Letter to Parents

This is the letter I am giving to preschool storytime parents this year...

Fall 2012

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I am excited that you have chosen to bring your child(ren) to Preschool Storytime at the Bellevue Public Library!  Throughout the year we will be focusing on early literacy skills through songs, rhymes, reading, and interaction.  I encourage you to participate with your child during storytime by actively listening and involving yourself in the activities. 

Early literacy skills are the building blocks for future success in reading.  The American Library Association has identified five easy things you can do everyday with your child to help foster pre-reading skills.  The acronym “Star Power” can help you remember them:

·         Sing

·         Talk

·         Read

·         Play

·         Write

You are your child’s first teacher.  By taking the time each day to sing, talk, read, play and write with your child you will help them to succeed in school and in life.  You do not need to formally teach nor buy certain products to help your child learn these skills!  Just by spending quality time with your child you will be teaching that books and reading are fun, how books work, letter names and sounds, that smaller sounds make up words, the names of things and how to describe them, and that the words we speak can be written.  These skills are vital for reading success and you can teach them by singing, talking, reading, playing and writing with your child each day.

In storytime this year we will be singing, talking, reading, playing and writing as we explore the alphabet.  Each week we will focus on one or two letters—practicing the sound it makes and exploring words that begin with that letter through fingerplays, songs, books, and activities.  Although I will point to written words on signs during storytime this is not an attempt to “teach your child to read” nor do I expect your child to “read” the words.  It is a way to teach that letters make up words and the words we say can be written.  Formal reading instruction is not necessary, nor encouraged, at this age.

Every week I will have a handout with simple ideas of things you can do with your child at home.  Remember, I only see them once a week for an hour—the time you spend with them everyday is vital to their learning.   I encourage you to sing, talk, read, play and write with your child everyday! 

If you have any questions please feel free to stay after storytime or you can email me at tammy.henry@bellevue.net  For an outline of each week’s storytime with words to songs and fingerplays, as well as other library and literacy information you can visit my blog at StorytimesAndMore.blogspot.com   I am looking forward to a wonderful year of storytimes with you and your child(ren)!