Friendship Toddler Storytime

A few weeks ago I subbed for a toddler storytime.  It was a HUGE crowd!  Lots of energy and lots of fun!  If I did toddler storytime on a regular basis I know there are a few things I would have to do differently though!

Books

Pepo and Lolo are Friends

by Ana Martin Larranaga

Rex Wrecks It!

by Ben Clanton

Song/Fingerplays

Where is Thumbkin?
(thumb, pointer, pinky only)

Two Little Friends
(tune: 5 Little Ducks)

Two little friends went out to play
On a bright and sunny day
They jumped, they ran, they had such fun
So they called another little friend to come,
"Come and play!"

Continue up through 5

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Play and Learn

Paper doll threesome (made from this template at First Palette)

Blocks

Cars/Trucks

Magnets

Puzzles

Parachute!

Baby Storytime--Let's Play Outside!

If only we really could have played outside!  But alas, our library has no large grassy area.

Read Aloud Book

Spot's First Walk

by Eric Hill

Shared Reading

Variety of board books featuring the outside, including

At the Park

by Salina Yoon

Bizzy Bear: Let's Go and Play!

by Benji Davies

Who's Hiding?

by Sebastien Braun

Play and Learn

Tunnel
One little boy is always very curious about the tunnel whenever I bring it out.  He will look in the tunnel, run to the other end and look in the tunnel, but has never actually gone into the tunnel.  This week he actually went through for the first time!!  Oh, the proud look on his smiling face!  He spent most of the remaining playtime going through the tunnel!

Let's Go! Storytime

I'm behind with my posts!  Here is a storytime from a few weeks ago.

Books

Six Hogs on a Scooter

by Eileen Spinelli; illustrated by Scott Nash

The Bus is for Us

by Michael Rosen; illustrated by Gillian Tyler

Songs/Activity

Driving In My Car--Ralph's World

Guessing Game
Little puppy wants a ride
Behind which vehicle did he hide?

Play and Learn Activities

Cardboard to make ramps for cars

Wooden Train

Alphabet Crocodile Snap Game [Early Learning--Literacy]

Starting Strong Conference

I just returned from attended a three-day conference in Tacoma--the 7th Annual Starting Strong Conference.

It's a conference focusing specially on early learning.  It was a great conference and I'm so excited my boss invited me to join her for it!

A quick list of some take-home ideas for me:

• Create developmentally appropriate and purposeful math experiences for preschoolers (see Pathway to Numeracy)
• Preschoolers have a sense of everyday mathematics
• "Is this a yelling moment or a teaching moment?"
• Relationships--they're about quantity, quality, and intensity
• Multi-sensory interaction, with love, nurture, and care leads to learning (example:  Geometry vs. making chocolate chip cookies)
• Attachment--Secure(trust caregiver; needs are meet), Avoidant (distrust caregiver), Anxious (can sometimes trust caregiver; inconsistent); Disorganized (abuse in the home)
• Play IS:  voluntary, meaningful, symbolic, rule-governed, pleasurable, episodic
• The more senses you use the fewer times you will have to teach
• Eye gaze is extremely important to infants

• Turn academics into play (example: learn to write name--sign the work you do like artist, authors, etc.)
• Outside is the best classroom!
• Technology--anything made by humans (not just electronic devices!)
• Mind likes discovery and divergent learning; use open-ended manipulative such as blocks, water, sand, paint
• Revisit activities/manipulatives again and again and again
• Learning is a social experience; we learn how to learn from others
• Science needs to be D.I.R.T.Y.  Daily discovery, driven by inquiry, relevant and real, tactile teamwork, appropriate for young children
• Integrate literacy throughout curriculum; not in isolation
• We need to build a culture of caring, a culture of competences, and a culture of excellence
• Help child learn to problem solve through their senses

To Read List
The Mindful Brain
I Love You Rituals
A Moving Child is a Learning Child
Powerful Interactions
125 Brain Games for Babies
Why Love Matters
Play (Stewart Brown)
Gardening with Young Children
I Believe...What Do You Believe?

Websites
Alliance for Childhood
Zero to Three
ilabs.uw.edu
Priceless Parenting

Superhero Science

A few weeks ago Mobius Science Center came for summer reading.  I loved how they related all their experiments to superheroes!  I hosted the show at two libraries.

The 2nd day I was able to get some video because I knew when record!  Here's a super short animoto video of a few of the experiments!

What's Cookin'?

The Friends group bought the library this adorable kitchen for the children's area.  They also purchased the dishes, pans, and food (from Lakeshore)!  It has been a HUGE hit!