Fall 2010 Storytime Sessions
Bouncing Babies!
Birth to age 2
Wednesdays @ 9:15 a.m.
September 1 - October 13
November 3 - December 15
No Registration
Enjoy 15 to 20 minutes of rhymes, lap bounces, songs, and simple stories to promote language learning in the very earliest stages of life.
Peppy Preschoolers!
Ages 2 & up
Wednesdays @ 10:00 a.m.
September 1 - October 13
November 3 - December 15
No Registration
Through books, songs and other activities, storytime is designed to develop children's pre-literacy skills, as well as a love of language.
What to expect
Story times include books, music, movement, crafts, poetry, nursery rhymes, ample opportunity for adult/child bonding, love, laughter and loads of fun! All of which, support and develop a child's pre-literacy skills, and encourage a love of language.
Ideally, caregivers attend with one child. For those with other siblings in tow, special considerations will be made. Please contact Linda DeCramer for details; decramer [at] riponlibrary [dot] org.
Welcome to Bouncing Babies!
Birth to Age 2
Why do we read books and sing to babies who can’t understand what we are saying and won’t sit still?
Reading...
- is one-on-one time, during which baby and parent bond together in a loving way.
- provides an opportunity for babies to respond positively to parents’ voices and begin to imitate the parent.
- begins the process of nurturing a love for books & reading.
- provides a baby with language rich experiences.
- stimulates the baby’s brain development.
Research has proven that babies...
- can recognize parents’ voices from birth and find security in knowing the parent is near and speaking to them.
- understand simple words at 8-9 months of age.
- are attracted to different sounds and gradually attach meaning to those sounds.
Books provide...
- visual stimulation for babies and support development of vision through their efforts to focus on objects.
- babies with their first literacy experiences.
Early experiences with books are linked to a child’s later success in learning to read. Research has shown that children who know, by memory, at least 3-4 nursery rhymes at age 3 are successful readers later on in the elementary school years.
What to expect at “Bouncing Babies” storytime:
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Lots of interactive books, songs and rhymes.
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Noise, crying, and a bit of chaos. That’s okay!
How to share books with babies:
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Choose cloth or board books with rounded edges. No sharp corners, please.
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Pick books with bright primary colors that have definite contrasts between dark and light.
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Share books that depict familiar objects, one per page. After naming the object, talk about it in a sentence.
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Find books that show faces of various ethnic groups.
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Look for interactive books which allow babies to insert their fingers or hands through holes, or feature lift-the-flaps. These are especially exciting and fun!
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Never force reading on babies if they are unhappy and clearly do not want to be involved. Pick a quiet time when sharing is a pleasant experience.
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Share nursery rhymes, lullabies, and songs with babies. Babies will not get bored with LOTS of repetition.
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Book reading should take place several times during the day, even if it is only for short periods of time.
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Pick books that you like and enjoy reading. Use different voices and sounds. It’s all about ENTHUSIASM!
My baby won’t sit still for book reading.
Every child is different and for some sitting quietly to read is not their style. Unless there are other signs that your child is outside the range of normal, don’t worry. Keep in mind that the main goal is to expose your child to language rich experiences, which are not limited to reading books. Continue reading, singing, playing games and TALKING to your baby. Talk constantly to your child about everything that is going on in their environment.
Excerpted from the works of Susan Nespeca
