by Christy, (mom to Lucas, Toddlers)
Last month, to discuss the topic of children’s literacy, our toddler class parent meeting was held at the lovely Mockingbird Books in Greenlake.
Our guest presenter from the bookstore, Alison, had chosen an array of her favorites to share with us. The books ranged from simple board books for babies and young toddlers to hardback books that are kept carefully away from sticky fingers.
All of the books we passed around that evening had colorful illustrations that were intriguing to both children and parents alike. We discussed the importance of reading with your child, and the enjoyment you both can get from the lessons of a well-written story, or the laughter from a silly one.
Reading aloud with your child has many developmental benefits as well. Professionals widely agree that this activity has a great impact on language development, acquisition of vocabulary and cognitive development. Fine motor skills are also used, such as trying to turn pages in a book. The chunky, easy-to-flip pages of board books are perfect for letting your infant and toddler enhance their fine motor skills. Reading with your child also promotes emotional health, with positive one-on-one time incorporated into your daily routine. Children thrive with predictable routines, and reading aloud can be a nice bonding time your child can come to expect each day.
Personally, I couldn’t leave the bookstore at the end of the meeting without taking home a few new titles. It’s all about trucks in our household right now, and my son was ecstatic to read our new favorites Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Dig!.
During this rainy season, enjoy a morning story time with your child. Here are a few local locations and times:
Mockingbird Books
Daily (except Sundays) at 11am
Seattle Public Library – Northeast Branch
Tuesdays (Preschoolers) at 10:30am
Thursdays (Toddlers) at 10:15 and 11:15am
Ravenna Third Place Books
Fridays (Hosted by Jewish Junction) at 11am
Saturdays at 11am
Here is a selection of some of the books we were introduced to at our meeting:
