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Wiggling, Giggling, and Moving from Head to Toe: Books to Encourage Exercise

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Children love books and children love to move. And reading together and moving together are good for children and families.

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Just imagine! A few kitchen chairs and clean bedsheets become a fortress deep in the Hundred Acre Wood. One wooden spoon is a microphone, and two more are drumsticks. A stack of old newspapers is a dragon egg of paper mâché waiting to happen. Oh, the possibilities!

Play is a part of evolutionary culture and an essential aspect of your child's health and development. Play can prepare children for the complexity of everyday life, regulates the body's response to stress, improves overall brain structure, and promotes a healthy drive for goals. Play and learning are inextricably linked as skills are honed in a fun, imaginative way.

But exactly what does "imaginative play" mean? What are you supposed to do? Will you need to buy certain toys and stock up on crafting materials? What if you only have one child? What if you live in a tiny apartment?

What if you have... no... imagination ... ?

Simply, it's role play. It's acting out various tasks and plots. It's expressing positive and negative feelings, discovering choices, and experiencing the outcome of multiple decisions in a safe, controlled environment. Imaginative play is pretend play. Saving the princess, slaying the dragon, and camping under the living room stars are all age-old examples.

As defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), play "is an activity that is intrinsically motivated, entails active engagement, and results in joyful discovery. Play is voluntary and often has no extrinsic goals; it is fun and often spontaneous."

"Imaginative" play is different from "active" play. Active play relates to games of tag, swinging on swings, sliding down slides, and hiking through the woods. Imaginative play is make-believe and fantasy. It's curiouser and curiouser because we can't wake up the sleeping giant who sold my gold doubloons to a troll living under the stairs.

Psychologists may define imaginative play as, "the acting out of stories which involve multiple perspectives and the playful manipulation of ideas and emotions."

It's your child making sense of this world.

Creative, open-ended play with both peers and parents is how children learn to socially bond, respect others, communicate, and balance personal emotions with the emotions of others.

Play increases the bond between a parent and child, creating a safe, stable, and nurturing relationship. The cognitive, social, emotional, and language development that occurs builds a strong foundation for stress management and social-emotional resilience.

There are many benefits gained when a parent and child engage in healthy, imaginative play together. In addition to those mentioned above, imaginative play can:

lower anxiety

improve academic skills

decrease disruptive behaviors

increase understanding of literature

increase emotional competence

practice and acquire negotiation and sharing skills

express and explore feelings

exercise logical reasoning skills

improve concentration and focus

Decide if your entire home is available, if specific areas are off-limits, or if only one room is designated for play space - though, one empty corner in a room is all a child really needs. If there isn't an empty corner to use, go underneath the kitchen table. (Powerful things are revealed beneath a kitchen table!)

There's no need to spend money on new toys for pretend play. A cardboard box can turn into a boat, a race car, a dollhouse, or a tunnel portal to another world - everything and anything you or your child can think of. Attach a sheet to the corner and drape the fabric out for a lean-to tent. Canopies and play tents add worlds of fun to imaginative play.

Put a box of dress-up clothes full of hats, scarves, bandannas, old dresses and suits, purses, wigs, gloves, and fake glasses underneath. Add another box full of random odds and ends, like Tupperware containers, plastic flowers, tea cups, an old cord phone, an empty paper towel roll, dolls, and stuffed animals. Make sure you can store these items safely.

Once a month, go through the box, take out a few items and replace them with something else. This will keep your child's play exciting and inviting. Consider turning old, mismatched socks into puppets. If you stumble upon a pair of binoculars in the attic, toss them in.

Make sure all items are safe and age-appropriate for your child (and remember you will potentially have to listen to anything that creates sound many, many times).

Show interest in whatever your child does during this pretend-play time. Your reinforcement is vital to their self-acceptance and security in openly playing. Let your child run the show. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that learning thrives when children are given control of their actions.

If your child struggles to come up with ideas during play, print or write out various scenarios on small strips of paper, fold them up, and put them into a jar. Whenever your child needs to, they can reach into the jar and pull out an adventure.

If your child asks you to play, say, "Yes!" Try to play with your child every day, even if it's just for 15 minutes. Arrange playdates with other children of similar age as often as you can. Using imagination with peers is just as important as with parents but provides other experiences.

One of the most important reasons to incorporate imaginative play into your child's life is not to push intelligence and education, but to provide supportive, warm interactions and relationships. As a parent, you'll get to observe your child's budding interests and have a better understanding of how they communicate.

Birth to 2 years

Imitate the sounds, the coos and ma-ma-mas, your baby makes. When you baby smiles, smile back. This reinforcement is play that reinforces social-emotional skills.

Read stories and sing aloud to your child. Use different voices and facial expressions. Incorporate different rhythms and help your little one put movement to the beat.

Put your baby in a carrier or wrap against your body as you vacuum, sing, and dance - maybe to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"?

Hold your baby in different positions to see the world from different perspectives, holding those tiny, little feet, and moving them as if they were pedaling a bicycle.

Play peekaboo. It's a very important, brain-building game. Parents will enjoy seeing how the "now I see you, now I don't" concept inspires countless little giggles of fun.

Show your baby bright, colorful objects in various shapes. Let your baby hold these objects, put the objects in their mouth, explore the objects. (First make sure the objects are safe for baby to play with!)

Hold a mirror in front of your baby's face and let them see and explore facial expressions.

2 to 5 years of age

Take your child to interesting new places, like the park, zoo, supermarket, beach, and library, to expose different environments, characters, and scenarios and to explore and observe new backgrounds.

Go on a short walk. A 2012 study found that only of parents take their children outside to walk or play each day, and some kindergarten classes have removed recess altogether.

On your outings, ask questions. Point out things like a little bug and ask your child what life it would be like if they were that bug. (Can you imagine being that small? Are we giants to that bug? Where will he go if it rains?) Point to a tree and ask your child what they would do if they lived in that tree. (Should it be hollow, so they can live inside? Does it need a ladder to get up to the higher branches, where they'd build a treehouse? What does the treehouse look like?)

Have a picnic or tea party. Invite stuffed animals, superhero figures, and siblings to attend.

Read to your child regularly. Later, ask your child to recount the story and then act it out. Pay attention to which character they decide to portray. This is where you'll gain invaluable insight to your child's inner emotions and outlook on the world around them.

Sing songs and play rhythms together. Find random objects around the house and create a musical band. An empty bucket and a wooden spoon are drums. Rubber bands stretched around an empty shoebox become a guitar. Fill an empty toilet paper roll with dry, uncooked rice and fill an empty can with pennies. Cover and seal off any openings and you have two shakers with two different sounds. What else can you add to your musical band?

Schedule playdates. Give the children various whimsical scenes and roles to act out. Have them put on a performance.

5 to 7 years of age

Open a restaurant. Let your child plan a menu and have them ask you for your order. Whether they create an imaginary five-course meal at the fanciest of eateries or tell you all about 10 disgusting smoothie flavors (banana sparkle pop tart smoothie), try it all. Ask for more. Ask if there are any specials being offered. This game provides hours of fun.

Build a city out of Legos or blocks.

Play school. Have your child bring out various stuffed animals, action figures, dolls, and ask your child to be the teacher.

Sing songs and read stories with your child. Mix it up to see if they are paying attention. Say, "Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as paper!" Does your child correct you? Does your child join in, adding add another layer of silliness to the next nursery rhyme?

Be explorers. Go for walks outside. Beforehand, make a list of things to find. Along the way, cross each discovered item off the list. Collect unique leaves or rocks.

Turn a cardboard box into... anything. A car, a plane, a turtle shell, a house, a cave... let them decide and see what unfolds.

Write and illustrate a book together. It's as easy as grabbing a handful of plain, white paper, folding the pages in half, and digging in.

Be scientists! Wear old, oversized, white button-down shirts and fake glasses. Nerd it up. There are many safe experiments with little to no clean-up. For example, make a lava lamp using an empty 2-liter soda bottle, some vegetable oil, food coloring, and fizzing tablets (like Alka-Seltzer). Or make play dough out of flour, salt, cream of tartar, oil, and water.

There are so many ways you and your child can come together for imaginative play. Enjoy every moment!

From peekaboo to cops and robbers (and when they are even older, from cosplay and extracurricular activities to college electives), you'll have direct access to the inner world that is your child's mind.

Discover the world from your child's point of view, revel in the friendships realized as they interact with other peers, and build a reserve of memories to last a lifetime.

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Imaginative Play: Benefits, Tips, and Ideas from Birth to School Age

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Just imagine! A few kitchen chairs and clean bedsheets become a fortress deep in the Hundred Acre Wood. One wooden spoon is a microphone, and two more are drumsticks. A stack of old newspapers is a dragon egg of paper mâché waiting to happen. Oh, the possibilities!

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Tips on Playing with Babies and Toddlers

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Try these tips the next time you play with your child and watch how even the simplest interactions encourage them to learn and explore the world around them.

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Play is one of the most important aspects of a child's life. Why? Because through peekaboo, patty-cake, and playing house, children learn to think creatively and interact socially.

Through play, they develop physically and discover a slew of emotional skills,and they learn how to process the world. In short, play is pivotal to your child's development.

"Play is how children learn," says Dr. Tiff Jumaily, a pediatrician at Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine Studio City in Los Angeles.

What's more, according to a 2012 study, play reduces stress. "On the whole, play is associated with responses that facilitate learning... [and] work off stress," says Jumaily.

But what are the benefits of play and what type of engagement, toys, and activities do children really need? We asked some experts to weigh in.

While the benefits of play are innumerable - play helps children develop cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally - there is more to play than fun and games.

Mayra Mendez, PhD, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist and program coordinator at Providence Saint John's Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica, California, tells Healthline, "Play is important because it provides a primary foundation for learning, exploring, problem-solving, and building an understanding of the world and your role within it."

But how do children learn through play? Well, it's simple. Play allows children the chance to emulate what they see and practice skills. It gives them an outlet for creativity and experimentation, and play helps them learn how to interact and communicate with others.

Cognitive benefits

Play promotes healthy development and critical thinking skills. It reinforces memory, helps children understand cause and effect, and, according to Mendez, helps children explore the world - and their role in it.

"Young children learn how things fit together through play. It allows them to use their senses and encourages exploration and curiosity, and these skills are the foundation of intellectual development and cognitive processing."

Play also inspires children to pretend, create, and imagine. Creative, open-ended play helps children conceptualize, brainstorm, and exercise critical thinking skills.

Physical benefits

Physically, play benefits children in a few ways, namely in the development of their fine and gross motor skills.

"Play benefits motor development by encouraging movement [and the] understanding of spatial relations, promoting motor planning skills, and supporting balance and dexterity," Mendez says. "It also supports gross motor skills, such as energy, stamina, flexibility, and body awareness."

Examples of physical play include running, jumping, swimming, block building, dancing, riding bikes, and climbing trees. (When you're providing opportunities for these types of activities, remember key safety precautions - from bike helmets to pool supervision.)

Social benefits

Play is also important for social development because it helps children learn how to interact with others.

Through play, children develop an understanding of social expectations and rules, and play provides opportunities to share thoughts and ideas, to listen, and to compromise.

Emotional benefits

Additionally, play helps children understand and process their emotions.

"Kids process their emotions and new concepts through play," Kim Wheeler Poitevien, a child therapist in Philadelphia, tells Healthline.

When a child loses a game, for example, they learn to process sadness, anger, and grief. Playing also helps build confidence and encourages the development of their identity and self-esteem.

The ways children play vary, depending on their age and interests. Here are a few ideas for both parents and kids.

Babies

Playing with young children may seem hard - after all, babies cannot sit, crawl, walk, talk, or stand. But according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), playful learning can start with baby's first smile.

"At this stage, children are most interested in faces - and learning how to make these faces smile at them and laugh," Jumaily says. "Babies love games like peekaboo. It helps teach them about object permanence. They love contrasting colors and textures. Think rattles and bits of crinkly paper, and they love making noise. Let them experiment hitting various pots and pans to see what sounds they make."

Holding conversations with your little one is also very important, as it helps them develop their linguistic skills.

Toddlers

As your child grows, their play options increase. Toddlers love brightly colored objects, like age-appropriate balls, cars, and blocks. Puzzles are a great choice, as are simple artistic supplies, and pretend play is excellent for children of this age.

"You should encourage toddlers to engage in pretend play using dolls, blocks, common household objects, or by dressing up," Mendez says.

Read to your toddler on a regular basis and encourage them to color or draw, as these activities will help the development of understanding, cognition, and their fine motor skills.

Preschoolers

Preschool-age children are staunchly independent. They have an understanding of the world, and their place in it, and for that reason, much of their play at this age is self-driven and structured.

"Preschool age children are striving for independence in everything they do," Jumaily says. "Parents will often notice that they insist not only on choosing their clothing, but putting it on all by themselves. For that reason, preschool is a great age to introduce solo activities, like puzzles, magnetic tiles, LEGOs, and tower building."

That said, it is important to note that preschoolers need socialization. It is key to their development. Trips to the playground and park are great ways to encourage this as are games like tag, red light/green light, and Simon says.

School-age kids

Much like preschoolers, elementary and middle school-age kids are very independent. They are also very focused on school-based activities. However, play is still integral to their development.

