Library

AREA SETUP

(Open thematic poster-The library) Print, laminate, and decorate the walls of your daycare with all kinds of posters.

Educa-decorate-The library
(Open educa-decorate-The library) Print, cut out, and laminate. Use the illustrations to decorate the walls of your daycare. Hang them from the ceiling to set the mood for the theme.

Book garland

(Open models-Books) Print. Let children decorate the items. When they are done, cut them out and create a garland which can be hung within the daycare or near your daycare entrance. Make your reading corner especially attractive during this theme. Display special posters on the wall and add cozy chairs and cushions. If possible, expand your reading area. Find a large box (from a refrigerator for example), and set up a special reading corner inside simply by adding tiny lights and decorations. Transform your daycare to make it look like one big library. (Open poster-Library) Print and display the poster on the door. Display your library's opening/closing times. Arrange comfortable furniture throughout the daycare (cushions, sofas, bean bag chairs, stuffed animals, blankets, etc.).

Book display
Create a special book display. Include dictionaries, recipe books, maps, comic strips, chapter books, magazines, photo albums, diaries, etc. Take pictures of your group during story time and display them near your book display.

SPECIAL TOOL

This special tool was created in response to a special request received.

Educ-poster-Blue
(Open educ-poster-Blue) Print and laminate. Display the poster and use it to help children identify a new color.

CIRCLE TIME

Decorate a large box or bag to make it look like a treasure chest and fill it with books. Present the contents of your treasure box to your group. Explain how books are precious treasures and how important it is to take good care of them. Tell them how books make it possible for us to travel with help from our imagination, see beautiful pictures and illustrations, tell stories (real ones and silly ones too!)...

Ask children if they have visited the library.

Who accompanied them?
Which books did they choose?
What is the title of their favourite book?
Do they have books at home?
What does their father like to read? What does their mother like to read?
Do they like being read to? When?
Who reads to them at home?

We have prepared an imaginary game you can enjoy with your group. (Open thematic letter-Reading) Print the letter. Deposit it in a bright and colourful box. Each morning, leave the box in an easy to find location and invite children to search for it. Read portions of the letter to them each day and follow the instructions.

PICTURE GAME
(Open picture game-The library) Use the pictures to decorate your daycare or set up a special thematic corner. Print, laminate, and store in a "Ziploc" bag or in your thematic bins.

WRITING ACTIVITIES
(Open writing activities-L like library) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Stationery-The library
(Open stationery-The library) Print. Use the stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or to identify your thematic bins.

ACTIVITY SHEET
Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions. (Open activity sheets-The library)

ACTIVITY SHEET-FINE MOTOR SKILLS
(Open fine motor skills activity sheets-The library) Print. Have children complete the activity sheet.

OBSERVATION SHEET
(Open observation sheet-Crescent) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry erase marker.

Educa-nuudles-The library
(Open educa-nuudles-The library) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet and use Magic nuudles to give it a three-dimensional look. Variation: You don't have Magic Nuudles? Have children fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards-The library
The flashcards may be used to spark a conversation with your group, in your reading and writing area, or to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-The library) Print. chair, table, armchair, bookcase, librarian, book, magazine, comic book, dictionary, library card, bookmark, computer.

Educ-chat-The library
Educ-chat is a game which includes several illustrations which represent subjects, verbs, and complements. These illustrations can be used to encourage children to make complete sentences and to build their vocabulary. (Open educ-chat-The library) Print, cut out, and laminate the cards. Make three piles (subjects, verbs, and complements). Have children pick one card from each pile. Encourage them to "read" the sentence. The sentences may sometimes be silly, but you are sure to have plenty of fun. If you prefer, you may place the cards yourself and then invite a child to "read" the sentence.

Sequential story
(Open sequential story-The library) Print and laminate the cards. Children must place the illustrations in the correct order to recreate the story.

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS-The library

Have fun with these wonderful workshop ideas provided by Caroline Allard.

Construction/building blocks:

• Offer old books and magazines. Children can use them to build different structures.
• Figurines of all kinds (characters from books if possible).

