Ready to Hatch
Welcome aboard to Hatchlings! We are delighted that you are joining us as a program facilitator.
Ready to Hatch is for expectant parents. It is best offered in one session per month, virtually or in person, over four (4) months, in a participating library or an outreach location in coordination with at least one community partner.
Please read all of the below information before proceeding.
We encourage Hatchlings facilitators to adapt the program to meet their needs; however, all adapted materials should include the following credits: "The content is adapted from the Mother Goose on the Loose: Hatchlings Program by Betsy Diamant-Cohen, a grant originally sponsored by the Maryland State Library Agency and the Maryland State Department of Education."
Introduction to Ready to Hatch
1. Read the Instruction Guide
- The Ready to Hatch Instruction Guide contains everything you need to know about planning sessions and presenting Hatchlings. It also includes instructions on the links below and on using or modifying all downloadable resources, such as the visual panels.
We recommend printing and keeping the guide on-site as a handy reference tool.
If you prefer not to print your materials or do not have access to a photocopier, you can order printed copies from Booklogix for the prices listed below, plus shipping and handling in the US.
Instruction Guide: $30
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Panels: $60
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The bundle: $79.99(both items together)
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2. Watch Programming for Parents with Infants
- To help you prepare, we highly recommend watching our Programming for Parents with Infants video below and reviewing this accompanying handout before facilitating Hatchlings sessions.
3. Review the Demonstration Video
- This Hatchlings: Ready to Hatch demo was filmed during the COVID pandemic and provides a virtual program demonstration for upcoming facilitators.
The brain segment starts around 7:05. Please note that the video's panels differ from current versions, accurately depicting an immature neuron with a thinner axon without a myelin sheath.
Preparing for Ready to Hatch
Organization Timeline
Our prewritten Organizing Timeline outlines suggested steps and tasks starting 3-6 months before a Hatchlings session. The checklist details the steps for preparation, publicity, distribution, printing, etc. The checklist is also available to download as a Word document for customization.
Logistics Planning
The Logistics Questionnaire contains a list of considerations for local librarians to discuss with their directors and partners before planning the program, such as room accessibility and capacity-building policies.
Compare your questionnaire answers to the Logistics Checklist, which will remind you to mention materials and services that your library can offer to registered participants. The Blurb for Registration includes information and questions about whether special accommodations will be needed.
Design Your Session
The Instructional Guide provides a suggested Hatchlings script; however, to present your best session, it is essential for you to “make it your own” so you will feel comfortable delivering it. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm; everyone at your session will enjoy themselves if you enjoy yourself.
- We recommend reading the Instructional Guide's script several times to familiarize yourself with the material.
- This Cheat Sheet outlines the basic program, topics, and songs if you want to follow the script.
- The topics in Ready to Hatch Script Topics and Songs will enable you to pick and choose what you wish to cover.
- Use the Design Your Own Session Template to rearrange but keep the natural flow of the session.
- Librarian Emily Trovato of the Howard County Library System created and graciously shared a shortened Ready to Hatch script. Here is Emily's script in an editable format.
Panels
The Ready to Hatch Panels are best printed in full color on an 11x17 tagboard and then laminated. Note: Add your library's logo on the bottom left side of panel 16. Tip: It is best to download the files to print instead of printing them from the site.
Prepare the panels in numerical order, with the first one on top. You can use the unnumbered Question panel between 6 and 7 whenever you are looking for questions to spur conversation.
Other unnumbered panels are song lyrics, which you may or may not choose to use. Pro Tip: If the lyrics are too small for everyone to see, try picking up a panel and walking around the circle with it.
Promoting Your Session
Advertising Flyers
Our flyer template can be used to advertise your session. See examples of flyers designed by various counties in Maryland.
Add your logo to our template and customize the flyer with your Hatchlings session's date, time, and location in PowerPoint or Google Slides.
*We provide additional multilingual resources on the Hatchlings: Across Languages page.
Post your flyer in the library, supermarkets, and obstetrician's offices and distribute it to your community partners. You can also post it on social media, such as the library website, listservs, electronic newsletters, blogs, Instagram, etc.
NOTE: MGOL collaborated with the Maryland State Library Agency (MSLA) to develop Hatchlings. Maryland libraries are highly encouraged to include both the MSLA logo and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) along with their logo on all promotional materials to reflect this fruitful partnership. If you are outside of Maryland, feel free to exchange the MSLA logo with that of your state library.
Click the logos to download its image file.
Social Media Posts
Promote your workshops using social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, electronic newsletters, library blogs, or other media.
See text template examples and posts from other librarians to help you create your social media posts.
Registration Form
Although many libraries use online registration, our Registration Form will come in handy if the computer is down. Your partner organizations may not be set up for computer registration and may benefit from having the form on hand. Use the editable form to type in the date or add a logo before printing.
Consent Form
If you plan to take photos and videos during the session, it is recommended to have attendees complete a consent form during registration if the library or organization does not have signage stating that anyone who visits the library may be filmed for publicity purposes. If participants cannot authorize consent during registration or in advance, you can obtain consent as they arrive at the session.
If your library or the organization does not have its own consent form, you can use our Consent Form. You can create your version with our editable template or use the wording from our online survey to help you draft your form.
Pro Tip: Creating a QR code on flyers will allow participants to quickly assess and complete online registration via their smart device instead of asking for paper copies. Bitly allows you to generate a free QR code and specify a contact to receive the results.
- QR code consent flyer example. These QR Codes are not valid.
- Here is a template prelabeled for English and Spanish QR Codes.
- Edit the flyer template to fit your needs.
Session Day
Song Sheet and Audio Files
Provide participants with a song sheet to help with sing-a-longs.
Pro Tip: To help expectant parents recreate the Ready to Hatch experience at home, make the song sheet available via a scanned QR code with the link to Hatchlings Songs & Rhymes recordings.
Scan the QR Code to see the list of Hatchling Songs & Rhymes!
Following the Session
Evaluation / Survey
How was your session? The best way to get feedback is to ask participants to complete an Evaluation Survey. Pro Tip: Continue to use the QR Code for easy access, such as on our example flyer here.
If you need a printed survey, download our version. Or edit our template.
Self Reflection
After your session, consider what you liked the best and what challenged you. You may want to use this Self-Reflection Form to take notes. Now, tweak your next presentation for a better one next time!
Continue to the Hatchlings: In the Nest. The program is designed for parents with newborns (from birth to four months old).
Additional Resources
The Mother Goose on the Loose: Hatchlings program by Betsy Diamant-Cohen is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0