What Babies Like In Books

What Babies Like In Books (0 - 2 Years of Age)

• Board books with photos of babies

• Books with bold, clear pictures of familiar items in baby's world

• Books with rhythm and repetition

• Books with textures or touch-and-feel books

• Books with animal sounds

• Lullaby books

For Print Motivation:

• Touch-and-Feel Books engage multiple senses, making read-aloud time more interactive and more fun!

• Photo Books with large clear images of baby faces because babies love to look at other babies! This is a great way to help them focus on the page.

• Activity or Object Books that are primarily lists make it easy to read as many or as few pages as hold a baby's interest, keeping storytime a positive experience.

For Phonological Awareness:

• Song Books that contain simple, familiar songs are a great way to help them hear the smaller sounds in words.

• Noise Books that celebrate noises all around give babies practice in listening to the sounds of our spoken language.

• Rhyming Books with one rhyme per book are best for babies. Reading Mother Goose books and sharing poetry with children are some of the best ways to build phonological awareness skills.

For Vocabulary:

• Word Books offer great opportunities for describing objects to babies adding more words to their vocabularies.

• Hearing Words Repeated in context is one way babies learn new words.

• Song Books that list or name objects (Head Shoulders Knees and Toes or Old MacDonald Had a Farm) are one way to introduce new words to babies.

For Narrative Skills:

• Short and Simple stories about daily routines begin to introduce young listeners to how stories work.

• Photo Books of objects surrounded by plenty of white space allow children to focus on one item while you describe it.

• Question and Answer Books help introduce babies into the patterns of spoken language.
  

For Print Awareness:

• Cloth Books allow even the youngest babies to explore books and learn how they work.

• Large Print Books make it easy to point to the text on the page as you read, which helps babies begin to learn that print carries meaning.

• Repeated Words, Word Bubbles, or Words Incorporated into the Illustrations also make it easy to point to the text on the page as you read.

For Letter Knowledge:

• ABC Books for babies and young toddlers should have very simple letter shapes to minimize distractions.

• Shape Books will help young toddlers establish a strong foundation in shape recognition.

• Opposite Books will start building their ability to tell shapes and later letters apart.

Quick Early Literacy Tips for Parents & Caregivers

Early Literacy Tips for Parents & Caregivers

Getting stuck giving Early Literacy Tips to Parents and Caregivers during storytime?

You feel like you don't know what to say or feel like your tips are too wordy?

Give these quick tips a try!

For Babies (0 - 2 years of age):

Print Motivation (Love Books): The interest in and enjoyment of books and reading

• "Babies have short attention spans. Unless your baby really wants to, you don't have to read for more than 2 - 3 minutes at a time."

• "Keep the reading sessions short and fun! When they lose interest, go on to another activity and read more later."

• "Babies and toddlers who grow up with books around them become more motivated to learn to read."

• "Keep books everywhere -- in the diaper bag, in the car, in their bedrooms, all over the house."

Phonological Awareness (Play with Sounds): Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words

• "Hearing and making animal sounds helps your child hear different kinds of sounds in language."

• "Babies can start to tell the difference between sounds, which helps them hear the smaller sounds in words."

• "Songs have a note for every syllable, so when you sing songs to your baby, you're helping them hear that words can 'come apart' into syllables."

• "Understanding 'parts of words' will help them sound out words they are ready to learn to read."

Vocabulary (Learn New Words): Knowing the names of things

• "Sing song like 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes' and point to the body parts as you sing them."

• "Active songs like 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes' are a great way to increase vocabulary!"

• "Talk to your baby and toddler all the time -- even before they can answer you!"

• "The more words a child hears, the bigger their vocabulary will be. The more words they know, the easier it is to recognize words when they start to read."

Narrative Skills (Tell Stories): Being able to describe things and events, and tell stories

• "Talk about what you're doing, out loud, while you're doing it."

• "Understanding how stories work helps with reading comprehension when they start to read. Tell stories often and your baby or toddler will soak up your words and start learning about how stories work!"

• "When your baby babbles at you, say something back! Then pause and wait for an answer."

• "Don't worry if your child can't say anything back, or that you're not understanding each other -- your baby is learning how conversations work."

Print Awareness (Use Books): Knowing how to handle books, noticing print all around us

• "Children love their own names!"

• "Write their name on the pictures they draw, then put your finger under the letters and say their name out loud. This will help them start to learn that print represents the words they hear."

• "In order to start learning how books work, babies need to be able to play with them."

• "Keep some board books in the toy box and let them use all their senses to explore them -- touching, seeing, and even tasting!"

Letter Knowledge (Know Letters): Knowing the names, sounds, and shapes of the letters

• "Let your child explore different shapes, different textures, different tastes. Talk to them about what is the same and different."

