In person: “Welcome to Let’s Read! We are super excited to have you joining us. Please sign in, then find a seat next to your littles. “

Virtual: ” Welcome to Let’s Read! We are super excited to have you joining us. Please sign in by typing your little’s name in the chat.“

Action: Have a sign in sheet ready for all participants to sign in & distribute materials accordingly.

Each child receiving materials needs to sign in.

• If siblings participate and get materials, families must sign in twice or write in the notes how many children participated.

Attendance is important not only for assessing the positive impact we are having on the community but also for tracking the progress children make through their participation in our program

“Every week, we do three fun things: celebrate, explore, and try something new! Let’s start by celebrating—give yourself two pats on the back for being here today!”

Lead with enthusiasm and exaggerated motions as you dictate your actions so that participants can mimic you.

• Stand or sit up tall – Make sure your back is nice and straight.

• Lift your right hand – Get it ready to pat your back.

• Reach behind your shoulder – Gently place your hand on your own back, around the middle or upper part.

• Give one gentle pat – Say, “Good job!” or “Yay me!” if you like.

• Switch hands – Lift your left hand this time.

• Pat your back again – One more gentle pat to celebrate yourself.

• Smile and feel proud – You just celebrated yourself for being here and trying your best!

Praising families and showing that we’re proud of their participation helps everyone feel confident and happy. Repeating routines is also a key part of our program—when children get used to doing something regularly, they’re more likely to continue those positive habits even after the program ends

“Play is children’s work – they learn best when they do. Each week, everything we do connects back to our two major themes: The power of play & finding ways to reading more playful.”

Repeat this at every session to help adults see that when story time is fun, children want to read — that’s why our playful reading method works so well.

When parents understand the importance of making reading fun and get the tools from us, they inspire real change at home. Families develop healthy reading habits—not because they’re forced, but because they want to.

• "Let’s peek inside our book today—(insert book title)—and see what surprises and adventures are hiding on the pages! Who’s ready to explore with me?"

• "Let’s open (insert book title) and see if we can guess what’s going to happen! Can you spot any clues in the pictures?"

• "Get ready! We’re about to jump into (insert book title) and see all the fun and surprises inside! Who’s excited to read with me?"

1. Open the Book Anywhere
   Pick a page in the book—any page! Don’t worry about starting at the beginning.

2. Look Closely at the Pictures
   Take a moment to notice everything in the picture. What do you see? Are there animals, people, or interesting objects?

3. Point Out Fun Things
   Show things that catch your eye. For example:

   • “Look at that lion! What is it doing?”

   • “See that tree? How is it different from the one outside?”

4. Ask Questions
   Make guesses about the story using the pictures. Example questions:

   • “Why do you think the monkey is hiding?”

   • “What might happen next?”

5. Connect to Real Life
   Talk about things in the picture that remind you of real life:

   • “That bird looks like the one in our backyard!”

   • “Have you ever seen a rainbow like that?”

6. Notice Patterns or Themes
   Look for repeated ideas or interesting elements, like:

   • Animals and their characteristics

   • Facts about nature or the world

   • Comparisons, like big vs. small, fast vs. slow

7. Get Excited to Learn!
   Share what’s interesting or surprising about the picture and get curious:

   • “I wonder what will happen next?”

   • “I can’t wait to read more!”

Getting kids excited to read and be part of the session is a great way to start! Asking questions and letting them share their ideas makes them feel involved and eager to join in. When parents see how much fun their kids are having with books—something they might not have expected—they learn how powerful it can be. That’s why we make Storytime interactive, playful, and fun, so parents can use the same methods at home.

ABC - Rhyming  - Sequence/Pattern - Wordless - Fiction - Nonfiction 

"Friends, today we’re going to read a special kind of book! This book is a (insert theme ) book. “

Knowing the theme at the beginning helps kids share their ideas and join the fun, and it also helps parents see how the session supports their learning and how they can keep exploring the theme at home.

• Build Early Letter Recognition
  Seeing letters over and over helps children connect shapes to sounds, which is the first step toward reading.