Arts & crafts:

• Colourful construction paper.
• Cardboard letters and stencils children can use for tracing.
• Felt squares which can be used to create a fabric book.
• Cardboard boxes which can be decorated to create shelves or bookcases.
• Catalogues, flyers, and old magazines which can be cut to create books and stories.
• Scraps of paper and cardboard for scrapbooking.

Drawing:

• Coloring pages related to the theme.
• Different sizes and shapes of letter stencils.

Role play:

• Create your own little library: bookcases filled with books, small tables, comfortable armchairs, posters of different books on the walls, etc.
• Give each child a library card and select a child who will be the librarian.

Manipulation:

• Memory game with educatall.com illustrations or pictures cut out of old books.
• Several different types of books. Children can compare their weight, size, shape, texture, etc.
• Modeling dough, cookie cutters, plastic knives, etc. Children can create colourful books.
• Different types of paper which can be manipulated and compared.

Pre-reading:

• Books, books, and more books!
• Comic books, chapter books, recipe books.
• Magazines.
• Picture books.

Pre-writing:

• Connect the dots activities.
• A wide range of activity sheets (see the educatall club).
• A typewriter and paper for letter exploration.
• Cardboard letters which can be used to reproduce words.

Sensory bins:

• A container filled with all kinds of paper which can be crumpled, torn, folded, etc.

TRANSITION ACTIVITIES

Game-This is my spot-The library
(Open game-This is my spot-The library) Print two copies. Laminate and cut out the cards. Glue one copy of each card on the table using adhesive paper. Drop the other copies in a bag. Children take turns picking a card to determine their spot at the table for the day. You may also use the cards to determine naptime spots or for your task train.

Silent walk
When your group is walking in the halls or from one room to another, encourage them to be silent, just like at the library.

ACTIVITIES FOR BABIES

Cardboard books, laminated books
Offer several books and simply let babies explore them.

Story time
We mustn't underestimate babies' interest in story time. Before naptime, introduce a short story each day. Be sure to always have story time in the same area. It won't be long before little ones will quickly go to this area each time they see you holding a book.

Picture books
Make original picture books for the babies under your care. Simply collect pictures and illustrations of all kinds and place them in photo albums. You may also laminate them and slide them in "Ziploc" bags. Secure the bags together to create a book.

Catalogue recycling
Deposit a container filled with old catalogues in your daycare. Babies will enjoy manipulating the pages, admiring the colors, looking at the pictures, etc.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Book carrier
Create a simple path children must follow. You can use colourful adhesive tape to draw lines on the floor. If you wish, you may also add a small balance beam, cones children must walk around, etc. Children must follow the path with a book (telephone book, old book, etc.) placed on their head.

Exercise session...at the library
Collect several books (heavy books and lighter books) and direct an exercise session. Have children lift the books as if they were weights.

Library obstacle course
Use books to create an original obstacle course. Have children run around bookcases and hop over books. Add obstacles such as rulers, a dictionary, or chairs children must crawl under throughout the obstacle course. Use whatever you have on hand such as a slide, a pile of cushions, etc. Be sure to encourage children to move in several different ways (crawl, jump ten times, hop in a hula hoop, walk on a rope, spin, etc.). Have older children complete the obstacle course with a book on their head.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Book relay race
Divide your group into two teams. You will need a backpack for each team along with two bags filled with an equal number of books and two empty containers deposited at the opposite end of the yard. Children pick a book, place it in their team's backpack, run to the container at the other end of the yard, drop the book in the container, and run back to give the backpack to the next child in their team. The first team to successfully deposit all its books in their team's container wins.

Outdoor story
Enjoy story time outside. If you wish, you may even bring a book along when you go to the playground. Sit under a tree or in bleachers (if available) to read to your group.

Book ends
Take a walk with your group and encourage each child to look for two medium-sized rocks. Let children wash their rocks in a container filled with water and let dry. Children can paint their rocks and add glitter. What beautiful book ends!

Musical ball
(Open word flashcards-Library) Print. Glue the word flashcards on a ball using adhesive paper. Play ball to the sound of fast-paced music. When the music stops, the child holding the ball must name the object seen on the word flashcard.

Library visit
(Open perpetual calendar-Library day) Print. Visit your local library or a nearby bookstore with your group. If you prefer, organize a special library day within your daycare.

