WTD #1: When Storytime Flops

WTD: What do you do when storytime falls flat or a storytime theme doesn’t land?

I’ve had quite a few storytimes that missed the mark with my patrons. I’ve ended books early, switched gears in the middle of storytime, or completely changed what I had planned. It happens! And it can happen for a number of reasons.

Reasons include…

The vibes were off.
Sometimes, especially when you have a small group of kids, the tone of the entire storytime can be influenced by one child or even the adults in the room.
Maybe one little one is cranky or fussy. Maybe another is more hyped up than everyone else. Sometimes the audience just isn’t feeling it that day. The vibes can be off.

And sometimes your vibes are off, too.

Maybe you’re tired. Maybe you have multiple programs that week. Maybe you had to deal with a coworker who was pushing your boundaries. Maybe you’re simply having an off day.

It might sound silly, but vibes can absolutely affect storytime, and sometimes there isn’t much you can do about it. It’s one of those factors that can be difficult to control.

The best thing you can do is get through the storytime, try to have fun, and don’t push the little ones if they aren’t feeling it.

The storytime itself did not go well.
If you didn’t have enough time to plan or research your storytime, things can quickly become chaotic. 

On the other hand, sometimes you have plenty of time to plan, prepare, and get excited about a program… and it still doesn’t go well. This situation tends to sting more.

You were excited to present this storytime, you thought the books and activities would be a hit, and then the families didn’t receive it the way you expected. That’s okay, too.

You can always redo the storytime at a later time.

Not every storytime is going to be a home run. Sometimes the audience isn’t feeling it. Sometimes we aren’t feeling it. Sometimes the book, activity, or theme just doesn’t work.

And that’s okay.

The important part is figuring out what you can learn from the experience, knowing when to pivot, and giving yourself permission to try again.

It's good to reassess your materials. For books, check to make sure they are age-appropriate or that they are long enough. If you are compelled to use a specific book, then make sure you're taking proper breaks or asking questions throughout the story to help reinforce points. If it is a song or a rhyme, try teaching the motions or words before jumping into it. A great ECRR tip is that repetition is excellent for learning!

If your storytime is not engaging, you're welcome to change the pace or omit certain materials. I have definitely ended books early because it was not worth the push.

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I know skipping more reasons why storytimes don’t land, but I think this is a great starting point for a bigger discussion: What do you do when a storytime doesn’t land? What are some reason they do not land as well?