Storytime Share

Shapes

Today our early literacy tip is on letter knowledge. You may think of letter knowledge as being able to write letters. Actually there is a lot to know related to letter knowledge long before children can write the letters. One aspect is recognizing shapes. Today I’ll be pointing out some fun ways we can help them recognize and talk about shapes. 
Submitted by Saroj Ghoting 

Print Awareness Introduction

Our early literacy tip of the day today is on print awareness. There are many ways we can help children understand that print has meaning. Research studies point out that about 95% of a child’s attention goes to the pictures. Today in storytime I’ll be pointing out some ways we can help them focus on the print as well.
Submitted by Saroj Ghoting

Language of Books

One of the most important skills you can give your young children is a large vocabulary. That means using big words, words they don’t understand, in a variety of situations. Knowing lots of words, having a large vocabulary, helps children not only understand what they later learn to read, it also helps them recognize words when they later try to sound them out. Today we’ll see how the language of books expands your child’s vocabulary.
Submitted by Saroj Ghoting

This Is the Way We Wash Our Face

Song: This Is the Way We Wash Our Face (Sung to the tune of Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush)

Let’s sing this song and tell a little story about how we take a bath.

This is the way we        wash our face               (actions to words to all these)

                                    shampoo our hair

                                    scrub our skin

                                    dry with a towel, etc.

This song helps us learn different vocabulary words about bathtime, like shampoo and scrub. I hope you will talk about this when you take a bath tonight. What other words can you come up with? Talking about interesting, fun words like this will help your children recognize words later on when they read them.
Submitted by Stacey Harwood, Henrico County (VA) Public Library, Twin Hickory Branch

Hickory Dickory Dock or Any Nursery Rhyme

Nursery rhymes are important to do with your children, not only here in storytime, but at home as well. The rhyming and repetition of words helps your child develop the awareness of different word sounds. This helps develop their phonological awareness which is important for later reading skills. Also, nursery rhymes are fun to sing and act out!
Submitted by Michelle Edwards, Gloucester Library (VA)

Sounds

Our early literacy tip for today is on phonological awareness, the ability to hear with the smaller sounds in words. Researchers say this skill helps children to sound out words when they later learn to read. In this storytime I’ll be pointing ways you can help your children hear different kinds of sounds.
Submitted by Saroj Ghoting

Six Skill Poster

Introduction

Welcome one and all. I am so glad to see you all here today. As you know we expect some chaos during storytime, but if your child is disruptive to others, please feel free to take your child out and come back when your child is ready.

Do opening song.

Our early literacy tip of the day today is on Print Motivation: Print motivation is a child’s interest in and the enjoyment of books and reading. When children learn to read in school, it can be difficult. Children who enjoy books, who have a good feeling around books, are more likely to stick it out when it gets hard because they know that in the end reading is enjoyable. I will be pointing out some of the things you can do to make reading and sharing books an enjoyable time together.
Crayon poster from Multnomah County Public Library www.multcolib.org/birthtosix/ecr/products.html#posters
Submitted by Saroj Ghoting

Storytime Handout: Animals All Around Us

Animals All Around Us Handout by Glencoe (IL) Public Library

Roll Your Hands (song) from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett

Words:
Roll, roll, roll your hands
fast as fast can be.

Do it now, let me see

Do it now with me.

Tap, tap, tap your feet
Shake, shake, shake your hips
Roll, roll, roll your hands
[Repeat one or two times all together. Clap together when done.]

Adult Aside: This is a good rhyme to do as you are bathing or diapering your child. Use different parts of the body and words for different actions to help increase your child’s vocabulary. Even though your baby does not understand everything you say, it is important for her to hear you speak. The wider variety of words that your child hears, the larger her vocabulary will be, and the more easily they will later be able to read.
Submitted by Saroj Ghoting

Five Little Ducks (song) from Rise and Shine by Raffi

Adult Aside: Saying animal sounds is the beginning of being able to hear the smaller sounds in words, the beginning of phonological awareness.
Submitted by Saroj Ghoting