Going forward, I will talk about current programming in this space, but first I want to reflect on my first program and things I learned, both positive and negative.
The first program I conducted was in January 2016 and it was rushed because my department head didn't want me to procrastinate. Unlike now, I didn't have the layout well defined and hadn't settled on all of the elements that we utilize now.
The theme I settled on, because of the time of the year was "Animals in Winter." It seemed to be a good topic with all of the snow on the ground and would give us a good chance to discuss a few different things.
We now use a variety of elements including a yoga pose, stories, rhymes, songs, music, videos and a craft activity, but due to the rushed nature of the first program we simply read two stories sang a couple of rhymes and had a simple sensory activity.
The books I chose to read were Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner.
Bear Snores On tells the story of a group of animals that gather in the cave of a hibernating bear to throw a party. The reason I selected this story is it has a nice rhythm that is easy to follow and also offered the opportunity for us to discuss what the different animals are and what they do in the winter. The illustrations are very colorful and are appropriate for this audience.
Over and Under the Snow is a non-fiction title for youth that introduces a number of animals and how they survive the harsh winter months in the woods, both above and below the snow.
The rhymes we recited were:
Build A Snowman (to the tune of Oh My Darling Clementine)
Build a snowman,
Build a snowman,
Build a snowman,
Big and round.
Shape three snowballs, different sizes
Stack them tall, then add a face.
Dress the snowman,
Dress the snowman,
Dress the snowman,
Big and round.
Dress him in last winter's clothes,
Tie his scarf and add a cap.
When the sun,
When the sun,
When the sun
Shines so bright,
Watch him melt and disappear
Never to return again.
Save his clothes,
Save his clothes,
Save his clothes,
Don't throw them out!
Soon the snow will fall again.
Another snowman will be born.
The Frost Song (to the tune of Farmer in the Dell)
The frost is in the air.
The frost is in the air.
It's wintertime, It's wintertime,
The frost is in the air.
The frost is on the trees.
The frost is on the trees.
It's wintertime, It's wintertime,
The frost is on the trees.
The frost is on the roof.
The frost is on the roof.
It's wintertime, It's wintertime,
The frost is on the roof.
The frost is on the windows.
The frost is on the windows.
It's wintertime, It's wintertime,
The frost is on the windows.
The frost is on the ground.
The frost is on the ground.
It's wintertime, It's wintertime,
The frost is on the ground.
The frost tells me it's cold.
The frost tells me it's cold.
It's wintertime, It's wintertime,
The frost tells me it's cold.
So inside I'll stay.
So inside I'll stay.
Inside it's nice, and I am warm.
So inside I'll stay.
For our sensory activity, I found fake snow called "insta-snow" and a variety of Toob animals. I selected both animals that are and are not found in snow and buried them in the insta-snow. The participants dug up the animals and we discussed the feel of the snow as well as whether the animals are typically found over, or under, the snow.
What Did I Learn?
I had a few challenges with my first program, partially due to the fact that I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing or if anyone would show up. As it turned out, we had seven folks with 2 caregivers. Not too bad for a first time.
One of the first challenges we faced was getting folks into our meeting room in the basement. Many of the folks have trouble with stairs, and our elevator only holds so many, so we spent a great deal of time getting everyone down. To remedy this, after our first three programs, I have been able to consistently book the library's upstairs room, making it easier on all involved since our program attendance has increased greatly.
Another challenge I faced was the ability of everyone to see the book we were reading. I would spend much time walking around the room to show the pictures, while at the same time trying to be as descriptive as possible for our low-vision guests. After discussing with Jen, we realized with the option to use the projectors in each room, I now scan in the books to a PowerPoint slideshow, or, more recently, attempt to find appropriate books on Hoopla.
The last challenge I faced that day was trying to sing out the rhymes, when no one else could follow along. It was suggested that in the future, which I still do now, that we make copies of the rhymes and handout them out to anyone else that wants one, including attendees and caregivers.
After the first few programs, I started to receive feedback from caregivers as the attendance started to grow. What they asked for are things that have become regular elements of the programs, including a yoga stretch at the beginning as well as more animated rhymes with movement to attempt to get the attendees moving around and more engaged.
In future posts, I will discuss more current program themes that I have explored but for now wanted to reflect back on where it all started.
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