• Strengthen Vocabulary
  Every letter introduces new words, helping kids talk, think, and describe more clearly.

• Teach Order & Sequencing
  The alphabet has a set order, so ABC books naturally build memory and pattern skills.

• Boost Phonemic Awareness
  Hearing “A is for Apple” helps children match sounds to symbols — a key pre-reading skill.

• Make Learning Feel Playful
  ABC books often include rhyming, rhythm, silly pictures, or themes, turning learning into fun instead of pressure.

• Encourage Participation & Confidence
  Kids can shout out letters, repeat phrases, or guess the next word — making them active readers, not just listeners.

• Set the Foundation for Writing
  Recognizing letters prepares children to eventually write them — ABC books make letters feel familiar before holding a pencil.

“ABC books are not only fun and playful, but they are a great resource to help children learn and distinguish individual letter recognition, strengthen vocabulary, and boost phonemic awareness.”

• They train the brain to hear patterns in sound, which is a key skill for learning to read.

• Rhymes make words easier to remember, helping build a strong vocabulary.

• Hearing similar sounds together strengthens memory and prediction skills, like guessing what comes next.

• Rhyming helps children break words into smaller sounds, which prepares them for spelling later.

• The rhythm and repetition keep kids engaged, making reading feel fun — not like work.

• Singing or chanting rhyming lines builds confidence, encouraging kids to join in and use their voice.

• Rhyming stories activate both sides of the brain — language + music — which boosts overall learning.

• They teach children how to predict what comes next, building strong thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Repeating phrases or actions help with memory, making it easier for kids to retell or act out the story.

• Understanding order (first, next, last) prepares children for real-life routines and school readiness.

• Kids feel confident when they can “join in” because they know what’s coming, boosting participation and language use.

• Sequence books help children understand cause and effect, an important part of critical thinking.

• They encourage storytelling and retelling, which builds strong comprehension skills.

• They boost imagination — with no words on the page, children get to create the story in their own minds.

• They build language skills — even without text, toddlers describe what they see, which strengthens vocabulary and speaking.

• They teach storytelling — kids learn how to explain what’s happening in order (beginning → middle → end).

• They support comprehension — focusing on pictures helps toddlers understand emotions, actions, and cause-and-effect.

• They grow confidence — even kids who can’t read yet can “tell” the story themselves!

• They encourage bonding — caregivers and children naturally talk more during wordless books, making reading interactive, not passive.

A fiction book is a make-believe story!

• They build imagination — fiction helps children picture new worlds, animals, and ideas that don’t exist in real life.

• They teach emotions and empathy — when characters feel happy, scared, or sad, children learn to understand and name their own feelings.

• They help with problem-solving — stories often include challenges or surprises that encourage children to think about “What would I do?”

• They introduce storytelling structure — kids learn that stories have a beginning, middle, and end.

• They make reading magical and exciting — funny or silly characters keep toddlers engaged and wanting more books!

• They feed natural curiosity — toddlers love asking “What’s that?” and nonfiction books give them real answers!

• They build real-world knowledge — animals, vehicles, weather, food — these books help children understand the world around them.

• They grow vocabulary fast — kids learn new words like scales, engines, planets, or habitats just by looking at pictures and naming things.

• They encourage questioning and exploring — “Why do whales swim?” → “Let’s find out!” — nonfiction turns reading into discovery time.

• They boost memory and thinking skills — learning facts helps toddlers sort and organize information in their brain.

• They build confidence — even young kids feel proud when they can teach YOU something they learned from a book!

• They balance imagination with truth — fiction helps kids dream, but nonfiction helps them understand what’s real.

Take time to explain to parents why we read each type of book, so they understand its purpose and feel confident using these books at home to support and enrich learning in their daily routines.

Why Parents Should Know About Different Book Types

• Empowers them to support learning at home — when parents understand the purpose of each book type, they can choose books and activities that reinforce skills.

• Makes reading intentional, not just routine — parents see that every book has a role in developing their child’s literacy, from letters and sounds to imagination and critical thinking.

