Repeating Storytime Themes with Intention

When I first started doing storytimes three years ago, I felt like I had to come up with a brand-new theme every single week. I kept checklists and old storytime planning sheets to make sure I wasn’t repeating myself—because surely, kids would remember if I did an “alphabet” storytime last spring, right?

It turns out, that not only do they not mind repeating themes—they actually thrive on it.

Recently, I gave myself permission to reuse themes. It was a lightbulb moment. Why not bring back a theme I already know works well, but switch up the books, songs, flannels, and crafts? Or better yet, bring back some favorite titles and songs that I know the kids love. The result? Storytimes that feel joyful and easy to plan—and just as engaging for the families attending.

There’s been a great conversation over the years about whether storytimes need to be themed at all. I’ve loved reading past ALSC Blog posts like “To Theme or Not to Theme” and “Librarians’ Favorites: Thinking Beyond Themes…”, which helped me reflect on my own approach. I’ve found that themes work well for me as a creative framework—but I’m learning to be more flexible with them. Reusing and reshaping themes has kept storytime feeling fresh without reinventing the wheel every week.

Two themes I’ve revisited this year are Music and Things That Go. Each time, I’ve chosen different books, swapped out a few songs, or introduced a new movement activity. It’s amazing how flexible themes can be when you give yourself the freedom to reinvent them.

I have a few flannel board “greatest hits” that I bring back again and again. One of them is a squirrel hiding behind colorful fall leaves in search of an acorn. I bring it out every autumn, and it never fails to delight. The kids who’ve seen it before light up when they recognize it, and the new kids are just as excited. Another is my Things That Go flannel set, where I made cars, planes, and buses in different colors. Kids get to come up and place the pieces on the board when their color or vehicle is called, and afterward, we can sort them by type or by color. So many possibilities are built into this one set—it’s a time-saver and a hit every time.

Repetition isn’t a weakness in early literacy programming—it’s a strength. Children learn through repetition. Familiar songs give them confidence to participate. Beloved books become even more meaningful when they’re heard again with a new twist. When I revisit a theme, I’m not repeating content—I’m deepening the experience.

So if you’re feeling stuck or stretched thin, let me offer this encouragement: it’s okay to repeat. In fact, it might be the smartest thing you do.

The post Repeating Storytime Themes with Intention appeared first on ALSC Blog.

 When I first started doing storytimes three years ago, I felt like I had to come up with a brand-new theme every single week. I kept checklists and old storytime planning sheets to make sure I wasn’t repeating myself—because surely, kids would remember if I did an “alphabet” storytime last spring, right? It turns out, that not only do they not mind repeating themes—they actually thrive on it. Recently, I gave myself permission to reuse themes. It was a lightbulb moment. Why not bring back a theme I already know works well, but switch up the books, songs, flannels, and crafts? Or better yet, bring back some favorite titles and songs that I know the kids love. The result? Storytimes that feel joyful and easy to plan—and just as engaging for the families attending. There’s been a great conversation over the years about whether storytimes need to be themed at…
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