Resources
Resource of the Month
Resource of the Month – April
In honor of National Poetry Month, try some of these poetry games for children. They are originally intended for classrooms, but they can easily be used for fun at home in the family. (If you’re short on time, you can create some original poems with:
Featured Book of the Month
Books of the Month – April
“Meeting in the Middle”
These two books together can help caregivers find balance between over-parenting (How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims) and under-parenting (The Collapse of Parenting by Leonard Sax).
J Parenting 306.87 LYT and
J Parenting 306.87 SAX
The Newburgh Basics
“The Newburgh Basics Campaign is inspired by the fact that 80% of brain development happens in the first three years of life… The Newburgh Basics are five evidence-based parenting and caregiving principles that encompass much of what experts find is important for children from birth to age three.”
1. Maximize Love, Manage Stress
2. Talk, Sing, and Point
3. Count, Group, and Compare
4. Explore Through Movement & Play
5. Read and Discuss Stories
“Every child from every background can benefit from routinely experiencing Newburgh Basics learning experiences.”
Get Ready to Read Pre-reading skills, or early literacy, can be developed from the time babies can begin to hold an object! Parents and caregivers are a child’s first teacher.
Babies can learn to recognize the beginning of a book (front cover), how to turn a page, and begin to distinguish images from words on a page using Board Books.
Teach your child how to hold a book and turn the pages.
Point to words and follow with your finger as you read aloud.
As a child gets older, expose them to different types of printed material (books, magazines, menus, packaging).
Teach the printed alphabet and numbers. “ABC/123 books” are a separate collection in the picture book section.
Once a child begins to recognize basic words, the “Easy Reader” collection is the place to look for books to begin to read. These books have a controlled vocabulary to allow beginning readers to build word sound skills and increase sight word recognition.
Most importantly for getting a young child ready to read is that you talk to them, to develop language skills, and read to and with them as much as possible. Young children model what the adults in the world around them are doing and appear to value. Make time for books and reading!
Pick Books for Me Service
Pick Books for Me service
Early Literacy Guide & Family Reading Day
Have fun with our guide on Early Literacy. Includes information, books, play ideas, crafts, videos, and more. Learn More
Instructions for the literacy activities and board games at Family Reading Day/Day of the Child:
Day of the Child – Reading Day 2024
DayByDayNY
DaybyDayNY is a website for young children and their families. It is part of the New York State Library early literacy initiative Ready to Read at New York Libraries.
Interactive Calendar and Resources
This interactive calendar (https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/earlylit/resource-list.htm) includes activities for young children designed to foster school readiness, including art and craft ideas, fun and educational web sites, preschool health information, and links to online stories and e-books.
Free Children’s Books Online
This subject guide offers links to hundreds of e-books offered free. Most book sources do not require a library card to access. Includes text e-books, book videos, and audiobooks, plus selected booklists.
NYS Home School and Educational Resources
This subject guide contains many resources “to help adults support youth learning and help young scholars support themselves.”
NFL’s YouTube Videos
10 Ways to Read Picture Books and 10 More Ways to Read Picture Books. Or try the video “Ten Ways to Teach a Child Using Practically Anything…in this Case, a Rubber Duck.” For more videos see our Virtual Programs Guide.
Local Information
There are some excellent and supportive organizations for parents, caregivers and children in Orange County. The web links below have been chosen for their valuable services and important parental information to the community in which the Library resides. This list will be added to on an as needed basis in the future. Any new suggestions for local Newburgh community organizations can be sent to the website section
Child Care Council of Orange County, Inc.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County, NY
Informal/inclusive group offering outings/activities for members and their homeschooled children.