WHERE?
Locations in the San Francisco (East) Bay Area, CA

WHY?
Early literacy programs create awareness about reading and writing before children begin to read and write. Research has shown that these programs help in the development of vital pre-reading skills that prepare children for a lifelong love for reading and learning.

Skills
Print Motivation (getting children excited about books and reading)
Print Awareness (knowledge of print, reading from left to right or right to left, holding a book the right way)
Narrative Skills ( the ability to describe, retell and comprehend what they read)
Vocabulary (knowing the names of things, emotions, and concepts)
Letter Knowledge (identifying letters and their sounds)
Phonological Awareness (knowing the finer sounds in words)

HOW?
The elements I use to create a literacy-rich story time include –
Books
Songs
Finger Play
Movement
Puppetry
Music
Storyboards
Crafts
Games

WHAT?
THEMES include:
Concept based (Counting, Alphabet, Colors, Emotions)
Seasonal (Harvest, Rain, Summer)
Movement oriented (Actions and Finger play)
Nature & Environment (Bugs, Animals, Trees)
Multicultural (Bilingual books, Holidays, Foods, Countries)
Popular Pre-school themes (Vehicles, Farm Animals, Feelings, Food)

Being a mother, a children’s author, and a book blogger has hugely helped me handpick appropriate books and songs that make story times enriching and entertaining for children and their families. Most of all, watching little ones go wide-eyed at a book or giggle during a song brings great joy to my world!