Music and Early Literacy

 

While I think it is great to take time to read with your child everyday, I very much understand the reality of life with babies and toddlers and sometimes you just do not want to pick up a book. That's okay! (We've all been there!) However, there are many other ways to promote early literacy without actually reading and music or singing songs throughout the day can actually do wonders for your child. Here are some tips on how to include music into your daily routine.

Phonological Awareness

In song, each syllable of the word has its own note. This helps children hear the

smaller sounds that make up words. When picking music to help with Phonological

Awareness, try songs that are slightly slower so your child can sing and hear every

note. Also, songs that include animal noises or other sound effects are great for this

skill. Some great songs for Phonological Awareness include nursery rhymes and

popular children’s songs such as Old MacDonald and If You’re Happy and You

Know It. If you can’t understand every word perfectly, pick a different song.

Vocabulary

For younger children, any kind of “naming song” where you are singing a long list of animals, foods, or any other objects will work. For older children, provide pictures

and text that go along with the unfamiliar words in a song.

Narrative Skills

Repeat, repeat, repeat. That’s the key to a song that strengthens Narrative Skills. Makeup songs that go through a sequence of events (This is the way we brush our teeth, wash our face, comb our hair, before we go to bed.)

Letter Knowledge

Be very careful how you select alphabet songs. Most recorded songs blur L, M, N, O,

and P. Try slower versions, or songs that highlight one letter at a time. Have your

child listen for one particular letter (start with the first letter of their name). When

they hear it, have them wave their hands up or down.

Print Awareness and Print Motivation

Pick music that goes with a book. Read it and then sing it! Nursery rhymes are great

for this, or adapted songs like “The Wheels on the Bus.” You can also sing the song

and then read something like The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort. You can sing

along to I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont and then play “It Ain’t

Gonna Rain No More.” Some books even contain parts of songs within the text, like

Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka or the Pete the Cat books by Eric Litwin. Even non-readers can learn sight words as you point to words in books and sing together.

Adapted from www.ohreadytoread.org/music_in_early_lit_storytime.pdf

ANOTHER SNOW DAY?!

If you are a parent like me, your child’s snow days consist of a lot more television and iPad time then you would like to admit. When there is only one day, it isn’t so bad. But what happens when you find yourself dreading potential school closings on account of you feel you are turning your child into a technology zombie? Here are some really easy fun and engaging activities you can do with your child to break up the day in a more educational way. Each of these activities focuses on at least one of the six early literacy skills: phonological awareness (the sounds of letters), narrative skills (the ability to tell/understand simple stories), letter knowledge, print awareness (letters existing to form words) vocabulary and print motivation (getting children excited about reading).

Guess The Letter:

• Make the sound of a letter and have your child guess which letter makes that sound
• Place letters on the floor (you can make them yourself or use flashcards or if you have foam letters etc.) and make the sound of a letter. Have your child point or jump to the letter that makes that sound
• Using the letters on the floor, say the name of a letter and have your child point or jump to that letter (you can also play this game with numbers)

Where’s Teddy?

• Hide a favorite toy and ask the child where it is. When the child brings it to you have them tell you where it was. You can take turns hiding the toy or hide a few different toys and make a treasure hunt

Talking On the Phone: 

• Give your child a pretend phone and have them call you up (either using your phone or another play one). Create a conversation with your child as if you are not in the same room

What’s In the Bag?

•  Place a few items in a bag and ask your child to help you unpack the bag. Have the child tell you the name of each item they are holding
• Ask a child to find a specific item in a bag
• Have your child help you pack a bag for a specific adventure and have them tell you what they are putting into the bag (bonus if they can tell you why you need that item!)

Create a Word Book:

• Create a list of words your child is familiar with, or pictures of words your child knows (you can even have your child draw pictures of words he knows like a chair or cup or book etc.) Place them in an empty photo album or paste the pictures into a notebook. Have the child go through the book and tell you the names of the pictures (or read the words if they have started to sight read)

In addition to these activities you can always throw on some music and start a dance party. Feel free to shake your sillies out or clap your hands if you’re happy and you know it! Stay warm during these very cold days when the sun doesn’t shine and it’s too wet to play and remember, you don’t just have to sit and read to a child all day to help them build their early literacy skills!

Happy Snow Days!

The 100 Book Challenge

Happy New Year Friends!

I don’t know where it started, but I have a group of friends who challenge themselves every year to read 100 books. There are some libraries that challenge youngsters to read 500 books before they start Kindergarten (and those who succeed get a prize and certificate). I personally have never took the challenge before but believe this is the year I should start logging how many books my children read so that they have a sense of accomplishment by the time they start Kindergarten. I urge each of you to take on this challenge in a way that works best for you!

