Dinosaurs Storytime - Week of October 26

This week at Storytime we have been reading some stories about dinosaurs!

Our Toddler Storytime Lineup Included:
Song - Fingerpopping from Preschool Aerobic Fun
Book - Snappy Little Dinosaurs Pop-Up Fun by Dugald Steer
Flannel Story - Five Little Dinosaurs
Song - Jumping and Counting from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem
Story - Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones by Byron Barton
Song - Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes from It's Toddler Time by Carol Hammett
Story - That's Not My Dinosaur by Fiona Watt

Our Preschool Storytime Lineup Included:

Song - Can't Wait to Celebrate from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem

Book - Dino Pets by Lyn Plourde

Flannel Story - Build a Dinosaur

Book - How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen

Song - All at the Swamp

Flannel Story - Five Huge Dinosaurs

Book - Tyson the Terrible by Diane and Christyan Fox

Ready to Read Skill: Vocabulary (Words)

Vocabulary means knowing the names of things. Knowing many words will help your child recognize written words and understand what he or she reads. Some great ways to work on this skill include talking to your child about what is going on around you, speaking clearly and using short sentences, and pointing out pictures in books when you say certain words. Some great examples of dinosaur books that help build vocabulary are Snappy Little Dinosaurs, Bones Bones Dinosaur Bones, and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight. Another great dinosaur book that introduces new words is Thesaurus Rex by Laya Steinberg. It introduces words and their synonyms and includes great illustrations that clearly depict the words. This book is great for toddlers or preschoolers. Enjoy!

Mice Storytimes - Week of October 19

This week at storytime we are talking about mice (squeak, squeak!).

Our Toddler Storytime Lineup Included:
Song - Fingerpopping from Preschool Aerobic Fun
Book - Mouse Mess by Linnea Riley
Flannel Story- Mother, Mother, I Want Another from the book by Maria Polushkin Robbins Song - Clap Your Hands from Wiggleworms Love You
Action Rhyme - Little Mouse
Story - Hide and Squeak by Ed Heck
Song - Milkshake from Songs for Wiggleworms

Our Preschool Storytime Included:
Song - Can't Wait to Celebrate from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem
Book - Cat and Mouse: The Hole Story by Christyan and Diane Fox
Song/Action Rhyme - Little Bunny Foo Foo
Book - The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood
Song - Milkshake from Songs for Wiggleworms
Flannel Story - Five Hungry Mice
Story - Hide and Squeak by Ed Heck
Song - Goodbye from Songs for Wiggleworms

Ready to Read Skill: Letter Knowledge (ABC's)
Letter knowledge means knowing that letters are different from each other, recognizing them everywhere, and knowing the sounds they make. Each week at Storytime we introduce a letter and discuss the sound it makes and words that begin with that letter. At home, you can do the same thing - talk to your child about what letter words begin with and how they sound. Another way to work on your child's Letter Knowledge is to use alphabet magnets to spell things on your refrigerator, or let them trace letter shapes with their fingers on a plate of whipped cream or shaving foam. Most importantly, make learning letters fun for you and your child!

Action Rhymes:

Little Mouse

Hurry, scurry little mouse,

Starts down at your toes.

Hurry, scurry little mouse,

Past your knees he goes.

Hurry, scurry little mouse,

To where your tummy is.

Hurry, scurry little mouse,

Gives a mousie kiss!

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Little Bunny Foo Foo, hopping through the forest scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head.

Down came the good fairy and she said, "Little Bunny Foo Foo,I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I'll give you three chances, and if you don't behave I'll turn you into a goon!"

The next day: Little Bunny Foo Foo, hopping through the forest...

Down came the good fairy and she said, "Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I'll give you two more chances, and if you don't behave I'll turn you into a goon!"

The next day:Little Bunny Foo Foo, hopping through the forest...

Down came the good fairy and she said, "Little Bunny Foo Foo,I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I'll give you one more chance, and if you don't behaveI'll turn you into a goon!"

The next day:Little Bunny Foo Foo, hopping through the forest...

Down came the good fairy and she said, "Little Bunny Foo Foo,I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I gave you three chances and you didn't behave now you're a goon! POOF!!"

The moral of the story is: HARE TODAY, GOON TOMORROW

-text borrowed from http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/l007.html

HALLOWEEN BASH!

