Your toddler will love this introduction to numeracy and have fun with numbers using rhymes, songs, books, and active play.
Read more about "1-2-3: Count With Me"When it comes to learning the alphabet, preschoolers benefit from repeated exposure and varied practice with letters. If you’re looking for fun ways to incorporate the alphabet into your child’s day, these simple indoor games are easy to replicate at home and provide a variety of ways to engage with the alphabet.You’ll find both calm, quiet activities to keep them occupied, and more active games that will help them burn off energy. Ready? Let’s have fun with letters!Alphabet Connect-the-DotsThis simple activity promotes letter recognition and gets little bodies moving.What you’ll need: A long roll of art or butcher paper, or sheets of paper taped together, and crayons or markersWhat to do:To start, choose five or six letters to focus on (aim for a mix of letters they know well and letters that are more of a challenge). Using a long roll of paper and some crayons or markers, write the first letter you’ve chosen in random spots on the paper. Then move on to the next letter and do the same thing, until all the letters are written. Each letter should repeat about eight to ten times on the paper. Hand your preschooler a crayon and ask them to draw a line connecting the letters which are the same. For example, they may choose to start with the letter “G” and connect all of the “Gs” they see with their crayon. Source: Hands On As We Grow website Secret LettersWho doesn’t love receiving a secret message? This exciting activity combines the delight of revealing a hidden message with letter recognition practice. What you’ll need: White paper, white crayon, watercolour paint (or homemade paints made of jello powder or fruit juice), and a paintbrush What to do:Use a white crayon to write hidden letters or words on the paper. Hand the note to your child to paint over with watercolours. As they paint, the white wax of the crayon is revealed. See if they can read your message or tell you what letters they see appearing. Note: the message can be adapted to your child’s age and reading level. For toddlers, pictures and squiggles are fun to discover, while older children may be ready for words, phrases, or sentences.Source: Busy Toddler website At-Home Alphabet HuntLetters are everywhere: the cover of a book, a bottle of dish soap, the side of a box. This simple activity reminds little learners that there are letters all around them and promotes everyday reading. What you’ll need:Marker, pad of paper, pencil What to do: On a pad of paper, write out the entire alphabet with a marker in the style of a grocery list, with one letter on each line. Pass your little one the pad and pencil and go on a hunt around your house (or even your neighbourhood) together and have them check off the letters they find on their search. Can they find them all?Source: No Time for Flashcards website Fishing for LettersThis engaging activity fosters the imagination and helps preschoolers learn to recognize letters outside of their alphabetized order. What you’ll need: alphabet fridge magnets, extra magnet, string or yarn, cloth or fabric to act as “water," popsicle stick or wooden spoon, baking sheet (optional)What to do: Create a pretend fishing rod by tying an extra magnet to a piece of yarn at the end of a popsicle stick or wooden spoon, so that the magnet dangles like the hook on a fishing rod. Spread alphabet magnets over some cloth (using blue fabric is a fun touch to represent water) and go fishing for magnets! Tell your child to “stay on the shore” and pick up magnets without walking on the cloth. Each time they “catch” a letter, say the letter out loud together and put it on the fridge or a baking sheet. Once all the letters are caught, see if they can arrange them in order. Writing TrayWriting trays are a wonderful way to help children learn to write letters and practice fine motor skills.What you’ll need:Cookie sheet or a large, shallow container, flour or sprinkles, writing tool such as a spoon or cotton swab (optional)What to do:Spread a layer of flour or sprinkles over the tray and have your child write letters in the tray using either their fingers or a writing tool. Gently shake the tray to erase the letters and start again. This activity also works well for drawing shapes and numbers — or simply let them be creative and draw all kinds of pictures! Musical LettersThis activity is perfect for burning off energy while promoting gross motor co-ordination and quick letter recognition. Plus, who doesn’t love dancing to great music?What you’ll need:Painter’s tape, paper or card stock, marker, music your kids will dance toWhat to do:Using your painter’s tape, create letters on the floor in a random pattern. You don’t need to include every letter but can pick and choose which ones to focus on. Next write out the same letters individually on pieces of paper or card stock. To start, play the music (choose a song that will get your child dancing). As the music plays, let them move around the room and dance like crazy! Stop the music and hold up a letter. They must run to find the letter on the floor that matches the letter you’re holding up. Play the music again and repeat. Source: No Time for Flashcards website Have fun with these wonderful alphabet-learning games! Want even more great early literacy activities you can do at home? Be sure to check out our Library at Home section for more resources like these.Not yet a member? Sign up online for your free Library card to get access to the Library's online activities and Digital Library immediately.
