Photos courtesy of Grace Walker
When the Pickerington community expressed its opinion about implementing a story time program geared specifically toward its special needs children, the Pickerington Public Library and Youth Services Staff member, Grace Walker, acknowledged the call to action.
The decision to provide a story time specifically geared toward children with special needs was a synergy between library staff and community interests. Walker, a former applied behavioral analysis therapist and special educator, had ten years of experience working in the special education field before transitioning into the library world. It just so happened that one of Walker’s career goals was to increase library services to the underserved special needs population.
Thanks to a donation from Academic and Behavioral Learning Enrichment of Columbus and a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), awarded by the State Library of Ohio, the Pickerington Public Library was able to purchase adaptive materials and toys that benefit children with special needs. Some of these items included covers to dim the lights, noise canceling headphones, weighted lap animals, specialized seating, fiber-optic calming lights, a resistance tunnel and a variety of other sensory toys.
Currently, Sensory Storytime is offered one Saturday a month. It is held at the Sycamore Plaza location before official library hours. The program consists of a 20 – 30 minute story time, followed by 30 minutes to play and utilize the library.
“This provides an environment in which families do not have to worry about their child moving around, the volume of their voice, or any behaviors their child might have,” says Walker.
Anyone interested in the program is encouraged to reach out to the Youth Services Department at the Pickerington Main Branch, including those who may have any initial concerns about attending.
“The staff has experience working with children with special needs and tries to make accommodations for any child that might need it,” says Walker. “This is not a traditional story time; children are allowed to move around and are not expected to remain quiet during this time.”
The goal is for families to have a positive experience at the library and be able to use this time as an opportunity to work on social skills needed when using the library or other public settings.
“Sensory Storytime provides children with special needs with an opportunity to engage in literacy activities that are tailored to their needs,” says Walker.
Many interactive and hands-on activities are incorporated in addition to reading a book.
“When we read the story Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin, I provided each child with their own Pete the Cat,” says Walker. “As we read the story, the children would take off a button that’s attached with Velcro. This interactivity helped the children stay focused and engaged.”
During the play portion of the story time, children are also able to work on communication skills and turn-taking.
Sensory Storytime benefits not only children, but is intended to benefit the caregivers as well. It’s an opportunity for caregivers to engage in literacy activities with their child, connect with other families and to use library resources. A parent resource section has been created at Sycamore Plaza Library that focuses on children with special needs. A Mayer-Johnson’s Boardmaker software package, which is used by many therapists and special education teachers, was purchased and can be used to print off pictures to use on communication devices or for visual schedules.
Nathan Collins is the managing editor. Feedback welcome at ncollins@cityscenemediagroup.com.
