Friends, Mother Goose on the Loose needs our help to create these amazing home kits! Please consider backing their Kickstarter campaign to make these kits a reality!
I LOVE Mother Goose on the Loose.
When I was just starting in my current job, our amazing Indiana State Library Youth Services Consultant brought Betsy Diamant-Cohen to several locations throughout the state to provide her Mother Goose on the Loose training to youth services librarians.
At the time, my library had never offered a consistent baby storytime. We had tried once or twice, but none of us felt confident about it. I had offered a baby storytime at my previous library, but again, I did not feel super confident about it. I didn't know what to DO for babies at storytime. I didn't know how to talk to parents. The babies didn't appear to be listening, they wouldn't sit still, I got through all the materials I'd planned in like 10 minutes and then what were we supposed to do?
The Mother Goose on the Loose program gave me a structure to work with. In our training, Betsy demonstrated an entire program, having us participate like parents would. She shared planning materials and tons of resources with us.
Truly, I believe that our Mother Goose on the Loose training made me a better librarian. It gave me the confidence to try. We started offering weekly Mother Goose on the Loose storytime in 2010 and it's one of our most popular programs. Would I have probably stumbled into a successful baby storytime eventually? Sure. But because of Mother Goose on the Loose, baby storytime is one of my very favorite things.
Mother Goose on the Loose has also transformed the lives of our patrons. I see them blossom as they come back every week for storytime. I see them start to sing along with our songs, I see their confidence grow as they pull Humpty Dumpty off the board.
I know MANY of my Mother Goosers (as I call them) would LOVE to have one of these take-home kits. Parents already report to me that they play at Mother Goose on the Loose at home, but I know that it would be difficult to purchase the appropriate materials for home use (often the bells, scarves, etc. come in sets of 12 or so, which would be overkill!). This would give them the appropriate materials to really make this early literacy program part of their daily routines.
PLUS, what a great baby gift this would make!!!! If nothing else, think of all your friends who have babies or might have babies. Pair this kit with a schedule of their local library's baby storytimes for a truly awesome baby gift.
But first, we have to make it happen! Please consider donating to the Mother Goose on the Loose Kickstarter Campaign.
