Family Fun Time

Trying to limit screen time at your house?  Does Peter McCarty have a heroine for you!

Chloe, (the love interest from  Henry in Love), is an exceptional young rabbit who lives for family fun time. Being a rabbit, Chloe naturally comes from a really large family.  She has "ten older brothers and sisters, and ten younger brothers and sisters,"  which places her exactly in the middle.  McCarty's illustrations of Chloe's family are charming, and you and your child can have fun picking out the subtle differences that make each member of this family unique.   

One day Dad brings home a brand new television for the family to watch after dinner. Chloe is less than enthused. Watching TV doesn't feel like family time to Chloe, so with the help of her littlest sister she entices her other siblings to play with the cardboard box and pop the bubble wrap that the television came in.  Eventually, they make their own "television show" by climbing into the cardboard TV.  Thanks to Chloe, family fun time rules the day.

She may not know it, but Chloe is right in step with  The American Academy of Pediatrics  which recommends no television viewing for children under two, and no more than 2 hours of TV per day for older children.  So, when it's time to turn off the television, try reading a book, playing a simple board game or even putting on your own show like Chloe and her family did.  In order to promote your child's development of early literacy skills, just remember to read, sing, talk, write and play with your child every day!

For little "pea-ple" everywhere!

Do your kids like to eat peas? Maybe, or maybe not. But I believe they will find the little green peas, (other wise known as "pea-ple") in Keith Baker's concept books very likeable.  In LMNO Peas the pea-ple are busy being artists, builders, climbers, dancers, etc., as they highlight an alphabet of occupations. Each giant, colorful letter is contrasted by many tiny green peas illustrating a variety of careers and activities.   This delightful book, as well as 1 2 3 Peas can be enjoyed on many levels.  Teach your child the alphabet and how to count with these books that are packed full of color, action, rhyme and  lots of new vocabulary.  Keith Baker's illustrations are so clever and just plain fun.  Play a game of finding the Ladybug who appears in every two page spread.  Take your child's pointer finger and help them count each of the pea-ple from 1 to 100.  And if you don't mind messy fingers let them press their pointer finger in a green stamp pad then onto clean white paper to create their own story world of little pea-ple. Those uneaten peas on their plates just might become the new characters in their pretend play.  So go ahead, let them play with their food and check out these books at your local library!

Fun with Rhymes

As children learn to speak, they inevitably notice something familiar about certain words.  "Cat" sounds like "sat" and "bug" sounds like "hug."  In no time, they are having fun playing with words that rhyme.  They don't realize that improving their sound awareness (paying attention to the small sounds that make up words) is helping them with their speech, as well as getting ready to read. 

Although that all sounds like a lot of work, it sure doesn't feel like it when you read a book as silly as Rhyming Dust Bunnies.  We meet four zany dust bunnies playing a rhyming game.  One of them, named Bob, is clearly the most observant of the bunch.  While everyone else is rhyming "far, jar, tar," Bob notices a "big scary monster with a broom!"  But his attempts to let everyone know are delayed by the fact that "look out!" doesn't rhyme with any of the words that the dust bunnies are currently working on. 

This book is a great way to get rhyming games going in your own family.  And without any interruption from brooms and vacuum cleaners, you'll be able to rhyme 'til the dust bunnies come home. 

Miss Kate

Mama Cat Has Three Kittens

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Everyone knows a Boris. He's the one who marches to his own set of bagpipes. Mama, Fluffy, and Skinny spend a typical cat day doing typical cat things. When Mama walks on a stone wall, Fluffy and Skinny walk on a stone wall. When Mama sharpens her claws, Fluffy and Skinny sharpen their claws, too. When Mama washes her paws, well guess what? Fluffy and Skinny wash their paws! See a pattern here? Wait, I can almost hear you screaming, "But what about Boris?" Boris? Oh you mean that little orange cat over there napping at the foot of a tree, beneath a bush, beside the wall?

