Literacy

Toddlers
love to be read to and should have planned and spontaneous story times at least
twice a day.  Informal story times
should occur whenever a child brings a book over to the teacher.  Read to individual children, pairs or
small groups.  Toddlers are learning
that pictures and words tell the story and need to be exposed to the rhyme and
rhythm of language.  They also need
to learn to care for and respect books.
Children thrive on predictable, repetitive stories such as The Hungry
Caterpillar and The Napping House.  Finger plays, poems and songs are
excellent means to enhance literacy.
Children love to hear their names interjected in a story.  A major part of the teacher interaction
is to talk and listen to the children.

The
book area needs to be comfy and cozy.
When reading to toddlers always keep in mind the goal to involve the
children- not to complete the story.
After a book is selected, discuss the cover with the children.  Tell the children who the author and
illustrators are.  If it is a
familiar story ask them what it is about.
Discuss illustrations…
Ask the children questions, “Can you find the boy?…What is he doing?…What do you think will
happen next?…What color is his coat?…Who else is wearing red
today?”  Relate the story to
children’s own lives.  Read
familiar stories.

It
is suggested that children and teachers make books.  Children enjoy books about
themselves.  Take photographs of the
children and their families.  Ask
them what words to write.  Then
laminate the pictures.  Teachers and
children can also create “feely” books.  Take objects and textures and help the
children glue them on paper, then bid them into a book.

Suggestions
to encourage literacy development are:

Listen to
children and respond accordingly

Read books inside
and outdoors

Puppets, puppet
shows, flannel board stories

Planned and
spontaneous story times

Interesting,
appropriate books available

Read to small
groups of children- involve children in the story

Repeat names of
children often

Name body parts

Read and discuss
simple stories

Sing lots of
songs- interject children’s names into lyrics

Ask open-ended
questions

Give words to actions and objects

Have visual clues to go with words

Play point and say

Sing clean up and transition songs daily

Music

The
sounds of music are comforting and smoothing.  Music encourages auditory and verbal
skills; it encourages exploration, and is enjoyable.  It is also a wonderful emotional
outlet.  Circle time is really
important and when it is interactive and fun most children will want to join
in.  Children should not be forced
to sit in a circle.  Some suggested
music activities are:

Sing
through the day, sing during transitions

Tape
record the children singing

Make
up songs about the children and activities

Play
multi-cultural music

Play
soft background music

Dance
with the children

Dance
with scarves, shakers, hoola hoops, pom poms

Listen
to the sounds of the world

Make
instruments

Play
with instruments (drums, xylophones, bells, clackers, tambourines, etc.)

March
and parade around the school

Children
make instruments

A
Marin Day Schools toddler class must have an informal “circle”
twice a day, at the same time each day.
Teachers are to have a transition activity to bring children to
“circle”.  Circle will
usually take place on a large blanket.
Toddlers love instruments and will usually crawl or toddle over as soon
as the blanket and instruments are taken out.  Children are encouraged (never forced)
to join circle.  Usually when it is
fun and intriguing- toddlers will want to be there.

Suggested
toddler songs: Open Shut Them, Wheels on the Bus, I’m Hiding, Twinkle Twinkle, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Ten Little Firefighters,
Monkeys in the Tree, Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.

Gross
Motor Activities

Toddler
children learn about themselves and the world by moving their bodies through
space.  They need to move
constantly.  Both indoors and
outside, they need to walk, run, jump, hop, climb, bend, twist, swing, crawl,
and roll.  Some suggested activities
are:

Blow
bubbles and encourage them to blow bubbles for children to chase

Play
in giant cartons

Pretend
to be animals

Play
horsy rides

Balance
beams

Follow
the leader

Play
with the parachute

Play
loop-de-loo or follow the leader

Obstacle
courses in the yard or classroom

Throw
beam bags

Hang
objects for children to hit

Play
with balls

Dance
with scarves

Tactile
footsteps fun

Hide
and seek

Partially
inflated beach balls