Toddlers and Preschoolers : Playing with Books

For toddlers, we talked through the first and last book and acted out the emotions. We used magnetic letters as we counted during "One, Two I Love You." Is Everyone Ready for Fun? was a total, get-up-and-move-and-shout-it-out! kind of story ... my favorite ...



During the preschool program, we talked and acted a bit more. For example, we discovered that maybe we could have more than one feeling at a time like Elephant and Piggie. For Grumpy Bird, I had a stuffed animal for each child. They came to the front of the room when thier animal appeared on the page. I pointed to a sign that said "What are you doing?," and they child repeated this to my bird stuffed animal. Then we marched around the room until we came to the next animal. Lots of fun playing with books!

Baby Programs : Letters, Shapes, and Print Awareness

For the sitters, I used large, soft, magnetic letters to introduce "B-A-B-Y" and felt shapes to do the feltboard house. They were captivated by how I used my voice and moved the letters and pieces. For example, during the feltboard house, I modified the rhyme a bit to repeat the names of the shapes and allow me to let each child have an up close view of the shape: "Start with a square, a square, a square, a square, a square, a square right there!"



For the older babes, I had a soft, toy fire truck with the word "fire truck" stitched into the side. I went around to each child and pointed to the word. While reading My Car, I also went around the half circle, pointing to the word "gas" written in the illustrations.

Baby Programs : Vocabulary in Music

I used photos of babies dressed in fruit costumes cut from an old calendar for the mag board pieces.

Baby Programs for Lapsitters (Talk) and Walkers (Sing)

This is the first time I've used Microsoft Publisher for my baby program handouts. I did not include our standard opening, middle, and closing song. Since I know I'll be doing the baby programs this week and for the next two weeks, too, I'm planning some additional overlap.

Next week we'll do "I'm a Little Teapot" without the book. Also, the cloth pieces I'll use for "Mary Had a Little Lamb" this week have reflective moon/star/planet stickers; I'll use the sticker side of them for a "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" prop next week. The kids will get to play with them two weeks in a row. (Like other libraries, we do a 15-20 minute program followed by a half hour of free play (parent socialization!) for all.)

I've also planned ahead to have the "Walkers" try to bring a stuffed animal with them next week so we can do "Tiptoe Teddy Bear" or other such music and movement songs. Of course, I'll have extras on hand for those who need to borrow one.

Also, LOVE this new album of lullabies; it even has a male singing some! It's pricey and hard to get via Amazon, but individual songs are available to download from iTunes:

Shapes Program for Preschoolers

I'm back to using Microsoft Publisher for the (trying to keep it to one-page)handout.  I like having the early literacy tips separated on the side.  I'm also in the mindset of having a PLAY extension activity versus a "craft" at the end of storytime.  I'm also giving a play tip for home; I'll even give them a piece of string to take and use.

Baby Program for Walkers

This program differed from my baby time for lapsitters in the following ways.  I used a book to reinforce our opening song "The More We Get Together."  The "Thank You" rhyme and "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" circle time song were used to encourage the little ones' independent mobility.  I also used a CD for our standard middle song ("The Noble Duke of York") which changed up the song's pace: fast--slow--fast.

Child Development Reminders

Copied from http://connect.ala.org/files/ABCs%20of%20Early%20Literacy.pdf

In professional families --2,153 words per hour…11 million
In working class families --1,251 words per hour …6 million
In welfare families heard an average of 616 words per hour…3 million

•By kindergarten, a child from a welfare family could have heard 32 million words fewer than a classmate from a professional family.

•By age three, cumulative vocabulary for children:
professional families 1,100 words.
working class families750 words
welfare families it was just above 500 words.

•Children in professional families heard a higher ratio of encouragements to discouragements than their working class and welfare counterparts.

Babies: Lapsitters (Play and Print Awareness Tip)

After much consideration, we've divided our baby program into "Lapsitters" and "Walkers."  With baby programs, I try to include four or five types of rhymes/songs from the following catageories:

clapping
nursery rhyme
tickle
diaper ditty
bounce/slide
name game
body parts/toy vocab
lullaby

I try to use visual aids for one or two of the rhymes and always present one board book.  In this case, I am doing "Baa Baa Black Sheep" as a sticky board story and am using a crow stuffed/sound making animal for the "Jump a Little Crow."

 

Below is the lapsitters program focusing on the play and print awareness early literacy skills.  It is also available to download from "Baby Programs" in the side bar on the right.

Home, Sweet Home Storytime Progam for Preschoolers

Here's a home themed program for preschoolers -- a bit more substance and involvement (talking/detail) than the toddler program.  I like having the early literacy tips highlighted simply in the side bar.



The embedded PDF above is available for download by clicking on "Toddler, ages 2 and 3" under the "Youth Services Programs and Resources" heading in the upper right hand corner of this blog: http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/

"Kye Kye Kule" lyrics and signs in the "Graphics" folder.

Home, Sweet Home Storytime Program for Toddlers

I was (re) introduced to Microsoft Publisher and the possibilities it brings for attractive programming handouts.  Here's my first stab at it.  (You can see I'm still into a mostly linear approach ;) )  It's a balancing act trying to give myself an outline while putting in those early literacy and take home tips for the caregivers. 

This new format is making me think more about an interactive handout for children and caregivers to use at home.  The activity sheet on the back was the first step, but I feel the outline itself could be more interactive ...



