Storytime smiles for budding bookworms

Young families attending Storytime at Victorian libraries are benefitting from a new Oral Health Victoria initiative.

These budding bookworms may be too young to sink their teeth into a really good book, but their love of Storytime is the perfect opportunity to create lifelong oral health habits.

Since July, Oral Health Victoria has offered free Storytime Kits and optional training to library branches in areas where children are more vulnerable to poor oral health, with an overwhelmingly positive response.

The Storytime Kits include:

• Toothbrushing demonstration puppet and giant toothbrush
• Healthy Little Smiles at Storytime booklet
• Printed handouts for families (this includes a brushing chart, brushing technique decal, 6 Tips to Help Kids Brush, bedtime routine chart activity)
• Family toothbrushing packs.

Health Promotion Officer, Tanya Gunnion, is delighted with the feedback received from Storytime facilitators.

“Families are not only having fun but are also responding positively to the oral health messaging,” said Tanya.

“This will help to build their oral health literacy, knowledge, and skills through singing, reading, and learning all about toothbrushing, including its importance and the correct technique.” 

By tapping into a service that families already regularly access, like the public library, oral health information can be shared in a relaxed and supportive environment.

Impact in action

Feedback from libraries has been overwhelmingly positive. And the resources are sparking important conversations for parents on the steps they can take for better oral health.

Erin McLaren from Yarra Plenty Regional Library shared her experience.

“We had the Healthy Little Smiles Storytime at Thomastown Library, and it was absolutely fantastic. We sang toothbrushing themed songs, read a great book on brushing your teeth, went through the recommended methods for teeth brushing with Chomper and did an awesome craft at the end.

“We had 45 attendees, one of which was Bubup Wilam, an Aboriginal Child and Family Centre that is located near the library. 

“Parents and caregivers were absolutely amazed at the resources you provided and were raving about how practical and useful they would be to encourage their young ones with their dental health. Thank you for supporting our community with this, they had so much fun, and I think in terms of outcomes of engaging children and families with dental health, it was extremely successful”, said Erin.

Storytime sparks curiosity

The educational program was delivered with an international flair during a special Spanish Storytime session at Lalor Library. Cristopher Pizarro, Coordinator, Programs and Engagement, used his multilingual skills to enhance the session.

“We ran the program across four sessions this week, including one during our Spanish Storytime. I translated the song into Spanish for that session, which was a fun and engaging experience!

“We had a fantastic turnout with 86 patrons across 4 sessions. Families enjoyed the craft activities and were especially excited to meet our special guest, Chomper.

“The songs were catchy and well received, and the tip about not rinsing after brushing caught many parents by surprise. It sparked curiosity and interest in learning more about oral health”, said Cristopher.

Thanks to our Population Health team for developing this fantastic resource for young families.

Uptake of this initiative has been extremely high, with 39 of the 41 library branches coming on board. More branches will be invited to participate in the program over the coming months.

Want to learn more? Please contact the Population Health Team via healthpromotion@dhsv.org.au