To kick off this experiment, I would like to share with you some titles that are already on my list:

Princess Patty Meets Her Match 

By: Charise Mericle Harper

The ultimate “unprincess” princess book is here! I love mothers of girls who specifically say “NO princess books” when recommending books for their young daughters. When Patty gets tired of waiting for her Prince to show up, she goes out to look for him. Her Prince is quite charming but nothing out of a Disney movie! This book is adorable and a new staple in my own daughter’s bedtime story rotation. If you want your daughter to grow up acting like a princess, Patty is the one to emulate!

Sheriff Callie’s Wild West: The Cat Who Tamed The West 

By: Holly Huckins

My son has been counting down the days until the first Sheriff Callie book would be published for the masses and it did not disappoint! The story behind how Callie became the Sheriff of Nice and Friendly Corners is a cute one, filled with all the familiar characters (townsfolk and bad guys!) from the show. The bold, all caps font for names of characters and key familiar phrases often heard on the show are clear for all young children to spot. The pictures are perfect and any fans of the show are going to want to read the story over and over, WHEE-DOGGIE!

Vincent and the Night 

By: Adele Emerson

A Harold and the Purple Crayon for the 21^st Century. Adele Emerson satisfies your curiosity about what babies think about after they are put in their cribs and have no interest in falling asleep. Vincent goes on exciting adventures and is impressive in navigating himself out of any sticky situation. Babies and toddlers are going to love following Vincent especially since he looks like one of them while preschoolers are going to love vocalizing and anticipating how Vincent decides to fix every mess he creates for himself!

Smick 

By: Doreen Cronin

I have never read a Doreen Cronin book that I didn’t love. This is an excellent book for a beginner reader. This adorable story of a dog who befriends a chick has such simple text and pictures it is sure to become a family favorite. 

Edmund Unravels

By: Andrew Kolb

My children were first introduced to the concept of a ball of yarn from an episode of Sheriff Callie’s Wild West when Callie knits a blanket for Uncle Bun for his birthday. I then showed them what a ball of yarn looks like because I like them to learn that things they see on television are sometimes real, tangible objects. When my son saw the cover if this book he immediately said “Is that a ball of yarn?” and together we journeyed with Edmund as he ventured out of his home to discover new things. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and lively and the premise is so original and different. As a parent it is a cute metaphor to want to hold on to your child by the end of their “yarn” while they push themselves further away to explore the world on their own. It is an extremely loving and comforting message that Edmund realizes there is no place like home and no one loves him more than his friends and family. 

Publisher Close Up: Barefoot Books

Many of my friends ask me for board book recommendations for their toddlers (specifically 18-36 months). These parents are looking for more sophisticated content but know their children cannot hold back the temptation of ripping thin paperbacks. I am constantly suggesting board books published by Barefoot Books and decided to showcase them for all my readers today (conveniently just in time for gift-giving season)! They have amazing titles to choose from, all with appropriate texts and vibrant illustrations that are sure to be your new go-to books for story time. Here are some examples that have become staples in my own home:

Alligator Alphabet

By: Stella Blackstone

Before you even begin to go through the names of animals in alphabetical order, take a look at the end papers of this board book. They are so colorful and inviting they are sure to excite any toddler about the alphabet! The text and illustrations are simple and rhythmic, the perfect combination for a little one learning letters and names of animals. As a parent and educator (of sorts), I appreciate the presence of both the capital and lower case letter on each page right next to each other for children to see both forms of the letters. The book also lends itself to singing when you get to the last page. So now that you know about this version of the ABCs, next time won’t you read this book with your toddler?

One Moose, Twenty Mice

By: Clare Beaton

While counting all the different animals on each page of this board book, there is a little game of hide and seek to be played that is sure to excite and engage the reader. This counting book is rare in that it counts from one to twenty and really pushes the idea that children can absorb anything, so why stop counting at ten? Children will clearly be able to identify the number as well as the spelling each number on each page and will also have a great time telling you what kinds of familiar items the illustrator used to add character to each item on the page. Clare Beaton has a unique illustration technique in all of her books. She sews fabric and uses beads, buttons and sequins for detailing. It is always bright and inviting for children of all ages. Go out and get counting!

Big and Small

By: Britta Teckentrup

Teaching the concept of opposites is extremely popular during the toddler years. Big and Small has an interesting approach to the typical book about differences. Everything in the book is either big or little but the connections to understand the two pictures lends itself to a much bigger educational opportunity. For example, on one page there is an apple and next to it is a seed. Obviously the apple is the bigger object and the seed is the small one, but a child will notice the seed is inside a cut-up apple and this also gives the reader the opportunity to teach that seeds are planted and then grow into apples. Pretty sophisticated for a toddler board book! The book is filled with colorful, bold illustrations and has far more to offer than just building vocabulary and itemizing things that are large or small.

