Early Literacy is not about teaching your child to read, but what to teach them so they can eventually learn how to read. The American Library Association encourages parents and caregivers to maximize their child’s reading ability through the development of 5 simple practices. Below is a list of these 5 practices, along with examples of how to use them with your child on a daily basis:
- Talk – Talk to your child about the weather
- Write – Cut with scissors
- Read – Read a good book out loud
- Play – Play dress-up
- Sing – Make up songs about what you are doing
Activities
Rockstar Readers, For any child from birth until Kindergarten
This is a free, self-paced program that will help your child prepare for school success! For every 100 books read, your child will receive a free book. If your child completes all 1000 books before entering Kindergarten, he or she will also receive a certificate of completion. Remember, you don’t have to read 1000 different titles, it’s just 1000 reads. It takes less time than you think: If you read one book a night for three years, you will have read 1095 books. If you read two books a day, you will reach over 1000 in less than two years! Storytime books count too!
To register from home, please contact:
Kelly Dykwell
269-781-7821 ext. 2400
dykwellk@yourmdl.org
Additional record sheets can be printed at home too!
Nursery Rhymes
Play Ideas
- Do tummy time together
- Create a story using puppets
- Go to the park and play
- Make silly faces in the mirror
- Re-enact your favorite book
Resources at MDL
The library has a great assortment of resources & programs to help your child’s literacy skills:
Books
- Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin
- Dot by Patricia Intriago
- The Elephant and Piggie Series by Mo Willems
- From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
- Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin
- Press Here by Herve Tullet
- The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood
Programs
- MONDAYS: Family Storytime, Ages 2-6 A half-hour introductory storytime for the whole family with a focus on those who are just learning to sit & engage with stories in a group setting. Playtime included! No registration required.
- WEDNESDAYS: Jumpin’ and Jammin’, Ages 2-6 Move your body & exercise your brain during a full half-hour of music & movement. We’ll get to use our little muscles & big muscles, which helps our brains get bigger & get ready for school. No registration required.
- THURSDAYS: Stretches & Stories, Ages 1-3 There are so many ways to learn & grow. With a special combination of stretches, stories, & STEAM activities, we will build a base to encourage little learners as they prepare for school & beyond. No registration required.
- FRIDAYS: STEAM Explorers, Ages 2-6 Discovery is right round the corner as children learn while they play. Through guided activities, sensory bins, freestyle crafts, & group stories, your little explorer will delve into the worlds of science, technology, engineering, art, & math! No registration required.
- Monthly: Zoom Storytime, Ages 2-6 Join us for a special storytime that meets wherever you are. We meet online for storytime over Zoom, featuring all the wonderful stories, songs & fingerplays you will find in-person. Zoom Storytime works in tandem with Virtual Storytime Kits to develop vocabulary, print awareness, & phonology. Registration is required for Zoom Code.
- Anytime: Virtual Storytime, Ages 2-6 Let’s read, sing, & learn something new together with Virtual Storytime. Little learners expand their world & prepare for school through the Early Literacy practices of Talk, Sing, Read, Write, & Play. Take-home kits include a special link to YourMDL’s YouTube channel along with supplies to create a themed craft at home. Registration is required each month..
Websites
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit these websites to learn more about early literacy and get ideas on how to integrate early literacy practices into their daily lives.