Connecting Activities with Storytime

Whenever I do a Storytime with children, I always try to include an activity that connects the with the theme of the books read in Storytime. These activities will really help bring the stories to life while also adding in an extra bit of fun and learning associated with reading. One example is when I read two books about saltwater animals, one nonfiction about clownfish and another fiction book about seahorses. Afterwards, the children and I discussed how salt water is different from regular water. We discussed it’s different attributes, where it can be found on Earth, what it’s used for, the different marine creatures that live in it, and more. I then did a simple science experiment with where we wanted to see if different items would float or sink differently in salt water compared to regular water. I used two plastic cups filled with plain tap water and added salt to one of the cups. Then we added a marshmallow in each cup, a rock in each cup, and last an egg in each cup. The children were so suprised to see the egg sink in plain water but float in regular water. We discussed the science behind it. This activity only took about 8 minutes and was really thrilling for the children who were ages 3-6 years old. Other activities I have done with them includes performing the books, dancing, playing games, crafts, and so many others. Not all activities were that interesting to the children but most have been successes! I’d suggest taking about 10 minutes when reading a book to your child to think up a fun way to really make the book come to life for them and tie it into the world around them. They’ll absolutely love it!