What to read when

March 13th, 2010

Chances are you’ve heard a lot about the benefits of reading with your child from birth.  Reading with your child provides an opportunity for quiet bonding time, is a great winding down ritual at bedtime, enhances language development and can improve a child’s memory.  And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.  But while everyone from your mom to your neighbor to the receptionist at your pediatrician’s office can tell why you should read with your child, no one seems to be able to you what to read.  These resources will give you a jump start on picking fun, age appropriate books, whether you’re reading with your child or they’re big kids reading on their own.

More books to help you find what to read when!  Also check out these websites and our How to Choose Books for Kids explore guide!

Signing with your baby

March 3rd, 2010

Junior is crying.  A lot.  You’ve tried food, you’ve tried a diaper change, you’ve tried cuddling, and still the crying continues.  Wouldn’t it be great if he could just tell you what’s wrong?  Well, if you sign with your baby he can!  Sure, he may not be able to express his angst at having his toy truck taken away, but he could point to it and sign “more.” 

While it may sound a bit intimidating, using sign language with your baby is quite simple to incorporate into your daily routine.  And the benefits are well worth the effort.  Babies are able to understand words well before they are physically able to speak.  Being able to communicate their needs and wants results in fewer tantrums and less frustration.  Signing babies also talk sooner, have larger vocabularies, and score higher on IQ tests (at age 7-8) than non-signing babies.  So check out some books and get started!

More baby sign books!

Hot off the Book Talk Press!

February 24th, 2010

If your February has been like mine, you’re likely recovering from an illness or two and aching for Spring.  It might still be a bit too cold to get the kids out of the house, but never fear — a great book will help you pass the time!  Check out some of Miss Susan’s recent suggestions.

More of Miss Susan’s favorite books!

Save the drama for your mama…

February 2nd, 2010

So last week’s circus post got your creative juices flowing, and now you’re looking for the next big adventure?   Why not give puppetry a try?  It’s easy to make your own puppets from materials you’ve probably got lying around the house, and making up stories is a great way for the kiddies to work on narrative skills.  So break out the craft glue and googly eyes and get cracking!  Then come to our Winter Puppet Show to see how the librarians do it!

More books about puppets and puppetry!

Under the Big Top

January 27th, 2010

Get over your winter blues with a circus at home!  Pretend to juggle with cotton balls.  Place a long piece of masking tape on the floor and practice walking it like a tight rope walker.  Pretend to be a lion and lion tamer.  Do somersaults and other amazing acrobatic feats.  Do the action rhyme listed below, then pop some popcorn and enjoy some great circus books!

 

Funny Clown, Funny Clown (Tune: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear)
Funny clown, funny clown,
spin around.
Funny clown, funny clown,
jump up and down.
Funny clown, funny clown,
shake your hips.
Funny clown, funny clown,
wiggle your lips.
Funny clown, funny clown,
touch your toes.
Funny clown, funny clown,
honk your nose.

If you love this idea, check out Saturday Tales every week at 11:00 for more great storytime themes!

And the winners are…

January 19th, 2010

The American Library Association has announced the 2010 children’s literary award winners!

The Randolph Caldecott Medal:  The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Honor Books:

 

The John Newbery MedalWhen You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Honor books:

 

Coretta Scott King Award

(Illustrator) My People by Langston Hughes, ill. by Charles R. Smith, Jr.

(Author) Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

Reserve it!

More about the ALA book awards.

Classics for Kids!

December 30th, 2009

You read it — and loved it — when you were a kid.  (Heck, maybe your mom read it, too!)  Don’t worry, your kids won’t think it’s lame.  Classics never get old!

More classics for kids!

Early Literacy Tip: Best Books for Phonological Awareness

December 23rd, 2009

This early literacy skill might sound intimidating, but it’s actually quite fun!   Phonological awareness is simply the ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.  There are so many easy ways help your child develop phonological awareness!  Singing is great because words are broken into smaller chunks when the pitch moves up and down.  Rhyming is also great, and clapping on every syllable of a word is surprisingly fun for the kiddies.  Try this fun chant:

Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?
Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?
Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?
{Insert child’s name} took the cookies from the cookie jar! (clap on each syllable of child’s name)
Who, me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be!
Then who?
{Insert sibling’s name/mom/grandma, etc.} Took the cookies from the cookie jar!
Who, me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be!
Then who?
Continue with as many names as you want, then end with someone funny — daddy, or cookie monster, or Santa — taking all the cookies!

More great phonological awareness, rhyming, and nursery rhyme books!

More info on the six early literacy skills: print motivation, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, and narrative skills.

Why? Why? Why?

December 14th, 2009

What are clouds made of?  Why is the sky blue?  Why do cats purr?  Why does soap make bubbles?  Why do stars twinkle?  Answer these unaswerable questions, and keep the kids entertained during the holiday break, with books about children’s questions and answers.

Early Literacy Tip: Best Books for Letter Knowledge

December 9th, 2009

Gather ’round, ya’ll, it’s time for the next installment in our series of posts about the six early literacy skills: print motivation, vocabulary, print awareness, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, and narrative skills.

Letter knowledge is understanding that letters are different from one another, and that they have different names and sounds.  Older kids can work on this skill by reading fun alphabet books, picking out favorite letters on signs, or playing a game to see how many words they can think of that start with the same sound/letter.  You can work on early literacy skills anywhere and anytime with a little creativity!

Babies start developing letter knowledge by learning about shapes.  Think of it this way — the only difference between a lower case “n” and a lower case “h” is the height of the stem.  If your child is used to looking at shapes and can differentiate one from another, it’ll be much easier for them to pick out different letter shapes when the time comes.

More books for developing letter knowledge!