Literary snack
Visit a nearby playground or park with your group and bring along a morning snack. Children can eat their snack while you read them a story.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Educ-differences-The library
(Open educ-differences-The library) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must identify the number of differences indicated on the sheet and circle them using a dry-erase marker.

Educ-shadows-The library
(Open educ-shadows-The library) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must draw a line between each object and its corresponding shadow using a dry-erase marker.

Educ-math-The library
(Open educ-math-The library) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must count the objects in each rectangle and circle the correct number.

Educ-same and different-The library
(Open educ-same and different-The library) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must circle the illustration which is different in each row.

Hunt and seek-The library
(Open hunt and seek-The library) Print and laminate. Children pick a card and search for the item in the scene.

Puzzles-The library
(Open puzzles-The library) Print, laminate, and cut out. Children must correctly place the pieces to complete the puzzles.

Felt board
Cut various shapes related to the theme out of colourful felt. Glue four pieces of black felt on a piece of cardboard. The felt shapes will stick to the felt board. Children will enjoy moving them around to create different scenes.

Never-ending story

Read a book to your group. Stop before the end of the story and encourage children to use their imagination to invent the ending.Have children "draw" a letter for their parents and mail their masterpieces to their home.

Letters make words
(Open word flashcards-The library) Print and laminate. Set a magnetic board and letters on a table. Have children pick a word flashcard and try to reproduce the word with magnetic letters.

Story and memory game-Reading
(Open story and memory game-Reading) Print, cut out, and laminate the pictures. Place the cards face down on the floor. Children pick three cards and invent a story in relation to the illustrations. Variation: Print the pictures twice and use them as a memory game.

Book sorting
Have children sort books by size, shape, thickness, color, etc.

Magnetic illustrations
Collect illustrations from old books. Laminate them and glue a magnet to the back of each one. Display them on your fridge.

I am listening to my story
Invite children to take turns telling a story and record their voice. Play the stories for your group and encourage children to identify the storyteller.

ACTIVITIES INVOLVING PARENTS

Story time
Invite parents (or grandparents) to come read a story to your group. Children will be so happy to share story time with their family members.

Visit a library
Invite parents to join you on a trip to the library. Children as young as three years old enjoy visiting the library. A trip to the library is a great way to introduce children to books.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Our library
(Open our library) Print and laminate the various posters. Display them on the walls of your library area to set the mood for the theme. Set up your own little library by including comfortable armchairs, desks, chairs, books of all kinds, library cards, stamp pads, posters, etc. You can hang a piece of tulle over your area and hang tiny lights to create a special atmosphere. Provide puppets children can use to create unique stories.

I like to read!
(Open Personal reading log) Print for each child and display the reading logs on a wall in your reading area. Invite children to color a character or add a stamp on their log each time they read a book. The reading log may be an interesting incentive for children who don't normally visit the reading area often.

Book exchange
Ask each child to bring a book from home. Encourage them to exchange their book with another child. Children will be excited to bring their new book home to read it with their parents.

Librarian game
(Open game-The library) Print and laminate the bar codes and the library cards. Children can use them to pretend they are visiting or working in the library. Arrange two rows of chairs and deposit books on each chair. Set up a table which will represent the librarian's desk. Children take turns being the librarian. The other children can borrow books by quietly bringing them to the librarian for authorization. Children can change books as often as they wish, but only after looking at each page. Throughout the week, let children take a book home at the end of the day.

EARLY SCIENCE, EXPLORATION, MANIPULATION

Printer
With your group, explore different ways you can make prints:

• By dipping vegetables in paint.
• With sponges.
• With rubber stamps and stamp pads.
• By melting pieces of waxed crayons between two sheets of waxed paper with an iron.
• etc.

Types of paper
Fill a container with different types of paper: wrapping paper, tissue paper, sand paper, newspaper, toilet paper, metallic paper, waxed paper, etc. With your group, perform a variety of tests. There are so many possible manipulations and observations.

• Absorption: Which paper absorbs liquids best? Spray water on different types of paper and compare the results.
• Solidity: Which paper tears the easiest? Which paper is strongest?
• Do they stain?: Manipulate different types of paper and look at your hands to see which papers allow colors to rub off on your hands.
• Textures: Manipulate the different types of paper and compare textures.
• Transparent or opaque: Look through different types of paper to discover which ones are transparent and which ones are opaque.