"School-age kids need play too," Wheeler Poitevien says. "Encourage outside play with a ball or bubbles, or plan a family game night. LEGO sets, Kinex, and other building toys are great too. Video games also count as play, but these activities should be done in moderation."

Play helps children grow into strong, healthy, and independent individuals. It also helps them develop emotionally and reduces stress. However, a lack of play can have negative and long-lasting effects.

"Studies show that when kids don't have the opportunity to play outside in nature, they are at higher risk for attention problems and behavior problems," Jumaily explains. "Without proper play, kids do not have the chance to stretch their imagination and build the skills they need to succeed in the workplace and in their life. A lack of play can also stunt an individual's social and emotional development."

A 2018 study by the AAP also found the absence of play can increase stress. "Play is not frivolous... it is brain building," Jumaily says. "When play and safe, stable, nurturing relationships are missing in a child's life, toxic stress can disrupt the[ir] development."

Play is valuable to children - very valuable. In fact, the benefits of play cannot be overstated. So run, sing, and dance with your children. Play games with your kiddos, and have fun!

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The Importance of Play: How Kids Learn By Having Fun

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Play is one of the most important aspects of a child's life. Why? Because through peekaboo, patty-cake, and playing house, children learn to think creatively and interact socially. Through play, they develop physically and discover a slew of emotional skills,and they learn how to process the world.

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Many families are familiar with classic books like Goodnight Moon and read them over and over with their very youngest children. Here are some more recent titles and reissues you and your baby will both love.

(Note: Many of these books are available in Spanish, and can be purchased as a hardcover, paperback, or board book.)

A phenomenal book to read with your baby! Mem Fox uses rhyme and repetition to create a multicultural book about something all different babies have in common: ten little fingers and ten little toes. After each baby is introduced, the same reassuring refrain follows, like this first pair that opens the book: "There was one little baby / who was born far away. / And another who was born / on the very next day. / And both of these babies, / as everyone knows, / had ten little fingers / and ten little toes." Mem includes interesting phrases like sneezes and chills, and truly divine. Together, she and illustrator Helen Oxenbury capture the feeling that there is something particularly captivating about those fingers and toes and something particularly lovable about all babies everywhere. "Do you have ten little fingers and ten little toes? Let's count them."

Baby Bear is the fourth book in a series that began 40 years ago, when Martin and Carle introduced the now-ubiquitous Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. The second in the series, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? focuses on the sounds that animals make. The third book, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? presents a collection of endangered animals. Baby Bear portrays North American animals and a baby bear's bond with its mother. Your children will love Carle's large double-page animals and Martin's text, replete with interesting vocabulary (striped skunk, screech owl, gliding, hooting). Very young readers enjoy books with repetition, and Baby Bear contains the familiar word patterns found in other books in the series. Try using the word pattern to say something to your own child. "My baby, my baby, what do you see? Do you see your mommy reading to you? I think you do."

You have probably noticed how babies and toddlers are drawn to photographs of other babies. In this beautiful multicultural board book, babies from all over the world are captured in exquisite local clothing-decorative but not fancy. And even more intriguing than their outfits are their faces. These babies-from Mali to Malawi, from Peru to Afghanistan-seem to be "communicating" with the camera, and therefore with the reader. An excellent browsing book for your very young child.

I Am a Bunny, by Ole Risom. Illus. by Richard Scarry. [1963] 2004.
The Rooster Struts, by Richard Scarry. [1963] 2004.

Richard Scarry's vivid illustrations come to life in these tall, slender, reissued board books. Scarry's art is warm, expressive, and precise. I Am a Bunny depicts the small animal's changing habits as one season turns into the next and the yearly cycle starts again. In The Rooster Struts simple sentences describe how each animal moves: "The duck waddles. The goose waggles." Word repetition, rhyme, and consistent pacing lend both books an element of poetry. The illustrations convey detail and suggest a sense of balance and order in the natural world. This is nonfiction-for- the-very-young at its best. Add your own action line to describe how your baby moves: "The baby stretches."

Life on a farm can be noisy! Polacco uses lilting, repetitive language and rich watercolor illustrations to show various animal families and the sounds they make. "Dogs say buff, buff, buff. Sheep say baa, baa, baa. Geese say honk, honk, honk. Bunnies say nothing at all." And what happens when all the animals speak up all at once, causing quite a ruckus when a baby is sleeping nearby? "Mommies say shhh, shhh, shhh." A great read-aloud where you can invite your little one to chime in.

Bears, written by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Phyllis Rowand, was first published in 1948. Maurice Sendak was still an undiscovered artist at that time, but he and Krauss soon became close friends and collaborators. In this reissue, Bears has new illustrations by Sendak. Krauss's charming story about bears and their fantastic habits now has a new twist. In addition to illustrating the bears, Sendak added a subplot: Max, the white-suited character from Where the Wild Things Are, can be seen searching for his dog, who has snatched one of Max's teddy bears. This is a piece of literary history and a seductive read for children.

"The words of nursery rhymes and songs gave both wings and roots to my soul," says Alma Flor Ada, one of the book's editors. ¡Pío Peep! compiles 29 rhymes and nursery songs from Spain and Latin America, lovingly selected favorites of these regions' cultures. Accompanying English versions capture the essence and the beauty of the rhyme, so both English and Spanish versions are poetic and rhythmic, just as nursery rhymes should be. Having only one rhyme per page, with beautiful illustrations by Viví Escrivá, is age appropriate, without too many visual distractions or clutter. The watercolor illustrations have just the right amount of detail for young children. You will have fun introducing these nursery rhymes to your youngster.

This nonfiction board book highlights the common ways humans and animals take care of their babies. "All families give kisses . . . share snacks . . . take baths, take naps, and say 'I love you.'" Each double-page spread juxtaposes a human family and an animal family taking part in the same activity. The photos are clear and expressive, and who doesn't like to see families taking care of their adorable babies, whether human, giraffe, or hippo? Families is an excellent introduction to the connections between all members of the animal kingdom.

Peekaboo Bedtime, a sequel to Peekaboo Morning, is a turn-the-page guessing game about all those whom a boy sees on his way to bed. "Peekaboo! I see . . . my mommy[.] Peekaboo! I see . . . my blankie[.]" Each page contains a visual clue about what he'll discover on the following page. Bright illustrations depict a three-generation family, with several pets too. The book incorporates elements of a successful bedtime routine-waving to the moon, taking a bath, and replacing shoes with slippers. Both the family and the routine make for a comforting book about getting ready for bed. Use the the book's refrain to describe something you see: "Peekaboo! I see . . . the blanket grandma made for you!"

Nobody does color like Lobel, and she devotes an entire page to the illustration of each of the farm animals featured in this day in the country. Painterly renditions of a cow, a sheep, a horse, and more are accompanied on the opposing pages by simple language describing what each animal "says" (moo, baa, neigh). Your young children can practice animal sounds as you read together. Lobel's twist-telling readers what the animals are really saying-lends an element of discovery and delivers a satisfying wrap-up to the colorful day.

With 20 familiar rhymes on 40 pages, this Mother Goose collection covers the basics and accomplishes a lot more. Each rhyme is illustrated on a generously sized double-page spread, giving young children large close-ups of all the beloved Mother Goose characters. Humorous and folksy illustrations capture characters in happy-go-lucky (Peter, pumpkin eater), disheveled (Jack and Jill rolling down the hill), shocked (Little Miss Muffet), and oblivious (Little Boy Blue) states. Although wonderful to read to babies and toddlers, older children will also enjoy the rebus puzzle component: about one word per line in each rhyme is replaced with a picture that must be "read" as part of the text. In the first line of "Little Boy Blue" ("Little Boy Blue, come, blow your horn!"), a picture of a horn replaces the word horn. Because of the nature of the illustrations and the rebus puzzles, this book can be enjoyed by the whole family.

"Welcome to the farm," Wendell Minor writes in the opening to My Farm Friends, warmly beckoning readers. Each turn of the page introduces one or two farm animals and teaches interesting facts and habits about each one with humor and rhyme. "Pigs can't sweat / Or jump in a pool / So they roll in the mud / That's how they stay cool." Wendell's love of animals will be clear when you read the book's dedication, in which he reminisces about loving his family farm as a child. Children will see the care he has put into illustrating each animal. He captures a pig's knowing glance, a sheep's tender nuzzle of her lamb, and the gentleness of a goat's droopy eyes and soft lips as it chews a stolen bandana. You can share with your children the additional fascinating facts about the animals found at the back.

Source: Book descriptions adapted from The Reading Chair column that has been published in each issue of Young Children since 2005. Isabel Baker has been writing the column since 2005, and Miriam Baker Schiffer joined as coauthor in 2007.

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Great Books to Read to Infants and Toddlers

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Many families are familiar with classic books like Goodnight Moon and read them over and over with their very youngest children. Here are some more recent titles and reissues you and your baby will both love. (Note: Many of these books are available in Spanish, and can be purchased as a hardcover, paperback, or board book.)

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Fall in Love with Reading: Ten Simple Things you Can Do at Home

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There are many ways to enjoy reading with your child. Here are a few ways to make reading a fun part of your everyday life.

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Toddlers and Reading: Describe but Don't Drill

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Flash cards emphasize memorization but complex language is what's important.

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Lots of printables!

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There are so many amazing books for kids that we love to read over and over again with students. From classics such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to newer finds like Love, Z we want to bring these books to life through book activities that build literacy skills. It's all about the joy of reading and playing with books.

This is a page you will want to pin ( PIN HERE) so that you can reference back to it over and over. It's filled with lots of book activity goodies.

Activities Based on Children's Books
All of the book activities shared on Growing Book by Book are hands-on AND build literacy skills from alphabet recognition to phonological awareness to retelling stories. Everything is literacy-rich!
From The Very Hungry Caterpillar to A House for Hermit Crab, we have lots of literacy activities to compliment Eric Carle's amazing work.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Activities The Very Busy Spider Activities A House for Hermit Crab Activities The Tiny Seed Activities The Grouchy Ladybug Activities The Mixed-Up Chameleon Activities
Pete the Cat Book Activities

Dive into the first four original Pete the Cat books with these literacy activities.
Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes Pete the Cat and the Four Groovy Buttons Pete the Cat Saves Christmas
Fairy Tales/Fable Activities

You can build whole units off different fairy tales and fables. In fact, I highly encourage you to do so!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears - includes printable activities

The Little Red Hen - includes printable activities

The Three Little Pigs- includes printable activities

The Three Billy Goats Gruff- includes printable activities
Speaking of units, we have ready to go book-based literacy unit available to you. See all nine units.->Preschool Literacy Units
Read for the Record Day Activities

Each October, Jump Start for Reading sponsors Read for the Record Day. This is a day to see how many people can read the same book on the same day. It's always great fun to see which book will be chosen and plan a whole day of book activities around the selected title.

Each year, I provide activities to go along with the selected book. Check out these past features.
Thank You, Omu! Maybe Something Beautiful
Not Norman:A Goldfish Story
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
Individual Book Activities

Below you will find other book-related activities from old favorites to new finds. Activities range in age from toddlers to beginning readers.
The Day the Crayons Quit Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Planting a Rainbow Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Dragons Love Tacos If You Give a Mouse a Cookie If You Give a Pig a Pancake If You Give a Moose a Muffin Pigeon Math Ten Red Apples The Snowy Day Mouse Shapes Freight Train Little Blue Truck Goodnight Construction Site Pinkalicious A Rainbow of My Own Commotion in the Ocean Room on the Broom The Snail and the Whale Little Blue Little Yellow Llama Llama Red Pajama Tap the Magic Tree
Holiday Books and Activities

Celebrate a holiday with books and activities. We have lots to choose from.
Valentine's Day
So many books. So many book activities. Wish there was another book on the list? Let me know below.
P.S.- If you love books and book activities, you want to be a part of the Growing Book by Book community. Join for free.->Subscribe to Growing Book by Book

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Big List of Book Activities for Children

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There are so many amazing books for kids that we love to read over and over again with students. From classics such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to newer finds like Love, Z we want to bring these books to life through book activities that build literacy skills.

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Playing with Stories: Using Books to Inspire Play

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Here are some ways I've used books for play with children. You can try these or come up with your own.

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playing as you read

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Being the parent of a young child can be stressful under any circumstances, but our current reality makes it even harder to parent during the pandemic. Families have lots of questions, so we reached out to Rebecca Parlakian, ZERO TO THREE's senior director of programs, for her thoughts and advice for parents with babies, toddlers and preschoolers during the pandemic and this period of social distancing.

CHALLENGING TIMES

"You don't have to be perfect."
First Things First: Many families are at home together 24/7 and will be for some time to come. What are the challenges for parents with young children?
Rebecca Parlakian: Social distancing and rules about staying at home have totally changed daily life for many Americans, my family included. No change is easy, and this has been a particularly rapid and difficult change to adjust to. So when I think about what's challenging for families, the answer is probably: Everything.

The rhythm of our days and weeks have changed completely, with schools closed and community resources limited. As we manage these changes, we're also dealing with very real stressors about health, finances and even finding toilet paper! So this is a very hard time for families. It's also the perfect time to remember that you don't have to be perfect! You are allowed to feel tired, stressed and worn out.
FTF: So what's your advice to parents in these challenging times?
RP: The only two things that need to be on a parent's to-do list right now are taking care of themselves and connecting with their children.

