Toddler Time and BeyondCreating Programs for

Our Youngest Patrons

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Danielle ToddChildren’s LibrarianWaianae Public Librarydanielle.todd@librarieshawaii.org

Overview

• Why Toddlers?

• Every Child Ready to Read & Enhanced Storytimes

• Toddler Time

• Additional Programs

• Resources and Ideas

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What is Early Literacy?

It is not the teaching of reading or writing.

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“Early Literacy is what children know about communication, language, verbal and non-verbal, reading and writing before they can actually read and write.” (zertotothree.org)

Why Toddlers?

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Cognitive Development and Academic Success

Positive experience from birth

Pre reading skills before Kindergarten

At or above grade level by second grade.

At grade level by 4th grade = more likely to be lifelong learners

(ECRR2 Manual)

Why Toddlers

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Howard, M. L. (2013). Growing Young Minds : How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners (pp. 1-48, Rep.). Washington, D.C.: Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Why Toddlers?

• Community need

• Create new patron base

• Library visits are a habit

• Positive word of mouth

• Larger attendance at other programs

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Library Sustainability

We’ll get them when they’re older!36% with lowest socioeconomic status visited libraries in their kindergarten year.Compared to 66% in the highest. (Howard, 2013)

We’ll get them when they’re older!

Every Child Ready to Read (2)Have a greater impact by educating caregivers.

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Research on cognitive

development and literacy skills

Early literacy practices that

support development

Simple literacy activities that

adults and children can enjoy together

Storytimes for Everyone!

• Storytime plans for multiple ages

• Sections on math and science

• List of early literacy tips based on ECRR2

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Ghoting, S. N. (2013). Storytimes for Everyone! : Developing Young Children's Language and Literacy. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions

Supercharged Storytimes

• Based on VIEWS2 study and ECRR2

• How to rethink and “supercharge” your storytimes

• How to scaffold your programs

• Planning and assessment tools

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Campana, K. (2016). Supercharged Storytimes : An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide. Chicago, IL. ALA Editions

H.E.L.D.SHawaii Early Learning Development Standards

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http://earlylearning.hawaii.gov/standards/hawaii-early-learning-and-development-standards-helds/

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Toddler Time

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Typical Toddler Time

The Basics

• 25-30 Minutes

• 1-2 Books

• Predictable format

• Lots of movement

• Literacy Tips

• Puzzle and Play Time afterward

Outline

• Opening Songs

• Book one

• Music and Movement

• Book Two

• Felt Board / Rhyme

• Closing Song

• Playtime14

Blogs for ideas – jbrary.com and storytimekatie.com

Literacy Tips

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Empowering caregivers one tidbit at a time.

The benefits are two fold:1. More likely to try do the activities at home 2. See the library as an important place of learning

Example:We’re going to read a books with lots of different shapes. I’ll point some out, but I bet you can find more on the page!• Adults, here’s a fun fact: Children first learn to

recognize their letters by their shape. When we help children look at shapes and identify them we’re helping them learn to look for similarities and differences. This will help them decode letters when they begin to read.

Literacy Tips Resource

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www.earlylit.net/read-storytime-share/

Planning

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Three Biggest Tips1. Themes should help, not hinder2. Practice your literacy tips3. Be flexible

Toddler Time – Turbo Charged

• Combined two sections from this book

• Toddler Time with added activities

• Weekly focus on one part of ECRR2

• Make and take for parents to use with child at home 18

Baker, R. L. (2015). Counting Down to Kindergarten : a Complete Guide to Creating a School Readiness Program for Your Community. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions

How It Went

• 136 Total People• Average 27 per week

• Cost for supplies ~$75• Cost per participant

$0.83

• Several families returned for fall

• More information on Juv Services site• http://bit.ly/2h23tjW 19

Caregiver Feedback

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What do you enjoy most about this program?

• We enjoy all the singing and dancing

• Socialization with other toddlers, new activities for young ones

• So much fun! And she learns so much!

• Toddler time involves the child’s participation and we look forward to it every week!

• My child has grown a lot with the program and has found a love for books.

Caregiver Feedback

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7%

14%

14%

21%

7%

86%

86%

79%

100%

86%

Learned about an activity you can dowith your child

Are more confident being child's firstteacher

Have done Toddler Time activities inyour daily life

Feel child has benefitted from attendingtoddler time

Are more aware of library resources andservices

N/A Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree

THE BEYOND

Now that we’ve covered Toddler Time, let’s get into

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What now?

• Active Programming

• Embedding ECRR2

• Creating a Scaffold

• Passive Programming

• Library Spaces

• Handouts and Resources

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Big Play Date

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ECRR2Principals

Easy to duplicate activities

Program that

supports early

literacy

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ECRR2Principals

Easy to duplicate

activities for all ages

Programs that support early

literacy

Scaffolding

Family programs in which everyone is actively engaged.