Read more about "Stories Six Fun Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers"Stories come to life with animated pictures and words that help young children learn to read. Fiction stories are paired with nonfiction books on similar topics to keep the learning going. Choose books about animals, people, imagination, music, counting, and so much more. Continue learning after the story with fun quizzes and puzzles. Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial in Niche Academy: Bookflix tutorial
Read more about "Read-along storybooks for early learners."Learn to play a musical instrument at your own pace. Artistworks complements the Sun Life Musical Instrument Lending Library available at Memorial Park Library.
Read more about "Free online music classes from Artistworks on the Libby app"Meet new people and learn new games in a fun, casual environment where everyone is welcome. Bring your own games or play one of ours; you can see the list at...
Read more about "Tabletop Game Café"Bring stories and reading to life for students in Grades 1 through 3! Reading Buddies volunteers share books and play fun literacy games with their “little buddy” in a group setting that’s facilitated by a staff member. Volunteers encourage children to read, and make reading fun! This is a youth volunteer opportunity for Grades 7-12.
Read more about "What will you do?"Help elementary students discover that there is more to computers than just playing games. Teen volunteers work one-on-one with younger students to help them work through lessons on coding and other essential computer skills. Students learn basic coding skills, along with important topics like Internet safety and evaluating information.
Read more about "What will you do?"'\n ', 'This Early Learning Centre promotes early literacy, giving the youngest visitors a dedicated place to read, learn, and explore. Reading nooks, spots for storytime, play areas, lots of books, and a Nursing Room make up this incredible 12,200-square-foot space.', '\n '
Read more about ""The Jocelyn Louise Anderson Children's Library""'\n ', 'Early Learning Centres are designed to be flexible, open-ended, and interactive. Features such as experiential and moveable activity centres, props, and games support play and active learning through talking, singing, reading, and writing.', '\n '
Read more about "'Vibrant and interactive spaces at 12 libraries that support early literacy practices.'"Is your student looking for a good book to read in French or Spanish? Our Digital Library offers tons of free resources for kids who want to learn, read, and listen to books in French or Spanish. Check out our favourite tools below for supporting bilingual literacy. Use your free Library membership to access these great apps and resources. No Library card? No problem. Sign up for free online and start using it now. eReading Room for Kids Find popular audio and eBooks titles for French-speaking kids in our eReading Room for Kids, including Harry Potter, Captain Underpants, and Dogman. Borrow kids’ audio and eBook titles in Spanish like Harry Potter, as well as fairy tales and science books. PressReader Read kids’ magazines in multiple languages, including French and Spanish, in PressReader. Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos Want to find cool facts about your favourite animal or learn how to make a craft in Spanish? Explore the Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos to learn new words from a visual dictionary, read articles and videos on a variety of topics, and try fun activities like making your own play dough. L'Encyclopedie Decouverte Get students excited about research and strengthen their French language skills at the same time with engaging activities in the L’Encyclopedie Decouverte, aimed at beginner French reading levels. TumbleBook Library Browse a selection of animated French and Spanish eBooks for kids that they can read, watch, or listen to in the TumbleBook Library.
Read more about "Stories French and Spanish Language eResources for school-age kids"Read and listen to picture books in 65+ languages, including English, French, Spanish, Ukrainian, Punjabi, Tagalog, Arabic, German, and Russian.Download the LOTE4Kids app from the Apple App store or Google Play store.
