By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian This holiday season is not at all what any of us had planned on. For most of us, celebrations will look different and traditions might have to skip a year. These are sad and frustrating things! Young kids may not have the words to express what they’re feeling or how … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Songs are powerful! When we plan our storytime classes, we organize them to build energy and then calm kids down before we send them back on their way. When we want to build energy, we do a lot of movement songs and silly songs, and then choose quieter songs to … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Well, 2021 has certainly begun right where 2020 left off: with a lot of tough topics. Even our youngest kids know when big or upsetting things happen in the news. They may not know the details, but they can see and feel the strong emotions of their grownups and that … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian What kind of things do you hear during the winter? When there’s a lot of snow on the ground, it can actually be very quiet! Until a snowplow comes by. Or the wind starts blowing and whistling. Or kids start playing in the snow. There are many benefits to paying … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian This week, the Fred Rogers Center shared an article from Zero to Three about the power of music for infants and toddlers. It ties music to key early development skills: physical, thinking, language, and literacy skills. As a librarian, I know the value of music; that’s why so much of … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian This week, I shared a video on using breathing to regulate your body when you’re feeling stressed or getting too excited on a fun day. A lot of the songs we sing and games we play in storytime help kids practice self-regulation: kids are following patterns in movement and song, … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian The start of a new year is a traditional time to set goals and try new things. Success, of course, varies! With so much uncertainty still overshadowing our days—thanks to the pandemic—success might feel even more challenging than usual. So let’s talk about ways to build early learning routines in … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Scary things are back in the news. Even when we try to insulate children from the news, we often underestimate how much they can overhear and how much they can pick up on tension in their caregivers. It’s very challenging for kids and adults when kids get worried and have … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian How young is too young to introduce kids to history? There’s no such thing as too young! There are so many delightful and age-appropriate ways to share information on fascinating people from all time periods. Below are some suggestions for videos, books, and activities to share with your early learners! … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian At the library, we often hear from parents, teachers, and other caregivers that social-emotional learning (SEL) is important to you. What exactly is SEL? Let’s take a brief look and then dig in below. What is social-emotional learning? Social-emotional learning is a learning approach that helps people understand their emotions, feel those … Read more