Taking care of ourselves is the oxygen mask approach, like in a plane, when the flight attendant tells us to put on our own mask before helping others. This is a reminder that we need to care for ourselves in order to care for our children. So parents shouldn't feel bad about carving out time each day to do something that makes them feel good, whether it's a workout, a shower or a chapter in a book.

And connecting with our children is not about creating detailed activities that cover every minute of the day. It's not possible or practical to be engaged with them all the time. Especially if you're also working from home. Connecting means finding times across the day to share moments of nurturing and affection. To cuddle, hug and kiss them. To read a story, play a game, watch them play, let them help us cook or sort laundry. In times of intense change, children feel safe and secure when they can trust you to be there. That's when they become free to do their "work" - playing, learning, exploring and creating.

DEALING WITH STRESS

"When we make time to 'share our calm' with children, they feel safe and secure."
FTF: Parents are going to get stressed, frustrated and upset at times. What would you advise them to keep in mind when they're not at their best?
RP: I would first encourage parents to keep in mind that it's okay if they are not 100% right now. The goal isn't perfection. The goal is being able to meet the needs of our little ones with love.

All parents have moments when they make missteps and wish they had a "do-over." If that happens - actually, when that happens - remember that it's the repair that matters most to your relationship with your child. What does "repair" mean? It's what we do after our misstep to reconnect with our child and re-establish our connection. So, I might say to my toddler: "Mama didn't mean to yell when you spilled your juice. I shouldn't have done that, and I'm sorry. Let me give you a great big hug! Everyone spills sometimes. Would you like to help me wipe it up with a towel?"

A final thought is that parents may want to consider strategies they can use on a daily basis to bring down their stress level. ZERO TO THREE has some great mindfulness practices for parents to check out, for example. Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress and increase a parent's ability to be present and compassionate with their children, even during tough times.
FTF: How can parents help their young kids deal with the stress around them?
RP: The first and most important thing parents can do is find times to connect with their children across the day. Think of ways to get cozy together, cuddle and check in. Young children regulate their emotions with the help of their loved adults. This process is called "co-regulation." So when we make time to "share our calm" with children, they feel safe and secure.

Notice how your child communicates their feelings through behavior, and be patient with any changes - like your child seeming to "lose" potty-training skills, being more clingy, or waking more at night. These are often signs that a child is struggling or feeling stressed, so extra patience is job one for parents.

Another strategy is using a consistent routine that children, even babies, can come to depend on. First, breakfast, then tooth-brushing, then dressing, then play time, then a story, then lunch, and so on. Routines organize us and help us feel secure.

Parents can also try age-appropriate ways to help children to communicate their feelings. Turn on some music for a "dance party" that lets children get their "worry wiggles" out. Paint a "feelings picture" to show each other how you are feeling. Try some simple pretend play with a stuffed animal or puppet; start by asking your child, "This is my stuffed dog, Spot. How do you think Spot is feeling right now?" Talk about and act out your child's suggestions. Sometimes young children express their worries and thoughts through play before they can describe them in words.

You can also make calming routines part of the day like sharing simple yoga moves before nap time or trying some of ZERO TO THREE's mindfulness exercises for toddlers and preschoolers. Offer your child a gentle massage before bedtime. Sit together and share a familiar song or lullaby when they need some time to recharge.
FTF: How about families with babies? Are infants affected by the stress of those around them?
RP: Even babies are picking up on their parents' and caregivers' stress. They notice when our voices, posture, expressions, touch and "way of being" is different.

You can help your baby feel secure, even when so much is changing by the day, by making lots of time for physical touch and holding. By responding lovingly to their cues and cries. By being patient with their fussiness - it's how they show us they are feeling unsure! And by using a fairly consistent schedule that they can trust and anticipate.

DAILY SCHEDULES AND ACTIVITIES
FTF: Some families are making daily schedules, with time for reading, art, exercise, games, etc. Is that a good idea?
RP: One of the biggest stressors for many families at home right now is that there is no schedule. Both adults and children feel a little unsure about what to do with their days. A schedule can provide some consistency and daily routines, which are very helpful for young children. And creating a schedule helps us to focus on the need for a variety of activities, from reading together to physical play, free play and other activities. We all do better when we have a balanced "diet" of activities.

While I see the value in schedules, I really encourage parents to be flexible. You should be in charge of the schedule; don't let the schedule be in charge of you. Identify a few main activities that happen every day - mealtimes, diaper changes, naps, bath time - to form your basic daily schedule. Then, list categories of activities that your child enjoys, like physical play, reading, drawing/art, quiet play (like puzzles or blocks), free play, play with parents, chores and screen time (if you choose). You can slot in these other activities across the day, or ask your child to choose activities from this list, to fill out a daily schedule.
FTF: What activities can families do at home with toddlers and preschoolers?
RP: There are so many fun activities out there for little ones, it's hard to choose just a few ideas! If parents want to browse play suggestions, ZERO TO THREE offers a range of age-based resources for babies birth to 12 months, 12 to 24 months, and 24 to 36 m onths.

While it's fun for children to play with parents, it's also important for children to have some time to play on their own or with parents nearby, watching, but not involved. Time for independent play builds a child's problem-solving skills, attention, and persistence - and it also gives parents a few much-needed minutes to just be.
FTF: How can families stay connected with grandparents, relatives and friends?
RP: Right now, video chat is a great tool to stay in touch. Young children - even babies - can recognize and build a relationship with someone who they interact with regularly on video chat. Here are some tips for making the most of video chats with your little one, based on the research.

Another idea is to work on a project together, but apart. For example, a colleague of mine sent photos back and forth via text with her 4-year-old grandniece. Together, they sent one another pictures of things in their houses from A to Z. My colleague sent a picture of toilet paper for T, while her grandniece sent back a picture of underwear for U. You can also send videos of songs, stories and jokes back and forth.

ONE LAST REMINDER
"You have what it takes." FTF: Thank you very much for sharing your expertise and encouragement. Any last reminder for parents of young kids in the time of coronavirus and social distancing?
RP: The most important thing for parents to remember is that you are your child's favorite person in the whole world. You have what it takes and what they need.

Rebecca Parlakian is senior director of programs for ZERO TO THREE, a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to ensure all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. She holds a master's degree in education and human development, with a concentration in infant-toddler special education, from the George Washington University, where she is currently serving as adjunct faculty.

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Parenting in the time of coronavirus and social distancing

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Being the parent of a young child can be stressful under any circumstances, but our current reality makes it even harder to parent during the pandemic. Families have lots of questions, so we reached out to Rebecca Parlakian, ZERO TO THREE's senior director of programs, for her thoughts and advice for parents with babies, toddlers and preschoolers during the pandemic and this period of social distancing.

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Reading to toddler = Less hyper schoolkid!

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Reading to toddler = Less hyper schoolkid!

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Most parents know that reading to their kids promotes literacy later in life. But a new study shows that it has other surprising effects too.

While reading books to your toddler and playing "pretend" may not seem like super exciting activities to most parents, new research published in the journal Pediatrics clearly shows that engaging in these activities when your kids are little can lead to huge, surprising payoffs when they enter school. And we're not just talking literacy here.

For the study, titled "Reading Aloud, Play, and Social-Emotional Development," researchers videotaped one group of families' interactions while reading and playing with their young children-babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Then, the researchers reviewed the videos and provided positive feedback and reinforcement on the interactions. The other group didn't get any instruction or reinforcement on how to interact with their kids. When the researchers followed up with the kids a year-and-a-half after the study, they found that the kids in the intervention group were less hyperactive and had better social skills than the kids in the other group.

"This study showed that when parents read and play and talk and teach their children, even during the first three years, there are long-standing and large effects that include improved behaviour when they enter school," says Alan Mendelsohn, associate professor of pediatrics and population at the New York University School of Medicine. "This includes better attention, better capacity to sit still and better capacity to engage their peers and teachers. All of that is really important because when children can sit still and engage with others, they can learn better."

So just what it is about reading and pretend play that helps a kid learn to sit still and listen? First, they both facilitate conversation. "That back and forth language and communication is so important as they begin to use words, and begin to use words to describe their feelings," says Mendelsohn. "In learning about language and about feelings, kids can begin to internalize that language and use it for themselves." The idea is that by the time a kid gets to school, he may get angry by another child's behaviour, but he won't get up and hit him.

How to encourage reading habits

But it's also about quality time. "People often think that if a child has a behaviour problem, you have to find a way to discipline that problem. But a three-year-old is probably exhibiting a normal behaviour, like hitting, and the key to addressing those behaviours is probably more in building relationships between the parents and kids," says Mendelsohn, who previously co-directed a behaviour problems clinic at Bellevue Hospital in New York.

To that point, it really is important that this interaction be between a caregiver and the child. As Mendelsohn puts it: "You don't get this from screens."
Read more:
100 best Canadian kids' books of all time
17 fun reading apps we love

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Study: Reading aloud to toddlers can make them less hyper as schoolagers

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Most parents know that reading to their kids promotes literacy later in life. But a new study shows that it has other surprising effects too. While reading books to your toddler and playing "pretend" may not seem like super exciting activities to most parents, new research published in the journal Pediatrics clearly shows that engaging in these activities when your kids are little can lead to huge, surprising payoffs when they enter school.

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Print and pass it on!

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Tips on Playing with Babies and Toddlers

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Try these tips the next time you play with your child and watch how even the simplest interactions encourage them to learn and explore the world around them.

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American Sign Language For Babies: 10 Easy ASL Signs Parents Can Use To Communicate

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Book List from a Canadian Parenting website

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Carla Hudson Kam's son was three and a half when he realized text in books had meaning. "He was trying to tell me what to say while I was reading to him," explains Hudson Kam. "When I told him that wasn't what the book said, he exclaimed 'Those are WORDS? And they tell you what to SAY?' He hadn't realized that I didn't just have the story memorized."

Hudson Kam's kid had an advantage-as a professor and Canada research chair in language acquisition at the University of British Columbia, his mom is basically a professional story reader. And thanks to that, she points to the text on the page as she speaks, to encourage kids to have just that kind of revelation.

While any reading you do to your kid is beneficial, adding in a few simple techniques can help kids learn vocabulary faster and even encourage skills like empathy and self-control. Here's an age-by-age guide to making story time even more enriching:

Reading to a baby under a year

Try big kid books

You might not think to read a complex storybook to a newborn, but babies under six months old actually benefit from hearing the kind of books you would read to older kids. "It helps them hear the rhythm of the language," says Hudson Kam. "It trains their ear and makes it a little easier for them to pay attention to longer sentences later."

Grab their attention

By about six to twelve months, babies start to get interested in books as toys to examine and manipulate. Expose them to cloth or board books with things like flaps, textures like a bit of fur or rubber on the page, crinkle pages or electronic buttons to keep their interest. But don't be surprised if they just pull the book from your hand and just mouth it or physically explore it-that's totally normal, and okay at this stage.

Simple sells

Books that have simple pictures paired with single words help babies learn their first vocabulary. If there is more than one picture on the page, be sure to point to what you're talking about. "When there are two or more pictures on a page, kids don't know what to look at," says Hudson Kam.

Reading to a one-year-old

Turn to the classics

Nursery rhymes are great at this age because of their natural rhythm. "Kids seem to learn new vocabulary better when we pause before something important, because that lets their brains catch up," says Hudson Kam. "It's very hard to do that intentionally, but we do it naturally with rhymes." Books should also have thick pages to make turning the page easier, be colourful and have on picture per page.

Expect more

You'll still want to point at pictures and label them, but now you can expect your child to respond by pointing, gesturing, making a sound or imitating the word. "By the time babies are about 12 months old, you can say, 'Where is the red balloon?' and they can point at it," says Alyson Shaw, a paediatrician and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa. Then, to take it further, aim for a few more back and forths. You might wait and see if your toddler taps the page, and then you could say "the boy is holding the balloon" and wait again to see if your child does something in response. These kinds of back and forths are the beginning of what's called dialogic reading, a technique where parents and kids have a conversation about what's in a book that helps kids retain vocabulary. "Research suggests children who have more conversations prior to two have superior language skills at 13," says Luigi Girolametto, professor emeritus of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Toronto.

Reading to a two-year-old

Read about their world

Toddlers are ready for books that have more complex pictures and stories. The best picks describe something familiar to them, like going to the park or a bedtime routine.

Make it fun

If you have an active toddler who has no interest in sitting still for story time, try getting a more interactive book-lift the flap or pull the tab ones, or electronic ones that make sounds when you push a button are great to keep kids involved.

Ask questions

Toddlers love re-reading favourite stories. After you have read a book together a few times and they have gotten familiar with a story, try prompting them to tell you what happens next. For example, with Five Little Monkeys, you could pause when the monkey falls off the bed and say "UH OH, what happened?" Or you can connect the text to the real world-if the book has a dog in it, you can say, "a doggie! Just like grandma's doggie!"

"Read" the pictures

When you flip to a new page, try ignoring the text and pausing to see what your kid says instead. If your two year old looks at the picture and says "Doggie run!" you can expand with a longer phrase: "Yes! The doggie is chasing the cat." Those types of expansions-where you answer your kid with a sentence that's just a bit more complex -help kids learn grammar and new words faster.

Reading to a three-year-old

Expand the plot

Kids this age are graduating to real stories with simple plots-look for books where the character has a problem, tries to fix it, and finally there is a happy ending. This level of book tends to have three or four sentences per page. You can also introduce your kid to non-fiction books that teach kids about topics like dinosaurs or the solar system.

Follow the text

If the book has multiple pictures on the page, point at the relevant one so it's clear to your kid what you're talking about. If there is only one picture per page, try pointing to the text instead of the image, which helps kids learn that you read from top to bottom, and left to right-and maybe even that text has meaning, like Hudson Kam's kid learned.

Explain new vocabulary

When you come across a word that's new to your kid, pause to describe it. "If a book says soggy, you can say, 'He's soggy! That means he's really really wet. Just like when you came out of the rain, you were soggy,'" says Janice Greenberg, director of early childhood education services at The Hanen Centre, a not-for-profit organization that teaches language and social skills to parents and professionals.

Focus on feelings

In the same way, stop to discuss what the characters are feeling. "Internal states are really complicated for kids to understand," says Hudson Kam. "Simply stopping when you run across words like think, want, desire, wonder and hope to discuss what those words mean has been shown to help kids understand other people's feelings." You could say something like, "Oh, he wants the toy, but the other boy is playing with it. How do you think that makes him feel?" Then you can tie it to real life and say, remember when we were in the playground yesterday, when you were having a bit of trouble sharing a toy? "If you do that, books become not only a place to build literacy, but also problem solving and emotional regulation, too," says Greenberg.

Reading to four and five-year-olds

Get complicated

Kids have now graduated beyond simple, straightforward problem-and-answer stories to ones with multiple issues, secondary plots and characters who have conflicting desires. These books tend to have four to 10 sentences per page, and still have a photo on every spread.

Find the text

At this age, you can focus on pre-reading skills, to help kids learn that words are important and to focus on the text. Point out sentences that rhyme, and alliteration (when words start with the same letter or sound). And read out text in the illustrations-a stop sign or store name, for example- to help kids develop the idea that words are meaningful.

Add predictions

Ask kids to guess what's going to happen next in the story, which helps them learn to think about experiences as a sequence of events. "That's one of the skills they need to develop to come home from kindergarten and tell you what happened in their day," says Shaw.

Reading to six-year-olds and up

Don't stop!

"Most people stop reading aloud at this age, because they think kids can read on their own," says Greenberg. "But when kids start to read, they start with really simple books that don't really advance the child's ability with vocabulary, or inferencing, or even complex plot."

Graduate to chapter books

When you're looking for read-aloud choices, look to chapter books with fewer or no pictures. They're a great way to show kids more complicated plots and advanced language, like passive sentence structure, that we don't use in everyday speech very often. (Plus, you might get to finally reach for some of your childhood favourites.)

Connect the dots

Continue having conversations about what you're reading, and talk about how it relates to your kids own life, and to their previous knowledge. That will make sure that they are ready for the next big transition, moving from learning to read to reading to learn, which typically happens in grade three.

Keep it fun

Above all, make sure you keep the experience enjoyable at every age. The most important part is to keep up a feeling of joy around reading. Hudson Kam found that her kid's joy of reading lagged a bit when he started learning to read on his own, because he found the early reading books boring. But once he got to the age where he could read what was interesting to himself, "he has just kept on reading," says Hudson Kam. "We have to limit him at night now or he'll keep reading until the wee hours of the morning."

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An age-by-age guide to reading to your kids

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Carla Hudson Kam's son was three and a half when he realized text in books had meaning. "He was trying to tell me what to say while I was reading to him," explains Hudson Kam. "When I told him that wasn't what the book said, he exclaimed 'Those are WORDS?

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Many of us in early childhood education champion children's right and need to play. We are also well aware of a growing pressure to sacrifice play for academic performance. What can we do to preserve play as a vital part of life for young children? We can begin by communicating to parents and others the importance of play and what it does for children.

Play involves the whole child. Play builds physical skills (such as balance, agility, strength, and coordination), cognitive skills (including language, problem solving, strategizing, and concept development), social skills (sharing, turn-taking, cooperation, and leadership), and the components for emotional well-being (joy, creativity, self-confidence, and so on). It is the fundamental process underlying most of the learning children do before they come to school.

Play takes time to unfold. Deep, meaningful play episodes are not going to occur in 15-minute "recess" periods. Dramatic play, in particular, requires time for children to sort through potential play themes, assume roles, gather props, and set the stage. This does not happen in an adult-led activity but rather through the fluid action and interaction of children as they disconnect from fixed classroom routines and take charge of their own behavior, time, and space. The process cannot be rushed, but it can be helped along by teachers who create an environment which invites children to explore the opportunities play offers in an unhurried way.

Play is critical to the development of healthy, well-rounded, confident children. Play's contribution to development builds not only healthy bodies, but also healthy children: physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. Play is the primary process through which children experience and internalize the world around them. When play is viewed as merely a respite from more structured learning experiences, the true value of it is lost.

Looking at the Big Picture

Childhood is a magical time, and play and playfulness create learning experiences that are not always neat, orderly, and easily scheduled. We need to communicate to others that childhood is more than just the process of preparing children for life.

Let's not oversupply our children with "toys" that are so neatly packaged and prepared that children must invest none of themselves in order to make play happen. One recent television commercial built its pitch on a common event in childhood and one that we've all experienced: A little girl spends more time playing with the box than the toy that came in it. The voice-over labels this "priceless." There is a great truth in this observation and in the very behavior that we've all witnessed: The box is often more fun because children can make it do and be whatever they want it to do or be! Many of today's toys, as well as television and video games, don't require children to invest anything of themselves into the play.

Perhaps this is "preaching to the choir"-- but as professionals, we need to help others understand the tremendous value of play. We also need to reassess what we are doing, because we may find ways to improve even when we're on the right track.

Box Play

Here are some suggestions to think of as a starting point based on the simple idea of taking boxes outside. As you try these with children, don't hesitate to branch out Trust your professional judgment and seek input and suggestions from other professionals, who, like you, view children as willing and capable learners who learn best through play and playful interaction.

COLLECT CARDBOARD BOXES OF ALL SIZES. Fill one box with paper plates, bits of foil, plastic lids from coffee cans, wooden spools, and other unbreakable oddities. Take the boxes outside along with paint, brushes, water glue, and other tools and art materials. Then encourage children to use the materials to build their own "vehicles." (This can be an activity on its own, the inspiration for project work, or even the culurination of a unit on exploring transportation.) Let children get messy; let them paint in bold colors and glue, fold, staple, and bend to their hearts' delight.

GIVE THE PROJECT TIME. Allow at least several days so children have time to create and re-create. When the vehicles are all finished, invite children to share their creations and then make charts graphing the colors of their creations, the number of wheels, the kinds of accessories that were added (mirrors and seats, for instance), and whatever else seems "graphable." Make sure children also have time to push each other around on the grass in their vehicles, slide down a hill, stack vehicles, get in them, under them, beside them, and on and on.

ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO EXPERIMENT. Invite children to use boxes for balancing on a seesaw or stacking and arranging to make cubes or rectangles. Have a "box toss" to see how far boxes can be thrown, and try tossing boxes into hula hoops or over other boxes.

ADD MOTION. Get short sections of one- to two-inch diameter PVC pipe. Show children how to place sections of pipe underneath boxes to serve as wheels. (Pipe will move from the rear of a box to the front as it passes under the vehicles.) If possible, share books that illustrate historical building projects using this technique for moving heavy objects. Let children experiment to see what other things they can move using this method.

DON'T HURRY. Let children have time to play and develop themes. Add elements to inspire creative play, such as empty pizza boxes, empty milk cartons, hoses, cardboard tubes, and small stepladders.

VIDEOTAPE CHILDREN'S PLAY. Share the video at story time and use it as a basis for writing a story together about children's outdoor activity, taking the recorded dialog from children right into the story. Read your story at group time. Make copies for each child and watch the magic as they discover the rudiments of reading as children hear and see their own words set to print.

AND FINALLY... As the boxes finally start coming apart, let children jump over them, jump on them, flatten them out, and even use them to build huge "tents." When they seem to finally have outlived their usefulness, stack them in layers with dirt and leaves, add a cup of worms from a bait store or pet shop, cover them with a large plastic bag, and create a compost area. Check regularly for decomposition and when decomposed, take the rich soil and let children put it into containers and plant seeds! (If you take this far enough, you can talk about the fact that their children could actually create new cardboard boxes from the trees that will grow from the seeds they are planting in their cardboard-- box compost!)

Additional Activities

Beach Ball Gymnastics (for infants age six months and up)

Inflate a beach ball just enough to support a crawling infant's weight. Place the ball on a soft surface and gently hold the infant tummy down on the beach ball. Roll the baby gently forward and backward on her tummy, watching closely for any signs of fear. This kind of activity begins working on vestibular stimulation as a precursor to balance. For an added treat, place an unbreakable mirror on the floor so the baby can see himself as he rolls forward over the "horizon" of the ball. Make sure you cue Baby by saying things like, "Where's Jason?" as you start rolling forward, and then, "There he is!" as you roll far enough forward for him to see himself. If you don't have beach balls, round bolster pillows will do just as well, or you can roll up a comforter or sleeping bag and tie it into a "log" using ribbon or string. Important: Stop immediately if babies show stress by crying or remaining rigid. Make sure you only roll the baby in the direction of an imaginary line passing through the middle of the baby's body lengthwise. Don't roll the baby to the side, as you may lose your grip. And make sure you don't do this activity too soon after feeding!

Scooping (for toddlers and beginning preschoolers)

Collect gallon milk jugs and cut one side and the bottom out to form a "scoop." Help children practice scooping up balls rolled to them on the floor. Use balls of different sizes and weights. Begin slowly, as it will be a real challenge to eye-hand coordination. Watch for children who begin to anticipate where the ball will roll, rather than scooping at it as it rolls past. After repeated practice, accompanied by many "Oooohs" and "Ahhhs" of delight from you, the "anticipators" may be ready to try scooping a plush toy or nerf ball thrown slowly and deliberately to them. Crossing the River (for preschoolers)

Cut out 30 to 50 basic shapes in sets of six-six triangles, six squares, six circles, and so on. (Use felt or vinyl material for repeated use.) Mark two lines about 10 to 15 feet apart using ropes, chalk, or pieces of tape. Randomly place the shapes between the two lines and then challenge children to cross the river by playing Follow the Leader stepping only on the shapes the leader steps on. As a variation, challenge children to cross by jumping from shape to shape as you (or another child) call them out. Important: For children with motor impairments, lay out the basic shapes on a wheelchair- or walker-accessible surface such as asphalt, concrete, or rubber surfacing.

Recycle Relay Racing (for kindergartners)

Collect several clean plastic containers (recyclable). Place the containers in a pile about 30 feet from the starting line. Divide your group into three or more teams and provide a clean trash can or, for "realism," a recycling bin for each team. Ask one child from each team to line up and race to the pile, pick up a recyclable item, and drop it into her team's container. Continue the race until all items are "collected" for recycling. A variation is to send two runners holding the corners of a towel to the pile to "load up" the towel and return with as many as they can carry.

Dr. Eric Strickland has been a Head Start teacher and director head teacher at the Auburn University at Montgomery (Alabama) Child Development Center and associate professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is now the founder and president of Grounds for Play, a design/build firm that specializes in outdoor play spaces.
Click here to view and download the Developmental Chart Motor Skills Age by Age (PDF)

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Many of us in early childhood education champion children's right and need to play. We are also well aware of a growing pressure to sacrifice play for academic performance. What can we do to preserve play as a vital part of life for young children?

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The More We Get Together | Barefoot Books Singalong

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10 ASL Signs For Feelings | American Sign Language For Kids

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simple videos, searchable

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The sign language site is one of few most reliable resources and references highly recommended by Deaf native signers, including ASL instructors.

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"THANK YOU SO MUCH. This site is amazing. I am just learning ASL, and I keep this tab open on my computer and check in several times a day to form words and sentences. Very blessed for this incredible project of yours. -- A.S."

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"Your website is a blessing! I often refer my ASL students to the tutorials on this site as an extracurricular resource when they needed help. -- a certified ASL instructor and Deaf native signer."

"... thank you for making such an important and useful resource for those of us on the path to fluency in the language and art of American Sign Language. Your Handspeak website has provided me with countless hours of invaluable insight and dare I say entertainment. You're a beautiful person, and your work is thoroughly appreciated." -- Patrick Ryan (Minnesota), 2015.

"Handspeak is such a great online ASL lexicon, and it is very helpful. My TA's recommended it over other online ASL dictionaries. Thank you again! -- J.Y., 2017"

"Our daughter is so much happier that she can tell us what she wants and needs. Much less crying, much more laughing! Thank you for this site, the best of its kind on the web."

"We use the site in our homeschooling, as a second language, for our 9-year-old child who does really well with homeschooling. He's exceptionally bright, very active, inquisitive and challenging. Your site has captured his interest and he is intrigued."

"I scuba dive, and being able to use sign language while diving would expand the experience greatly. -- L. Niles"

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Sign Language resources online including ASL dictionary, tutorials, grammar, sentences, alphabet, Deaf culture, baby signing, and more.

