Storytime: Adventures in Imagination
Storytime: Adventures in Imagination
Did you know that imaginative or pretend play contains the building blocks of developing critical thinking skills, following directions, expressive language, and even managing emotions? So, grab those sheets, boxes, mud, dishes, and anything you can think of to help your child expand their universe with their imagination!
Join us Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room.
Ages 2-5
Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play
Tip
Reading is one of the best ways to foster imagination. The more we read, the better we can build up and expand our knowledge. We can be open to new ideas and have an understanding of new things. ~http://worldliteracyfoundation.org/reading-enhances-imagination/
Activity
When you read a book with your child, run your finger under the title as you read the words. If the book has a repeated phrase, run your finger under those words as well. Encourage your child to say the repeated phrase, methodically pointing to each word as he says it. ~Lambert
Books Presented
Pete the Cat's Groovy Imagination by Kim Dean
When a cloudy gray sky cancels Pete the Cat’s beach day plans, a big box is all he needs to beat the rainy-day blues.
Manolo & the Unicorn by Jackie Azúa Kramer
Despite being teased by his classmates, Manolo continues to believe in unicorns and meets one of the magical creatures on his way home from school.
See This Little Dot by Jane Yolen
Illustrates the characteristics and possible functions of a dot.
Are You a Monster? by Guilherme Karsten
Warning! This book contains a monster. A really angry, really scary, really bad monster… or so the monster says. And Monster has a very important question: are you a monster too? A fun interactive read-aloud picture book that will have children of all ages roaring and stomping along, as Monster encourages them to be the scariest monster possible.
Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays
Pete In The Box
Pete in the box*
sits so still
Will he come out?
Yes, he will!
*rocket ship, submarine, race car
Unicorn, Unicorn
Unicorn, unicorn
Where can you be?
Are you behind the _______ tree?
Polka-Dot Monster
(tune: I’m a little teapot)
I’m a little monster, friendly and bright.
I promise I won’t give you a fright.
I really love polka dots, but I have none.
So step right up and give me [color] ones.
Source: Little Bit Librarian
Crafts and Activities
Adventures in Your Imagination
Monster Mask
Additional Books
I Lived Inside a Whale by Xin Li
A young girl escapes from a too loud and busy world by living inside a whale, but when her retreat is disturbed by an intruder, she learns people will be quiet and listen whenever she tells a story.
Daddy, Tell Me a Story by Kathleen Long Bostrom
Daddy’s bedtime story turns into a collaborative and unforgettable tale thanks to Sophie’s narrative revisions.
What If Bedtime Didn't Exist? by Francine Cunningham
A whimsical and lyrical celebration of imagination and exploration if we simply asked, “What if . . .” Follow two siblings through their day as they let their imaginations run wild in this joyful story about all the possibilities a simple “what if” can conjure up: What if the monsters in your closet wanted to be your friend? What if all of the dinosaurs were shrunk to be teeny-tiny when the comet hit the earth? And what if bedtime didn’t exist and we could imagine anything we wanted? What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist? places an Urban Indigenous family at the heart of a fun and fantastical celebration of daydreaming, adventure, and play while living in the city. The tenderness and care in this intergenerational home is seen through relationships with all members in the family.
Daisy the Daydreamer by Jennifer P. Goldfinger
Daisy’s daydream clouds sometimes get in the way, but she and her teacher find a creative way to make things work for her
