Play Ideas for Early Literacy Library Fun

Emily Mroczek-Bayci has been doing a very practical series on using the 5 literacy practices with tots at your library for the ALSC blog. In her most recent post from last month, she explores how to use PLAY in your activities and with books.

Emily writes:  "As children’s professionals, we know the Every Child Ready to Read concepts. Maybe you address a certain one in every program. Maybe parents ask more about them. Maybe you can say them in your sleep. Maybe you didn’t realize they had a name, but are still using them all in your daily work. Whatever your story is, the five key practices (talk, read, sing, write and play) aren’t going anywhere. This is the fourth post of a five-part series on concrete ideas to use ECRR in programming.

Today’s post is about PLAY. Children learn through dramatic and pretend play, express themselves and practice narrative skills."

Please stop here to read her ideas and find links to her previous posts exploring Talk; Write and Read. [Ready Ideas for Ready to Read: PLAY. Mroczek-Bayci. ALSC blog. December 13, 2023.]

Toys in the Children's Department!

SLJ - First Steps: Play

Hopefully we all know that play is one of the "Big Five" components of the Every Child Ready To Read initiative.  But how do we make play happen at the library?  It probably, *gasp* involves toys in the Children's area.  For those of us with limited space, or perhaps resistant administrators, placing toys in the library can be a challenge.  Not to worry!  Check out THIS article by Lisa G. Kropp from the School Library Journal.  Kropp presents great ideas for convincing arguments, limited space, and even what toys to start with.  It is definitely time to play!

Children's Services Workshop Invitation

Winnefox and Outagamie Waupaca Library Systems are pleased to announce two workshops presented by nationally-know speaker Sue McCleaf Nespeca.

Date: September 16, 2008
Times: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm: Raising Literate Children Begins at Birth
1:15 pm - 4:15 pm: Every Child Ready to Read

Lunch will be served between the sessions at a cost of $6.50

• Raising Literate Children Begins at Birth: Books & Literacy Experience for Babies & Toddlers.
  

Topics to be covered include:

• Planning baby lap-sit and toddler programs incorporating early literacy skills
• Music & literacy activities for infants and toddlers
  

• Every Child Ready to Read
  
  What can libraries do to help assure that our youngest patrons are started on the right path? How can librarians enlist parents as partners in preparing their children for learning to read? This workshop will address tested programs for parents that can offered by librarians, and will suggest ways to incorporate these practices into storytime programs.

More information and a registration form is at: http://extranet.winnefox.org/childrens.html