Little Raindrops Fingerplay

Fingerplay:  Little Raindrops
This is the sun, high up in the sky. (Form large circle with arms up)
A dark cloud suddenly comes sailing by.  (Move hands through the air in a parallel motion.)
These are the raindrops,  pitter, pattering down. (Bring arms down, flutter fingers)
Watering the flowers, growing on the ground. (Cup hands to form flowers.)

Activity: Make a book based on this fingerplay. Use the pattern here (Little Raindrops Booklet pattern) to represent the items in the fingerplay. There are four pages for your book (one for each line of the fingerplay). The pattern is a Word document so you can change the size of the objects to save paper, if you wish. The children cut out the pictures. They can cut around them to make it easier. The adults write the words to the fingerplay on each page. For children too young for this craft, the adults make the book FOR their young children. The umbrella can be used on the cover of the book.

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Making a book with or for your child is very special. By showing care in making them and including your child in the process you make this activity around a book enjoyable. Your child can memorize the words to the rhyme and can "pretend" read it to you. Praise your child. This helps develop print motivation, a child's interest and enjoyment of books and reading. OR Making a book with your child shows them how books work. This helps them with print awareness, how to handle a book, which will get them comfortable with using books as they learn to read. Submitted by Jaime Duval and Whitney Whitaker, Radford (VA) Public Library

You Can Do Anything, Daddy by Michael Rex

Read the book You Can Do Anything, Daddy by Michael Rex.Craft/Activity: In this book, the boy is thinking of bad things that might happen to him. His father is figuring out how to save his son. I am giving each of you [adults and children] a piece of paper. On one side I want you to draw something you think of that is scary for you. On the other side I want you to think of something your a grownup could do to help you. It is all pretend, make-believe. What can you think of? Eary Literacy Aside: Having your children draw and then tell you about what they drew develops their narrative skills. It also gives us a window into their thoughts. You can also write down what your children say with the picture so that they make the connection between the written and the spoken word. This helps develop their print awareness, knowing that print has meaning.

You Can Do Anything, Daddy by Michael Rex

[Notice how the fonts for what the boy says and what the father says are different.]Read the book You Can Do Anything Daddy by Michael Rex. Point to some of the words that are in large type (gorilla, robot, Mars) Early Literacy Aside--Example: I pointed to some of the words in the book, the ones with larger type, as I read them. This helps children understand that it is the words we are reading, which develops print awareness, one of the skills children need for later reading.

Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley

Book Introduction: Our next book is Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley. [Run your finger under the title.] In this book the caterpillar says the words "Don't worry, bear" over and over again. Let's practice saying that--"Don't worry. bear." Good! . . .As I read the book, I'll point to you all and you'll know to say, "Don't worry, bear." [As you read the book run your finger under the words don't worry bear, as they say these words.] Early Literacy Aside--Example: You noticed that I ran my finger under the words don't worry bear each time you all said those words. This helps develop your children's print awareness, knowing that print has meaning and that it is the words we read. You can do this with any book you read!

Board books

Early Literacy Aside--Example: Board books are a great investment for babies! They allow babies to handle books freely, and even chew them. Good first choices are board books with pictures of everyday things. Try pointing to the pictures and then to the real objects around you.This helps babies get the idea that pictures and words are symbols for real things, a basic concept for later reading.Share a board book of your choice.

Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library

Print Awareness

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Print is like magic. When you read aloud with your children, they gradually become aware that the squiggles on the page mean something. We call this "print awareness." It helps to run your finger under the words as you read. Children will also begin to notice print in the world around them. It helps to point out signs as you drive or shop. Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library

Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Researchers have found that 95% of children's attention goes to the pictures in the book. When you run your fingers under the title as you read it, this helps show them you are reading the text, not the pictures. This is part of print awareness and is one of the skills children need to learn to read.During the storytime--Read the book running your finger under the repeated phrases. Early Literacy Aside--Example: You can run your finger under the repeated phrases to match the text to the words. Then your action doesn't get in the way of the story. Read the book running your finger under the repeated phrases. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: When you read withyour children at home, hold the book upside down or backwards and see if your child notices. Be sure to turn the book if a page is in a different direction. Theis helps develop their print awareness. Submitted by Melissa Davis, Bedford (VA) Public Library

Help! A Story of Friendship by Holly Keller

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: When you help your children pay attention to the print in books, you are helping to develop their print awareness, one of the early literacy skills that will later help them learn to read. I'll point out a couple of things in storytime today that will support this skill. Read the story Help! A Story of Friendship by Holly Keller. [When you come to the page with the deep hole, you have to turn the book the long way.] Wow! This hole is so deep we have to turn the book around. Look the writing changed direction too! Early Literacy Aside--Example:  Children's attention often goes to the pictures. By pointing out the direction of print you help develop your children's print awareness.

Print Awareness--Explain Aside

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Our early literacy tip of the day today is on print awareness. There are many ways we can help children understand that print has meaning. Research studies point out that about 95% of a child's attention goes to the pictures. Today in storytime I'll be pointing out some ways we can help them focus on the print as well.

Little Red Hen

ReadTheLittle Red Hen. As your read the repeated phrases, "Not I," said the dog;"Not I," said the cat; "Not I," said the mouse, run your finger under those words as you say them.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Running your finger under some of the words helps your child understand that it is the words you are reading, not the pictures. Researchers have found that even for four year olds, 95% of their attention is on the pictures. By pointing you help draw their attention to the text. This helps develop print awareness.