• "Practicing figuring out what is the same and what is different will help them later when they try to figure out all the letters of the alphabet."

• "Being able to tell letters apart is basically a shape recognition skill."

• "Talk about shapes with your baby! Tell them that their rattle is round or that their book is square. You are helping them get ready to learn their letters!"

For Toddlers (2 - 3 years of age):

Print Motivation (Love Books): The interest in and enjoyment of books and reading

• "We are important role models to our children. They want to do the things they see us doing!"

• "Let them see you reading -- tell them when you're reading recipes, or grocery lists, or magazines, or e-mails."

• "Spend time everyday reading and experiencing books with your child!"

• "Always keep it positive and fun. If your child gets restless, just put the book aside and come back to it later."

Phonological Awareness (Play with Sounds): Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words

• "Play a rhyming game of 'I Spy' with your child -- 'I spy something that rhymes with sock'."

• "Playing games with rhymes helps children get ready to read."

• "We know that kids who know some nursery rhymes by heart have an easier time learning to read. This is because rhyming is one way kids learn to hear the smaller parts of words."

• "Check out a Mother Goose collection and read one or two rhymes every day!"

Vocabulary (Learn New Words): Knowing the names of things

• "As you're reading to your child talk about words that may be unfamiliar by giving a simple definition."

• "A big vocabulary is a big help when it comes time to learn to read!"

• "Ask your child lots of questions that don't have a 'yes' or 'no' answer. These are called 'open-ended' questions and they give toddlers a chance to use all the words they hear for themselves."

• "Ask your child to 'use their words' instead of just pointing to an object or picture."

Narrative Skills (Tell Stories): Being able to describe things and events, and tell stories

• "When your child tells you something, ask them lots of questions that don't have a 'yes' or 'no' answer. These are called 'open-ended' questions, and they give young children a chance to build their storytelling skills."

• "When you're playing with your child, describe their toys for them -- 'This ball is round, blue, and bouncy.' or 'This teddy bear is brown and soft'."

• "Being able to describe things helps build comprehension skills."

• "Encourage your child to tell their own stories!"

Print Awareness (Use Books): Knowing how to handle books, noticing print all around us

• "Be silly! Sometimes when you read with your child, hold the book upside down or backward and see if your child notices."

• "If your child does not know the proper way to hold a book and turn the pages -- talk about it."

• "Point out the words on a cereal box and signs on the street to your child, so they become aware that print is all around us!"

• "Write their name on the pictures they draw, then put your finger under the letters and say their name out loud. This will help them start to learn that print represents the words they hear."

Letter Knowledge (Know Letters): Knowing the names, sounds, and shapes of the letters

• "ABC books are a great way to share letters with your child."

• "Look for ABC books with big, clear letters, and simple pictures."

• "The most important letter to a child is the first letter of his or her name!"

• "Look for a child's first letter in their name and point it out anywhere you might find it -- in books, on signs, or on cookies!"

For Preschoolers (4 - 5 years of age):

Print Motivation (Love Books): The interest in and enjoyment of books and reading

• "To really help your preschooler get excited about books, bring home books about the things they love and are interested in."

• "Have your child say repeated phrases with you as you read -- like 'just right' in Goldilocks or 'chicka chicka boom boom'."

• "This helps get them involved in the story, which makes reading more fun and enjoyable for them."

Phonological Awareness (Play with Sounds): Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words

• "Kids love their own names! Have your child help you think of other words that start with the same sound as the first letter in their name -- like for Megan; Milk, Moon or Mug."

• "When you hear your preschooler use a cool new word, clap it out with them -- clap once for every syllable."

• "Clapping out the syllables in words helps your child learn to hear them, which will help them sound out words when they're ready to read."

Vocabulary (Learn New Words): Knowing the names of things

• "Reading books together is a great way to expand your child's vocabulary, since children's picture books have more 'rare' words in them than regular conversation."

• "When you're talking with your preschooler, look for opportunities to use different words to help build their vocabulary."

• "To help build their vocabulary, instead of saying 'car', you might say 'SUV', 'convertible', 'pick up truck', 'station wagon', or 'limo'."

Narrative Skills (Tell Stories): Being able to describe things and events, and tell stories

• "Being able to tell stories is a skill that helps children understand what they're reading."

• "After you read a story together a few times, let your child 'read' it to you!"

• "When children understand how stories work, it helps their comprehension when they read."

• "Use things you have around the house as props while reading a story. Then let your child play with the props -- this helps your child remember the story and retell it by themselves!"

Print Awareness (Use Books): Knowing how to handle books, noticing print all around us

• "Learning to write and learning to read go hand in hand. Making little books with your preschooler is a powerful way to help them learn about print."

