Creative Opportunities

Childhood is a time when we nurture creativity and opportunity.  Although I want my children to have fun, I also want to them to learn healthy habits!  I know that healthy habits, started young, can really help children succeed in school.  Early Learning is not only learning letters, colors, shapes, and numbers but also empathy, sharing, relationships, health, safety and so on.   Meanwhile, I find it challenging to teach my son how to brush his teeth when he insists on dancing at the same time!

Having fun while building healthy habits is easier when you tap into your child’s sense of creativity and allow yourself to be a bit silly.  You can encourage creativity and early learning with your child – for free!  Library staff offer story times that encourage Early Learning concepts and model how to read a story for young children, how to use music and rhymes to make learning fun, and how to extend story time through creative crafts.  Parents have time to meet other parents and have conversations and share ideas. Check out the programs at your local public library branch and bring some ideas home. See what public libraries do on this news program:  http://www.king5.com/news/learning-for-life/Learning-for-Life-Libraries-offer-free-activities-81972847.html

There are lots of children’s books that encourage creativity.  Check out these great titles:

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly By 2004-06 - New Video Group 9780439696838 Check Our Catalog …More

The Reader's Digest Children's Songbook: Over 130 All-Time Favorites to Play, Listen and Sing By Reader's Digest Editors, Reader's Digest Author Reader's Digest Author Dolezal, Robert 2005-04 - Reader's Digest Association 9780762106196 Check Our Catalog First published in 1985, this Reader's Digest best-selling classic has sold over 200,000 copies. Carryon or start your own tradition as adults and children gather to sing from this collection of easy-to-play children's favorite songs-from movies, shows, nursery rhymes, holiday songs, folksongs, nonsense songs, and more. This collection is great for all ages, familiar songs that children love to sing, and a must have for parents, grandparents, and teachers-including musical games and activity ideas to add to the fun. The 252-page easy-to-read music book with more than 130 all-time favorite family songs is spiral-bound to lie flat, and includes a 40-page lyric book. And bring these favorite melodies to life by listening to the recordings on the companion CD. …More

101 Favorite Children's Songs By Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Created by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation 2001-09 - Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation 9780634033797 Check Our Catalog …More

Fiestas: A Year of Latin American Songs of Celebrations By Kleven, Elisa Selected by Orozco, Jose-Luis 2004-09 - Puffin Books 9780142401996 Check Our Catalog SPA From the award-winning author/illustrator team who created "De Colores" and "Diez Deditos" comes this collection of songs of celebration from the Spanish-speaking world for many Latin American holidays. Full color. …More