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Weaving the way for writing: three writing activities for early childhood...
Our stories are important. They are the fabric through which the words and language of children develop in early childhood. Our words, written or spoken, become the backing that children use to weave...
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Parenting books to help inspire children to read
Parenting books can be valuable, even if they just convey the idea that other parents are going through the same trials and tribulations that you are. Working in the Children’s Room of a library, I...
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Celebrate Financial Literacy Month with tools for students and families
Not only is spring a time for new beginnings, it’s also a great time to learn about financial literacy skills – that’s because April is Financial Literacy Month. It’s important to teach students...
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Word games to boost early literacy skills: Rhyming fun
April is Poetry Month! What do you get when you combine a monthly dose of poetry with daily word play? A well-prepared early reader. Word play is a really fun way to train your preschooler for...
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Word games to boost early literacy skills: Alliteration activities
Word games offer a fun way to take the first steps in teaching your child to read and spell. By connecting sounds to letters, children begin to recognize patterns and rhythm in language. Inspired by...
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Word games to boost early literacy skills: Listening for sounds
Word play breaks down the fundamental basics of reading and spelling. When a child understands how to connect sounds to letters and words, they can begin to learn how to read. These fun word games can...
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Word games to boost early literacy skills: Counting syllables
When a child is getting ready to learn to read, word games offer a great way to have fun and start making connections between sounds, letters and words. These connections create the building blocks...
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Summer reading: A new recipe for fun (part 1)
Looking to cook up some new activities this summer vacation? Incorporating reading into your child’s summer routine not only keeps them learning, but it can be fun! Follow this two-part recipe for a...
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Summer reading: A new recipe for fun (part 2)
Looking for new ideas to incorporate reading into your children’s summer vacation? This recipe for a summer filled with reading gives you a batch of fun activities you have to try! (Follow this link...
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Children’s programs work in high gear during summer months
Throughout Massachusetts there are children’s service agencies, school administrators and teachers, librarians and nutritionists working to provide healthy snacks, lunches and even books to those...
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Imaginations soar as kids make their own stories
Literacy skills give us the power to make our own stories. And that’s the message that Mass Literacy sent to children and families last weekend at the Boston Book Festival. Kids went on an imaginative...
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Storytime with dad: Why fathers should read with their children
“You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be — I had a Mother who read to me.” Gillian Strickland The poem “The Reading Mother” by...
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Family Literacy Month Book List
There is a rich and artful palette of releases in children’s books this fall — books about the seasons, about the sun and the moon, and about imparting ideas around compassion and empathy. All...
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The power of music in literacy education
Music, the soundtrack to long car rides and the fuel for dance, has a greater power than pure entertainment. For many educators across Massachusetts, music is an invaluable tool to help children...
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8 fun ways to master sight words without flashcards
Learning how to read sight words is one of the first steps in early literacy. Much of printed text consists of the same 100 words used repeatedly – words such as a, like, to, in, the, and so on....
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Early literacy leader continues to make strides
“Thanks to Mass Literacy, it’s been a TOUCHDOWN year!” Jean Ciborowski Fahey, PhD, a 2014 Mass Literacy Champion, provides the perfect example of the successful impact, outreach and growth that can...
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Reading Resolutions for the New Year
In the hopes that we can keep reading at the forefront of whatever changes we might have planned for a new year, I’ve been thinking about how I can improve my own reading life as well as those of my...
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6 Ideas to Share Stories and Connection During World Read Aloud Day
World Read Aloud Day is February 24, 2016. This global initiative “calls global attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories,” according to LitWorld, the founder of the event. To...
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Terrific titles to read aloud with children
Reading aloud envelopes both the reader and the listener together in a warm embrace of words. Here is a list of titles to make that magic happen: “Last Stop On Market Street” by Matt De La Pena...
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Making the Most of 20 Minutes: 6 things to do with your child before reading
Many children come home from school with the same homework every night: “Read for 20 minutes.” Not sure how else to go about the homework assignment, parents simply give their child a book while he...
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