LibGuides: Parents & Educators: Early Literacy

Early Literacy Videos

Songs & Rhymes to do at home!

Songs and Rhymes for Spring & Summer
Singing and simple rhymes help develop language skills. If you can't attend a library program try these songs and rhymes at home with your child.

Text Alerts!

Bright by Three Text Alerts
Free tips by text to help give your child a bright beginning. Text the word BRIGHT to 274448

Early Literacy

Welcome to Early Literacy! The interactions that young children have with such literacy materials as books, paper, and crayons, and with the adults in their lives are the building blocks for language, reading and writing development. Help your child grow up to be a successful reader and learner from birth. Children learn about reading and writing long before they can actually read or write. There are five simple practices that parents and caregivers can use to help children get ready to read:

Talk
Sing
Read
Write
Play

Online Resources

Bright by Three
To provide a bright beginning for all Colorado children by helping families support their children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual development during the critical first three years of life.
Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL)
CLEL is passionately committed to strengthening children’s literacy through library services and community advocacy.
Family Place Libraries
Family Place Libraries™ is a network of children's librarians nationwide who believe that literacy begins at birth, and that libraries can help build healthy communities by nourishing healthy families.
Reading Rockets
Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project that offers a wealth of research-based reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in helping struggling readers build fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.
Storyblocks
Storyblocks is a collection of 30-60 second videos designed to model to parents, caregivers, and library staff some songs, rhymes, and fingerplays appropriate for early childhood. Each video clip includes helpful early literacy tips to increase caregivers’ understanding of child development

Early Literacy Blogs

Childhood 101 Playing. Learning. Growing.
Hundreds of play ideas and parenting articles written by a team of everyday parents, each with a specific passion or area of specialty.

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About 1 post per week.
The Educator's Spin On It
Resource for parents and teachers of young children that helps foster a love of learning at an early age. This blog shares ideas for kids ages 0-8 with ideas for siblings too.

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Post about two post per week.
The Imagination Tree
You will find plenty of ideas for art and crafts, imaginative play, creativity, science investigations, and more!

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About two post per month.
Music in the Early Years
This blog has training and music ideas for young children.
Teach Mama
This blog provides tools and resources parents can use to become the best teachers they can be for their children.

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About three post per month.
Teach Preschool
Deborah J. Steward, M.Ed. shares her personal experience on early learning. Get ideas on art, literacy, motor skills, sensory play, STEM, and more!
Totschooling
Creative resources for parents and teachers.

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One post per week.

Tips for Shared Reading

Show your child that reading is important and fun. Be a reading role model and let your child see you reading!
Read together everyday and talk about the books you read.
Ask open-ended questions while reading. Talk about what is going on in the story and pictures.
Be excited about the story, even if you've read it a million time!
Be expressive!
Make books available everywhere! Have books located in a spot where your child could reach without assistance.