• "Have your child draw pictures, then write down the story they tell you, and read it back to them!"

• "Every now and then while you're reading a book to your child, run your finger under the words of the title or words that repeat. This helps your child learn you are reading the words on the page, and not the pictures."

Letter Knowledge (Know Letters): Knowing the names, sounds, and shapes of the letters

• "Children learn better when they are interested in something."

• "If your child loves princesses talk about the letter P. If you have Batman fans at home, draw the letter B for them on a piece of paper."

• "Kids learn best by playing, not by flashcards, workbooks, or quizzes."

• "Look for ways to play with letters -- keep foam letters in the bathtub and magnetic letters on the fridge. Draw letters with sidewalk chalk or make them out of play dough!"

Helpful Websites

Here's a list of websites to check out:

Born to Read

www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/initiatives/borntoread/index.cfm

Through Born to Read, libraries partner with local health care providers and other community agencies to provide new and expectant parents with library cards, reading materials, incentives, and resources to help them raise children who are “Born to Read”.

Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy

www.clel.org

Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy is passionately committed to strengthening children’s literacy through library services and community advocacy.

ELSIE: Early Literacy Storytime Ideas Exchange

www.hclib.org/BirthTo6/ELSIE.cfm

Search ELSIE to find books that help children develop the early literacy skills necessary for learning success. Presentation notes show how to emphasize skills in a fun, interactive story sharing experience.

Every Child Ready to Read @ your Library

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/ecrr/index.cfm

Every Child Ready to Read is a joint project of the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children that seeks to incorporate “the latest research into a series of parent and caregiver workshops to provide public libraries with vital tools to help prepare parents for their critical role as their child’s first teacher.”

Healthy Minds: Nurturing Your Child’s Development

http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_par_parenthandouts

Developmental milestones handouts produced by Zero to Three organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Hummingbird Educational Resources

www.hummingbirded.com

This site is filled with preschool themes and storytime extension activities.

Important Milestones

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/MilestonesChecklists.pdf

Developmental checklists at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The checklist information is from Caring For Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, by Steven Shelov and Robert E Hannermann (American Academy of Pediatrics).

National Association for the Education of Young Children

www.naeyc.org

“The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8.”

National Institute for Early Education Research

http://nieer.org/

“The National Institute for Early Education Research supports early childhood education initiatives by providing objective, nonpartisan, information based on research. The goal of NIEER is to produce and communicate the knowledge base required to ensure that every American child can receive a good education at ages three and four.”

National Network for Childcare: Fingerplays Plus

www.nncc.org/literacy/fingplus.html

“In this collection, we have included fingerplays with a variety of concepts and movements. We have also included some suggestions for related activities. Children learn best when they can experience or practice new concepts in several different ways. We hope these fingerplays and verses will become favorites.”

Reach Out and Read

www.reachoutandread.org

“Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a national non-profit organization that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud in pediatric exam rooms across the nation.”

Reading Is Fundamental

www.rif.org

Reading Is Fundamental offers resources, prepares and motivates children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most.

Reading Rockets

www.readingrockets.org

“Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.”

Zero To Three

www.zerotothree.org

“ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.”

Benefits of Traditional Storytimes

All Positive!

Libraries around the world offer storytime for their young patrons. Storytime provides many benefits to children:

• Stories help develop a child's imagination.

• Stories help a child discover new ideas.

• Stories help nurture a child's listening abilities.

• Stories help children comprehend the world around them.

• Stories expose children to a larger vocabulary than the spoken word.

• Stories introduce and reinforce concepts such as colors, shapes, letters, etc.

• Stories encourage a love of reading.

• Storytime encourages families to come to the library and check out materials.

• Storytime introduces authors and illustrators to families in a fun way.

• Storytime models good oral reading skills for parents and caregivers to follow.

• Storytime can help children become successful readers and learners.

• Storytime introduces songs, finger plays and nursery rhymes to parents that can be enjoyed at home.

• Story time creates a social opportunity for parents and caregivers.

More Positives!

Traditional storytimes almost always incorporate fingerplays and songs as well as books. Benefits of these components include:

• Songs can add fun, variety and movement to storytime.

• Song help break up words into syllables for children to hear.

• Songs allow children the opportunity to get up and move.

• Songs help children stay focused.

• Listening skills are sharpened.
• Fingerplays help children learn about concepts such as numbers, size, shapes, direction, and color.

• Fingerplays teach sequencing.

• Fingerplays build coordination and strength in small and large muscle groups.

• Fingerplays help create a positive self-image for children. Children learn that their minds and bodies contain a whole world of possibilities.

• Fingerplays help children socialize with one another. They are a way of doing something "separately together".

