StoryTime

Check out his blog about his experience as our special guest storyteller on Tuesday.  Everyone, children and adults alike, enjoyed this special storytime!

Our popular BabyTime and StoryTime programs resume the week of September 12.

BabyTime is a beginning, one-on one story and rhyming time for children under the age of 2. 
BabyTime sessions are Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:30 am. 
Each child must be accompanied by an adult. No siblings, please. No registration is required.

StoryTime is intended for children ages 2-5 and includes stories, rhymes and a craft.
StoryTime sessions are Tuesdays at 10:30 am & 6:30 pm and Fridays at 10:30 am.
Caregivers of 2-year olds must stay in the room. All other caregivers are welcome to stay in the story time room or may choose to remain in another location in the library. If a caregiver brings younger children, the caregiver must remain in the room. No registration is required.

Miss Karrie's story time will have a special visitor for the first day we return to our regularly scheduled story times!  East Lansing City Manager Ted Staton will be joining us to read and celebrate the 2011 Michigan Reads title Memoirs of a Goldfish, written by Devin Scillian and illustrated by Tim Bowers.

If you are not familiar with the Michigan Reads! initiative, it works quite a lot like the One Book, One Community program.  Every year, a different children's book, by a Michigan author, is celebrated and explored.

The Library of Michigan has announced that Memoirs of a Goldfish is the featured title for the 2011 "Michigan Reads!" One State, One Children's Book Program.  The program highlights the importance of reading and sharing books with children, especially toddlers through early elementary ages, and recognizes the vital role libraries play in providing access to the quality books, programs and services that lay the foundation for reading and school success.  Memoirs of a Goldfish presents a charming view of life from inside a small glass bowl!  With his bowl to himself and his normal routine, Goldfish loves his life, until one day... intruders arrive and it looks like things will never be the same.  But, time away from his new companions gives him a chance to rethink the pros and cons of a solitary life and discover what he's been missing.  Filled with clever rhyming text, the message about friendship accompanying the bright illustrations will captivate readers of all ages. "I've always marveled at the capacity of books to connect people. That's what Michigan Reads is all about," said author Devin Scillian. "And that they would choose my book to make those connections is absolutely thrilling." (Michigan.gov)

Please join us for a fun and lively story time filled with underwater stories, songs, dancing, and a fish craft!

BabyTime is a beginning "story time" featuring nursery rhymes, songs, books, and free play time intended for children ages 2 and under. This is an interactive time, so each child should be accompanied by an adult. No siblings, please.
There are two sessions each week: 
Monday 10:30-11 am with Miss Lezlee 
Wednesday 10:30-11 am with Miss JoJo. 

StoryTime features stories, a craft, rhymes and songs and is intended for children ages 2-5. Parents/caregivers of 2-year-olds must remain in the story time room. All other adults may choose to stay in the room or not, depending on if your child is able to be an independent listener, but adults must remain in the library. 
We have four sessions each week:
Tuesday 10:30-11:15 am with Miss Karrie
Tuesday 6:30-7:15 pm with Miss Lezlee
Thursday 1:30-2:15 pm  with Miss JoJo                                 
Friday 10:30-11:15 am with Miss Lezlee

Themes are chosen for each week. September themes are:                                      
Down on the Farm (Sept 14-17)
Dogs (Sept 21-24)
Apples (Sept 28-Oct 1)

IS YOUR CHILD ENTERING KINDERGARTEN THIS FALL?

If so, please join us for "Welcome Kindergarten!", a special story time just for children entering kindergarten this fall. 

Children will listen to stories about starting kindergarten, sing songs, and do a craft. Joining us as guest readers will be Mrs. Cawood from Donley Elementary School, Mrs. McFee from St. Thomas Aquinas School, and Mrs. Roseth from Marble Elementary School.

This FREE program is limited to children entering kindergarten in fall 2010.  No older or younger siblings, please.

Please register for this program by calling 517-351-2420, ext. 4. You may also register at the library on the sign-up sheet at the Children's Reference Desk.

If you are interested in browsing East Lansing Public Library's list of books about kindergarten or searching websites related to kindergarten readiness, please click on "read more" below.

For a list of books in our catalog that are stories about Kindergarten or information for parents of children entering Kindergarten, please click here.


Websites of interest to parents of children entering Kindergarten:

Michigan Department of Education:
Transition to Kindergarten Parent Guides - "The Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, is pleased to share a resource for parents of children entering kindergarten.  The resource is a culmination of many offices within MDE working together to develop Parent Guides, a series of tip sheets which highlight a variety of questions parents may have when their children are entering kindergarten."

SchoolFamily.com:
Get Ready for Kindergarten - easing the stress on that momentous first day of kindergarten

FamilyEducation.com:
Kindergarten Readiness Checklist - a checklist of skills found on most kindergarten checklists