Parents and children escaped the gloomy weather Monday by enjoying an afternoon of reading, songs and crafts at the East Lansing Public Library.

It marked the first day of the library's fall StoryTime sessions, a program that has been running as long as the library has been in operation.

"Its a tradition at the library," said Laurie St. Laurent, the head of adult and children services for the library and one of many staff members to coordinate the event.

St. Laurent hopes to expand the sessions by continuing to appeal to residents and university families as well as incorporating more multicultural activities.

As she read works from Eric Carle, an author known for his illustrations, the children sat on the floor with all eyes on St. Laurent and the book.

"They are good listeners at this time of afternoon," St. Laurent said. "Many have been to school this morning, and this is kind of a winding-down time for them after lunch."

But St. Laurent got the children roused up as they sang "If you're happy and you know it" and did "wiggle" exercises. Getting the children to participate was important to her.

"The whole time they're learning, they're having a good experience," she said. "I try to mix it up with books and other methods of material because children learn differently."

While St. Laurent read Carle's "The Greedy Python," children shouted the names of animals as she pointed to pictures in the book. And during one of Carle's best known books "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," St. Laurent used felt fruit as props.

The children leaped off the floor and hurried over to the crafts table once the last story was finished, as cardboard butterflies waited to be decorated with glue and tissue paper.

Four-year-old Tyler Pruitt couldn't wait to get his hands on bright-colored paper to decorate his butterfly. It was Pruitt's first time at the session, and he was already excited to have his mother, Malia Pruitt, sign him up next year.

"I wanna do it again, Momma," he said while tugging his mother's jacket.

Malia Pruitt is a resident of East Lansing and said she was glad she decided to register her son.

With her other children enrolled in school, she said participating in the StoryTime session gives her something to do with her son.

"He loves to do crafts," she said. "We come to the library all the time, and I thought it would be good to have a regular activity."

Parents had to register their children for the six-week program, which is held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. About 15 adults and children came to the first session, but St. Laurent said more are registered and she expects they will come out when the weather is nicer.

Even though it was a small group, St. Laurent said the first day of the session went well and thinks it will continue to be a success.

"It's fun and also a healthy experience for parents to work with their children," she said. "I'm sure we decorate a lot of refrigerators at home."