STORYTIME
Buffalo Sabre Pat Kaleta reads “Blue Goes to Buffalo” at the Buffalo Museum of Science
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
EPIC’s Storytime is a family literacy program that takes a whole-brain, whole-family approach to literacy. By involving community partners and different learning techniques, families learn there is so much more to literacy than just reading words on a page. Stories come alive in this fun program that engages the whole family!
Storytime objectives include:
- Oral language skills by expanding phonemic awareness through listening activities and
- the ability to produce comparable sounds
- Pre-emergent reading skills by predicting story outcomes
- Print awareness
- Attention span
In addition to the literacy component, EPIC selects themes so the children are learning and experiencing special life lessons during the Storytime events. Storytime sessions can involve multiple parts:
- Reading: a story is read aloud to the families, focusing on themes that are relevant to
- children. Questions are asked of the children listening, keeping them involved and engaged.
- STEM: a science project is performed, tied into the theme of the story that was read.
- Art: the families then do a craft, also based on the theme of the book
- Movement: children move their bodies in a variety of ways that relate to the story
- Imaginative Play: families use their imaginations to act out parts of the book, or make up their own endings
Benefits of families who read together:
- Creates a bond, giving children a sense of intimacy and well-being.
- Is pleasurable experience for children and they will have a
- positive attitude towards reading as they grow up.
- Calms them, especially when they are fretful and restless.
- Promotes increased communication between parent and child.
- Preschool children who are exposed to language by hearing words that are read to them and in conversation do well in school.
- Many studies show that students who love learning and do well in school were exposed to reading before preschool.
- Promotes longer attention span.
- Builds listening skills and imagination.
- Children learn early that reading is fun and not a chore.
Storytime partners include:
