Learning to walk can be both fun and frustrating for your little one, but there are things you can do to encourage him. Try wrapping a scarf or blanket around your baby’s chest and under his arms, then stabilize him with the blankets as he learns to balance himself with his free hands. For more fabulous activities and ideas, go to www.teachinglittles.com. And, of course, try out some of the books and activities below!
Ages 2-5
Here we are together, together, together! Oh, here we are together in our library. There’s (sing names)… Here we are together in our library!
Hello everybody let’s clap our hands*, clap our hands, clap our hands. Hello everybody let’s clap our hands today! *pat our head, stretch up high, wiggle our fingers, tickle our knees, kick our feet, bounce up high!
(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!
Moving to music, dancing, swaying, running, and jumping help young children feel rhythm and begin to understand how their bodies work. Such movements also help them gain muscle control and improve balance. All of this contributes to a child’s gross motor development.
Sing “Walking, Walking” with your child with your child as you walk outside or around the house while modeling how to “Stop!” at the end of the rhyme.
During the course of a walk, a young boy identifies animals of different colors.
Fish swim in the water and birds fly in the air, and some animals walk on the ground, just like you. Jonathan London and Michael Rex invite you to hop, flop, and wiggle in an animal parade that will make you want to jump out of your seat and bounce along, too!
Trying something new is never easy. Like walking, for instance. With useful tips, common pitfalls, and Marla Frazee’s adorable illustrations, this book is perfect for anyone–from a baby to a graduate to a grown-up–who’s about to take a scary first step.
Rhyming text compares babies who, although born in different places and in different circumstances, each have ten little fingers and ten little toes.
Walking, walking,
Walking, walking,
Hop, hop, hop!
Hop, hop, hop!
Running, running, running,
Running, running, running,
Now let’s stop!
Now let’s stop!
As I went walking to town one day
I saw a ____ along the way!
And what do you think that ____ did say? ____
– Adapted from Macaronisoup.com
The horses are walking*, they’re walking along, walking along, walking along.
The horses are walking they’re walking along. Whoah! Whoah! Whoah!
*Trotting, running, walking
As three duckling brothers cross forest and field to return to their mother, the older ones encourage the youngest by teaching him a game that earns him the name of Little One Step.
Have you and your child looked closely at feet lately? Feet are fabulous! And they are used for so many different things in the animal and creature kingdom! Check out some of these books to find out how.
Ages 2-5
Moving to music, dancing, swaying, running, and jumping help young children feel rhythm and begin to understand how their bodies work. Such movements also help them gain muscle control and improve balance. All of this contributes to a child’s gross motor development.
Make a playlist of favorite songs for you and your child, and encourage your child to develop gross motor skills by dancing, running, and jumping to the music.
Easy-to-read, rhyming text depicts different animals dancing.
A creature demonstrates the many uses of our fingers and toes.
Ring around the rosie,
A pocket full of posies:
“A-tishoo! A-tishoo!”
We all fall down!
The king has sent his daughter
To fetch a pail of water.
“A-tishoo! A-tishoo!”
We all stand up!
– Lambert
Head, shoulders, knees and feet,
knees and feet
Head, shoulders, knees and feet,
knees and feet
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and teeth!
Backwards-
Feet, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head
Feet, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head
And teen, mouth, ears and eyes!
– Adapted from childhood
Print out this coloring page!
Rhyming text, accompanied by labeled illustrations that identify parts of the body, encourages readers to wiggle and twist, stomp and zig-zag, and hug and shrug.
What if you had animal feet? will teach kids about the amazing variety of feet in the animal kingdom and their specialty functions! From cheetahs’ fast feet to mountain goats’ nimble climbing hooves, to flies’ sticky feet!
“Children love books that reaffirm your love for them. Especially as they grow older and learn to deal with their emotions, it’s important for them to know that you love them, no matter how much they may sometimes misbehave.” – yogibrarian.wordpress.com
Ages 2-5
Here we are together, together, together! Oh, here we are together in our library. There’s (sing names)… Here we are together in our library!
Hello everybody let’s clap our hands*, clap our hands, clap our hands. Hello everybody let’s clap our hands today! *pat our head, stretch up high, wiggle our fingers, tickle our knees, kick our feet, bounce up high!
(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!
“Playing with scarves is a simple way to have fun with your little one. It’s also a great way to enhance their development. From building positive sensory-motor skills by feeling the silky texture of a scarf to developing fine motor skills while playing catch, there are endless ways to make use of this common household item. Plus, it’s great one-on-one time with you.”
