CRDL Lapsit Storytime, next Wednesday

Bundle the kids up, buckle them into their carseats, and spend some quality time with them at CRDL Lapsit Storytime next Wednesday, January 28th, at 10:15am at the Veterans Memorial Library branch of the CRDL.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is designed for children from birth to 24 months of age. Exposure to the rhythms of language and music can help introduce very young children to books and reading. Traditional rhymes, basic finger plays, bounces, and activity songs, as well as circle activities that utilize both large and small motor skills are incorporated in the Lapsit program. In addition, caregivers work with their children to help build the bond between them.

Early literacy is what children know about reading before they can actually read and write. Research shows that children get ready to read years before they start school. Developing important skills now will help children become great readers.

Six pre-reading skills children can start learning from birth are:
Narrative skills – Being able to describe things and events and tell stories
Print motivation – Being interested in and enjoying books
Vocabulary – Knowing the names of things
Phonological awareness – Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words
Letter knowledge – Knowing letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds and recognizing letters everywhere
Print awareness - Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the words on a page

During CRDL Lapsit Storytime, we pick one or two of the “six pre-reading skills” and put together a series of stories, music and activities designed to develop those particular skills. While we can’t focus on all six skills at once, we make it a priority to spotlight at least one or two of the skills at each CRDL Lapsit Storytime and then give parents ideas of how to work on developing those skills at home.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is free, open to the public, and happens the last Wednesday of each month. For more information about CRDL Lapsit Storytime, or more information about events and activities happening at your CRDL call 989.773.3242 or click www.crdl.org.