Read more about "World language storybook readalouds for children"Find thousands of full-text poems, short stories, novels, essays, speeches, plays, biographies, summaries, glossaries and more.LitFinder is an interactive research database. You can translate articles to over 40 languages, have articles read aloud to you, highlight and add notes, generate citations, and email, save or download selections and full articles to read later.
Read more about "A wealth of literary works and secondary source materials"Early Learning Investment will Prepare Calgary's Children for Lifelong Learning and Success MEDIA RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 7, 2017Calgary, AB — Local children and families participating in a colossal playdate helped to celebrate the opening of the fourth and final Calgary Foundation Early Learning Centre at Crowfoot Library today.“Play is such an important part of building literacy skills for children,” says Eva Friesen, President & CEO, Calgary Foundation. “We’re so pleased to support these Early Learning Centres that allow youth to grow and learn by being creative and using their imagination at such an important stage of their lives.”Early Learning Centres are vibrant and interactive spaces that focus on play-based learning — one of the five focus areas outlined in the Library’s Early Learning Strategy released earlier this year. Each centre is built around a distinct theme, including energy and motion at Forest Lawn Library, a construction site for little builders at Signal Hill and a “Birds Eye View” that overlooks the clear mountain views at Crowfoot Library.In September, the Calgary Public Library Foundation announced the $1 million transformational investment in early learning from the Calgary Foundation and an anonymous donor. Funding from the Major & Signature Grant established Calgary Foundation Early Learning Centres at Saddletowne, Signal Hill, Forest Lawn and the new space at Crowfoot Library — the busiest community library in the city. The gift will also enhance early learning training for staff and volunteers. The Calgary Foundation is a Founding Partner of Add In—the Campaign for Calgary’s Library.“Thanks to Calgary Foundation and its anonymous donor, we have opened four new Early Learning Centres in the last four months,” said Ellen Humphrey, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Calgary Public Library Foundation. “We want to create a world-leading library model for Early Learning, which includes an Early Learning Centre in every library in the city, but we can’t do it alone.”Through the Library Foundation, the Library is seeking $20 million of philanthropic investment in early learning to support the Library’s Early Learning Strategyopens a new window, which focuses on spaces, people, collections, programs and research. There are more than 89,000 children under the age of five in our city, and research shows that healthy development in early childhood sets the course for a child’s future.To support early learning at the Library, visit addin.ca/early-learning.Calgary Public LibraryCalgary Public Library, with 600,000+ members, has been inspiring the life stories of Calgarians for more than 100 years. It is currently the second largest library system in Canada and the sixth largest municipal library system in North America, with Calgarians borrowing more than 15.8 million physical and digital items and with 6.7 million in-person visits last year. Preparations are underway for the awe-inspiring 240,000 sq. ft. New Central Library, to open in late 2018.Calgary Public Library FoundationAdd In—the Campaign for Calgary’s Library, is the largest public campaign for a public library in Canadian history. The $350 million campaign will support a system of community libraries across Calgary and activate and enhance the New Central Library. To learn more about Add In and the Calgary Public Library’s vision to create the best public library in the world for Calgarians, visit addin.ca.Calgary FoundationSince 1955, Calgary Foundation has been nurturing a healthy, vibrant, giving and caring community that values diversity and supports all people. We build a community where citizens are engaged, and where a strong and sustainable charitable sector serves the current and emerging needs of Calgary and area.- 30 -Media Contacts:Mary KapustaDirector, CommunicationsCalgary Public LibraryP: 403.774.7256mary.kapusta@calgarylibrary.caRachael TernerManager of CommunicationsCalgary Public Library FoundationC: 403.680.0626rachael@addin.caJanice FranceyCommunications AssociateCalgary FoundationC: 403.617.1998JFrancey@calgaryfoundation.org
Read more about "Stories"Join us online for evening, cozy bedtime stories, songs, and finger plays for the whole family to settle and get ready for bed. Takes place Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 pm.
Read more about "Bedtime Storytime - Virtual"In this 45-minute class you will learn some dance moves and play some movement games. No
Read more about "Move & Groove"