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Good Night, Sweetheart!
“I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night” – Sarah Williams
As a librarian, I want your child to love the library and to love reading. As a parent, you want them to arrive at school ready to learn to read. You can help them do that by starting at birth, engaging in five early literacy practices; talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing!
It is important to have a routine at bedtime; brushing your teeth, putting on your jammies, washing your face. Why not include reading, talking, and singing in that special time between you and your little one? Maybe you could even squeeze in a calm playtime! And in the morning, when they wake, it’s time for some writing! These recommended reads are perfect for winding down. And I’ve associated them with an early literacy practice, too.
Bedtime Stories and Early Literacy Practice
Early Literacy Practice: TALK!
This wordless picture book affords you the opportunity to talk about what is going on in each scene with your little ones.
If your child is already talking, ask them what they see in the light of the flashlight. Breakout flashlights around the house and explore!
Early Literacy Practice: SING!
Don’t just read this book; sing it! Jane Cabrera is one of my favorite picture book authors. Her take on this classic song is just fantastic. The book begins with the traditional verse of the song, and then the characters take it away to new places! It will soon become one of your children’s favorite nighttime books!
If you are looking for the whole song in its traditional format, try Jerry Pinkney’s beautiful version as well.
Early Literacy Practice: READ!
Sometimes at the end of a long day, you just need a sweet inspirational story about a little bat that needs a boost of confidence to fly on his own. And this is it! Curl up in your favorite chair with your little ones and read about Chiro, who sings his way through the dark with confidence!
Early Literacy Practice: WRITE!
A boy and his cat, Sylvie, explore a “soft and comfortable” night. They realize that at night, sometimes black is the only color you can see. But in the morning, a whole new joyful palette appears!
Grab some black construction paper and see what colors you can make shine through the night. Next, try it on white paper to see what those same colors look like at dawn. Make sure your littlest ones are joining in, too. Write your child’s name on their artwork, so they can see the letters that make up their name. Coloring counts as early writing!
Early Literacy Practice: PLAY!
This calm story is a perfect little book for a bedtime playtime. Play a game of “I Spy” as you read and spot the yellow on each page.
Here at the Vernon Area Public Library, we use the five early literacy practices as a base for all of our storytimes. It is that important! We have storytimes beginning at birth so stop by and visit. Our event calendar can be accessed here. You do not need to be a cardholder to attend!
If you would like more information about early literacy, what is happening at the library and a printable calendar, click here to subscribe to our quarterly Early Literacy eNewsetter.
You can get more Early Literacy picks from Heather’s Blog: Little Literacy Librarian. Connect with the Vernon Area Public Library District:
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Find more book suggestions on our Bookshelf!
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