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“[…]variety of instructional techniques used to move students progressively toward stronger understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process.” (Concepts 2015)

Learn more in STEP into Storytime (Ghoting, 2014)

Example of Scaffolding

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• Bookend Painting Party• Wide range of ages• Materials and techniques to fit all age

groups• Modelled Early Literacy in one on one

interactions

Example of Scaffolding

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• Glow in the Dark Party• Different ages participating in same

activities at different levels• Staff interacted with patrons to

facilitate learning/exploration.

Library Spaces

30The garden-themed toddler area at the Evanston (IL) Public Library *

*(Bayliss, 2013)

Original Keiki Corner

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Old, faded postersFunky wallpaper

Bench you aren’t allowed

to sit on

Sharp Corners

Ineffective Board Book Storage

Upgraded Keiki Corner

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Fun, educational wall decals

Felt Board with rhymes and literacy tips Easy bin storage

for board books

Safety bumpers on corners

Board BooksBin storage

• Alphabetized

• Color coded

• Forces you to weed often

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Signs and Fast Facts

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The Itsy Bitsy SpiderThe itsy bitsy spider

Crawled up the water spout.

Down came the rain

And washed the spider out!

Out came the sun

And dried up all the rain.

And the itsy bitsy spider

Crawled up the spout again.

Early Literacy Tip:Build vocabulary by using different words to describe the spider.Example: The big hairy spider; the teeny tiny spider; etc.

Fast Facts

(Early Literacy Fast Facts, 2016)

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Handouts and Resources

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WHAT’S NEXT? 37

Works Cited• Baker, R. L. (2015). Counting Down to Kindergarten : a Complete Guide to Creating a

School Readiness Program for Your Community. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions

• Bayliss, S. (2013, August 1). Design to Learn By: Dynamic Early Learning Spaces in Public Libraries. Retrieved September 9, 2017, from http://www.slj.com/2013/08/standards/early-learning/design-to-learn-by-dynamic-early-learning-spaces-in-public-libraries/#_

• Campana, K. (2016). Supercharged Storytimes : An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide. Chicago, IL. ALA Editions

• Contini, J. M. (2013, October). Early Brain Development: I Can Think! - Parent Education Session #11 . Retrieved September 7, 2017, from http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/youthsvcs/reading.healthy.families/SpecialTopics/braindev_eng_ppt.pdf

• Concepts, L. (2015, April 06). Scaffolding Definition. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from http://edglossary.org/scaffolding/

• Early Literacy Fast Facts. (2016, November 11). Retrieved October 05, 2017, from http://storytimeunderground.org/tag/early-literacy/

• Ghoting, S. N. (2013). Storytimes for Everyone! : Developing Young Children's Language and Literacy. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions

• Guidelines for library services to babies and toddlers. (2007). The Hague: International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.

• Howard, M. L. (2013). Growing Young Minds : How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners (pp. 1-48, Rep.). Washington, D.C.: Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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Compiled by Danielle Todd October 28, 2017 danielle.todd@librarieshawaii.org

Toddler Time and Beyond Resources List

Selected Resources on Early Literacy

Earlylit.net Information and resources compiled by early literacy consultant Saroj Ghoting

(http://www.earlylit.net/early-literacy-research/)

Hawaii Early Learning Development Standards: HELDS State standards and developmental matrix

(Earlylearning.hawaii.gov)

Webjunction: Supercharged Storytimes archived class based on Supercharged Storytimes book and

VEIWS2 (https://webjunction.org/explore-topics/supercharged-storytimes.html)

Zerotothree.org Child development and professional training (https://zerotothree.org/early-learning)

Selected Resources on Toddler Times & Storytime Planning

Mel’s Desk and Flannel Fridays Storytime plans and flannel board patterns

(http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog)

Jbrary: Tune in for Storytime Success Storytime ideas and YouTube songs/finger plays

(https://jbrary.com/)

Storytime Katie Storytime plans and lots of activities for babies (https://storytimekatie.com/)

Storytime Share Ideas regarding storytime books, song, etc. Each includes early literacy tips.

(www.earlylit.net/read-storytime-share)

Sunflower Storytime Storytime plans and a section on family programming

(https://sunflowerstorytime.com)

Using Scaffolding in Library Programs with Young Children YouTube video that gives a quick

introduction to scaffolding (http://bit.ly/2gR4KY5)

Selected Additional Resources

Guidelines for library services to babies and toddlers. (2007). The Hague: International

Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (https://www.ifla.org/publications/ifla-

professional-reports-100)

Growing Young Minds : How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners (2013) Report

by the Institute of Museum and Library Services

(https://www.imls.gov/publications/growing-young-minds)

Books Mentioned in this Presentation

Baker, R. L. (2015). Counting Down to Kindergarten: a Complete Guide to Creating a School

Readiness Program for Your Community. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions

Campana, K. (2016). Supercharged Storytimes: An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide.

Chicago, IL. ALA Editions

Ghoting, S. N. (2013). Storytimes for Everyone! : Developing Young Children's Language and

Literacy. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions