L.L. Bean is the latest store to discover the power of story time. Every Tuesday they now host the free story time program, Tent Tales for Tykes. I guess I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived, but the kids actually sit inside a tent and listen to a story while parents are encouraged to browse the store. While I appreciate this, with my guy being so little, I had no intentions of walking away. The problem was, there were not really any chairs for adults near the tent. There was one tiny camp stool that my Mom sat on, and there were some chairs scattered around the store, but there's no way my toddler would have let me out of his site. So my very pregnant self sat on the floor outside the tent.
Our story was about bears, and the lesson of the day was what to do if you see a bear in the woods. The kids then had the option of coloring sheets and creating bear bells, which was RT's favorite part of the event. Once the kids had on their bells, the shaking bell dance party could begin! The whole thing lasted maybe 30 minutes before R lost his attention. My mom, however, shopped around the store while he played.
We were lucky enough to be joined by an older friend who enjoyed the story more than the crafts, so I will say that this is one that can span some different age ranges. Next time though, I'll ask for a chair or drag one over on my way back to the tent! If you're interested in going, register online
here for free.
