Greetings!
The Kent District Library is here to provide you and your child with the skills needed to succeed in school and in life. KDL's Early Lit Bits newsletter is full of FUN and simple activities that will help foster that growth. For more information regarding the skills your child needs before he or she learns to read, visit the Play-Grow-Read section of the KDL website. You can also stop by any KDL branch to speak with one of our helpful youth librarians. We hope to see you soon!
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| Learning with Crafts |
Alphabet Egg Hunt
Here is a great way to reuse those small plastic eggs that the Easter Bunny has left behind and help children learn to read at the same time.
Materials
Paper
Marker
Scissors
Plastic eggs
Pictures of animals cut from an old magazine (or printed from a computer)
Directions
Cut out several squares of paper small enough to fit inside the eggs. Write down the name of an animal (i.e. H-E-N) using one piece of paper for each letter. Place the letters inside of a plastic egg, along with a picture of the animal. You can use clip art images printed from a computer, old magazines, or draw a picture of the animal yourself. Make several eggs then hide them in the house or outside in the yard.
To Play
Give your child a container with a handle and let them hunt for the eggs. When all the eggs are found open the eggs together. Spell out the animal's name with the letters and sound it out to make a word.
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| Book Review |
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And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano
Hope and patience are of great importance in this story of a boy who is waiting for seeds to sprout and bloom. He wonders if the seeds will bloom at all, imagining they've been stepped on by other animals that are unaware of what lies beneath the ground. The boy is accompanied by a dog, turtle, and rabbit, which are also wishing and waiting for the garden to bloom. This story is perfect for children who are done with the doldrums of winter and look forward to all spring has to offer. Reading the poetic text together and investigating the soft, yet detailed illustrations would be a great way to pass time on a rainy spring day. This book would work best for one-on-one reading, or for a small group. The pictures help tell the story, and you and your child can talk about what each character hopes to grow. Talking and reading together are great ways to get your child ready to read! After reading this story, you may even be inspired to plant your own seeds, or visit a nursery to learn more about gardening.
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| KDLville Early Literacy Play Spaces |
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KDLville at the Alpine Township Branch is currently featuring a fun kitchen set. There is a toy stove (complete with burners that light up and a microwave), lots of dishes and pots and pans, and a variety of play foods. Little chefs can be found being creative and becoming hosts and hostesses. They sometimes offer their "home made goodies" to other patrons and it's always fun to play along.
The KDLville area currently has dress up clothes from different cultures and professions and lots of puzzles and toys. The smaller activities are rotated on a regular basis and the major pieces are changed every quarter. The staff is committed to nightly cleaning of the toys and to helping kids get ready to read through creative play. Head on over to play and learn with us!
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