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All new parents have felt the frustration of trying to figure out what exactly their baby needs. But until a baby speaks her first words, communication is mostly limited. Enter baby sign language, a method of teaching simple gestures for the things they need and suddenly, a whole new world may open up for both babies and parents.

For some parents, baby sign language is a peek into the mind of their child, and an opportunity to begin connecting before speech is developed.

"A baby's ability to speak develops later than his or her ability to comprehend spoken language, causing a lag between what they understand (receptive language) and what they can communicate (expressive language)," Lane Rebelo, baby sign language instructor and founder of Tiny Signs told TODAY.

"Signing gives babies more refined tools than just pointing to express what they're thinking, says Rebelo. "Parents who use sign language end up finding their little ones understand so much more than they ever would have imagined once they get started."

Typically, most babies can begin signing in the range of 8-12 months of age. Rebelo suggests that interested parents begin using sign language when their baby is 6-8 months old but says not to worry if your child is older since there isn't a magical window that closes.

"Parents can start teaching sign language to their baby at any time," she said. "Some parents start right away, and others wait until after their baby's first birthday when they realize it would be really helpful for their frustrated toddler!"

And just like with other milestones like rolling over, crawling, and even talking, the exact time when sign language will begin working will vary from baby to baby.

"Five months is the youngest I have seen personally," says Rebelo. Other babies may not begin to sign back until around the first birthday, but then their sign language may take off rapidly. Sometimes it just doesn't click until after they turn one, but then it happens rapidly," says Rebelo. Remember that you are the expert on judging your baby's readiness.

The first step for teaching your baby sign language is to say the word and make the gesture at the same time. For example, when you hand your baby milk, say "milk" while making the sign for it (an open and closed fist/milking gesture).

Pair the sign with word every time you say it - remember, repetition is key. Don't be discouraged if your baby doesn't gesture for her milk right away. It may take her some time to get the hang of it. But when she does, suddenly the level of communication between you two will expand.

"Most families begin with useful and practical signs like 'milk,' 'eat,' 'more' and 'all done' when they first get started," says Rebelo. "I recommend that parents also include some playful signs like 'dog,' 'cat,' 'ball' and even 'light' as these signs are fun and motivating for babies. Babies want to communicate about what interests them, so many families find early success with these playful signs, which helps get the ball rolling."

Parents can find opportunities to sign to their baby throughout the day, from mealtimes to walks in the park to just playing together at home. Give your baby an exposure to a variety of items that pair with the same gesture so she will understand that the sign she makes gets her what she wants.

Many parents wonder if using baby sign language will make their little one a late talker, but the research indicates the opposite may be true.

"Learning baby sign language definitely does not delay speech development, in fact, the research indicates that babies exposed to sign language speak earlier and have larger vocabularies," says Rebelo.

A seminal study by doctors Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn, funded by the National Institute of Health, showed that 11-month old babies exposed to sign language had larger vocabularies and understood more words by age two than those in the non-signing group of the study.

So will your baby be signing even when she begins to talk?

"Most babies will sign exclusively at first, and then they might overlap speech with the sign and then the sign falls away as speech takes off," says Rebelo. "Some babies skip the overlapping stage of signing and talking and will drop signing abruptly as their speech develops, which happens rapidly from about 18 months on for typically developing children."

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How baby sign language can help you communicate with your child

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All new parents have felt the frustration of trying to figure out what exactly their baby needs. But until a baby speaks her first words, communication is mostly limited. Enter baby sign language, a method of teaching simple gestures for the things they need and suddenly, a whole new world may open up for both babies and parents.

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recommended for teaching toddlers

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If you are a parent, relative, or a teacher of babies, you may be searching for some of the best baby sign language books out there. Below are five books (and one coloring book) to get you and the little ones with you started communicating in a simple way. You may think of this period fondly after their little brains have soaked up everything around them and they have left you in the proverbial communicative dust (or is that just me?).

What people call Baby sign is actually adapted from American Sign Language (ASL), a visual language used by deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing signers alike. It is a language in its own right; one that is much more than just gestures or ways to spell words visually. If this is new information to you, you may find it helpful to read the Donders Institute's blog post on Sign Language myths or the U.S.-based Kennedy-Krieger Institute's list of common myths about signed languages.

Of course, learning baby sign is not the same as becoming fluent in one of the Sign Languages (as in American Sign or British Sign or Sign Languages of the Netherlands, etc.) of the world. If you are just interested in learning a few signs, of course there is no need to worry about fluency right from the start.

Not Just For Babies

However, the marketing around baby sign has always bothered me some. I could not quite explain my discomfort until reading something from a woman named Rachel Kolb.

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Kolb's opinion piece in the New York Times puts into words some of what has bothered me in the past. Kolb is deaf and a fluent signer, and her piece points out the disservice done to Sign Language users when baby sign is separated from ASL. Kolb's piece is worth reading as she gives non-signers like me a lot to think about.

As someone who only encountered baby sign as separate from its source language, I did not see the real potential it in. If I had thought of it as a bridge to help me learn ASL, I would have been more committed. Of course I realize that not everyone would react that way and that promoters of baby sign do not want to scare off new learners. However, Kolb is right. It is a missed opportunity to treat signing as a temporary choice to help wait out the pre-verbal stage. Instead, we should be thinking of it as a bridge to help more adults and children learn ASL or another sign language.

The other issue that bothered me is the lack of diversity in the baby sign materials I found when I became interested in it. A few new books have come out since that time. However, there is definitely room for more by signers from different Deaf communities who want to teach others to sign. That being said, these are the best baby sign language books to get started with.

This hardcover has an appealing design and covers a small number of signs that may be helpful to those just starting out. I prefer to start with something with a simple format, so this book appealed to me. The illustrations are bright and minimalist. However, if you prefer a bit more information, then the next book may suit your needs better.

Nita's First Signs (1) (Little Hands Signing) by Kathy MacMillan and Sara Brezzi

This board book covers ten common signs, setting them in context and offering pull out instructions. Macmillan is a librarian, certified ASL interpreter, and a signing storyteller. Her book offers more of a contextualized introduction to the ten signs in the book, with repetition in each story to help you and the tiny humans in your life remember the signs.

MacMillan has a second book called Nita's Day (2) (Little Hands Signing) coming out in May 2020. It uses the same format as her first book and introduces ten more signs for adults and kids to learn in context.

As an aside, MacMillan also wrote a guide to help librarians and library personnel and even some working outside libraries may find interesting. It's called Try Your Hand at This: Easy Ways to Incorporate Sign Language Into Your Programs.

Rebelo's first book, Baby Sign Language Made Easy, includes 101 signs categorized by the time you will most likely need them, so for instance at bath or meal times. She also includes ways to remember the signs and what to look for when your baby does their "baby best" to sign back.

Her Complete Guide is obviously more of a commitment in terms of time and energy, but for those who would like to go beyond the basics, it should help. It includes more signs of course, and also an index and a list of resources at the back, including her video dictionary which will help learners see the signs in action.

Zena Bailey-Harris is an ASL interpreter and this is her first book. Readers can follow her story in text and ASL, with illustrations that can help them sign along or learn the signs from it. When this was published in 2018, I somehow missed it. I am definitely hoping for more from Bailey-Harris and other ASL authors like her since there do not seem to be enough ASL stories for kids of various ages.

While this is not exactly on baby sign, this presents coloring sheets for those interested in learning to fingerspell in a variety of Signed Languages. The one linked above is for ASL. However, there are others available including ones for New Zealand, Denmark, and the Philippines.

If you're ready to go beyond the 200 or so that you can pick up in the previous books, then it may be time to move to The Gallaudet Children's Dictionary of American Sign Language with its more than 1,000 signs and illustrations. Aimed at deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing children alike, this book offers both many more signs than you will find elsewhere and also puts the signs in sentences to help you understand how to use them.

Personally, I never made it that far but hopefully others will progress enough to make good use of Gallaudet University's dictionary. The world could always use more bilingual people.

Want more? Check out our post on the best board books for babies here.

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6 of the Best Baby Sign Language Books For Parents | Book Riot

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If you are a parent, relative, or a teacher of babies, you may be searching for some of the best baby sign language books out there. Below are five books (and one coloring book) to get you and the little ones with you started communicating in a simple way.

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using signs

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ASL can help babies communicate before they talk so that you can escape temper tantrums.

Hearing your baby start talking is one of the biggest joys for a new parent. But getting to that big moment comes after months of anticipation - when are those first words finally going to come?

While every child learns to speak at a different time, one thing that can help them communicate sooner and potentially speed up their verbal development is teaching them American Sign Language.

"The brain is very elastic and able to communicate before our speech even develops, which allows sign language to be a mode of communication prior to the first word emerging," said Paula Lemane, pediatric audiologist with the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Some parents worry that babies who sign will rely solely on gestures to communicate, rather than learning how to talk. However, research shows that communicating with signs doesn't interfere with typical speech development. Some verbal development experts say this approach may actually foster language skills.

"The data are very clear that facilitating the child's communication in any way will help their ultimate growth in language and further their communication skills," said Elizabeth Crais, PhD, speech-language pathologist and professor and coordinator of PhD Studies in the division of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

"And as soon as the child learns the word for something, they drop the sign language completely because it's so much faster for them to get their needs met by speaking," she said.

Lemane said that signing can be taught early and that babies as young as 6 months have been taught to sign.

Speaking, on the other hand, generally doesn't occur until children are at least 12 months old, with most children learning a few more words between 15 and 18 months and speaking simple phrases by 24 months of age.

Children begin comprehending language much sooner than they have the ability to verbalize. Learning to express their basic needs through sign language can help toddlers ask for what they want and ease the frustration (read: tantrums) that can come with an inability to speak, said Crais.

"By teaching kids gestures, they begin to learn words faster. They begin to pick up the notion of things like 'more,' 'thank you,' 'give me,' and 'pick me up,' and can map those concepts to real words over time," she said.

First, learn the American Sign Language gestures for simple words and phrases that relate to your baby's life. "More," "Yes," "Potty," and "Drink" are all ideal places to start, said Lemane.

Then, begin teaching your baby that sign by placing your hands over theirs and doing it together at the right moment.

For example, CHLA speech pathologist Susan Silbert suggested in a recent blog post that if you're blowing bubbles around your baby, enthusiastically ask your child, "Do you want more?"

Then, bring your child's hands into the sign for 'more' while saying "more," and reinforce the concept by blowing bubbles immediately after.

Repeat the process, gradually spacing out the time between asking if they want more and helping them with the sign until they start to grasp it on their own.

"It's very important to use the verbal word with the sign," said Lemane. "Signing and speaking at the same time can help with language development."

Most children will begin using the signs in about three to four weeks, she added. But don't get discouraged if it takes a bit longer.

"Some children may need more than a few weeks. Consistency and persistency from the parents will help children's ability to communicate using sign language," said Lemane.

American Sign Language is useful for babies to learn because it's understood by a wide variety of people. However, if informal gestures work better for your family, that can be just as effective in helping kids learn to communicate, said Crais.

"There's this whole other category called symbolic gestures, like moving your hand into a circle and bringing your mouth to indicate drink or bringing closed fingers to your mouth to convey eating, that kids tend to learn around 9 to 12 months," she said. "Use some of these gestures to help them learn how to speak."

Even if it takes your child longer than average to learn to talk, the ability to communicate through signs can go a long way toward relieving their frustration (as well as yours!) as you get them what they need.

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How Baby Sign Language Can Calm Meltdowns Before Your Infant's Fi

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ASL can help babies communicate before they talk so that you can escape temper tantrums. Hearing your baby start talking is one of the biggest joys for a new parent. But getting to that big moment comes after months of anticipation - when are those first words finally going to come?

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my Top 25

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Christina Brischetto's 'littlest-ones' books on Goodreads (20 books)

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Christina Brischetto has 20 books on her littlest-ones shelf: Duck & Goose by Tad Hills, Miss Mary Mack by Mary Ann Hoberman, A Splendid Friend, Indeed b...

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This is how parents can begin to teach their toddler sign language, which is a great way to communicate before your child starts using sentences.

Most babies begin to talk by 12 months, but they try to communicate with their parents much earlier and before learning any language. But not knowing how to do so, they mostly resort to crying. An easy way of teaching a baby or toddler to express their feelings and needs without crying or whining can be through simple sign language. It will also make the parents' lives much easier when they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, unable to understand what the baby is trying to say.

Susan Goodwyn, Ph.D., a professor of child development at California State University at Stanislaus and Linda Acredolo, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis, invented Baby Sign Language in the early 1980s. Dr. Acredolo's daughter, Kate, was not a year old at that time when they noticed her using signs for specific objects. Like when she saw a flower, she used to point at it, wrinkle her nose, and sniff. These actions of Kate fascinated Dr. Acredolo and Dr. Goodwyn, who then developed Baby Signs, consisting of more than 100 gestures - a formal sign language for babies to communicate.

Continue scrolling to keep reading Click the button below to start this article in quick view.

Baby sign language is simple, and a bit different from the American Sign Language (ASL) used for the hearing impaired. It mostly comprises of a set of simple hand gestures (aka signs) corresponding to common words you use with your baby daily. It consists of limited vocabulary and some of which are part of the ASL signs meant to express the everyday needs of this age group.

Before we move onto how to teach simple sign language to the toddler, let's see the benefits of sign language.

