April Howe 10/8/21 April Howe 10/8/21

Fall Storytime Books for Toddlers

Here are some picture books for children that I enjoy reading at storytime in the spring. I have mainly selected these as books I would read at my toddler (2s & 3s) storytime. However, some of these I would read to preschoolers, too.

The books below cover many fall or autumn storytime topics: pumpkins, apples, leaves changing colors, bears, hibernation, and squirrels gathering acorns — just to name a few. :) Enjoy!

April 10/8/21 April 10/8/21

Bodies

Reading

Ears by Katrine Crow

Making Tracks: Farm by Cocoretto

Singing

Eyes Nose Cheeky Cheeky Chin

Eyes, nose

cheeky, cheeky chin!

Eyes, nose

cheeky, cheeky chin!

Eyes, nose

cheeky, cheeky chin!

Cheeky cheeky chin,

eyes and nose!

Head Shoulders Knees and Toes

Head shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes

I have eyes and ears and a mouth and nose

Head shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes

Extension Activity

Part of learning about bodies is recognizing that the internal is just as important (if not more important) than the external. Let’s turn inwards and seek to connect with the things going on inside our bodies using our 5 senses.

This week, let’s take a moment to slow down and enjoy the nature around us. Enjoy a walk with your child today. I recommend trying to get outside at least once a day, even when the weather starts to cool down again. I’d like to share this mindfulness exercise for you to try with your child, which requires you to tune into your 5 senses. It can be done inside or out, but I would recommend trying it outside because there’s so much more going on around you! It is definitely helpful when trying to slowdown and take in the moment.

It’s called the 5,4,3,2,1 grounding exercise.

Begin:

Take a deep belly breath to begin.

5 - LOOK: Look around for 5 things that you can see, and say them out loud. For example, you could say, “I see leaves on the ground, I see a red car parked on the street, I see a flag blowing in the wind.”

4 - FEEL: Pay attention to your body and think of 4 things that you can feel, and say them out loud. For example, you could say, “I feel my feet cozy in my socks, I feel the hair on the back of my neck, or I feel your warm hand holding mine.”

3 - LISTEN: Listen for 3 sounds. It could be the sound of traffic going by, the sound of the wind blowing the trees, or the sound of your tummy rumbling. Say the three things out loud.

2 - SMELL: Say two things you can smell. If you’re allowed to, it’s okay to move to another spot and sniff something. If you can’t smell anything at the moment or you can’t move, thenname your 2 favorite smells.

1 - TASTE: Say one thing you can taste. It may be the toothpaste from brushing your teeth, or just the last thing you ate. If you can’t taste anything, then say your favorite thing to taste.

End: Take another deep belly breath to end.

April Howe 3/6/21 April Howe 3/6/21

spring storytime books for toddlers

The first day of Spring this year is March 20, 2021! We are so close. I cannot wait to watch the world wake up and come alive. From brand new baby ducklings swimming in the pond near my house, to the beautiful trees whose blossoms line the sidewalks in my neighborhood, it is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year.

The books below cover many spring storytime topics: rain, wind, robins, flowers, nature walks, bumble bees, ducks, and bunny rabbits — just to name a few. :) Enjoy!

April Howe 3/6/21 April Howe 3/6/21

Read with Me: A Special Storytime Series for Babies and Toddlers

Board Book Sets in Storytime Pre-COVID

Pre-COVID, our youth services department would often utilize our in-house collection of board book book sets in storytime. For example, we’d pass out a set of 10 copies of I Kissed the Baby! to parents/caregivers at storytime to read with their children as a lapsit story. As I read the story aloud, children could hold the book in their hands, and their grown-ups could guide them through. This is a special experience that was lost as COVID times set in. Since we were separated by a screen, it didn’t cross my mind for some time as something that was possible.

Taking Board Book Sets Virtual

Then, I got an idea: what if I just purchased a copy of a book for everyone stuck at home? For many patrons with varying levels of safety standards, they were not even visiting the library, to err on the side of not bringing home germs. To be able to provide a new book in the household seemed like a great idea to get more books into homes during this difficult, isolated time. Plus, it would give us a new, fun way to connect and engage with patrons virtually. I called this new storytime Read with Me and aimed it towards toddlers ages 18-36 months old.

I was able to purchase 10 board books at a discounted price through the vendor that we purchase books for the collection from. Patrons who registered for my Read with Me storytime were then able to pick up the book at the library the week before the storytime using our contactless pick-up system.

I started by purchasing 10 copies of a board book that had tactile features and fun flaps to lift — elements that would make the books especially engaging! Our first book was Making Tracks: Snow by Cocoretto. See the images below to see how lovely the tactile features in this book are.

How it Went

When I logged on for storytime, I realized that every. single. person. picked up their book! We had a fantastic group and the kids were so excited to see me reading the same book that they had in front of them. We spent a lot of extra time on each page than I normally would in a storytime. We examined the landscape, and the tracks that were hidden. We looked for clues in the scenery as to who could have possibly made such tracks! We felt the tracks and traced them with our fingers. Then we slowly, slowly opened the flap to reveal who left the tracks! Again, we traced the tracks, talked about the person or animal on the page, what they’re wearing, etc. Examining every little detail together and really experiencing the book in a very intimate way together!

During Read with Me, we spend so much time on reading and exploring the book that we easily fill up most of the storytime. We also sing one song related to the theme of the book, and our hello and goodbye songs. The whole storytime tends to last between 20-30 minutes.

The first Read with Me storytime was so successful that I decided to put on another by popular demand. In March, I upped the registration number to 20 and no problem filling it up. This time, we read another Cocoretto book, Wheels at Work: Construction. I love Cocoretto books for the flaps, the tactile elements, and the bold, bright illustrations with high-contrast for young developing eyes.

The Future of Read with Me

I have another Read with Me scheduled for this spring, which I’ll be doing as a bedtime story on a Friday night. I haven’t yet chose a book yet, but I’m looking for a bedtime board book that features lots of tactile elements. I hope to continue this special storytime series over the summer, and as long as we offer virtual programming!

April 3/4/21 April 3/4/21

Independence

Reading

Now I'm Big by Karen Katz

Show Me Your Day by J.A. Barnes

Singing

Part of being older is wearing a mask when you go out into the world, whether that be the grocery store or the library, it is so important to do! Because some of the toddlers in my virtual storytimes were coming into the library and not recognizing me with my mask on, I thought it would be helpful to sing this song and practice wearing our masks together.

Even with My Mask On

Even with my mask on, I'm still me!

Even with my mask on, I hope you see,

that even with my mask on, I'm still me!

Click here to watch me sing Even with My Mask On (originally by Montessori Assistant) and learn how to make a face mask for your stuffed animals at home out of an old sock!

Extension Activity

Every day, there are so many opportunities for your child to practice independence! One of the most valuable tools we can give our children is the ability to solve problems by themselves. Toddlers crave independence and thrive on opportunities to persevere. Sometimes, if we sit back and exercise patience, we can be quite surprised by what a toddler can accomplish on their own!

Can you think of any daily activities that your child might be ready to try on their own? Maybe it's putting on their shoes or coat by themselves, picking out their clothing for the day, or chopping a banana with a child-safe knife for a snack. I encourage you to find one new daily activity that you can help your child start doing on their own!

Tips for putting shoes on independently:

If allowing to put on shoes or other clothing items on their own, be sure that the items allow your child the possibility to succeed. For example, try to steer away from shoes with laces until your child is old enough to tie them on their own. At this age, toddlers are not ready to learn to tie laces. This skill usually blossoms around the same time that they will learn to read. Instead, stick to shoes that can be pulled on and off easily, or shoes with velcro. This gives your toddler the freedom to accomplish this task on their own and build their independence!

1571766749-native-jefferson-slip-on-sneaker-1571766708.jpg

Hint: If your child puts their shoes on the wrong feet, resist the urge to correct them. Let them take a walk with their shoes on the wrong feet. Ask your child if their feet feel ok. Do they feel comfortable? Do they feel right? Most likely, after not too long, your child will point out that it doesn't feel right. Then you can suggest putting them on the right foot.

A great “hack” is to take a large sticker and cut it in half. Put each half on each sole of the shoe so that they line up to make a whole. This little puzzle will help your child line up their shoes the right way!

Shoe labels can help a toddler put their shoes on the right feet independently!

Tips for allowing your child to choose their own outfit for the day:

Once again, we'll use freedom within limits for this activity. The limits I recommend you set are 2 of each clothing item, which should be seasonably appropriate, and then allow the child to have freedom to choose within those: 2 shirts, 2 pairs of socks, etc.

Try to choose outfits that set your child up for success when dressing independently! For example, pants with elastic waists, which will help your child pull them up and down without the need for help with different clasps, zippers, etc. (this can be especially helpful when you start potty training your child -- no one wants to be messing with a pesky zipper when you've got to go NOW! haha)

On days when you have time (and I know this can be hard) try to give children enough time to allow them to dress themselves with as little interference from you as possible. If your child is struggling to the point of becoming emotional, only then offer some help. It can be really hard to watch your child struggle, but in the end, seeing your child accomplish a task and be so proud of themselves will be worth it! You’ll find some great tips on this topic over at the blog Montessori in Real Life.

A great tip for dressing, or any activity where you may have had to offer help, is to always let your child finish the last piece of the task on their own. This will help them feel a true sense of accomplishment!

“The Montessori Toddler” via How We Montessori