Happy Fall Everyone!

Last week during our Thursday preschool and toddler storytimes, I pointed out some ways that parents could practice rhyming words with their children.  Researchers have found that one of the early literacy skills that children need to be able to learn is to hear the smaller sounds in words.  This is called Phonological Awareness.  Learning to rhyme is one part of this early literacy skill.  There are many ways to support your child's ability to hear rhymes as you sing, talk, read, write, and play with them throughout the day. 

Here are a few things to try:

• Sing Nursery Rhymes together

• Let your child point out the rhyming words when you are reading together

• Play the I Spy Rhyming Game -- ex. I spy something blue that rhymes with Fox -- It's a Box

We had tons of fun in storytime this week learning about the season.  It was raining outside so we sang Itsy Bitsy Spider, danced away the gloom with Jim Gill's Silly Dance Contest, and played a game to help our hungry little squirrel find his acorns.  

See you next time! 

-Tracy

Here are some of the books that we read: