Shapes--Explain Aside

Early Litearcy Aside--Explain: 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.

Print Awareness--Explain Aside

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: 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.

Reading--Language of Books

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Reading is one of the best ways to introduce new words to your children. Many books have unfamiliar words. ones we would not use in regular conversations with our children. Talking about even one or two of the words before, during or after reading the book is one way to build your children's vocabulary. 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.

Rhyme Along with Me

[When you read a rhyming book or say a rhyme, you can pick two rhyming words and then sing this song to emphasize the rhyming words.]To the tune of Row Your Boat: Rhyme, rhyme, rhyme along, rhyme along with me Small and tall are rhyming words [or whatever two words you are rhyming] Now rhyme along with me. Early Literacy Aside--Example:  Emphasizing words that rhyme helps children hear the rhyme. Being able to hear the smaller sounds in words helps develop their phonological awareness, a skill that will help them be able to sound out words when they later learn to read.

Pamela Martin-Diaz, Allen County (IN) Public Library

These Words Rhyme

After reading a book that rhymes, I read the book and then come back to a page that have two rhyming words. We talk about the words that rhyme and then sing a song [to the tune of "Skip to My Lou"]Small, tall [or whichever two words you have noted] these words rhyme Small, tall, these words rhyme, Small, tall, these words rhyme, Rhyme along with me. [You can also do this with a nursery rhyme, pointing out two rhyming words.] Early Literacy Aside--Example:  Helping your children to recognize and say rhyming words helps them hear the smaller sounds in words, which develops phonological awarness. This is a skill that will later help them sound out words when they learn to read.

Idea from Pamela Martin-Diaz, Allen County (IN) Public Library

Who Took the Farmer's Hat? by Joan Nodset

Read the book Who Took the Farmer's Hat? by Joan Nodset. Have children make the sounds of the animals the farmer sees.Early Literacy Aside--Example: Did you know that according to studies, by playing with sounds, you are developing phonological awareness and your children will be better ready to sound out words when they learn to read.

Submitted by Linda Gosnell, Pamunkey (VA) Regional Library

Little Red Hen

I introduce the book and encourage the children to say the "Not I" responses in the book and "I will" at the end as I read. I would use a flannelboard to retell the story, which also keep it enjoyable for the children.Early Literacy Aside--Example: By having the children participate, both with saying "Not I" and with the flannel board, they enjoy the story more which emphasizes print motivation or the enjoyment of books and reading. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: At home you may not have a flannel board, but you and your children can use props to retell stories which makes the reading experience enjoyable and supports print motivation! After reading and retelling the story as written, I sometimes retell the story with the participants as "eager helpers" and have them all say "I will" instead of "Not I". Then we all have fun pretending to eat the bread together at the end of the story. As you and your children act out stories, it is fun to play around with the plots and to get their ideas as well. Help them use their imaginations!

Submitted by Phyllis Arbogast, Blackwater (VA) Regional Library, Carrollton Branch

Mouse Craft

Craft: Give a piece of paper and crayon or marker to each child and adult. Each person can draw an oval for the body of the mouse. For the ears make an M or m. Let's practice making an M in the air with our hand and arm.Early Literacy Aside--Example: Don't worry about if your child does this exactly right or not. Enjoy making the mouse and help him squeak and talk. You can also talk about the shapes your child is drawing. Seeing and making shapes helps your children recognize letters as well.

Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

Early Literacy Aside--Explain:The ability to hear and play with the sounds of words, as in rhyming, is an important skill for reading. To recognize these rhymes and how words are related by sound is part of what educators term phonological awareness and will help your children later sound out words.During the storytime, read the book Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino Each page describes the animal that might be llama's mother. Let's guess what will come on the next page. I will emphasize the word that will rhyme on the next page. For example, if I say now, guess what animal we will see. The author gives us other clues, like brown and moo. So, we know the animal will rhyme with now is COW! Early Literacy Aside--Example: Some books, like this one, use rhymes in a playful way. Playing with rhyming words is one good way to help children hear the smaller sounds in words which will later help them sound out words when they learn to read.

