ALSC-L: http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/alsc-l
Good luck!
Sorry, I should have said “electronic” checkout. We’re trying to find a quick way for a whole class to checkout quickly, but we have little to no budget for it.
hey Katie,
I was wondering how you get away with using apps and music trough the ipad during storytimes and such. It was recently suggested to me that I may not have the correct ownership/licence to play in a plubic space. Did you find a way around this without breaching copyright?
I believe that because we have purchased the app for the program that it falls under fair use, as a book that we have purchased would. But if you’re concerned, I would check with your library’s attorney or a state representative.
Your ideas are fabulous! I’m doing a monster program this weekend (we are making coffee filter paper monsters: https://www.facebook.com/scarboroughciviccentrelibrary/photos/pb.388073824650697.-2207520000.1439565740./416460825145330/?type=3&theater) and I’ve found all your Monster idea posts so helpful! THANK YOU 😀
You’re welcome!
Wow! I love your site. I need to say THANK YOU for making this info available. I’m a new storyteller and was nervous about finding ideas. Thank you for your generosity.
Thank you for reading! Good luck!
Love your website 🙂 I am starting at a public library next month and I am feeling very inspired by your fantastic ideas! I especially like the themed list with “the plan”, and the suggested stories – Very helpful in getting started. Greatly appreciated, thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading!
You have a fantastic site that opens a whole new world for storytellers. Thank you for all your hard work.
Have you ever done a cowboy/cowgirl theme?
Thank you! I have not. We don’t see many requests for horse-related activities here in suburban Chicago.
Thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas. This is a great Site!!
Thanks!
I love your site, and thanks for sharing!
Katie, I’m a former children’s librarian and one of the authors of Ah-Choo! Thanks for including our book in your post. Great blog and I’m sure, very helpful to fellow librarians.
Gloria G. Adams
I just discovered your blog today while planning a sensory storytime. I mostly am a collector at our library–we have a big staff, and most of the programming duties go to others. But I do sensory storytimes, Paws to Read, and preschool dance parties! Your Shake, Shimmy, and Dance program write-ups are life-changing. It takes way too much time for me to listen to aalllll the great music out there to find the songs that work for my dance parties, so I tend to stick with my tried-and-true. But I’ve just listened to a few that you say are crowd pleasers with your kids–I’m going to have all sorts of new playlists ready for this summer. Thanks for sharing all this. I owe you!
Thank you for reading!
I love your site so much! Thank you for the excellence and time and quality you put into it. I’m always using your story time plans for ideas at our tiny library. The kids LOVE the rhymes and songs!
Thanks!
What an amazing blog! Love this!
Thank you for your amazing blog and ideas! I am a children’s librarian in NY and I am doing virtual storytime programs on FB live and would like to use some of your flannel board paaters the program. What is the ptecess tp gain permission.
First time doing bedtime story time on Facebook live. so glad I found your site, thank you for sharing!!
Thank you for reading!