Toddler Storytime ~ Love!

This Toddler Storytime was presented at Bellevue Public Library on February 10, 2016.

Each Toddler Storytime includes activities that support all or most of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – singing, talking, reading, playing and writing – were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).

Writing:

Children were supplied with crayons to use with their Green Box activity (see below).
Reading:

Te Amo, Bebe, Little One by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Maribel Suarez

Three Little Words by Clemency Pearce, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Singing:

Hello, Friends!
(tune: "Goodnight Ladies")

Hello friends.
Hello friends.
Hello friends.
We're glad you came today!


Everybody Say Hello!
(tune: "London Bridge")

Everybody say hello, say hello, say hello,
Everybody say hello, hello Wesley!

(Wesley is my turtle puppet who pops out of my apron pocket whenever we sing this song.  Then he sits quietly on his rock and listens to the stories and sings along with us.  At the end of storytime he says goodbye to the children, gives them high fives, eats pretend food from their hands, blows kisses, and plays hide and seek!)

Goodbye, Friends!
(tune: "Goodnight Ladies")

Goodbye friends.
Goodbye friends.
Goodbye friends.
We're glad you came today!

What's in the Green Box?
(tune: "Sally Wore a Red Dress")

What's in the green box,
The green box, the green box?
What's in the green box 
For us to play?

Today our green box contained heart-shaped sewing cards.  Children used white chenille stems to "sew" around the hearts.

Talking:

I began storytime by introducing the theme of Love and Valentine's Day.  I encouraged the adults to talk with their young ones about friends and family members who they love.

Playing:

Today we got out the giant beach ball, sat in a circle, and pushed the ball back and forth across the circle.  This was a great way for me to practice all the kids' names as I helped direct the ball to certain children who had not yet had a few chances to catch the ball. The kids did a great job of waiting patiently for the ball to be rolled to them and they also showed some terrific moves in rolling the ball across the floor!

Every Child Ready to Read^® @ your library^®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.