[kids-lib] Parent handouts with early literacy activity ideas

[Katie Anderson]

Many Oregon libraries are planning new early literacy activities next year that include providing worksheets, handouts, and activity ideas that parents can do at home with their young children (read about the library programs at the bottom of this email). Please remember that first and foremost library programs should be fun and foster a love for reading. Children will get enough flash cards, worksheets, and other school-like experiences in preschool and kindergarten. Most kids grow to dislike those types of activities quickly and we don't want to turn them off to the library or school.

There are a lot of ways to provide fun handouts that encourage parents to interact with their child in playful ways that foster the development of early literacy skills.

Here are two resources I know of where you can literally download, print and distribute early literacy handouts without any editing necessary. However, you may want take activity ideas from these resources and put them into your own handouts with book recommendations from your library's collection and songs/rhymes from your storytime-that's even better, just remember to cite your sources.

*         Washington Early Learning System's early literacy activities in English (http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/youthsvcs/reading.healthy.families/poc.binder.black.english.pdf) and Spanish (http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/youthsvcs/reading.healthy.families/poc.binder.black.spanish.pdf)

*         The Center for Early Literacy Learning: Practice guides for use with parents (http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/pgparents.php)

If anyone knows of similar resources, please share!

Enjoy,
Katie



Katie Anderson, Library Development Services
* Youth Services Consultant * Oregon Center for the Book Coordinator *
Oregon State Library, 250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR 97301
katie.anderson at state.or.us<mailto:katie.anderson at state.or.us>, 503-378-2528


[cid:image001.png at 01CEC8C7.8730C310]
Pick up your 2014 summer reading manual<http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/Pages/youthsvcs/oregon.srp.certificate.aspx#Summer_Reading_Manuals_> and get science programming training at
OLA's Children's Services Division's fall workshop<https://ola.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_149058>
Saturday, October 19, 2013 at Tigard Public Library

Here are some of the new early literacy ideas some Oregon libraries are trying next year. These ideas were compiled from 2013-2014 Ready to Read Grant applications:

*         Replace crafts after storytime with activities that encourage parents to play with their children in ways that develop early literacy skills. Some play activity examples might be: talking about the letters on blocks while stacking them, having parents/kids make different shapes with play dough, or counting and sorting plastic animals.



*         Each month we will feature one or two early literacy skills. The featured skill(s) will be demonstrated and practiced in all storytimes that month. One handout per month will be created and distributed at all storytimes. The handout will include information about that month's featured skill(s), a song or rhyme that helps develop that skill(s), a fun activity families can do at home to develop that skill(s), and a few book titles that emphasize the development of that skill(s).


*         Create five early literacy practice kits with storytime books, activities, and parent handouts to rotate on a monthly basis among Head Starts and childcare providers. A short survey will be included in each kit for providers fill out. Surveys will be used to evaluate progress on outcomes and inform us how to improve the kits.



*         Maintain an interactive blog/FaceBook page that provides short early literacy tips and encourages parents to share their early literacy experiences with each other. This will be mirrored in the library with a bulletin board that also provides early literacy tips and encourages parents to share their early literacy experience in English and Spanish.



*         Create an early learning space that will be furnished, decorated, and supplied to provide an inviting space in the library where parents and caregivers can access information and resources and young children can engage in fun early literacy activities. Families will be able to try out and practice new early literacy activities at the library so they can do them later at home or on the go more successfully. A comment book or bulletin board will be included for parents, caregivers, and children to share their experiences with or feedback about the new space.

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