Fun Activities to Keep Your Preschooler Busy in the Early Learning Center

Even though we are on a break from our regular weekly storytimes, be sure to visit us over the holiday season. There are always plenty of fun activities to keep your preschooler occupied.  Some examples are:

• Themed "book bundles" 
• Books with activity sheets
• Literacy activity
• Science, or STEAM, activity

Also, do you ever sit at our craft counter with your child and help him complete the craft project of the week? This week's craft is an angel and involves tracing, cutting, coloring, and gluing.  In addition to the fun, quality time spent together, this involves many learning opportunities.  For example, learning to cut with scissors promotes fine motor development by exercising the muscles in the hands and honing hand-eye coordination.  

Just ask at the Help Desk in the Early Learning Center and we will be glad to give you more information.

Story Mix for Three to Six: Teddy Bears

Does your child have a favorite teddy bear?  This week at Story Mix, we have a whole post devoted to these lovable dolls.   Through the songs and rhymes, consonance and dissonance are incorporated, which help children hear the sounds letters and words make.  This language technique then improves vocabulary and builds language.  Children also develop creative thinking skills when using different words in the teddy bear book rhyme.  This skill also helps them increase their word knowledge and get Ready to Read! 


Teddy Bear Rhyme
This little teddy has a soft furry suit.
This little teddy is sweet and cute.
This little teddy is sassy and cross.
This little teddy thinks she’s the boss.
This little teddy likes berries and honey.
But when gets them on his face,
He looks very, very funny!

Teddy Bear Song (Sung to the tune of B-I-N-G-O)
There was a boy who had a bear
and Teddy was his name-O
T-E-D-D-Y, T-E-D-D-Y, T-E-D-D-Y
and Teddy was his name-O.
       
Teddy Bear Book Rhyme
Teddy reads a red book, red book, red book
Teddy reads a red book all day long!

Teddy reads his bear book, bear book, bear book
Teddy reads his bear book all night long!

Repeat using additional colors and objects such as "blue book" or "fish book."  Choose items you're child is interested.

We read these fun books at Story Mix this week:

Anna's Book by Barbara Baker
Anna loves her new book, so after her mother reads it to her three times, she starts reading it to her teddy bear.
Check catalog availability

Book! by Kristine O’Connell George
Children's poetry about books and reading. 
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What Does My Teddy Bear Do All Night? by Bruno Hachler
A little girl spies all day to catch sight of her teddy bear's secret life. What child hasn't wondered what her teddy bear really does all day while she's away? This is a delightful story for anyone who's ever wondered what their toys really do when no one's home.
Check catalog availability

Story Mix For Three to Six: We Love Toys!

Story Mix is the weekly program for kids ages 3 - 6 and introduces stories, songs, activity and fun!  We are beginning our second Fall 2011 session with a Toys themed rhymes and stories to share.  Shared reading is valuable because your child has your full attention, and you are enjoying the experience together.   Shared reading with your child develops vocabulary, comprehension and encourages imaginative thinking.

Through singing and rhyming together, your child will improve their counting skills, learn rhythm which is important for learning syllables and vocabulary, and develop more ways for creative play as you come up with ideas for new people, places and things in the rhymes.

Roll Over Rhyme/Game
There were 6 in the bed and the little one said...
Roll over, roll over!
They all rolled over and the doll fell out.

There were 5 in the bed and the little one said...
Roll over, roll over!
They all rolled over and the truck fell out.

There were 4 in the bed and the little one said...
Roll over, roll over!
They all rolled over and the ball fell out.

Replace the underlined words with funny objects and names of people.
Count down from the starting number and replace it with the new number. 


Action Rhyme:  
Flop your arms, flop your feet,
Let your arms go free,
Be the floppiest rag doll,
You ever did see!

Pretend you and your child are a rag doll and act out the motions in the rhyme and you sing. Try this with other characters, such as a tree with branches that sway in the wind or a scary monster:

Sway your arms, move your feet,
Let your branches go free,
Be the biggest tree
You ever did see!

Make a scary face,
Raise your arms in the air,
Be the ugliest monster
You ever did fear!


During Story Mix, we read these books:

I’m Not Scared by Jonathan Allen
When Baby Owl takes his stuffed Owly out for a walk in the moonlit woods, he insists that he is not afraid of the other animals that keep popping up and making them jump. 
Check catalog availability

Just Like Jasper by Nick Butterworth
Jasper Cat goes to a toy store to spend his birthday money. 
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Emma In Charge by David McPhail
Emma pretends that she and her dolls spend a day at school.
Check catalog availability