Possible benefits of using sign language for your toddler

Kids can understand spoken words more quickly, especially from ages 1 to 2

They learn to use spoken language skills earlier, especially from 1 to 2 years old

Earlier use of sentence structure in spoken language

Sign language helps babies to communicate. Thus they are found to be less crying and whining

Improves the bonding between parent and child

Chances of an increase in IQ

Researchers say that there are no notable drawbacks of using sign language with your baby, and it doesn't delay the expression of verbal communication. Though some studies imply that sign language doesn't help in boosting the ability of toddlers to acquire verbal language earlier than usual, even these don't show any negative impact on the baby's ability to talk.

RELATED: 10 Fun Ways To Teach Spelling

How to teach sign language to your toddler

According to Jann Fujimoto, CCC-SLP, a certified speech-language pathologist in Wisconsin, the best time to start teaching your baby sign language is between the age of 4 to 6 months.

There's no extra effort required on your part to introduce your baby to sign language. All you need to do is use gestures whenever you use common words with your child. Keep it simple and be consistent, so whenever you hand over a bottle of milk to your child, use the gesture for "milk" and say the word "milk."

You can pick up any word and sign first, but make sure to say it aloud when showing the sign. Adilen Figueroa, who takes a Sign, Say, and Play class in Hartford, Connecticut, proposes parents to start with mealtime signs since babies eat multiple times a day. Most of them are even excited by food as they begin to branch out into a variety of solids.

Each child is different, and thus the grasping ability of each also tends to vary. Don't be discouraged if your child takes more time - be patient and demonstrate the words repeatedly until the child picks up. A baby typically starts making signs on her own by the time she's about 6 to 9 months. And once the toddler starts using gestures, it will surely be a treat to watch - prepare yourself to respond.

Tips to make the learning process easier

Begin with a few and common signs. To make it easier for both your and your child, start with the most useful words that you use more often in a day - for instance, "drink," "milk," "sleep," etc.

Say the word aloud. You don't want sign language to replace verbal communication - it's a stop-gap solution until your baby learns to use words. So, every time you sue the sign for a specific term, make sure to mention the word and vice versa.

Consistency and patience are the keys. The only way to teach children is through repetition - repeat the gesture and the word at least twice. So, if you're asking your child if she wants milk, make the sign for "milk" several times, and put forth the question in different ways: "Would you like to drink milk?" "Shall I give you a bottle of milk?" and so on.

Find opportunities throughout the day. Suppose if you use the "water" sign only when handing over the sipper to your baby, she may start relating the sign to her sipper only. So, make sure to use the sign and say "water" while bathing your baby, or while you drink a glass of water, and whenever you see the water. Thus, slowly your baby learn that the word and the sign stand for water.

Did you know that we have an ONLINE Baby Sign Language course that makes learning fun & easy! 🤟 Teach your baby sign language with me, Ashlea from SmallTalk Academy. My popular classes have helped introduce the benefits of Baby Sign Language to hundreds of families throughout North America. And I can teach you too! You will learn the top 300 Baby Sign Language signs in this easy online Baby Sign Language course, complete with songs, music, videos, pdfs & resources. Includes 7 bonuses! ⭐️ Signs covered in this class: More, Banana, Apple, Water, Drink, Eat, Hungry, Thirsty, Finished, Diaper, Change, Dog, Cat, Mom/ Dad, Grandma/ Grandpa, Cracker, Cereal, Cookie, Pear, Cheese, Please, Thank You & many more. ⭐️ Baby Sign Language has so many benefits, including decreased frustration, increased bonding between parent & baby, and improved language skills. **We use 100% American Sign Language (ASL) in all our lessons.** Suitable for parents, caregivers, personal support workers, nannies & grandparents. No previous signing experience needed. Learn more here: https://serenitybirthstudio.com/programs/baby-sing-and-sign-online/ #onlineclasses #babysignlanguage #learnsignlanguage #asl #americansignlanguage #activitiesforbabies #earlycommunication #smalltalkacademy #athome #learnonline #momandbaby #babysignlanguagebasics #teachyourbabytosign

A post shared by Serenity Birth Studio (@serenitybirthstudio) on

Keep the sessions short. An average attention span of a baby is 3 to 5 minutes per year of a child's age. Thus, a one-year child can probably concentrate on a task for 3 to 5 mins. And smaller babies will have a lesser concentration span, therefore don't make your lessons longer than 5 minutes.

Encourage your child. Reward your baby with a toy or a bit of food when she performs the sign - it will motivate her. And to reinforce the sign, repeat it after her. Also, help your child by gently moving her hands to perform the action.

As your baby gets a grasp of the primary signs, move on to the next set of signs, preferably objects or people they love. As you teach your baby sign language, you, too, excavate a whole new world - enjoy it!

Source: the BUMP, healthline Parenthood, Parents

READ NEXT: The Best Video Chat Apps To Use With A Baby
About The Author

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How To Start Teaching Your Toddler Sign Language

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This is how parents can begin to teach their toddler sign language, which is a great way to communicate before your child starts using sentences. Most babies begin to talk by 12 months, but they try to communicate with their parents much earlier and before learning any language.

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Refresh your memory or learn a completely new rhyme or song with your child. Tell Me a Story, the King County Library System story...

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The first-and best-tip for sharing books with young children is to have fun together! If children are engaged and enjoying themselves, they are learning. When children have positive interactions with books, they are developing good feelings about reading, which will motivate them to continue seeking out books and other literacy materials as they grow.

Here are some other ideas for nurturing early literacy skills in your baby or toddler:

A Few Minutes at a Time is OK. Don't Worry if You Don't Finish the Story.

Young children can only sit for a few minutes for a story, but as they grow, they will be able to sit longer. Let your child decide how much (or how little) time you spend reading. And you don't need to read every page. You may find that your child has a favorite page or even a favorite picture. She may want to linger there for a while, and then switch books or activities. Babies may just want to mouth the book! That's okay. When you let your child explore books in the ways that interest her, the reading experience will be more meaningful.

Talk or Sing About the Pictures

You do not have to read the words to tell a story. Try "reading" the pictures in a book for your child sometime. When your child is old enough, ask him to read the pictures to you!

Let Children Turn the Pages

Babies cannot yet turn pages on their own, but an 18-month-old will want to give it a try, and a 3-year-old can certainly do it alone. Remember, it's OK to skip pages!

Show Children the Cover Page

Explain what the story is about. If you have an older toddler, ask them to guess what the story might be about.

Show Children the Words

Run your finger along the words as you read them, from left to right.

Make the Story Come Alive

Create voices for the story characters and use your body to tell the story.

Make It Personal

Talk about your own family, pets, or community when you are reading about others in a story.

Ask Questions About the Story, and Let Children Ask Questions Too!

Use the story to have a back-and-forth conversation with your child. Talk about familiar activities and objects you see in the illustrations or read about in the story.

Let Children Tell The Story

Children as young as 3 years old can memorize a story, and many children love to be creative through storytelling.

Create Books Together

Make photo books of family members. Cut pictures out of magazines or catalogs to make word books. Make a color book by having fun with crayons, markers, and paints. As your child gets older, have him or her dictate a story to you and then draw pictures to go with the words.

Make Books a Part of Your Daily Routine

The more that books are woven into children's everyday lives, the more likely they will be to see reading as a pleasure and a gift.

At Meal Times
Sing or read a story during a moment of quiet nursing or to gather the kids around the noisy breakfast table.

In the Car or on the Bus
Keep a few books in the car or in your diaper bag to keep your little ones quiet and busy.

At Child Care Drop Off
Calm a crying child at good-bye time with a favorite story or lullaby. Leave a photo book with pictures of loved family members at child care so your child can flip through it when she is missing you.

At the Doctor's Office
Read or tell a soothing story to your little one in the waiting room and sing or talk through the scary parts of the visit. Before the visit, read books about going to the doctor so your child knows what to expect.

At the Grocery Store
Put a few board books in the shopping cart or tie a cloth book to the shopping cart so you're not cleaning up books from the floor as you go!

At Nap Time
Familiar routines always help babies calm down. Use books and stories to quietly ease your baby to sleep.

At Day's End
You are exhausted, the baby is fussy. Lie down on the floor surrounded by books. Play a book on tape for your baby. Sing a song together while you all try to relax a bit.

At Bath Time
Plastic bath time books are great fun and may help a fussy baby enjoy the tub a little more.

At Bed Time
Soothing books and stories can work magic with babies who fight sleep!

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How to Introduce Toddlers and Babies to Books

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The first-and best-tip for sharing books with young children is to have fun together! If children are engaged and enjoying themselves, they are learning. When children have positive interactions with books, they are developing good feelings about reading, which will motivate them to continue seeking out books and other literacy materials as they grow.

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This is an evolving list of online storytime resources for families, preschools, and day cares. It includes videos, websites, and podcasts to support those who cannot make it to the library for any reason. The focus is on early literacy support online - songs, rhymes, movement, and stories. You can also follow the hashtag #kidlitquatantine on Twitter for updates on emerging resources specifically around children's literature.

Please leave a comment with a recommended resource!

Livestreaming Storytimes

The following libraries are livestreaming storytimes while they are closed. They can be viewed by anyone. You can also check out this Google Calendar for online KidLit events hosted by authors and illustrators.

Songs, Rhymes, and Movement

Check out songs, rhymes, and fingerplays in many languages to sing with little ones.

I've created a list of all of our YouTube playlists so you can easily scan and find songs that work for you.

This French language educational resource is created by the Ottawa Public Library. The channel features our children staff's favourite nursery rhymes, lullabies, and fingerplays. New videos are published every second Friday.

"Storyblocks is a collection of 30-60 second videos designed to model to parents, caregivers, and library staff some songs, rhymes, and fingerplays appropriate for early childhood." Includes 9 languages.

Wendy has a YouTube station filled with flannel and felt songs and rhymes.

Emily Arrow writes original songs based on children's books. Next week on Monday - Friday she will be hosting a special story and song each day at 1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST.

The King County Library System has a HUGE collection of songs and rhymes to sing with little ones.

Miss Nina has a mix of original songs, old classics, and popular children's books read aloud and paired with music.

To help with panic and anxiety try this YouTube channel which is "yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+, used in schools and homes all over the world. "

Books and Audiobooks

Please check this Let's Keep Reading Google doc for an evolving list of authors and illustrators that are holding livestream events and webcasts over the course of the next month. There is also an excellent crowd-sourced list of ASL eBooks and resources.

Check Your Local Library

Many public libraries provide access to eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, and databases with animated books (i.e. TumbleBooks). You will most likely need a library card to access these options.

From Read Brightly, this YouTube channel features a new weekly full-length picture book read out loud by storyteller Ms. Linda.

Storyline Online is an award-winning, interactive children's literacy site that features famous actors like Kevin Costner, Betty White, James Earl Jones, Eva Longoria, and others reading children's books alongside minor animation elements.

Astronauts from the International Space Station read children's books in outer space for children on earth to listen to. They have science videos that compliment the books.

ICDL is a nonprofit organization that provides access to the best children's books of their culture, and cultures around the world regardless of where they live. There are over 4,000 titles in 59 languages to choose from, that you can read to your children.

Available in 16 languages, there are stories for kids ages 0 - 12. "Kids and their families can listen to a story by phone any time of day for FREE by calling the library's Dial-A-Story service at 416-395-5400. " If you don't want to call long distance they also have a collection of free stories read aloud called Hear-a-Story.

Call 720-865-8500 and listen to stories, songs and rhymes in English, Spanish, Amharic and Vietnamese.

Podcasts

Provided by the Santa Clara County Library District, this podcast features "books, fingerplays, rhymes, stories and songs for a screen-free storytime experience, anytime."

"Featuring the furry and loveable Muppets of Sesame Street. Sing songs with Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster and Grover. Learn about friendship, patience and sharing with Bert and Ernie."

"Created and produced by parents of young children, WBUR's Circle Round is a podcast that adapts carefully-selected folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids ages 4 to 10."

"Story Pirates is a group of world-class actors, comedians, improvisers and musicians who adapt stories written by kids into sketch comedy and musical theater." Great for older kids too.

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Videos, online resources, eBooks, audiobooks, and podcasts to help parents, caregivers, and teachers do storytime at home.

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Loving Literacy - Zero To Three Magic of Everyday Moments

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Library Early Literacy Video Series - Reading

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Article
Quiet, Cozy Celebrations: Curl Up With a Good Book
There's never a bad time to share a book with your little one. But the holidays provide a special opportunity to connect with family members through books that celebrate traditions.

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Article Quiet, Cozy Celebrations: Curl Up With a Good Book There's never a bad time to share a book with your little one. But the holidays provide a special opportunity to connect with family members through books that celebrate traditions.

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First and foremost, thank you for all the heartwarming comments left on my last post. I definitely shed a few tears reading and responding to your kind words! I think we have a whole community of ambassadors of love and joy.

While I needed to take the fall away from the blog, I just couldn't let the year slip by without continuing my favourite Jbrary tradition - it's the 8th year running! I guess it's my way of sending hope that we will one day return to a world where a toddler pulls off the felt story pieces, a baby learns to clap while singing the hello song, a kid cries when she doesn't get her favourite colour scarf, a preschooler tells you a story about his new puppy, a grown-up has a full length phone conversations the second you open the book, and a family finds a safe, warm place where they can love their little one. I'll take it all.

