Join Us for Children Just Like Me at the Library!

 

Saturday, June 2   1 – 4 pm
Enjoy a cultural extravaganza with music, dance, crafts and food tastings. Stop and visit the free Children Just Like Me Exhibit and learn about the lives of 11 children from around the world through hands-on activities.

• 1:30 – 3 pm — Battle of Mole —Taste and vote for the best mole in Elgin.
• 1:45 pm — Cross-Cultural Fashion Show
• 2:30 pm — Troupe Namaste dance performance using swords, veils nad finger cymbals

The Children Just Like Me EVERYWHERE! Event is free. Simply enter through the entry rotunda to receive information, then move on to the Youth Gateway to register for the summer reading program to attend this cultural event.

Get details and more information on the Gail Borden Library website. 

Get Ready for Summer Reading!

The library "Reading is so Delicious" summer reading program opens for business on May 15th.  We have categories for children of all ages, middle school children and young adults!  Children from birth through 35 months are encouraged to sign up to become a "Little Listener."  This is a great program for parents and caregivers to incorporate the 5 essential early literacy skills into your everyday routine! 

Come on and experience that Reading is So Delicious!

Click here for complete program details.

Story Mix for Three to Six: ZANY ZOO ANIMALS: Humongous Hippos

We are finishing our spring Story Mix classes and our theme of ZANY ZOO ANIMALS with humongous hippos!  We've also added the final animal onto our "All Through the Zoo" song!

Children will learn important concepts through repetition and singing, and making animal motions and movements. Encourage your child to use their arms and legs to make the motions of the animals while voicing the sounds. 

Reading together is also an essential early literacy skill in order for children to acquire reading success when they start school.  Shared reading helps children learn the concepts of a book, and also develop a young appreciation for learning and reading. Take a look through our selection of zoo themed books!

All Through the Zoo Song (Sung to the tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The tiger in the grass says roar, roar, roar
Roar, roar, roar, roar, roar, roar
The tiger in the grass says roar, roar, roar
All through the zoo.

The Parrot in the leaves goes squawk, squawk, squawk
Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk
The Parrot in the leaves goes squawk, squawk, squawk
All through the zoo.

The bear in the grass says growl, growl, growl
growl, growl, growl, growl, growl, growl
The bear in the grass says growl, growl, growl
All through the zoo.

The giraffe by the tree, munches the leaves,
munches the leaves, munches the leaves
The giraffe by the tree, munches the leaves,
All through the zoo.

The elephant by the rock goes stomp, stomp, stomp
stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp
The elephant by the rock goes stomp, stomp, stomp
All through the zoo.

The monkey in the tree goes eek, eek, eek
eek, eek, eek, eek, eek, eek,
The monkey in the tree goes eek, eek, eek
All through the zoo.

The hippo by the pond, rolls in the mud
rolls in the mud, rolls in the mud
The hippo by the pond, rolls in the mud
All through the zoo.

Animals, Animals, Turn Around Song
Animals, animals, turn around
Animals, animals, touch the ground
Animals, animals, dance on your toes
Animals, animals, touch your nose
Animals, animals, give a little clap
Animals, animals, take a nap

For more zoo animal fun, check out these books we read at Story Mix:

Two At the Zoo by Danna Smith
A grandfather and grandchild go to the zoo, where they count animals from one to ten. 
Check catalog availability

Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon by Maggie Smith
When his friend Daisy gets sick, Peter sends her more gifts each day of the week until she feels better. 
Check catalog availability

Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen
With a tramp and a roll and a swat, Great Big Elephant, Great Big Hippo, and Great Big Tiger try to capture Tiny Little Fly as he teases each one in turn. 
Check catalog availability

Wonderful Ones: Clap, Pat, Stretch, Repeat!

Babies love to move their bodies by dancing, hopping, bopping and being silly.  These activities also help your baby learn motor skills, learn communication skills, and helps build self-confidence as he or she learns to do new motions.  Clap along or pat your hands on your knees to rhymes and songs you sing together, stretch your arms out wide or small to indicate sizes,  and use your facial expressions to share moods and thoughts.   Bending, stretching, and bouncing to rhythms also allows babies to not only hear, but feel the motion of syllables and sounds which allows for learning new words and speech.