Bear About Town

By: Stella Blackstone

By the time a child turns two, they are usually familiar with places they go to most often. The street of the park before they actually see the swings, when you turn the corner on to the block you live on, usually the child will verbalize they are aware of their surroundings. This book has the reader tag along with Bear as he shows us where he goes on a weekly basis. While some places may be more familiar to a child than others (the playground vs. the movie theater), this book has a map of Bear’s town on the last page that makes this a remarkable teaching tool about a neighborhood. A child can literally trace Bear’s daily journeys and see how he gets to each place every day. It may even inspire you to create with your little one your own map of the popular places you go to together. (My son personally uses it as a road for his toy cars to drive on, to each his own!)

Elusive Moose

By: Joan Gannij

This is definitely not your typical animal story. Set in the North woods, a narrator is searching for a moose. Can you spot one each page? Clare Beaton illustrates this book in her typical fashion of felt, beads and buttons and encourages readers to explore a region they may be very unfamiliar with. An opportunity to teach about different types of footprints and Northern wildlife stem from this beautiful little book.

    

Clare Beaton's Rhyming Series

Clare Beaton combines popular and not as familiar verses in all of these beautifully illustrated board books. They are fun to read and inviting to look at. Our personal favorites are Animal Rhymes and Bedtime Rhymes. Children will definitely start chanting these rhymes over and over! 

Hanukkah Titles You Want This Holiday Season!

As the holidays roll around, gift giving is on everyone's mind. In the spirit of the holidays, give the gift of a wonderful holiday themed book! Here are two new ones they are sure to love!

Simon and the Bear

By: Eric Kimmel

The Hanukkah story is full of miracles. A small group of Jews defeating a large army of Greeks and oil for burning candles that should have only lasted one day that lasted for eight are just two of the many wonders that occurred. In Simon and the Bear, Simon is reminded that Hanukkah is coming just as he begins his voyage to America from the old country. His mother’s last words are; “You may need a miracle on your long journey”. Thus begins Simon’s adventure and his own small miracles. He receives the last ticket for the boat and when the boat hits an iceberg, Simon is left stranded and finds his prayers for salvation answered by a large white bear.

It is always refreshing to read a new holiday tale that reinforces the belief that small miracles can happen to anyone anywhere. Simon’s story is that of the Maccabees. In the face of hardship, he does not lose his faith and is saved in the most miraculous way. Children of all ages will enjoy this story and want to read it all year round. Mathew Trueman illustrates the book beautifully. He does a wonderful job depicting day and night and highlighting the candles in the darkness. The reader is connected with Simon on his entire frightful journey and the artwork on the last pages defines what Hanukkah is truly about: Family, presents and latkes (potato pancakes). (Just Kidding!) Family, tradition and appreciation for the small miracles in our lives every day.

The Night before Hanukkah

By: Natasha Wing

For any Jewish child that wanted their own version of The Night before Christmas, the book has arrived and it does not disappoint! Join this young brother and sister as they highlight all of the traditions celebrated on this holiday over the course of eight nights. They play Dreidel, open presents, and eat latkes (potato pancakes) and jelly donuts. The family retells the miraculous story of the Maccabees, eat chocolate coins and of course, light the Menorah for eight days. With vibrant pictures of a real-life Hanukkah experience, this book is sure to bring a smile to every reader. A Happy Hanukkah should be had by all, and to all, a good night! 

BLIZZARD

  

BLIZZARD

By: John Rocco

As the Winter weather approaches, the most fitting book of the season is Blizzard by John Rocco. In case you are unfamiliar with John Rocco and his work, I highly recommend you take a look at Blackout. Yes, above is a picture of me with the author at Book Expo America 2014!

Blizzard is the story of the major snowstorm that hit New England in 1978. People were home-bound for days and one brave boy heads out into the freezing cold to buy food and supplies for his family and neighbors. The store is over a mile away from the boy's house and with tennis rackets on his feet the boy successfully helps his town survive the storm. Readers of all ages are truly going to love this journey. Anyone who has ever gone through a blizzard can relate to the story and the pictures. The most exciting pages in the book are fold-outs of the route the boy takes from his home to the store. It is beautifully and perfectly illustrated with stops the boy makes along the way and footprints in the snow as well as the driveways that are shoveled. John Rocco knows how to take a moment in history and make it relevant and exciting to revisit over and over again. I am sure as we head into our first school closings because of snow this will be the go-to read-aloud in many classrooms! I know it will definitely be read in all of mine!