Outdoor Storytimes: How To Host Awesome Events Outside
Break free from the library and host storytime outside on the library’s lawn, at a park, or in a garden! Here are tips for hosting a great outdoor storytime, along with my favorite books, songs, and outdoor play ideas. These activities are designed for ages 2-5, but will be enjoyed by families of all ages.
Top Five Tips For Outdoor Storytimes
1. Use a Headset Microphone & Portable Sound System
Honking cars, whistling winds, and barking dogs are just a few of the sounds you’ll compete with during outdoor events. Do yourself and your patrons a favor and invest in a portable sound system; I promise you won’t regret it. A simple Bluetooth speaker will help amplify the music, but to ensure all attendees can hear your wonderful voice, use a microphone. Channel your inner Britney Spears (did I just date myself?) and go with a headset microphone and a speaker stand if you can. It will free your hands to turn pages, use puppets, and more.
My favorite portable system is the Samson Expedition XP106. I purchased it for our Library almost 10 years ago, and I would buy it again. It’s lightweight and easy enough for librarians with limited audio experience to operate. In addition to outdoor storytimes, we’ve used it for indoor storytimes, yoga classes, dance parties, and more. In fact, after testing it out in the Youth Department, a second unit was purchased for the Adult Department. At the time of purchase, Sweetwater was a dream to work with. We gave them a call, shared our budget and needs, and they walked us through the best options. To cover the cost of a system, consider asking your Friends of the Library group for assistance, a local business to sponsor your events, or applying for a program grant.
2. Try Big Books & Props
Bigger is better for outdoor storytimes. Big book editions are a great choice for improving engagement as the large pages make it easier for all attendees to see at a distance, but they can be awkward to hold. Practice before your storytime, and consider propping the book on a flannel board or recruiting a helper to hold it and turn the pages for you.
Puppets or stuffed animals are great choices to use in lieu of traditional felt board pieces. Plus, felt boards or activities that involve lots of pieces can easily fly away in the wind, so choose a few big puppets and props and call it good! Consider making giant props or recruiting teen volunteers to build them for you. The photo above shows large props made by Storytime in the Stacks for the felt song “Seashell, Seashell.”
3. Make Your Performance as Interactive as Possible
There are a lot of distractions outside (SQUIRREL!), so keeping your audience’s attention is trickier than usual. If you can stand up and move around during your performance, do it! Books featuring songs, movement, and lots of audience participation are encouraged, and let’s face it, storytimes are performances. The greater your commitment to bringing a story to life (aka not caring if you make a fool of yourself), the more rapt your audience will be. I love these photos of children’s librarians, Kelly Munter and Sherry Schlundt, in action as they perform an Elephant & Piggie book outside!
4. Recommend Attendees Bring Their Own Sunscreen & Seating
Unless your outdoor space is covered, it’s helpful to remind attendees to be prepared for the elements by including a line about sunscreen or hats in your promotional descriptions. The same goes for seating. Encourage attendees to bring a blanket or lawn chairs, so they’re as comfortable as possible. It’s helpful to set out a blanket or two before attendees arrive as a courtesy to those who come without one. Here is a sample promotional description:
“Join us on the Library Lawn for stories, songs, and fun. Please bring a blanket for your family to sit on, and don’t forget your sunscreen!“
5. Relax & Have Fun, There’s No Wrong Way to Do It
At the end of the day, don’t worry if you can’t afford a sound system or your storytime style is sitting vs. standing. A good story and a lively song are all you need to introduce children to the joy of reading.
Books for Outdoor Storytime
You can adapt any storytime theme for outdoor use, but here are my favorite interactive, nature-themed books for outdoor storytimes.
Songs & Rhymes for Outdoor Storytimes
There’s Something in My Garden Puppet Rhyme
Hide animal puppets in a bucket or bag and reveal them when appropriate. You can change “garden” to any location you’d like, such as a backyard, a pond, the ocean, or a forest.
There’s something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There’s something in my garden
That I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound….
Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit
A FROG is what I found! How does a frog move? Hop around with me!
Thump, thump, thump…rabbit…Hop again!
Squeak, squeak, squeak…mouse…Scurry with me!
Caw, caw, caw…crow…Fly with me!
(Credit: SurLaLune Storytime)
Silly Dance Contest by Jim Gill
Play the song and dance along!
Shake My Sillies Out by Raffi
Play the song and dance along!
Pig On Her Head by The Laurie Berkner Band with Puppets
Play the song and dance along, or sing it a cappella and put animal puppets or stuffies of your choice on your head as you sing. Kids will LOVE watching you pull different puppets out of a bag or bucket, so do your best to keep them hidden. If you have a small group, you could also provide attendees with puppets or beanbags to put on their heads.
Librarian Marta has a pig on her head
Librarian Marta has a pig on her head
Librarian Marta has a pig on her head
And she keeps it there all day
Now I’ve got a cow on my head
Now I’ve got a cow on my head
Now I’ve got a cow on my head
And I keep it there all day
Now I’ve got a bird on my head…
We’ve all got animals on our heads…
Play Activities for Outdoor Storytimes
Ending storytime with free play provides children and their caregivers with an excellent opportunity to explore and socialize. You could bring craft supplies outdoors (it’s a great opportunity for messy crafts!), or skip the hassle and offer a couple of activities that require less prep. My favorite activities to offer following outdoor storytimes are:
Bubbles
Bubbles can’t be beat! The Zerhunt Bubble Machine is a favorite, and Fubbles Bubbles No-Spill Buckets are a great choice if you want to give kiddos the opportunity to blow bubbles themselves.
Balls
Soccer balls, playground balls, beach balls, whatever you’ve got! Set them out in a bucket and let the play begin. These ZOOJOY Playground Balls are both functional and cute.
Chalk
Draw a chalk obstacle course (great Pirate and Ocean-themed ideas found here!) or simply set out a bucket of chalk for kiddos to enjoy free drawing.
Hula Hoops
Set them out for hula-hooping fun or as an obstacle course for kiddos to hop over.
Kiddie Pool Sensory Bins
Fill a kiddie pool or big bins with whatever fits your theme! Water, fake fishies, garden items, the possibilities are endless.
Scavenger Hunts
Hide laminated pictures for families to find or distribute nature scavenger hunt sheets like these from Eating Richly.