• Fingerplays are multicultural and have been passed down from generation to generation.

• Fingerplays can be adapted to other activities such as flannel board stories, puppet shows, and music.

Storytime Sample

Here's a sample Storytime Plan from Granby Public Library for the Preschool Story Hour on April 15, 2009.

Storytime Plan
Spring Time

Welcome and Closing Song: "The More We Get Together"

Books:

• Bear Wants More; by Karma Wilson [Narrative Skills, Print Motivation, Print Awareness, & Vocabulary]

• Flora's Surprise!; by Debi Gliori [Narrative Skills, Vocabulary, & Print Motivation]

• Muddigush; by Kimberley Knutson [Phonological Awareness]

• Spring an Alphabet Acrostic; by Steven Schnur [Print Awareness, Phonological Awareness, Letter Knowledge, & Vocabulary]

• Spring is Here Grumpy Bunny!; by Justine Korman [Narrative Skills & Vocabulary]

• Spring's Sprung; by Lynn Plourde [Phonological Awareness]

• Splish, Splash, Spring; by Jan Carr [Print Motivation, Phonological Awareness, & Vocabulary]

• Stuck in the Mud; by Jane Clarke [Narrative Skills, Vocabulary, Print Awareness, & Print Motivation]

• When will it be Spring?; by Catherine Walters [Narrative Skills, Print Awareness, & Vocabulary]

Fingerplays/Songs:

• Did you ever see a bunny hop so......(fast, slow, backward, & on one foot)

• 10 Little Bunnies (Counting on fingers ending in claps or bunny hop)

• Open Shut Them
  

• Itsy, Bitsy, Spider

• Bear Hunt

• Bunny Hokey Pokey (with Bunny Puppets)
  

Early Literacy Tip for Parents & Caregivers:

• Helping children get involved in the story makes reading more fun. They can guess what will happen next, count, or repeat phrases.

Craft/Activities:

• Paper bag Bunny Puppets

• Hop Parade with Bunny Puppets

Observations and Feedback:

• Books Read:
  

1. Spring Sprung (illustrations are beautiful, but the concept of Mother Nature in a human/nature form was hard for preschoolers to grasp; however, great questions were asked, "Why is the mother green?" and "She looks like the hill.")
2. Bear Wants More (was followed by a successful Bear Hunt, which the children loved! The children got involved in the story and repeated the phrase, "but bear wants more" with little prompting.
3. Stuck in the Mud (Relate our Mud Season with spring. Great book for Print Motivation! Children liked the animals and repeated who was stuck with the appropriate animal sounds, plus counting the baby chickens and animals stuck.)
4. Flora's Surprise! (Parents liked this story a lot. It's cute and it's a great lead into the bunny puppets or in the future a lead into a gardening project. Children repeated "It's a house".)

• Fingerplays/Songs:

1. As always the Bear Hunt is successful.
   
2. "Did You Ever See a Bunny" and the "Bunny Hokey Pokey" were also great ways to expend energy.
   

• Crafts/Activities:

1. Paper bag Bunny Puppets were a hit! Pieces were already cut out, so they could focus on gluing and decorating their bunnies. A demonstration of assembling a puppet was very helpful to the children.
2. In the Bunny Parade we use the skills we learned in the "Did You Ever See a Bunny" hopping slowly, fast, backward, and on one foot around the room.
   

Storytime Components

Storytime Components recommend by
Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy

Effective storytimes don't "just happen". They take time to prepare, require practice by the librarian and have basic ingredients regardless of the storytime theme or subject. They also require flexibility to adapt books, fingerplays and songs to the attention span of the children.


The basics of a good storytime incorporate the following components:

• Opening or Welcoming Song. (This song should be the same every week.) Like: "The More We Get Together", "If You're Happy and You Know It", "Here We Are Together"

• Age appropriate books. Things to remember when choosing your storytime books:

1. Don't use long or complicated books with preschoolers
2. Use eye contact, voice inflection, and enunciate loudly and clearly
3. Always note who the author and illustrator are

• Songs and fingerplays. These transitional activities engage the children, keep them involved and help them be ready to listen to another book.

• A variety of materials such as puppets, flannel-board storied, cut and tell stories or draw and tell stories. (But not all of these every time--change it up.)

• Closing Song. (This song should be the same every week.)

Storytelling Techniques

A simple review of Storytelling Techniques:

• Enthusiasm - enjoy what you are doing!

• Hold the book so all children can see.

• Read clearly and expressively and not too fast.

• Interactive - involving the children in the stories and activities. (Dialogic Reading, crafts, etc.)
  

• Adjusting stories and activities to the needs of the children.

• Have fun - If you're not having fun, your audience is probably not having much fun either.