• Encourages confidence — knowing why they are reading certain books helps parents feel confident engaging with their child, asking questions, and joining in the story.

• Strengthens the parent-child bond — interactive reading becomes a meaningful experience, not just a task, which improves communication and connection.

• Promotes consistent learning beyond the program — parents can replicate the strategies and book choices at home, turning everyday reading into an intentional learning experience.

• Boosts Focus and Attention: Using your eyes and ears helps toddlers notice every picture, word, and sound in the story.

• Helps Refocus Attention: When children get rowdy or distracted, these tools guide them back to the book and story.

• Encourages Active Participation: Children become part of the story instead of just sitting and listening.

• Supports Early Literacy Skills: Looking, listening, and speaking develop observation, comprehension, vocabulary, and phonemic awareness.

• Makes Reading Predictable and Fun: Using body-part routines gives toddlers clear cues for how to engage, making story time enjoyable and less frustrating.

• Builds Confidence: Children feel proud and capable when they know how to use their “reading tools” during every story.

Use these tools to help refocus on the story and stay engaged during reading time.

• Let’s turn down our voice box and switch on our listening ears so we can hear the rest of the story!

• Let’s use our observing eyes to find and count all the bugs in the book together!

  • Highlight the illustrator’s amazing skills and inspire children to use drawing to share their own ideas and stories.

Make Your Binoculars

• Take both hands and make big circles with your thumbs and fingers, like two round windows.

  • Put your hands up in front of your eyes — you’ve got your very own binoculars!

• Look Closely

  • Peek through your hand circles at the pages of your book.

  • Try to find every picture, word, and tiny detail.

• Spot the Fun Things

  • Can you see animals, colors, shapes, or funny faces?

  • Move your eyes around the page and check out everything you can see.

• Take Your Time

  • Don’t rush! Super detectives with binoculars look slowly and carefully.

• Share What You See

  • Tell a friend, a parent, or your reading buddy what you notice.

  • You can even point with your finger while you describe it!

• Keep Practicing

  • Every page is a new adventure. The more you use your binoculars, the more details you’ll discover!

Power Phrases are prompts that spark conversation throughout the story. They’re designed not just for reading the book, but to make story time interactive and encourage meaningful discussion.

• Don’t limit these phrases to story time — they can be used anywhere and everywhere, and are excellent for supporting your child’s development.

Put your finger on your nose if you hear a set of rhyming words.

Put your hand up if you think…

Thumbs up if you think…

Say, “me too”, if you agree and point to yourself.

This activity is a great way for children to be able to pause and process what they have just learned. Ask the class a question that they must first consider by themselves then give them the opportunity to discuss it with their neighbor. Once they’ve discussed the question, children can share their answers with the class. By giving them this time, you are enabling them to be more engaged in their learning.

End of book reading summaries are a great way to engage your children and help them connect the dots on their own. As a class have the children complete an A-Z Topic Summary, either saying a word or a sentence having to do with the reading for each letter of the alphabet. For example, if we learned about a bear they could say a describing word such as: “amazing”, the second child might say: “brave” etc.

This activity is great, especially for visual learners or children that aren’t quite writing yet. After reading, have the children use a white board to draw a picture about what they’ve just learned. For example, after reading part of the story: Jack and the Bean Stalk, have your students draw what has happened in the story up to that point. Then a student may draw a picture of a boy planting seeds with a bean stalk growing in the background.

Studies show that the proper ratio of direct instruction to reflection time for students is ten to two. That means that for every ten minutes of instruction we need to provide children with two minutes for reflection. This activity is a great way to provide children with that much needed reflection time! Ask a question about a topic or concept that has been covered in the book. Using a whiteboard children can write an answer then share it with a partner, and the class if they choose.

Encourage the class to join in with repetitive phrases/words in the book.

Encourage children to use actions to go along with characters/words in the book – this can help if you have a squirmy class – either interspersed throughout the reading or as an active break to get the children up and moving.

Readers can use this to help students differentiate between any two categories.