Writer's ink
Children become illustrators. Have them work with different types of ink. Provide rubber stamps, stamp pads, envelopes, stickers, boxes, wrapping paper, pens, rulers, index cards, bags, cardboard, etc.

Journalists
Arrange old computer keyboards and typewriters on a table. Children will love pretending they are journalists.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

My cake book
Prepare a store-bought cake mix with your group and bake it in a rectangular cake pan (you may need two boxes of cake mix depending on the number of children in your group). Once the cake is ready, let it cool somewhat before dividing the large rectangle into 4 or 6 smaller rectangles which will represent books. Prepare several different colors of icing and let each child decorate a book. You may choose to offer small candy pieces too.

Recipe book
Deposit a few recipe books in your kitchen area. You can use food items cut out of grocery store flyers to create original recipe books too.

Editors
(Open recipe book) Print several copies. Ask each parent to share one of their child's favourite recipes with the group. Once you have each family's recipe, photocopy enough copies to give each family a recipe book.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Educa-recycle... what to do with old, broken books!

• Cut out your favourite illustrations and glue them on cardboard to create a new book. These books are perfect for infants' little hands...just remember to laminate them!
• Create picture books for various themes.
• Cut out and laminate several illustrations and use them for a story game. Simply have children pick illustrations and invent a story to go along with them.
• Glue magnets behind laminated illustrations and let children play with them on a magnetic board. They will have fun creating stories.
• Laminate pages containing text and have children circle a specific letter.
• Display a simple illustration and encourage children to try to reproduce it.
• Cut out several small illustrations and use them for a sorting game. Place all the illustrations in a box and have children sort them by color, theme, etc.
• What would you do with old books? Share your ideas with us!

Library on a wall
(Open models-Books) Print several copies. Provide a wide range of arts & crafts material for your group so they can color, paint, or simply decorate the books. Create a mural with your group and have children draw shelves. Invite them to stick the books on the mural when they are done.

Book painting
You will need string, damaged books (fairly thick) or telephone books, white sheets of paper folded in two, and paint. To begin, encourage children to dip a piece of string in the paint (you may choose to use one or several pieces of string per child), leaving approximately 2 inches at the end of each string. Next, they must place their folded piece of paper in the book's center (the fold against the book binding) and deposit the string inside while letting the unpainted portion hang out over the top. Have them close the book and press firmly. Finally, children must gently pull on the string. When they are done, have them open the book and admire the design on the paper.

Book wrapping
Have each child choose a book and give them a piece of kraft paper large enough to wrap it. Invite children to decorate the paper by drawing on it. When they are done, they can use it to wrap their book.

Our group's story
Provide pictures and illustrations of all kinds (flyers, catalogues, etc.) and invite each child to create a storybook page. When they are done, use string to join all the pages together. Have each child "read" his page. The end result may be a silly story, but children will be so proud. If you wish, you may change the order of the pages and read the story over and over again.

Scrapbooking 101
Invite each child to bring a picture of themselves and glue each one on a piece of scrapbooking paper. Encourage children to decorate their page by adding different elements. Display the scrapbook pages on a wall to present the members of your group or place them in a scrapbook and leave it in your reading area for children to admire.

Letters
Use Alpha-Bits cereal to make a collage or encourage children to write their name on a piece of cardboard.

Texture book
Make an original texture book by gluing a different texture on each page (velvet, silk, cotton, flannel, paper, bubble wrap, etc.).

Book box
Have each child decorate a box which can be used to introduce the day's storybook.

Special glasses
(Open craft-sunglasses) Print and cut out. Help each child make a pair of glasses. You may glue colourful cellophane paper in the center of each lens. Children will love wearing them in your reading corner.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme-The library) Print for each child.

CREATIVE COLORING

(Open creative coloring-The library) Print for each child. Have children draw an original book cover page.

SCRAPBOOK-The library

(Open scrapbook-The library) Print this page for each child. Have children complete the page and then add it to their scrapbooks.

SONGS & RHYMES

The library

by: Patricia Morrison

sung to: Row, row, row your boat

Books, books, books to read
Wait on every shelf
Just for me, just for me, just for me, just for me
At the library

Have fun!

The Educatall team