Reading and Writing

Well, maybe not everywhere, but in many places. Part 1, yesterday, talked about areas, in addition to home, where parents and caregivers can access books for little ones. Part 2 continues today with more ideas.

Some towns and cities have book and story times for children offered as community recreation programs, for instance a  Tots and Tales Time. Local health units or health authorities may also have activities such as Mother Goose for stories and singing. Sometimes, schools have programs for children not yet attending but in the neighborhood. School libraries often have book fairs and sales. You might be able to phone the school near you and ask if they have any book sales or book fund-raising events scheduled. Public libraries, too, sometimes have sales of books that are a bit too worn for much  more handling but can survive for another child or two. I’ve been able to find some that only cost a dime or a quarter! (And, yes, that was this century.)  Secondhand or used book stores often have a children’s book corner or shelf. Secondhand or used kid’s clothing and toy stores may have books for sale, as well.

New books may not be in your family’s budget but there are many other places where adults can find books for kids. Reading and sharing books is so important for children’s development and kindergarten readiness. What better treasure can you give your child than the wonder of books?

Reading books at home or at your care center is one way to provide children with books but there are other ways, too. Going to the public library in your area for children’s books and for story time is an obvious one. Book stores often have book readings for kids. Did you know that some children’s clothing and toy stores also have story times? Nearly all doctors and dentists have a little corner with toys and books as well as other offices such as real estate and insurance agencies. 

While this isn’t a kindergarten readiness project or learning activity, when children see books around them in all kinds of different places, they get the message that books are used by many people every day. Today, as you are out and about with your child, count how many places you discover books.

Q. What game can you play at the library? A. Peek-a-book. What do you do at the library?

1 little, 2 little, 3 little storybooks, 4 little, 5 little, 6 little storybooks, 7 little, 8 little, 9 little storybooks, 10 little storybooks. Storybooks are only one of many different ways of enjoying books. Nursery rhymes, once-upon-a-time tales, and comic books are some other ways. There’s poetry, magazines, books with cd’s, cookbooks, craftbooks, travelbooks and other information books too. Some … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – 1 Little, 2 little, 3 little →

For blog entries on Saturdays, I like to include ones with more of a weekend appeal than a Monday to Friday feel. Kindergarten readiness activities fit right in with what you are already doing and have an element of fun, but weekend ones need a special note. After all, it’s the weekend! Sometimes, I’ve suggested an … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Books to Eat? →

Book starts with the sound ‘buh’. There are some other sounds that come after but the start just goes ‘buh’. Helping kids to pick out the sound that starts at the very first part of a word also helps them later on when they learn to read. This skill enables them do word families like … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – B = Book →

As parents and caregivers, we encourage children to develop healthy habits, like eating nutritious foods, washing hands, and getting exercise and enough sleep. That’s care for the body. There’s care for the mind and getting exercise for the brain. I like to think of stories as Vitamin Book and a daily dose of a few minutes reading is best. … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Vitamin Book →

  If you think of the brain as a ‘clues closet’, books have lots of clues in all kinds of styles. Even very young children listening to adults read to them can use clues. Pictures are an obvious set of clues. Children can often figure out the basic action of a story just by looking … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Reading Resolution →