Sensory Storytimes for Special Needs Adults

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

Sensory Storytime is an interactive, age appropriate storytime for adults with special needs. Similar to children’s storytimes, Sensory Storytime for adults incorporates music, storytelling, interactive reading, dancing and more. In public libraries, storytimes are offered to children of all ages. They are designed to meet a number of needs, including but not limited to, entertainment, development of comprehension and literacy skills, introduction to multiculturalism, early advocacy for reading and improvement of social skills. Yet, there are limited opportunities for individuals, especially adults, with special needs in most communities in the United States, and few library programs specifically focus on this population. Sensory Storytime was created in May 2012 to provide special needs adults with an opportunity to experience the same benefits of storytime, crafts, music and dance that other library populations take for granted. The public library typically does not offer programs tailored for this special population. Sensory Storytime for adults remedies this oversight. It makes storytimes come alive for special needs adults in ways they can touch, taste, see, smell and hear. This weekly program provides special needs adults with age appropriate, multi-modal learning and literacy opportunities that refine and develop sensory processing skills needed in everyday life. Program attendees consist of an adult day care group and individuals from the community. Attendance averages nine to eighteen special needs adults. Most attendees have caregivers who assist during crafts and activities, allowing the librarian to provide equal attention and assistance. Since the program’s inception, Sensory Storytime has developed far beyond simple entertainment. Initially, the program served seven to nine adults, but those numbers have more than doubled for each session. Participants have mastered social skills, learned to interact with their peers and gained confidence in participating in activities that take them out of their comfort zone.