My caveat to this year's list is that unlike previous years I haven't personally demoed them all on live audiences because *waves hands at general state of the world*. I have read them all though and am using my knowledge of what makes a good storytime book. I've added notes on picks I think would translate to a virtual environment too.

As always, I do hope you leave a comment with your favourites; I am sure to have missed some gems. If you're new to the blog, don't miss my lists from years past:

Without further ado, here are my favourite storytime books published in 2020 listed in alphabetical order by title.

Animals Brag About Their Bottoms by Maki Saito; translated by Brian Bergstrom
Do butts every go out of style in storytime? Doubtful! Japanese author Saito encourages readers to compare and contrast the behinds of the animal kingdom. I appreciate the underlying body positivity message. Preschoolers to early elementary aged kids are the ideal audience.

A Bear is a Bear (except when he's not) by Karl Newsom; illustrated by Anuska Allepuz
Originally published in 2018, this title just came to North American markets. A cumulative tale of mistaken identity that's perfect for preschoolers. I love the repetitive phrases for a read aloud and kids will get a kick out of Bear's forgetfulness.

Beehive by Jorey Hurley
Hurley's nearly wordless books are such a great tool for encouraging kids to participate in storytelling. This life-of-a-bee story works great for multi-age groups because you can spend as much or as little time on each page as you want. Bright illustrations make it a good choice for virtual storytime as long as you're ready to supply the words or encourage kids to tell it to grown-ups on the other end of the screen.

The Button Book by Sally Nicholls, illustrated by Bethan Woollvin
Super fun and interactive! Not the first "button" book to make one of my lists, but kids will delight in the sense of control they get going through the coloured options not once, but twice. Works for a virtual storytime though the interactivity is lessened to a degree. Recommended for preschoolers and mixed age groups.

Catch that Chicken! by Atinuke; illustrated by Angela Brooksbank
Atinuke made the list last year and returns with another story set in Nigeria. A young girl learns a valuable lesson from her Nana while maintaining her self-esteem and pride. Recommended for preschool - grade 3. Definitely take this one with you on school visits, in-person or virtual.

Dinosaurs Roar by Steve Jenkins
The king of non-fiction returns with a lift-the-flap book filled with dinosaur facts. The interactive nature and simple sentences make it great for toddlers, while preschoolers up to early elementary will love hearing the added informational tidbits. Don't miss the companion book, Sea Creatures Swim; both are worthy additions to storytime. In-person and virtual winner.

Don't Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton
Definitely add this one to any social emotional learning booklists you've got. I loved this story of overcoming fear and taking guided risks. It's one of those books I think kids will just *get*. Perfect for preschool to early elementary. A new favourite picture book overall.

Do Sharks Bark? by Salina Yoon
If you've read any of the other books in Yoon's lift-the-flap animal sound series then you'll know what to expect in this one. Great for babies and toddlers. Have the whole group practice making the sounds of whales, hippos, crabs, polar bears, and more. A brightly illustrated choice that works in-person or online.

Ducks! by Deborah Underwood; illustrated by T.L. McBeth
This is a guessing game and family reunification story all in one. Practice making the voice inflection when you ask the repeated question and shouting the answer, "No ducks!" Great for toddlers all the way up to kindergarten.

Find Fergus By Mike Boldt
A super fun title for toddlers and preschoolers. Help Fergus the bear improve his hide-and-seek skills. A great discussion starter for noticing differences and similarities. Families will want to take this one home to continue exploring the hidden objects à la Waldo.

Five Fuzzy Chicks by Diana Murray; illustrated by Sydney Hanson
A wonderful refresh to your farm and animal themed storytimes. The rhymes are good, the animal sounds support phonological awareness, and the counting down from five is a great early math literacy activity. Nice big pages for toddlers and preschoolers.

Foodie Faces by Bill and Claire Wurtzel
Anyone else remember the book How Are You Peeling? Well this one is similar except way more creative and fun in my opinion. A great choice for building emotional vocabulary, and kids will delight in seeing how food is transformed. Excellent choice for mixed-age groups, in-person or virtual.

Glad, Glad Bear! By Kimberly Gee
I think Gee officially made herself a staple of storytime. She debuted on my list last year, and this one is just as good. I love seeing a male character who loves to dance and wear tutus. Despite the title a whole range of emotions are explored in the story. Top pick for toddlers and preschoolers in any setting.

Go, Grandpa, Go! by Lynne Plourde; illustrated by Sophie Beer
This chunky board book is full of colour and fun. Like the companion Go, Grandma, Go! it features a diverse range of families and a repetitive title phrase the whole audience can chant together. Love this one for babies and toddlers. In a similar style is Beer's Kindness Makes us Stron g which came out at the tale end of 2019 and works just as well in storytime.

Goodnight Veggies by Diana Murray; illustrated by Zachariah OHora
A sweet bedtime story that is ripe (see what I did there?) with vegetable and fruit vocabulary. I love that it gives kids a glance into a hidden underground world. The rhyming is done well and the unspeaking worm character wraps it in a nice narrative. That's two spots for Murray on this year's list!

The Haircut by Theo Heras, illustrated by Renné Benoit

Heras does a fantastic job telling a story from a child's perspective. The sparse text and board book format make this a great choice for babytime and toddler time. Benoit keeps the illustrations uncluttered so the focus can be on the emotional journey of the child as they anticipate their first haircut.

Hat Tricks by Satoshi Kitamura
Toddler storytime gold! Use a repetitive magic phrase to guess what is hiding in the hat over and over again. I love how the animals got bigger each time which you can use to hone your guessing skills. This one would work great in virtual storytime too.

The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish by Lil Miss Hot Mess; illustrated by Olga de Dios
Brought to you by the creators of Drag Queen Story Hour, this singable book is great for dancing and grooving. Lots of the actions can be done as a whole crowd. Illustrations are bold and colourful. I recommend for all ages. One word: fierce.

I Got the School Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison; illustrated by Frank Morrison
The metaphorical examination of what school spirit means is a great follow-up the this duo's 2014 hit. Preschoolers and early elementary-age kids will notice the second story about school jitters in the drawing. A great choice for back-to-school storytimes.
I Love My Fangs! by Kelly Leigh Miller
I love Miller's illustrations. They are lovely and bold and fill nice big storytime size pages. With the perfect amount of text she tells the story of a vampire with an identity crisis when it loses a tooth. A perfect blend of fantasy and every day kid experiences. Recommended for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners in any setting.

Kitty's Cuddles by Jane Cabrera
Cabrera is on my toddler storytime authors to know list and for good reason. This one is a perfect example - bright illustrations, repetitive sentence structure, built-in interaction between caregiver and child. If you've got a wriggly group you can skip right to the last page at any point and it works just as well. For a virtual storytime encourage kiddos to grab a stuffie and snuggle along as you read.

Let's Dance by David Bowie; illustrated by Hannah Marks
This book stays faithful to Bowie's lyrics and works best when you can be up and moving while reading. Perfect for family dance parties (when we get to have those again!). The text is repeated twice so you could easily stop halfway through if need be. I love the depictions of dancing by people of all abilities.

Let's Dance! by Valerie Bolling; illustrated by Maine Diaz
Another dancing title but this one has sparse text and features dances from around the world. This one works better in a virtual environment as you can encourage kids to mimic the moves in their own home. Back matter gives information about each dance and is useful to read before storytime so you can give some context. Great for the entire 0 - 5 crowd.

Let's Play Monsters! by Lucy Cousins
A book that embodies the early literacy practice of play. The rhyming is spot on and perfect for chanting. Cousins excels at toddler storytime choices and little ones will love anticipating what each monster will look like. Another one that truly knows what it's like to see the world through a child's eyes.

Making Tracks series by Abi Hall
Four new board books in this series came out in 2020: City, Desert, Mountain, and Jungle. These are babytime and toddlertime top picks. Discover who created the tracks in different settings using lift-the-flaps. I think these would translate wonderfully to a virtual storytime too.

My Hair is Beautiful by Shauntay Grant
Grant is a Canadian poet who brings us this large board book celebrating natural hair. There's been many books about this topic the last few years, but this one is perfect for storytime. The adjectives are animated and fun and the pictures are filled with joy. Use in-person or virtually.

One of These is Not Like the Others by Barney Saltzberg
I love the simplicity and humour of this gem. Kids will delight in figuring out which of the four options "doesn't fit." The repetitive and short text means it translates well to young groups, but older preschoolers will really enjoy the concept. Make sure to incorporate lots of wait time as little ones figure it out on their own. Recommend for online or in-person.

A Perfect Day by Sarah S. Brannen
You'll need to practice doing two distinct voices to make this one really work, but it's well worth it. Follow an optimistic seagull and grouchy crab as they look at the world differently. I read it as a story of overcoming perfectionism, but kids will likely find the crab hilarious. Works best for preschool and up.

A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Shawn Harris
Stunning illustrations and an expert use of white space fill this story about a bear's journey across the arctic. Simple sentences make it a great choice for toddlers or a mixed-age group. I'd love to see what kids wonder: where is it going? what will it find? I'd be curious to see if the white space translates to a virtual environment.

Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak by Robert Budd; illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers
This duo is back with another high contrast board book filled with sounds from the Pacific Northwest. Although the book is small in size, the sharp colours translate well even to medium sized groups. Virtual storytime would work even better. I recommend all of their books to highlight Indigenous art and stories.

Rot, the Bravest in the World! by Ben Clanton
I have a soft spot for Rot because my niece was OBSESSED with the first book. This follow-up does not disappoint - take it on all your school visits! Great for grades K - 3, this longer title is all about believing in yourself (with lots of fun wordplay thrown in).

Smashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
Being as Trashy Town is IMHO a great storytime book I was happy to find this sequel just as good. Mr. Gilly returns in a demolition derby. Construction fans will beg to take this one home. I liked all the different sounds and use of repetition to make the book come alive. Perfect for preschool.

Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor
Oh man this was one of my favourite picture books of 2020 in general. The storyline about perseverance and friendship were right up my alley, and I think it works well with kids all the way up to grade 3. I laughed, I cried, I just plain loved it.

Snakes on the Job by Kathyrn Dennis
A follow-up to the 2019 title, this one is more about construction than snakes in case you've got a case of ophidiophobia. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who will enjoy making the repetitive "hisshh" sound as you read it aloud. And it looks like Snakes are going to space next year.

This Little Pup by Laura J. Bryant
Go on a farm adventure as you follow a dog chasing a bright blue ball. In addition to counting you can also make all the animal sounds. The bright pictures make it a good choice for virtual storytime. Try tracing your finger along the black dotted line signifying the bounces. A great choice for kids 5 and under.

Two Dogs on a Trike by Gabi Snyder; illustrated by Robin Rosenthal
This works as a nice counting book for toddlers or a more sophisticated story about inclusion and noticing others for older kids. I'm still not sure if I think the cat was lonely or an evil mastermind. Short simple sentences keep the pace jaunty and the illustrations are filled with humour. A top choice for in-person or virtual.

We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom; illustrated by Michaela Goade
A wonderful school-age read aloud, this gem comes from Indigenous creators and focuses on the role they have to play in keeping the earth's natural resources safe. The illustrations are stunning, and the text is sophisticated and beautiful. An inspiring choice for the whole community.

What's Up, Maloo? by Geneviève Godbout
A great choice to support social emotional learning. The focus is on listening and noticing how others are feeling, a key part of empathy. And sometimes it' s hard to know what's wrong! A good choice for mixed-age groups or a standalone preschool class.

Wheels by Sally Sutton
Another sound-filled storytime gem from Sutton. In this rhyming guessing game about vehicles, kids are prompted to "shout what's coming" on each page. I'm curious if North American kids know what a "rubbish truck" is, but what a great conversation starter. Your toddlers and preschoolers will be begging to check this one out. Recommended for virtual programs, especially small groups who can unmute and make guesses out loud.

When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt
Smith keeps writing storytime winners. A top choice for babies and toddlers, this book highlights how to be kind to others, ourselves, and the earth. Present day Indigenous families are featured in the illustrations. Recommended for virtual storytimes.

You Are Awesome! by Susann Hoffmann
Bright, bold pictures? Check. Short, simple, affirmative text? Check. Diverse cast of kids? Check. A total storytime winner, especially for your littlest library patrons. After reading each page I would switch the phrase around and encourage kids to say, "I am [fill in adjective]!" Translates well to virtual storytimes.

I hope this list equips you with some fresh choices to take to storytimes no matter how or when they happen in the future. Which books published in 2020 did you love reading at storytime this year? What books worked especially great in a virtual storytime? Please share your favourites in the comments!

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2020 Favourite Storytime Picture Books - Jbrary

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First and foremost, thank you for all the heartwarming comments left on my last post. I definitely shed a few tears reading and responding to your kind words! I think we have a whole community of ambassadors of love and joy.

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There are five simple, powerful, and fun practices we encourage parents and caregivers to incorporate into their everyday lives that can help establish a strong foundation for early literacy.* Those practices are:

Talking
Children learn about language by listening to adults talk and by joining in the conversation. When children listen to spoken words they learn: Try these activities with your child:

Talk often! Narrate your life, including everyday activities such as grocery shopping and doing chores.

Ask your child lots of open-ended questions.

Talk about the pictures and stories in books.