Find a scarf at home. You can purchase these or make them yourself from lightweight fabric. Then do some of the rhymes and songs listed below with your child. Or visit this website for some more ideas.
In this picture book, illustrated by the #1 New York Times bestselling artist of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, families of different shapes, colors, and sizes must cross deserts, navigate rough seasons, and climb mountains–all to find their miracle babies.
Parents and children learn how to say “I love you” through yoga as they move through their day together in a perfectly mindful way.
Rhyming text and photographs celebrate the special bond between babies and their puppies.
A latest entry in the novelty board book series that includes Bedtime, Baby features oversized, sturdy tabs that also function as lift-flaps in a game of peek-a-boo designed to help babies better understand the concept of object permanence.
(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle)
Flutter, flutter butterfly,
Floating in the summer sky.
Floating by for all to see.
Floating by so merrily.
Flutter, flutter butterfly.
Floating in the summer sky.
(Tune: Frère Jacques)
Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo, (place scarf in
front of your face and pull it away)
I see you! I see you! (place scarf in
front of your face and pull it away)
I see your button nose, and I see your
tiny toes. (touch baby’s nose and toes)
Peek-a-boo, I see you! (place scarf
in front of your face and pull it away)
(Tune: Frère Jacques)
Where is baby? Where is baby?
Hold scarf in front of your face.
There he is! There he is!
Remove scarf quickly.
I’m so glad to see you.
I’m so glad to see you.
Peek-a-boo!
Peek-a-boo!
Find the music here: http://listenlearnmusic.com/2010/01/put-scarf-on-your.html
Put the scarf on your head, like this.
Put the scarf on your head, like that.
Put the scarf on your head,
Whether it’s purple, blue or red.
Oh, put the scarf on your head.
Put the scarf on your shoulder, like this.
Put the scarf on your shoulder, like that.
Put the scarf on your shoulder,
Well, at least it’s not a boulder.
Oh, put the scarf on your shoulder.
Put the scarf on your arm, like this.
Put the scarf on your arm, like that.
Put the scarf on your arm,
‘Cause what’s the harm?
Oh, put the scarf on your arm.
Put the scarf on your lap, like this.
Put the scarf on your lap, like that.
Put the scarf on your lap,
It’s such a snap.
Oh, put the scarf on your lap.
Put the scarf on your knee, like this.
Put the scarf on your knee, like that.
Put the scarf on your knee,
That’s where it ought to be.
Oh, put the scarf on your knee.
Put the scarf on your toes, like this.
Put the scarf on your toes, like that.
Put the scarf on your toes,
Yes, this is where it goes.
Oh, put the scarf on your toes.
Illustrations and simple rhyming text explore the love of a parent for his or her young child. On board pages, with die-cut hearts that become progressively smaller as the text advances.
Making friends is easy for some children and more difficult for others, but when you show your child “how” to be a friend, it makes the task seem easier. As you do so, don’t forget to point out that not every one will be kind in return, but to be patient. Below you will great links, songs, videos, and books about friends. And remember… your child will always find a friend in the library!
Ages 2-5
“Research shows that establishing friendships is an important developmental goal for children under the age of seven. Friendships developed during the preschool and early school years give children valuable contexts in which to learn and practice skills related to social, cognitive, communicative, and emotional development.”
Print off the “How to Play with Friends” game circles at https://www.powerfulmothering.com/how-to-play-with-friends-a-preschoolers-visual-guide-and-game/. Then play Charades with your child taking turns acting out the activity on the game circle. Take time to talk about why that activity is good for playing with friends. You can also read a book about friendship and talk about how to be a good friend.
Gerald the elephant and Snake fear that Piggie and Brian Bat will have so much fun together they will no longer need their best friends.
Best friends Etho and Birt love going up Sudden Hill and sitting in simple cardboard boxes imagining they are kings, soldiers, astronauts, or pirates until Shu asks to join them, and their “two-by-two rhythm” is disturbed.
(Tune: If you’re happy and you know it)
If you’re friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you’re friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you’re friendly and you know it,
then you really want to show it,
If you’re friendly and you know it,
clap your hands!
– Literaryhoots.com
– Adapted from childhood
Print out this coloring page!
When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind.
An imaginary friend waits a long time to be imagined by a child and given a special name, and finally does the unimaginable–he sets out on a quest to find his perfect match in the real world.