Maisy Big, Maisy Small by Lucy Cousins

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Vocabulary is a very important early literacy skill. By vocabulary, I mean knowing the meanings of words. Today we're focusing on the concept of opposites. Read the book Maisy Big, Maisy Small by Lucy Cousins with time to allow participants to respond with the opposite word. [Add a synonym for a couple of the words as well. If a participant gives a different word for the opposite word, comment on it. For example if you say big and the book says small, but a child says tiny, you can note that tiny and small have similar meanings and both are the opposite of big.] Early Literacy Aside--Example: Using this book your children filled in the word meaning the opposite of the one I said from the book. You can always add more interesting words for both the opposite and synonyms for some words. In this way you build your children's vocabulary. Early Litearcy Aside--Empower: Today in storytime we talked about opposites. As you go about your day, when talking about feelings (hungry, full, tired, wide awake), about what you are doing (relaxing, hurrying, walking slowly, running quickly), or playing, there are many opportunities to think of opposites which builds your children's vocabulary. These little things you do throughout the day will later help them understand what they read.

Submitted by Ellen Abramson, Fairfax County (VA) Public Library System

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. Early Literacy Aside--Example: 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

Let's Go Froggy by Jonathan London

Book Introduction: In this book Let's Go Froggy by Jonathan London, there is a repeated phrase, "flop, flop, flop" when his mother calls to froggy. Let's hear you say, "flop, flop, flop." You'll say it each time Froggy's mother calls him.Read the book. Early Literacy Aside--Example: Having your child say a repeated phrase with you throughout the entire book keeps him/her involved. This is one way you support print motivation, an enjoyment of books.

Submitted by Charles Nagel, Chesterfield County (VA) Libraries

Little Bunny Foo Foo: Told and Sung by the Good Fairy by Paul Johnson

Book Introduction: Our next book is a songbook called Little Bunny Foo Foo by Paul Johnson. Let's sing it together.Early Literacy Aside--Example: You may want to share this songbook with your child at home and point out some of the phrases. You child will like to sing the refrain with you! By making the sharing of books enjoyable, you are supporting print motivation. Your child will want to learn to read.

Submitted by Jackie Anas, Portsmouth (VA) Public Library

Making Gingerbread Fingerplay

Fingerplay:Stir a bowl of gingerbread (pretend to stir) Smooth and spicy brown Roll it with a rolling pin (pretend to roll dough) Up and up and down With a cookie cutter (imitate) Make some little men Put them in the oven (imitate) 'Til half past ten! (pretend to look at watch) Early Literacy Aside--Example: Rhyming is one way that children learn to hear the smaller parts of words, also called phonological awareness. Talking about the words that rhyme as you say rhymes with your children will better prepare them to read when they begin to sound out words in school. Adding motions makes it more fun!

Submitted by Amy Cook, Henrico County (VA) Public Library--Tucahoe Area Library

Hickory Dickory Dock or Any Nursery Rhyme

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: 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 sounding out words. Also, nursery rhymes are fun to sing and act out! Submitted by Michelle Edwards, Gloucester Library (VA)

Train Goes Clickety-Clack by Jonathan London

Book Introduction: Our next book is on trains and it has some words that are opposites. For example, the opposite of happy is  . . . sad, that's right! The opposite of hot is . . . cold, right! As you listen to this book see if you notice words that are opposites.Read the book A Train Goes Clickety-Clack by Jonathan London all the way through. Then come back to the pages that have opposites (old, new; fast, slow; up, down). Read one set and ask, whatis the opposite of old?  NEW! and so forth. Early Literacy Aside--Example: Adults, talking about not only words but their relationships, like opposites, helps develop your child's vocabulary.

Little Red Hen

ReadTheLittle Red Hen. As your read the repeated phrases, "Not I," said the dog;"Not I," said the cat; "Not I," said the mouse, run your finger under those words as you say them.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Running your finger under some of the words helps your child understand that it is the words you are reading, not the pictures. Researchers have found that even for four year olds, 95% of their attention is on the pictures. By pointing you help draw their attention to the text. This helps develop print awareness.

Mouse Shapes by Ellen Walsh

Read the book Mouse Shapes by Ellen Walsh.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: As I read the book, you'll notice how we can combine talking about shapes as we also talk about what is happening in the story. Helping children see shapes is the beginning of letter knowledge.

Craft: Have various shapes cut out, the same ones used in the book. Each PERSON gets a blank sheet of paper. Using shapes, they make a picture. Encourage the adults to talk about all the shapes and also about what they are making with the shapes, both their own picture and their child's. The adult or child can write the child's name on their the paper and find some of the shapes in the letters.

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Playing with shapes is one way to help your child see shapes in letters and to later identify the letters. For example, this is an N the first letter in your name. See how there is a triangle shape between the lines? You will notice many opportunities during your day to talk with your children about shapes.