Read book Pig’s Picnic by Keiko Kasza. Retell the story using props. Have the children retell the story as you maneuver the props.
Early Literacy Aside–Example: Using props is one way to help your child remember the story as they try to retell it. When they can retell a story, it helps their understanding.
At the end of storytime hold up the handout of Pig’s Picnic (below) and demonstrate how you have cut out the pieces so that the children can retell the story.
Early Literacy Aside–Empower: You can strength your children’s narrative skills, the ability to tell stories, by taking home this storytime handout, having your children cut out the pictures and retell the story. As they retell the story they may add ideas of their own!
Submitted by Laura Mikowski, Hillsboro (OR) Public Libraries
Early Literacy Aside–Explain: When we talk about a story after reading it, we are helping our children remember what we have read. Having your children retell the story takes it a step further to help them develop narrative skills, which will later help them understand what they read.
Read the book Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant. Point out the different sounds and animals out at night. Describe the pictures. Ask children questions about what they think about at nighttime. How do you feel? What do you hear?
Early Literacy Aside–Example: As I read the book you saw how I asked some questions to make the book more personal for the children and to help them relate it to their own experiences. This is one way to help children understand the book better.
Early Literacy Aside–Empower: Talking about experiences and what your child is thinking about can enhance the book. Books often expose our children to different ideas and to things they may not otherwise see. This interactive experience of discussing what your child thinks about nighttime is also a way to develop your child’s narrative skills and their background knowledge, what they know abour the world. Both will help them understand what they read when they learn to read.
Submitted by Sharon Lindsay, Rockbridge Branch, Bath County (VA) Public Library
Early Literacy Aside–Explain: There are many ways we can help children enjoy books as we share books together. Children who have positive experiences around books and reading are more likely to stick with learning to read even when it is difficult. I’ll be pointing out some ways to share books to make it enjoyable.
As you read the book have children repeat the phrase, “I do. I’m a . . . ” with each animal.
Early Literacy Aside–Example: Having the children participate by guessing the animals and responding when the animal appears helps them enjoy the book. This helps support their print motivation.
Submitted by Tara Smith, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Early Literacy Aside:–Explain: Separating a word into sound parts is called segmentation. Playing with words this way with your children now will help your children later when they learn to break words into syllables to decode words.
Clap childen’s names or choose words with different numbers of syllables.
Early Literacy Aside–Example: Clapping or tapping helps children hear parts of words which will make it easier for them to sound out words when they learn to read.
[for 3 - 5's you can use rhythm sticks]
Submitted by Di Gagnier, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Read the book Piggy and Dad Go Fishing by David Martin. Retell the story using props.
Early Literacy Aside–Empower: You encourage dramatic play when you give your children opporutnities to retell stories with your children using things around the house. Having your children retell stories helps them remember the story and also to understand how stories work, with a beginning, a middle and an end. This will help them later in school when they will write their own stories and to understand stories they will read.
Read the book The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. Encourage adults and children to make the sounds of the animals.
Early Literacy Aside–Example: Having your child hear and make the sounds of the animals in this story is one enjoyable way to help develop phonological awareness, to eventually be able to hear the smaller sounds in words.
Submitted by Nancy Gattoni, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Early Literacy Aside–Explain: Today we are going to focus on vocabulary, one of the early literacy skills. Vocabulary is knowing the meanings of words, of things, concepts, feelings and ideas.
Book Introduction: Talk about the word cellar. What is a cellar? Explain the word.
Read the book Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach.
Early Literacy Aside–Example: Go ahead and use words that are unfamiliar to your child. Don’t replace words in books that they may not understand, but explain them. This will build their vocabulary.
Early Literacy Aside–Empower: Don’t forget when reading to your children at home, don’t replace words, but explain them. This helps build their vocabulary and will make it easier for your children to later understand what they read.
Submitted by Janet Boucher, Blue Ridge (VA) Regional Library
Early Literacy Aside–Example: I am going to read one of my favorite children’s books. I love reading this book; it is a lot of fun. When reading with your children, choose books YOU enjoy. Your child picks up on your feelings and understands the enjoyment of books and reading. This supports print motivation, a love of books.
Read the book Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig putting motions to the words.
Submitted by Linda White, Washington County (VA) Public Library
Aside: Now I am going to read to you this wonderful book Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig. I especially like this story because it introduces narrative skills, which is the ability to retell a story.
Read the story.
Aside: You can use things from all around the house to tell a story, just as they used things from around the house in this story. Having your child retell stories helps to develop your child’s own narrative skills for later life while at the same time increaseing his memory and imagination and love for books.
Submitted by Miss Yolanda, Washington County (VA) Public Library
As you read the book, ask the children to identify the animals in the book. Talk about the landscape in the pictures–where in the world might this take place? Use words the children may not know (arctic, icebergs, ice floes, glaciers, etc.). Also, talk about Tacky the Penguin’s personality, his uniqueness and originality, explaining words children may not know. For an activity, have children and adults draw and color a penguin however they want.
Early Literacy Aside–Empower: We used lots of interesting words today with Tacky the Penquin, some were not even in the book. This helps develop your child’s vocabulary. On your way home, talk about being creative and ways your child is unique, using some of the interesting words we used today and adding your own. Through talking and talking about your children’s drawings there are many opportunities to expand your child’s vocabulary.
Submitted by David Banker, Radford (VA) Public Library