Pre-School

DURING THE WINTER...

Please remember during this winter that, if the Petoskey Public Schools are closed, we will NOT
meet, even if the library is open!
If the City offices are closed and
the Dept of Public Safety has said that citizens should stay off from
the roads, then the library will be closed. This will be true of all
Youth Services Activities. If in doubt check check here or call the library 231-758-3100 or Youth Services 231-758-3112.

BABY-GO-ROUND

Winter session of Baby-Go-Round to begin on January 19

...and will run on six consecutive Tuesdays (Jan 19 26 and Feb 2, 9, 16 and 23) from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. Pre-registration is required; sign up by January 17, 2010. The class will be limited to 10 babies.

Baby-G0-Round is a "class" which will introduce rhymes, songs and books to babies and caregivers. The class will be in a circle format and will include clapping rhymes/bouncing rhymes, self rhymes, songs and board books that all focus on language development. Each class will be about twenty minutes long and will have time for caregivers and babies to read a book together.

This free program will be implemented by Lisa Scholl (Ms Lisa), one of our Youth Services Librarians who has had training in the Every Child Ready to Read program of The Public Library Association (PLA), and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), both divisions of the American Library Association (ALA).

Please call the Children’s Services Department at 758-3112 to sign-up or if you have any questions.

Updated 12/08/2009

Email: childstaff@petoskeylibrary.org

Phone: 231-758-3112

WebSite: www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/ecrr/index.cfm

PARENT/CHILD "LAPSIT" PROGRAMS

The PDL will continue to offer a unique literacy program to assist parents in developing preliteracy skills in their youngsters from infancy to three years old. The programs are called Parent/Child Lap Sits and will last about 30 minutes. They require the parent to bring the child and sit together to enjoy stories, songs, puppets and finger plays together.

The Parent/Child Lap Sit programs take place from 10:30-11 a.m. on Mondays AND 10-10:30a.m. AND 10:45 - 11:15 a.m. on Thursday (since the building opens at 10:00 a.m., we actually start about 10:05. Generally, block your time for an hour) We meet in the Children's Program Room.

These programs are targeted at children 18 months to three years old, but younger children will enjoy the activities to varying degrees as well. Information about parenting, literacy and other family related subjects will be shared periodically during the program. Due to the developmental needs of these age groups, siblings are discouraged from attending if at all possible. However, nobody will be turned away if bringing a sibling is the only way for a child to attend. Toys should not be brought to the program either. Generally, a welcoming/closing song, several short stories/books, finger plays and songs relating to the story will be shared. This is a “drop-in” program and no sign-up is required.

updated 12/22/2009

PRE-SCHOOL STORY HOUR

The bad news is that Preschool Story Hour is being canceled due to a lack of attendance. The good news is that we will be trying out a "Golden Slumbers" story time for families with children aged 3-7 on Tuesdays from 6:30 to about 7:30 p.m. No charge no sign-up, younger or older siblings are okay to bring if you have no other choices.

Remember that we will not meet if the Petoskey Public Schools are closed.

updated 12/22/2009

CURIOUS? READ! Electronic Wall-of-Fame

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CURIOUS? READ! SUMMER READERS!

2009 Read-To-Me E-Wall of Fame
(in no particular order)

Level 1: 20 Books

Alex Carlson, Callie Carlson, Brynn Backus, Will Paulus, Corin Paulus, Logyn Purvis, Cohnor Purvis, Beau Ginop, Gauge Ginop, Jonah Mattingly, Taylor Dickinson, Abigail Baumhardt, Cate Couture-Diamond, Zach Reid, Brennan Dart, Liam Dart, Ambria Kruger, Thomas Skinner, Mia Solé Treviño, J.J. Marshall, Jimmy Marshall, Daisy Groover, Clare Frey, Mitchell Caron, Addie McGuiness, Harmony Longway, Amara Adrian, Gavyn Hill, Shane Izzard, Ella Grubaugh, Alexa Holmes, Lucas Holmes, Ethan Ulrich, Lucas O'Donnell, and Giovanna Belmonte.

Level 2: 32 Books and 8 Early Literacy Activities

Liam Dart, Brennan Dart, Jimmy Marshall, J.J. Marshall, Ambria Kruger, Amara Adrian, Gavyn Hill, Thomas Skinner, Ethan Ulrich, Callie Carlson, Alex Carlson, Charlotte Gagnon, and Mia Solé Treviño.

updated 7/02/2009

Email: childstaff@petoskeylibrary.org

Phone: 231-758-3112

Brain Development, You and Your Child

Advancements in technology over the past 20 years have allowed us to study the human brain and its development in ways we could only have imagined 30 years ago. One of the significant things that we have learned is how IMPORTANT the birth through five years are to learning of all kinds, but particularly that related to language and math, in later the later years.

Listed below are some web sites that explain how the brain develops in early childhood and what kinds of things that we can do (and not do) to help that process. Some also have links to other excellent sites that are not included below; check them as well. Enjoy the ride...it's pretty amazing!

The Secret Life of the Brain a PBS special.
Brain: Our Sense of Self is a curriculum supplement of grades 7-8 from the National Institute of Health.
Zero to Three; LOTS of resources for parents and presented in an easy to understand way.
Tufts University Family Web Guide - Links to other great sites, click on "Typical Child Development."
Brainy Child.com
New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development.
Jumpstart's Read for the Record for encouraging brain growth with reading.

PRESCHOOL LINKS

Internet Public Library - Fun Stuff for Preschoolers
Zero to Three Organization's Young Explorers Page
I Am Your Child ORGANIZATION
RIF Summer Reading Pages
PBS KIDS (Arthur, Barney, Between the Lions, Callilou, Clifford, Dragon Tales, Jay Jay, Mister Rogers, Sagwa, Teletubbies, Zoboomafoo and Zoom)
PBS PARENTS Here you'll find information about your child's development from birth through the early school years. And you'll find lots of fun educational activities for your children to help get them ready for school.
Children's Literature Web Guide
Curious George
Webtime Stories
Perpetual Preschool
PITC
Connect For Kids
Children's Partnership
Pizza Hut's BookIt Program's Preschool page (RED Zone)
Great Start for Kids

Links updated 11/17/2009

The Kindersite Project is a test site for preschool and Kindergarten age children. This project was founded to build an Internet-based system for preschool and Kindergarten age children, that will add to the body of research on the subjects of early-learners’ use of technology and to provide Internet-based content as an educational tool. There are activities, resources and items of interest for parents, teachers, care providers and their children.

WebSite: www.kindersite.org/

THE STEPPING STONES TO SCHOOL NETWORK

The Petoskey District Library is a partner in the Stepping Stones to School Network. This network, coordinated by the Early Education Consortium (231-547-1602) at the CharEm Intermediate School District, provides access to all kinds of free resources to assist you in "growing" your child from birth to school.

For more information, call the Stepping Stones phone number (1-877-866-3714) or stop in the Children's Room at the library to pick up a copy of the Stepping Stones brochure.

"Stepping Stones" updated 12/14/2005