Clap Your Hands Rhyme
Clap, clap, clap your hands,
Clap your hands with me.
Clap them fast,
Clap them slow,
Clap your hands with me.

Pat, pat, pat your knees,
Pat your knees with me.
Pat them fast,
Pat them slow,
Pat your hands with me.

Stretch, stretch, stretch your arms,
Stretch your arms with me.
Stretch them fast,
Stretch them slow,
Stretch your arms with me. 

Bright Sun Song
Bright sun shining down,
Shining on the ground.
What a lovely face you have,
Yellow, big, and round!


Me, Me, Me Rhyme
Me, me, me
Look at me
And you will see
Ten fingers, ten toes
Two arms, two legs
Two eyes, two ears
One head, one nose
All on me.

Me, me, me
Look at me
And you will see
Ten fingers, ten toes
Two arms, two legs
Two eyes, two ears
One head, one nose
All on me.

We read these fun books at this week's Wonderful Ones class:

This Little Baby Goes Out by Lynn Breeze
A toddler has an exciting adventure in the park with his mother. 
Check catalog availability

Baby Loves Visiting by Michael Lawrence
Baby and mother go out to do errands and see friends and then go back home again. 
Check catalog availability

Story Mix for Three to Six: ZANY ZOO ANIMALS: Mischievous Monkeys

We are continuing our theme of ZANY ZOO ANIMALS and this week is all about those silly and mischievous monkeys who swing from the trees!  We've also added a new animal onto our "All Through the Zoo" song!

Children will learn important concepts through repetition and singing, and making animal motions and movements. Using arms and legs to make the motions of a swinging monkey or one eating a banana will keep children active and help them learn about animal movements and sounds.

Reading together is also an essential early literacy skill in order for children to acquire reading success when they start school.  Shared reading helps children learn the concepts of a book, and also develop a young appreciation for learning and reading. Take a look through our selection of zoo themed books!

All Through the Zoo Song (Sung to the tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The tiger in the grass says roar, roar, roar
Roar, roar, roar, roar, roar, roar
The tiger in the grass says roar, roar, roar
All through the zoo.

The Parrot in the leaves goes squawk, squawk, squawk
Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk
The Parrot in the leaves goes squawk, squawk, squawk
All through the zoo.

The bear in the grass says growl, growl, growl
growl, growl, growl, growl, growl, growl
The bear in the grass says growl, growl, growl
All through the zoo.

The giraffe by the tree, munches the leaves,
munches the leaves, munches the leaves
The giraffe by the tree, munches the leaves,
All through the zoo.

The elephant by the rock goes stomp, stomp, stomp
stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp
The elephant by the rock goes stomp, stomp, stomp
All through the zoo.

The monkey in the tree goes eek, eek, eek
eek, eek, eek, eek, eek, eek,
The monkey in the tree goes eek, eek, eek
All through the zoo.


Five Little Bananas Counting Song
Five little bananas
Swinging in a tree
If a monkey picks one
And carries it away
How many bananas
Will be left to sway?
 
Four little bananas
Swinging in a tree
If a monkey picks one
And carries it away
How many bananas
Will be left to sway?

Three little bananas
Swinging in a tree
If a monkey picks one
And carries it away
How many bananas
Will be left to sway?
 
Two little bananas
Swinging in a tree
If a monkey picks one
And carries it away
How many bananas
Will be left to sway?

One little banana
Swinging in a tree
If a monkey picks one
And carries it away
How many bananas
Will be left to sway?

I'm a Little Monkey Song (Sung to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot)
I’m a little monkey in the tree
Swinging by my tail so merrily
I can leap and fly from tree to tree
I have lots of fun you see
I’m a little monkey, watch me play
Munching on bananas every day
Lots of monkey friends to play with me
We have fun up in the tree.


Enjoy these monkey and animal themed books we read at Story Mix this week:

Watch Out! Big Bro's Coming! by Jez Alborough
Terror spreads through the jungle as animals hear the news that rough, tough Big Bro is coming. 
Check catalog availability

Little Gorilla by Ruth Bornstein
Little Gorilla's family and friends try to help him overcome his special growing pains. 
Check catalog availability

Where's My Mom? by Julia Donaldson
A butterfly tries to help a lost young monkey find its mother in the jungle, meeting many different animals along the way. 
Check catalog availability

1, 2, 3 Go! Here Comes the Sun!

We are continuing to explore weather and spring seasonal elements at the 1, 2, 3 Go!  class this week.  Take some some this week to engage your child in talking about the spring weather and what happens after it rains...the sun comes out!  Ask questions such as, "what does the sun do?", or "what color is the sun?" and then, "what other objects are yellow?". Developing a conversation with your child is important as he or she learns to communicate ideas and information, which leads to comprehension.  By learning how to communicate and comprehend, children are learning essential early literacy and reading skills.

Yellow Song (sung to the tune of 'If You're Happy and You Know It')
Y-E-L-L-O-W spells yellow.
Y-E-L-L-O-W spells yellow.
Like the bright and early sun when the day has just begun
Y-E-L-L-O-W spells yellow.
Ducklings and bananas are YELLOW.
Lemons and flowers are YELLOW.
Like a smiley face is yellow he is such a happy fellow
Y-E-L-L-O-W spells yellow.

Mister Sun Song
Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree...

These little children
Are asking you
To please come out
So we can play with you

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on...
Please shine down on...
Please shine down on me!

We read these books at 1, 2, 3, Go!

The Sun is My Favorite Star by Frank Asch
Celebrates a child's love of the sun and the wondrous ways in which it helps the earth and the life upon it. 
Check catalog availability

Where’s Spot? By Eric Hill
 A mother dog finds eight other animals hiding around the house before finding her lost puppy. 
Check catalog availability

Wonderful Ones: Fun Farm Animals

Babies love animals!  We are sharing animal themed songs, rhymes and stories we enjoyed at this week's class.  Singing and rhyming not only allows baby to hear and learn new words, it also assists in developing listening skills. By listening to the different sounds animals make, babies will be able to decipher syllables in spoken language.  Also, learning to identify different animals by name and sound increase baby's vocabulary!

What the Animals Say Rhyme
Little pup, little pup,
What do you say?
“Woof, woof, woof!
Let’s go and play.”

Kitty cat, kitty cat,
How about you?
“Meow, meow, meow!
And I purr too.”

Pretty bird, pretty bird,
Have you a song?
“Tweet, tweet, tweet!
The whole day long.”


Eight Baby Pigs Rhyme
Two little pigs lived in a pen, (use your thumbs to represent the pigs)
Each had four babies and that made ten. (use your fingers to represent the baby pigs)
These four babies were black and white,
These four babies were black as night.
All eight babies loved to play,
And they rolled and they rolled in the mud all day.

The Animals on the Farm (sung to tune of 'The Wheels on the Bus')
The cows on the farm go moo, moo, moo,
Moo, moo, moo, moo, moo, moo,
The cows on the farm go moo, moo, moo,
All day long.

The horses on the farm go neigh, neigh, neigh,
Neigh, neigh, neigh, neigh, neigh, neigh,
The horses on the farm go neigh, neigh, neigh,
All day long.

The pigs on the farm go oink, oink, oink,
Oink, oink, oink, oink, oink, oink,
The pigs on the farm go oink, oink, oink,
All day long.

The sheep on the farm go baa, baa, baa
Baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa,
The sheep on the farm go baa, baa, baa
All day long. 

(Repeat using other farm animals such as chickens, goats, or ducks)


For more farm animal fun, try these books we read at Wonderful Ones this week:

Where Is My Mommy? by Julie Downing
Animal mothers, including a rabbit, cat, and human, care for their young by waking them up, washing their faces, and performing other activities. 
Check catalog availability

This Little Chick by John Lawrence
A little chick shows that he can make the sounds of the animals in his neighborhood. 
Check catalog availability