Storytime is an essential part of children’s librarianship; it is the first time children are in a more “formal” environment to learn and develop school-readiness skills, and parents and caregivers learn more about early literacy skills. While we try to touch upon the five early literacy practices in our storytimes, there are other engaging early literacy programs that hit these skills! In this post, I will highlight some early literacy program ideas that you can create for your library. Playdough Playtime Who doesn’t love playdough? With this program, your patrons will be able to cover all five early literacy practices! The key to this program is having the right playdough mats for the children to work with. I have been conducting this program for over a year now and it continues to grow because it is fun and educational. Some playmats that I have provided include the alphabet, numbers, nursery…
Author: Ariel Barreras
My Favorite Middle Grade Novels of 2023 (So Far!)
We are halfway through 2023 and wow, there are some amazing middle grade books that need a shout-out! From graphic novels to fantasy, tweens have plenty to choose from. With diverse characters and compelling storytelling, I would highly recommend these titles and declare them as some of the best of 2023!
Storytime Felt Board Fun!
To make storytime a more interactive experience, storytime felt boards sets can be beneficial and used in different ways. Felt pieces can add a visual element to songs and provide an opportunity for children to be a part of the storytelling process. In this post, I will give you tips on how you can create felt pieces for storytime and some examples!
Climate Change Books for Children
Climate change is a hot button issue and more children’s books have been focusing on the subject. From picture books to middle grade novels, climate change has made its way into the world of children’s books. Below are some recommended books for children that explain climate change. Not only do these books highlight this important issue, but they show children how they can help save our planet on a local level.