The embedded PDF above is available for download by clicking on "Toddler, ages 2 and 3" under the "Youth Services Programs and Resources" heading in the upper right hand corner of this blog: http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/

Baby Program : Creating Rich Environments

The embedded PDF below is available for download by clicking on "Baby Programs" under the "Youth Services Programs and Resources" heading in the upper right hand corner of this blog: http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/


On the back side, I printed page one from this section on ZerotoThree.org: http://www.zerotothree.org/early-care-education/early-language-literacy/sharing-books-with-babies.html

Gotta Move: Everybody's Jumping (Vocabulary)

Again, I put an activity on the back of the handout.  It is a "finish the drawing" activity that has a picture of a dog, and the prompt says, "What is Andy doing? Draw his surroundings." 

The "Find the Letter" ball is one I picked up at Dollar General.  It has alphabet letters and first sound icons (e.g. the letter D is pictured with a dog) printed all over the surface, in no particular order.



As always, if the embedded image does not load, you can find the pdf under "Youth Services Programs and Resources" --> "Music, Movement, and Early Literacy Programs" at http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/ .

Stories to Share: Alligator's Whistle

I've started a new side bar ("Stories to Share") where I'll post the text (and later, the audio ...) of stories I tell or retell.

The sheet music for the "Alligator's Whistle" can be found in The Storytelling Handbook by Anne Pellowski.  I play a recorder during the musical sections.  However, one could also sing, as lyrics are provided in Pellowski's book:

The Microsoft clipart images are used as a visual prompt to remind me what gestures or visual props to use.  Sometime, I'd like to print the text on large poster board, probably in four sections.  Then, the audience could read the story at the same time ...

Babies: Motions Have Meaning

The embedded PDF below is available for download by clicking on "Baby Programs" under the "Youth Services Programs and Resources" heading in the upper right hand corner of this blog: http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/



On the back of this handout, I printed the first page of Zero To Three: Playing with Babies: http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/play/playing-with-babies.html

Gotta Move: Silly, Silly, Silly (Print Motivation)

I copied page 201 from the Collaborative Summer Library Program manual on the back side of the program handout.  I'm also switching the order a bit to help with the program's flow; We're getting more and more attendance, and the one-on-one name game is becoming difficult in the large group setting.



As always, if the embedded image does not load, you can find the pdf under "Youth Services Programs and Resources" --> "Music, Movement, and Early Literacy Programs" at http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/ .

Toddlers: Splish, Splash (Phonological Awareness)

If the embedded programming handout does not display below, visit the upper right hand corner of this blog: http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/. Under "Youth Services Programs and Resources," choose "Toddler, ages 2 and 3." Then choose "(2011 4) Splish, Splash (Phonological Awareness).pdf"


Again this time, I put an art/craft activity on the back of the handout (not pictured below).

Preschoolers: Water, Water Everywhere

An Earth Day influenced storytime ... If the embedded programming handout does not display below, visit the upper right hand corner of this blog: http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/. Under "Youth Services Programs and Resources," choose "Preschool, ages 4 and 5."  Then choose (2011 4) Water, Water Everywhere (Narrative).pdf

A colleague suggested putting a coloring sheet on the other side of the programming handout to encourage the caregivers to take it home.  I thought it was a great idea!

Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina

EXERCISE | Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power.
SURVIVAL | Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too.
WIRING | Rule #3: Every brain is wired differently.
ATTENTION | Rule #4: We don't pay attention to boring things.
SHORT-TERM MEMORY | Rule #5: Repeat to remember.
LONG-TERM MEMORY | Rule #6: Remember to repeat.
SLEEP | Rule #7: Sleep well, think well.
STRESS | Rule #8: Stressed brains don't learn the same way.
SENSORY INTEGRATION | Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses.
VISION | Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses.
GENDER | Rule #11: Male and female brains are different.
EXPLORATION | Rule #12: We are powerful and natural explorers.

 from http://www.brainrules.net/about-brain-rules

Here are some others (pulled from the "Brain Rules" list after the book's contents page) that are ECRR related.  They will fit nicely on a programming handout:

Face Time, Not Screen Time (print motivation -- bonding)
Praise Effort, not IQ (print motivation -- positive experiences)
Guided Play, Every Day ECRR 2 Anyone?  (narrative and vocabulary skills -- talk about what you are doing)
The Brain Craves Community (narrative, vocabulary, print motivation -- talking to and being around others)
Labeling Emotions Calms Big Feelings (narrative and vocabulary skills -- talking about issues and labeling things)

Mem Fox on Reading to Babies (Quote)

"The best time to start reading aloud to a baby is the day it is born.  The lilting rhythm of a simple bedtime book on that first thrilling, exhausting day is soothing for the tremulous parents and the new child and adds to the bonding between them.  It gives them something to "talk about" together."

From Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children 
Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox.

Toddlers: Lambs, Sheep, Cubs, and Lions (Vocabulary)

If the embedded programming handout does not display below, visit the upper right hand corner of this blog: http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/. Under "Youth Services Programs and Resources," choose "Toddler, ages 2 and 3." Then choose "(2011 3) Lambs, Sheep, Cubs, and Lions (Vocabulary)."

 

Below are some graphics I put on display and used for the introduction of the program ... and some "new" words!  (They are available in the "Graphics" folder.)