Skip to Main Content

Stories from Storytime

I have had some amazing and very fun times doing Storytime!

Anna Christina doing Storytime

Most teachers at schools think I'm a teacher! They usually get quite a surprise when they ask me where I get the audiobooks from and I inform them that I wrote them myself! This question is followed by "Why do you do Storytime yourself?".

Storytime is the best way for me to test the children's reactions to my stories. I find out first-hand what works and what doesn't. I also like to speak to teachers who know exactly what children require in terms of learning and development. Plus it's good fun for me too!

It helps that I'm naturally good with kids. Even so, I never thought that Music Audio Stories would take me to the many schools and nurseries I have been lucky enough to visit. It makes me feel very proud to see children so engaged and happy when they hear my music audiobooks and the comments from the teachers have been amazing! I feel grateful that I have had so many wonderful experiences.

Teaching Children

I like to write stories with simple messages such as not littering in my story Litter Bugs. It's a popular audiobook and one of the few stories where I use props. I brought a soft bin and made "rubbish" with crunched up colourful paper so the children can actually throw rubbish in the bin as we sing the song in the story.

A child's drawing of my Music Audio Story Litter Bugs image

Children absolutely love this and sometimes they do the activity so quickly, I have to throw the rubbish out of the bin again because the song is still playing and all the rubbish is already in the bin! ???? Some of the drawings for this story have been fantastic.

One little boy drew a picture of a road. I said to him "that's great but where's all the rubbish?" To this, he replied, "it's in the bin." I said, "oh ok, but where are all the bugs?" He raised his eyebrows high and proudly said, "they went home!" The teachers and I laughed, he is a genius! On the left is his drawing.

My story Robert & Johnson's Space Adventure is a great way for children to learn about our Solar System. One of the best Storytimes I have had was at Gower House School. In one day, I taught and made 84 children smile and laugh with Robert & Johnson's Space Adventure! It was AWESOME!

I had five groups, including a group of 5-6, and 6-7-year-old. I was completely out of my comfort zone because I mostly do groups of 2-4-year-old. I made a great lesson plan to accommodate the older children and printed out a poster.

The children had already learned things about the planets but it made me happy that I could teach them a few more things which they didn't know and the teachers were pleased. Their drawings were brilliant, have a look here: 5-6yrs Gallery / 6-7yrs Gallery.

Christmas Magic props - little colourful Christmas presents, stickers and flyers for the children image

Christmas School Performances

I was invited to take part in Treetops Nursery Christmas Performance and Christmas Magic was the perfect story. The teachers took copies of the song's lyrics so they could teach the children how to sing it. I brought little prop presents. The children marched (like the ants) through the various scenes in the story to deliver the presents for the animals on the farm.

It was absolutely brilliant and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Some of the children got their siblings involved and it was lucky I brought lots of extra presents! This audiobook can't be done in Storytime at any other time of the year.

December is a busy time for me. I try to visit as many nurseries and schools as I can with Christmas Magic. It's an excellent story for school Christmas performances.

Children's Artwork

As my Storytime began to grow popular, so did my collection of children's artwork. I came up with the idea of posting their drawings online to make them a part of the Music Audio Stories world! Teachers have told me that Music Audio Stories drawings are the most talked-about drawings the children do. For at least that week anyway! To see more drawings from nurseries, schools, and community events visit the Facebook Gallery.

I am the bringer of sunshine and happiness!

???? Anna Christina

Further Reading

Libraries and Workshops | Schools and Nurseries | Homeschooling | Storytime Packages

Posted on: in: Storytime
Teaching Storytime
Back to Main Content