The past several weeks have brought snow and ice to our corner of the world. These chilly days keep many people indoors and if time allows, gives us an opportunity to curl up with our children and a good book. If you find yourself spending extra time reading aloud to your children during these wintry months, good for you! Studies show that reading aloud with children for just 20 minutes each day can significantly increase a child’s interest in books and ability to learn to read. While variety is the spice of life, don’t be discouraged if your little one requests the same book over and over. Your child’s brain craves repetition which allows her learning to become more permanent.
Below are some tips to help you make the most of your read aloud time together, as adapted from Scholastic Early Childhood Today magazine.

•  Preview the book. Story time will be much richer if you take a few minutes to read through the book so there are no surprises that might trip you up when you read to your child.
   

Hearing & Vision Screenings

for ages 6 months to 5 years
PAT office, 555 Vandiver.
No appointment is necessary.
Please sign in upon arrival.

Wednesday, January 31 9:30 to 11:30 am
 Thursday, February 22 4:30 to 6:30 pm
 Wednesday, March 21 9:30 to 11:30 am
 Thursday, April 26 4:30 to 6:30 pm

•  Prepare a comfy spot for reading. Children really want routines and enjoy knowing where to go for this special one-on-one time with Mom or Dad. You could have a “magic reading chair, pillow, couch, or rug”.
•  Introduce the book. Look at the cover and ask your child what they think the story might be about based on the pictures. Discuss what an author or illustrator does.
•  Give it all you’ve got! Use dramatic sound effects and funny voices to keep your child’s attention as well as to give them something to imitate after story time is over. It’s amazing how often they remember phrases from books like, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow the house down”.
• Involve your children. Give your child a line to repeat, an action to imitate or a sound effect that they can add at the appropriate time.
• Invite your child to use her senses. Help her imagine what it might be like to be the puppy in the story. Ask her “How does the puppy feel? What do you think the puppy can hear or smell?”
•  Expect questions. Some questions might need to be answered right away to help your child understand a story. Other questions will be answered naturally as the story is read.
  So bundle up and head over the PAT Resource Center and the Daniel Boone Regional Library to pick out some wonderful books for you and your child!
  
  Belinda Masters, Coordinator Parents As Teachers

Parents & Infants
to 12 months
10:30 - 11:30 am
Columbia Public Library Friends Room
 
 Monday, February 5 Feeding Your Baby
 

 Monday, March 5 - Discipline... Setting Limits with Infants
 

Monday, April 2 Songs & Fingerplays for your Baby
 

Monday, May 14 (note 2nd Monday) Reading to Your Baby

Under the Big Top!
3 to 5 year olds
(pre-Kindergarten)
Saturday, Feb.3
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Russell Blvd Elem School
1800 W Rollins Rd.

Beat the cabin fever blues! Come exercise those large and small muscles on a brisk winter morning. Join the fun with group parachute play and lots more.
Snow Date: Sat., Feb. 10

Directions: Stadium Blvd to Rollins Road,
then east on Rollins to the school,
OR Broadway to Russell Blvd, then
south on Russell Blvd to the school.

Spring into a Book
3 to 5 year olds
(pre-Kindergarten)
Tuesday, March 13
6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
Russell Blvd Elem School
1800 W Rollins Rd.

Imagination Station
Infants to 36 months
Monday, March 19
6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
Smithton Middle School
3600 W. Worley Street