Elements of a Great Storytime: Transitions

During a typical storytime, a transition from one type of activity to another entirely different type of activity happens several times.  For example, the children might be jumping up and down to a song but then need to switch gears to sitting down for a story.  A smooth and well done transition from jumping to sitting calmly is not necessarily difficult.  Yet it does so much in creating a storytime where everyone is ready to participate on the next part.

A smooth transition does not need to be long or tiresome.  A little thought into a few words can bring everyone's attention around to the next activity.

• When moving from a book to a standing activity I might say, "The bunny (or whatever character was in the book) was happy to do _____. Now let's all stand up to do a happy dance."
• When moving from one book to another book I might say, "What animal do you see on the cover of my next book?"

A smooth transition can also be more thought out and lengthy.  Still, a little thought into what you want to achieve at the end of the transition is needed.

• If I feel that not everyone is sitting and ready to pay attention to a book I might say, "Is everybody sitting criss-cross applesauce?  Bottoms on the ground?  Hands in your laps?  Ears ready for listing? (touch your ears to check on them, of course) Eyes on the book?"
• When moving from a very active wiggling and dancing activity, I might do a rhyme to get everyone back in their seats and attention back on me.Here are two of my favorites to use. 

Open, Shut Them (Traditional fingerplay with many variations. Jbrary has a nice YouTube video showing one version.)

(Start off by asking the group to show you their two hands)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

Come A'Look A'See (Fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb. Jbrary has a nice YouTube video showing how to do this song.)

(Start off by having the group show you their hand family)

Come a'look a'see,
Here's my mama, (point to thumb)
Come a'look a'see,
Here's my papa, (point to index finger)
Come a'look a'see,
My brother tall, (point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, (point to ring, then baby finger)
I love them all. (kiss the fingertips of your finger family)

If transitions do not come natural to you.  That is okay. They didn't for me at first.  A kind hearted children's librarian observed this in my first year of doing storytimes and set me up on track to learning how to do it automatically.  At first, I needed to write each and every transition out on paper. Now, after all these years, I rarely think about them. But I value their role in my storytimes. They are truly a very important element to every storytime!