Preschool: We Love Books
Our library is a common place to find children during work time in the Preschool classroom. The shelves are frequently rotated with various books based on current areas of interest, seasonal themes and classics. Many of the children find comfort in exploring books independently or quietly with friends. Children are often observed choosing the same book on several occasions and have been overheard inventing their own dialogue to go with the illustrations.
By exploring picture books, young children are actually beginning the first stages of reading. Most children are intrinsically drawn to the bright and colorful pages in picture books, which can be a means to get them interested in reading. Picture books help develop story sense. Children learn the beginning, middle and end of a story. Repetition in many picture books allows a child to participate in the story. Children get excited when they can anticipate a forthcoming line and learn skills like phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension and fluency. Experiencing books should be fun and a time to look forward to.
