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Singing with young children is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by almost anyone, and entertainment value aside, studies show it can have a very positive effect on your young child’s development.  Songs provide parents and caregivers with a very special way of “talking” to young children, and aid in language acquisition and the development of good social and verbal communication skills.

Try singing traditional songs like “I’m a Little Teapot” or “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” a nursery rhyme such as “Hickory Dickory Dock,” or just make up a song using things that interest your child.  Keep in mind, having a great singing voice is NOT a requirement.  If you’re off pitch, chances are, the audience won’t even notice!

Check out your local library’s collection of nursery rhyme books and children’s compact discs to help get you started!              

Here are just a few ideas:

The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina Crews

Hush, Little Baby by Brian Pinkney

The Wheels on the School Bus by Mary-Alice Moore

Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band

The Ladybug Music series by Patricia Maertens

 

Tags: Children's books, Pre-K, music

The Neighborhood Mother Goose
The Neighborhood Mother Goose
Hush, Little Baby
Hush, Little Baby
Ladybug Music
Ladybug Music

Young children can learn so much about their world through seasonal books and discussions.  With the change of the season just around the corner, why not visit your local library and check out all of our great winter-themed children’s books?  Whether you’re looking for something on snow, hibernation, a specific holiday, or just a fun story taking place in a winter setting, you’re sure to find some great reads to share with your child!  Here are just a few examples:

Winter by Ron Hirschi

Stunning photographs and lyrical language take you on a journey through nature.

Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart

Find out what happens to the animals in the woods, the insects in the garden and the creatures in the pond when the chilly weather arrives. 

Winter White by Christianne Jones

This book is part of a series on colors, and offers simplistic text, colorful illustrations, and a fun fact section.

In the Snow: Who’s Been Here? By Lindsay Barrett George

While walking in the snow, two children see signs of life all around them.

White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt

An oldie but goodie, this 1948 Caldecott Medal Winner takes the reader through a snowstorm from start to finish, highlighting different perspectives along the way.

The Hat by Jan Brett

On a cold, windy day, Hedgie finds himself a very interesting hat, which he shows to all of his animal friends. 

Snow by Uri Shulevitz

A little boy and his dog watch their town transform into a winter wonderland.


For many more choices, stop by your local branch today!

Tags: Children's books, Pre-K

Winter White by Chritianne C. Jones
Winter White by Chritianne C. Jones
Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart
Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
Snow by Uri Shulevitz

 

Something scary is creeping up behind you… Getting closer every day… It’s HALLOWEEN! And if you’re anything like me, you’re putting off costumes until the last minute. Get some great, super-easy ideas for kids costumes at Kidspot. Make fairy wings in minutes! A no-sew magician’s cape!

And of course, don’t forget to share some creepy crawly books with your little ones. Here are a few of your Free Library Children’s Librarian tried-and-true favorites.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown. The carrots that grow in Crackenhopper Field are the fattest and crispiest around and Jasper Rabbit cannot resist pulling some to eat each time he passes by, until he begins hearing and seeing creepy carrots wherever he goes.

Halloween Forest by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by John Shelley. A trick-or-treater ventures outside town only to find that the forest is full of spooky bones!

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd. The classic holiday favorite about a clever old lady who assures a clomping pair of shoes and a wiggling pair of pants that she is not afraid of them.

Shake dem Halloween Bones by W. Nikola–Lisa, illustrated by Mike Reed. A rhythmic tale about different updated fairy tale characters who attend a hip-hop Halloween ball.

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley. Clap your claws! Twitch your tail! Wiggle your warts!

In a Dark Dark Wood: An Old Tale With an New Twist by David A. Carter. In the dark, dark wood, there was a dark, dark house... Do you dare read till the end?

Tags: Children's books, Pre-K, early literacy

From Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown's book Creepy Carrots
From Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown's book Creepy Carrots
If You're a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley
If You're a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd

Is your little one feeling sniffly and sneezy? Come check out some of these books, and you'll be sure to feel better soon!

Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

Poor old Bear wakes up achy and stuffy, and his woodland friends make him feel better with tea, lullabies, and their kind company.

Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems

Oh no! Elephant is allergic to his best friend, Piggie! Call Doctor Cat!

I Hate to Be Sick! by Aamir Lee Bermiss, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max

Being sick means staying in bed, missing school and playtime. Fortunately, the little boy in this sweet Easy Reader has daddy to make him feel better.

"Stand Back!" Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!" by Patricia Thomas, illustrated by Wallace Tripp

Speaking of sneezing elephants! All the animals try to convince elephant to hold in his sneeze, due to the disastrous effects of his last sneeze. (Hint: It scared the stripes off the zebras.)

Feel better soon!

Tags: Children's books, Pre-K, early literacy

Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson
Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems
I Hate to Be Sick! by Aamir Lee Bermiss
I Hate to Be Sick! by Aamir Lee Bermiss

Lots of kids I know love tablet computers: the bright displays, the multi-touch interfaces and the endless supply of media, games and books available make them big hits with the preschool set. Although pediatricians recommend limiting screen time (including TVs, computers and so on) for very young children, most parents do not find such limits very practical.

So instead of just AngryBirds or another episode of Caillou streaming over your Netflix app, here are some apps for iOS devices (iPads, iPhones and iPod touches) to try out with your toddlers and preschoolers that might also provide support for their preliteracy skills.

Letter Tracer ($.99) is a simple app based on a Montessori technique for children to practice writing letters. There are options that allow children to trace an outlined letter, and also the copy the letter without the tracing guide. It takes just a few taps to use, and allows parents to choose the letters in alphabetical order or to shuffle them to increase the challenge level. Parents can also enable a sound option that speaks the name of the letter

Singing Fingers (free) is a finger painting app that also records whatever you say (or sing!) while you “paint” in multicolored dots on the screen. When you are done painting, you can press and hold anywhere on the drawing and hear whatever you or your child was singing and saying. Try singing a favorite lullaby or rhyme while finger painting; connecting the sounds and rhythms of the song with busy fingers is great for kinetic learners.

Felt Board ($2.99) is a virtual space for creating multicolored flannel and felt stories. Choose from preset backgrounds and characters to recreate a favorite scene from any picture book in virtual felt. This app has many figures users can modify, including people, animals, plants and flowers, as well as letters and numbers. It is great to pair this app with an actual, physical felt craft so children also have a tactile experience with the material in addition to just the glassy interface made up of pixels.

Tags: Pre-K, tech

Letter Tracer screenshot
Letter Tracer screenshot
Felt Board screenshot
Felt Board screenshot
Singing Fingers screenshot
Singing Fingers screenshot