Join us for the Hilltop Family Storytime
Halloween Bash!

Saturday, October 31, 2009
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Join us for fun (but not scary) Halloween puppets, stories, and songs, and then make a recycled jack-o-lantern to take with you! Wear your costume if you like. All ages.

Families Storytime - Week of October 12

This week at storytime we have been talking about our families.

Our Toddler Storytime Lineup Included:

Song - Fingerpopping from Preschool Aerobic Fun

Story - Hello, Lulu by Caroline Uff

Action Rhyme - Here are Grandma's Glasses

Song - If You're Happy and You Know It from Songs for Wigglworms

Story - Mommy, Carry Me Please by Jane Cabrera

Flannel Rhyme - Gifts for Mommy

Song - Tall, Small from Wiggleworms Love You

Story - I Love my Daddy by Sebastien Braun

Puppet Story - Three Little Ducks

Our Preschool Storytime Lineup Included:

Song - Can't Wait to Celebrate

Story - Where's My Mommy

Fingerplay with puppets - Five Little Ducks

Song - If You're Happy and You Know It from Songs for Wiggleworms

Flannel Story - Hugs for Antoine

Story - The Family Book by Todd Parr

Ready to Read Skill: Print Awareness (Using Books)

Print Awareness means noticing print, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the words on a page. Some great ways to practice this skill with your child include letting your child hold the book and showing them which way to turn the page, using your finger to follow along with the text on the page, and pointing out words and letters on signs when you are out and about. If you are worried that your child is too young to use books without tearing the pages, try using cloth or board books that are more durable. Don't forget that the library has books that are sturdy enough for all ages!

Yum! Food Storytimes - Week of October 5

This week we are talking about food at storytime!

Our Toddler Storytime Lineup included:

Song - Fingerpopping from Preschool Aerobic Fun

Introduction to food theme - What do we eat at meal time?

Story - What's For Lunch by Ann Garrett

Action Rhyme/Song - Peanut butter and Jelly

Song - Milkshake from Songs for Wiggleworms

Story - Maisy Bakes a Cake by Lucy Cousins

Flannel Story - 5 Little Cookies

Song - Jumping and Counting from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem

Story- Yummy! Yucky! by Leslie Patricelli

Our Preschool Storytime Lineup Included:

Song - Can't Wait to Celebrate from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem

Introduction to food theme - What do we eat at meal time?

Story - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numerof

Song - Milkshake from Songs for Wiggleworms

Flannel - The Great Big Enormous Turnip

Story/Creative Drama - Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

Song - I Feel Crazy So I Jump in my Soup from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner

Our Family Storytime Lineup Included:

Song - Can't Wait to Celebrate from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem

Story - The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems

Flannel Story - Hippopotomous Sandwich from Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Story - Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

Song - I Feel Crazy So I Jump in my Soup from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner

Flannel Story - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Story - On Top Of Spaghetti by Paul Brett Johnson

Song - Spaghetti Legs from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

Prop Story - I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly

Ready to Read Skill: Vocabulary (Words):

Vocabulary means knowing the names of things. Knowing many words will help your child recognize written words and understand what he or she reads. Some great ways to work on this skill include talking to your child about what is going on around you, speaking clearly and using short sentences, and pointing out pictures in books when you say certain words. Good examples of books to use with this skill that we read this week are What's For Lunch and Growing Vegetable Soup. Both books contain some new vocabulary (bamboo, mango, names of vegetables and garden tools) and clear illustraions to help you point the new words out.

Great New York Times Article: From Birth, Engage Your Child With Talk

Check out this fantastic article from the New York Times about the advantages of talking to and with your young child. In the article, author Jane E. Brody writes, "Sing songs and recite nursery rhymes, and encourage your child to fill in the blanks. When reading a book together, which should be a daily activity, ask your child to name or describe the objects or talk about what the characters are doing."

These are all great examples of ways to incorporate the 6 Ready to Read Skills -- Letter Knowledge (ABC's), Phonological Awareness (Sounds), Narritive Skills (Storytelling), Print Awareness (Using Books), Print Motivation (Loving Books), and Vocabulary (Words). For more information on Ready to Read, check out the Columbus Metropolitan Library's Ready to Read Resource Page.