If you speak more than one language, use your first language most often.

Singing
Songs are a natural, fun way for children to learn language. When children sing, they: Try these activities with your child:
Reading
Reading together is an important way to help children get ready to read. Reading with children will: Try these activities with your child:

Share stories that you love. Ask your child to turn the pages!

Be expressive; silly; make reading time fun!

Talk about what is happening in the story using the pictures.

Have lots of books around for your child to encounter and read. Have board books available for babies so they can learn how a book works and build fine motors skills.

Did you know that children can be considered "readers" at all ages, not just when they learn to decode words? Ask your child to retell a story or "read" the pictures to you!

Writing
Writing and reading go together. Scribbling and writing help children learn that written words stand for spoken language. For children, writing: Try these activities with your child:

Give your child opportunities to crinkle paper to help strengthen finger muscles.

Encourage scribbling! This is the way children learn to write.

Draw shapes and pictures together.

Trace in the sand or dirt with your finger or a stick.

Encourage your child to sign his/her name on drawings, or label the different parts.

Playing
Children learn through play! Playing helps children put thoughts into words and think symbolically. When children play, they: Try these activities with your child:
* Every Child Ready to Read

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The Five Practices - Bellingham Public Library

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There are five simple, powerful, and fun practices we encourage parents and caregivers to incorporate into their everyday lives that can help establish a strong foundation for early literacy.* Those practices are: Talking Children learn about language by listening to adults talk and by joining in the conversation.

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How to Read With a Squiggly Baby (or Toddler!)

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As parent, you know how important it is to set aside some time everyday to read with your baby or toddler. If you've got a squiggler in your house, see if these tips help your reading time go a little more smoothly.

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Common Sense Media editors help you choose New Children's Books 2020. Check out these hot new releases for kids 2-12.

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Sources of books, audiobooks, digital books, and online texts and news

For as long as schools are closed, Audible is offering children and teenagers the chance to listen to audiobooks for free. Instantly hundreds of Audible originals, fairy tales or classic books, including titles across eight different languages.

Bookshare provides students with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers with access to more than 800,000 titles in easy-to-read formats, such as audio, braille or large font. Bookshare is free for qualified U.S. students of any age through an award from OSEP (Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education).

Bookshare also offers nearly 10,000 public domain books that anyone, including non-members, can read with Bookshare Web Reader and other compatible tools. Learn how to find and read freely available Bookshare books.

Better World Books receives books from libraries, booksellers, book drives, and through community Drop Boxes, sells what they can to raise money for literacy, and donates books in good condition. Request to become a donation recipient.

Bushel & Peck Books offers an online care package with links to their titles that can be read for free online along with downloads for some coloring books and activity books.

CommonLit, a nonprofit education technology organization, offers some 2,000 high-quality free reading passages for grades 3-12, complemented by aligned interim assessments, growth-oriented data, and expert-led teacher development. Content types of theme, text set, book pairing, and unit can help you find relevant collections of texts to fit your students' needs.

DKfindout! is a free safe, fun place for kids to research, learn, and explore information about animals, space, sports, music and more. In addition to interactive articles, there are quizzes, videos and animations as well as resources for teachers.

Epic! is a digital reading platform for kids 12 and under with more than 45,000 thousand high-quality and award-winning fiction and nonfiction books, audio books, and videos. Free for teachers and librarians, Epic School gives students free access to content for both in-class and remote learning. Epic Free gives students access to a free home library providing two free hours of reading a week that can be used afterschool or on weekends. Learn more here.

First Book is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books and educational resources to eligible schools and programs serving children in need, from birth to age 18. Educators who register with First Book gain access to free books from the First Book National Book Bank and low-cost books and resources from the First Book Marketplace.

As part of First Book's COVID-19 response, eligibility is extended to those working to distribute resources to kids in need through an emergency program (e.g., a food bank, grab & go meal site, faith-based organization, etc.). Organizations now providing essential resources directly to a subset of the population usually served (where 70% or more of those families are low-income), are also eligible. Learn more here or sign up now.

Registered First Book members can also access a free digital library of eBooks by ordering access codes for the Open eBooks app. The free iOS and Android Open eBooks app lends titles for kids of all ages to instantly download up to 10 eBooks at a time to their mobile digital devices or Chromebook with access to the Google Play Store.

Flyleaf Publishing is offering free use of some of its collection of decodable books through the 2020-2021 school year. Visit their online materials portal.

LEF's Reading Resource Project offers free books to recipients who can pay shipping, handling, and administrative costs. Reading Resource Project books come in sets of 100 books per set and any literacy-based effort qualifies for these books. Reading Resource Project books are available in a limited quantity on a first come, first served basis.

A Little Free Library is a place to find a book or bring a book to share and play an essential role by providing 24/7 access to free books. Find Little Free Libraries in neighborhoods all over the world, all with different offerings. Know that Little Free Library stewards are taking extra precautions during the pandemic and some are temporarily closing their Little Free Libraries, which is recommended if a community is a hotspot for coronavirus activity.

The National Geographic Education Resource Library contains a wealth of free articles for Pre-K-12 students. Educators can also share issues of Explorer Magazine with students.

Newsela takes real and new content from trusted sources and turns it into classroom learning materials. Though Newsela has now moved to a mostly subscription-based model, there is still some accessible content for free. With a subscription, you'll gain access to a great library of leveled reading materials and Newsela's Text Sets, which offer thematically curated articles.

Depending on where a library is, during the pandemic it may provide something close to full service to complete closure. Check in to see what your local library is offering. Many provide access to audiobooks and ebooks as well as online magazines and journals.

ReadWorks offers free resources for differentiated reading instruction, including nonfiction texts, activities, assessments, and features such as Article-a-Day. In ReadWorks' Student Library, students can explore thousands of high-quality texts based on their interests.

Scholastic offers more than 12 digital learning programs to support students of all levels and abilities in their journey to learn to read and read to learn. Scholastic Book Clubs is also making it easier to get books to students by offering a " ship to home " option for students.

Skybrary is a carefully curated interactive library of eBooks and real-world video explorations designed to engage young readers and foster a love of reading. The free trial of Skybrary for School provides 30 days of unrestricted access to hundreds of books and video field trips.

To help support teachers, educators, librarians, parents, and caregivers during the pandemic, publisher Star Bright Books is providing free digital access to 4 picture books (3 English, 1 Spanish) each week. Titles will be rotated on a weekly basis and cannot be downloaded, printed, or redistributed.

Video read alouds

In addition to digital texts, audio books, and print materials, publishers and others are providing access to many titles through online video read alouds:

More resources

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As COVID-19 continues to disrupt, educators who find themselves working with students either within or outside of school walls or both have an increased need for digital content and access to books. Many organizations and publishers who already make it their mission to support readers are doing even more to assist educators, caregivers, and families in light of the pandemic.

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Sign up through United Way of Lewis County

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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Brought to you by United Way of Lewis County and the Lewis County Rotary Foundation

SCROLL DOWN TO DONATE TO THE PROGRAM AND SPONSOR A CHILD - or -

text DOLLYBOOKS4KIDS to 44-321 to make a donation today.

United Way of Lewis County and the Lewis County Rotary Foundation are proud to sponsor Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Lewis County. The Imagination Library program provides free, high quality, age appropriate FREE books to kids birth to five years old! books to children birth to five years of age living in Lewis County. The program is free to all children regardless of a family's income.

All children whose parent or guardian enroll them in the program will begin to receive books mailed directly to them monthly up until the child turns five years old. Each month, a new, carefully selected book will be mailed in the child's name to their home. The child will receive their first book approximately 6-9 weeks after they are enrolled.

Signing up your child for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is easy! Sign up forms are available at a variety of local businesses and organizations in Lewis County. You can also download the registration form by and mailing it to United Way of Lewis County at the address below. (Spanish forms also available .)

You can also complete your registration online directly through The Imagination Library website here: https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/ .
Registration form locations:

Click to view the monthly program progress report.

Why is reading important at this age?

A child's brain is 90% developed by the age of five.

Having access to books and reading aloud has numerous benefits to a child; it builds literacy skills, language, and brain development. The number of words that a child knows upon entering Kindergarten is a key predictor of his or her future success.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library promotes early childhood education and fosters parent/child interaction - both of which are fundamental ingredients for future educational success. Research has shown that children who participate in the program gain the skills that prepare them for school.

Interested in supporting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Lewis County? A gift of only $25 sponsors a child for year in the program. ($125 for five years).

For more information about the Imagination Library program in Lewis County,

Learn more about how Dolly Parton's Imagination Library fosters a child's success by

If you have any questions the program, please call United Way of Lewis County at (360) 748-8100.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is operated locally by:

Thank you to our local business supporters!

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Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | United Way of Lewis County

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Brought to you by United Way of Lewis County and the Lewis County Rotary Foundation United Way of Lewis County and the Lewis County Rotary Foundation are proud to sponsor Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Lewis County. The Imagination Library program provides free, high quality, age appropriate FREE books to kids birth to five years old!

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PreK - 2nd Grade

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Beginning Readers; creativity & imagination, in honor of Dr Seuss

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See the "Video Picture Books" collection from Timberland Regional Library.

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May need to access thru TRL

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Local support from the folks who sponsored this class!

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The Early Learning Coalition of Lewis County creates partnerships to prepare our youngest children for success in school and life through family support, program services and community awareness.

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Home - Lewis County Early Learning Coalition

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The Early Learning Coalition of Lewis County creates partnerships to prepare our youngest children for success in school and life through family support, program services and community awareness.

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TRL online interactive storytime with feltboard and crafts

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Making learning fun and simple! With billions of views, Super Simple Songs is a trusted resource for parents and teachers around the world. Our library of nursery rhymes, original songs, and animated videos are perfect for children between the ages of 1 and 8. Each video is carefully crafted to engage young viewers and make learning new concepts such as colors, counting, animals and more both fun and simple!
Our channel features a diverse range of fun characters, including: • Finny the Shark
• The Bumble Nums
• Caitie from Caitie’s Classroom
• The Roundabouts
• Noodle & Pals
• Rhymington Square
• Carl’s Car Wash
Our videos are designed to be engaging and fun, helping children learn new concepts and skills while having a great time. Whether you’re a parent looking for engaging and age-appropriate videos for your child, or a teacher searching for new ways to make learning fun, we’ve got you covered. Explore our channel and discover the many ways we can help your child learn and grow.

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quick & easy activities

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Author: Susie

Need something quick to do today? Check out this list of easy toddler activities.

Easy toddler activities are my favorite activities. I don't have a ton of time to go running around gathering supplies or making elaborate plans for my toddlers. I need quick. I need easy. I need fast.
When I'm looking for a toddler activity, I'm looking for ones that:

Use supplies I already have

Take less than 2 minutes to set up

Have a high likelihood that my toddler(s) will play for more than 5 minutes (hopefully 15-20 minutes)

You are going to love the activities that I've found. They all fit my easy activity criteria and will definitely help you make it to nap time.

40+ easy toddler activities

In no particular order, check out these 40+ easy toddler activities - get ready to click through to some amazing sites!

Sticker Line-Up - Busy Toddler

Laundry Hamper Fishing - Munchkins and Moms

Perfect DIY Spring Toddler Activities - Natural Beach Living

Sort and Drop Color Activity with Lego Bricks - Toddler Approved

Pasta Play - Messy Little Monster

Fine Motor Color Sorting Activity - Munchkins and Moms

Toddler Fine Motor Water Activity - Teaching 2 and 3 year olds

Erase the ABCs - Busy Toddler

Homemade Bath Paints - Parenting Chaos

Golf Tee Push - Busy Toddler

Matching Objects - Toddler Approved

Painting on Foil - Messy Little Monster

Card Slot Drop - Busy Toddler

Shape Hunt Sensory Bin - Fun with Mama

Whisking Bubbles - Emma Owl

Simple Entertainment Sensory Bottles - Mama Smiles

Snow Mobiles - Busy Toddler

Magic Sand for Baby - Emma Owl

Name Broom Hockey - Toddler Approved

What's Magnetic - Busy Toddler

Baby Play with Rice and Cookie Cutters - Simple Fun for Kids

Homemade Household Objects Puzzle - Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Stacking Cups - Adventures of Adam

Recycled Building - Busy Toddler

CD Stacking Fine Motor Play - Adventures of Adam

Pom Pom Racing - Emma Owl

Crunchy Box - Busy Toddler

Pom Pom Push - Busy Toddler

Alphabet Letter Fishing - Fun with Mama

Lego Bath - Busy Toddler

Quick and Simple Fine Motor Activity - My Joy-Filled Life

Impromptu Drum Circle - Mama.Papa.Bubba.

What's Missing - Busy Toddler

Mini Treasure Hunt - Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Pouring Station - Busy Toddler

Painting with Cars - Munchkins and Moms

Floating Letters - Busy Toddler

Tong Transfer Game - Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Scooping Pom Poms - Buggy and Buddy

Grab and Sort - Busy Toddler

Fine Motor ABCs - A Dab of Glue Will Do

Rice Bin - Busy Toddler

Sink or Float Discovery Station - Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Hide the Animals - Busy Toddler

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40+ Super Easy Toddler Activities - Busy Toddler

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Looking for some super easy toddler activities? Check out this list of 40+ crazy easy toddler activities - no prep, lots of fun, and perfect for toddlers!