Develop your little ones early literacy skills with story time at home! Early literacy refers to the foundational skills that our little ones learn about reading and writing before they formally learn to read and write. By focusing on these five aspects of early literacy – reading, writing, singing, talking, and playing – you can develop your little one’s early literacy skills.
I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison
On a trip to the park with her mother, a young girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her and begins to move to the beat, finally beginning an impromptu dance in which other children join her.This is a highly interactive book and is a great way to introduce elements of movement and play into your story times at home.
When reading the book, ask the your little one to complete an action with each sequence of the story:
THINK, THINK (find your head) – BEAT, BEAT (find your ears) – BLINK, BLINK (find your eyes) – SNIFF, SNIFF (find your nose) – CLAP, CLAP (clap hands along to the beat) – SNAP, SNAP (snap or wiggle your fingers) – SHAKE, SHAKE (shake your hips) – KNOCK, KNOCK (find your knees) – STOMP, STOMP (stomp your feet) -TIP, TAP (tap your toes)
Read each page more than once to encourage your little one to participate in the action.
This book has limited text on each page. Ways to extend your reading can include describing the city scenes outlined on pages or asking questions about the illustrations. How many friends do we see playing in the park?
Is one of our friends chewing bubble gum?
Point out the radio, the skateboard, the bench.
Talk about the blue skies and the green grass and trees.
Movement and action in story time increases your little ones engagement, attention, and comprehension.
If you’re reading this story to a baby you can show baby the action that goes along with the story and tickle the corresponding body part on baby.
Learn more about story times at the library here: https://hobokenlibrary.org/kids/
Written by:
Valerie Coughlin
Youth Services Librarian
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 
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