Through Denise Fleming's use of brightly colored homemade paper and eye-catching colored cotton pulp, children have the delightful opportunity of catching Boris being Boris. When the rest of the family finally settles in for a nap, guess what Boris does? He sharpens his claws, walks the wall,  washes his paws--and then he naps! The simple, oversized-text and striking illustrations of Mama Cat Has Three Kittens are the perfect combination for showcasing the important point that being unique doesn't mean being left out. No matter who he or she is, everyone is loved!

MightyM

Sing a Song!

Singing is a powerful way to learn.  Catchy melodies, repetitive lines, and rhyming words make it easy for your child to remember the lyrics. Singing together is a wonderful way to share a moment, catch or divert your child's attention, and elevate your mood.  On top of that, you'll expose to your child to new vocabulary, words that might not ever come up in casual conversation. 

Many songs have fun hand movements that will add to your child's enjoyment and memory of singing a song.  These songs are perennial favorites in our storytimes: The Wheels on the Bus, She'll be Coming 'Round the Mountain, This Old Man, Five Green and Speckled Frogs, There's a Spider on the Floor, Five Little Ducks, just to name a few. 

You'll find a wonderful selection of CDs you can check out in any of our branches.  Look for these artists if your child is 18 months to 3 years old:  Raffi, Hap Palmer, and Carol Hammet.  If your child is a bit older, add these artists to your repertoire:  Laurie Berkner, Sarah Barchas, Greg & Steve, Trish & Gail, and Old Town School.  And for some wonderful songs in Spanish (some are bilingual), check out something by Jose Luis Orozco.

Many parents have asked me if we have any bean bag songs similar to what we use in storytime.  The answer is yes! We often use songs by Gerorgiana Licone Stewart, Hap Palmer, and The Learning Station in our storytimes.   And you don't need to have a bean bag to enjoy them.  Any small stuffed animal will do. 

Have fun playing and singing with your child. The memories will last a lifetime.

-Miss Meg

Hands-On Reading

Babies and toddlers love kittens, but the feeling isn't always mutual. Fortunately, Roger Priddy has recently published a new touch-and-feel board book called Meow! Meow! which might provide a satisfactory solution for this conundrum. As it says on the cover, "The CUTEST kittens EVER are waiting to meet you!"  Whew, finally!

 Meow! Meow! has large photos of kittens with simple and bright two-toned backgrounds to make it easy for young eyes to focus on the pictures.  Furthermore, its rhyming text catches a child's attention.  Children need to hear all kinds of different speech as they develop, and rhymes and poetry help them to become aware of sounds in letters and words.  This kind of sound awareness is important for a successful start in school.

Meow! Meow! has several different interesting textures to feel. When your child reaches for a picture, talk to him about what he is doing.  "That's the kittens' basket.  It feels bumpy!"  The number one thing babies and toddlers thrive on is interaction with their parents.

At birth, a baby's strongest sense is the sense of touch.  That's why your baby or toddler wants to grab everything within reach.  (And the reason everything goes straight to the mouth?  That's where his strongest sense of touch develops first!)  Touch-and-feel books are a great way to help your child explore books in the way that's most natural and enjoyable for her. 

Of course, the library has other touch-and-feel books available for checking out, as well.  Find one that meets your child's interests, and together you can enjoy some hands-on reading! 

Bark, George

If you are looking for a book fun enough share with your older kids, and simple enough for toddlers to enjoy as well, look no further than Bark, George by Jules Feiffer.

George is a cute little puppy who meows, quacks, oinks, and moos instead of barking like he's told.  Kids love being able to mimic the animals noises in this book and really enjoy knowing that George is making the wrong noise.  That's not a bark!  Those noises seem like they are just plain fun (and they are) but they are also a great tool in helping kids become more aware of the sounds we make and how we form them. 

Once George has made all of his noises once, it's time to go to the vet and have the source of these noises removed.  Out comes a cat, a duck, a pig and a cow.  And of course, we all get to make the noises all over again, this time even louder and sillier than before.  Everyone is so happy and relieved to finally hear George bark!  One last time, George's mother says, "Bark, George" and the surprise of what George says on the final page (no spoilers here!) gets everyone laughing. 

Miss Kate