Kids

This week at the Westerville Public Library we are talking about the starry night sky….so we are exploring the stars, the night time and all of the things that happen under the starry night sky…

At night we like to catch fireflies…

Try this firefly finger play at home!

I caught a little firefly, I held it carefully (catch a firefly and cup your hands)
It tickled as it crawled around and lit its light for me. (tickle as your fingers crawl around your hand)
I watched it for awhile and then I set it free! (put your arms up like you are setting your firefly free)
My firefly flew around my yard happily! (wiggle your fingers like little fireflies flying around the yard)

At night we like to look at the stars…

Try this at home! Have fun and practice your early literacy skills at the same time with these activities:

• Sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star with  your child. Be sure to exaggerate the vowel sounds or clap along with the tune. This helps develop your child’s phonological awareness –how sounds make up words– and it is a great way to build pre-reading skills!
• Stay up late one night and star gaze…you don’t need a deep knowledge of the constellations to enjoy star gazing, you can make up your own constellations and then use those characters to invent myths or tell bedtime stories! Telling stories builds narrative skills and is good old-fashioned fun!
•  Describe the stars and how the grass feels when you lie in it…talk about how you are feeling and about how much you and your child love each other.  Besides warm fuzzies, your child will be expanding his vocabulary as you talk.
• Catch some fireflies and keep them as overnight visitors…explain that if your are gentle and return the insects to where you found them it is ok to keep them for a bit. Then check out books at the library that explain the parts to the insects body and how their magical lights really work. The curiosity that leads to discovery is a large part of print motivation–the joy of reading and exploring books!

The fun doesn’t end there! Join us at the library on Friday all day long to make a star and moon or solar system mobile to take home. We’ll provide the craft stuff and you provide the creativity!

Want more summer reads? Check out these starry night sky picks: