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Early Literacy Calendar
The very best book to read with your child is one they choose themselves.
As a parent or caregiver, you play the important role of being your child’s first teacher. You can promote literacy by teaching your child about reading and writing before they can actually read or write. One of the best gifts you can give your child is a daily dose of your attention, whether it’s a warm lap or shared reading time. This will improve your child’s memory, build self-esteem, and establish a love for learning. By fostering early literacy, you are setting the stage for your child to succeed academically and in life. This calendar is full of ideas for developing reading skills that will last a lifetime. Visit any Omaha Public Library location or omahalibrary.org to find great resources to help your child discover and explore the world around them.
Young children are active and energetic. Encourage movement— even during reading time. Even when they are up and moving, they are still listening and learning.
January January
Research shows that toddlers’ vocabulary grows faster when parents talk with their children about things they are watching or doing.
February
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Recommended Reads
TumbleBookLibrary online anytime from home and at the library.
Read a talking book online! Books have pictures, music, sounds and more. omahalibrary.org
Sing with your child! Singing helps develop listening skills, and when you clap along, it helps develop motor skills.
Doing fingerplays like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” helps make kids’ hands strong which will help them when they learn to write.
Every time you answer a question, tell a story, or just listen to what your child has to say, you are helping them develop language and literacy.
Clap out, tap on a drum, or sing your child’s name. This allows them to hear words slowed down so that they can make out the parts of words, or syllables.
Use familiar song melodies and change up the words.
Change “Twinkle Twinkle Little
Star” to “Vroom Vroom Vroom
Vroom Little Car.”
Point to the words as you read them so kids make the connection between printed and spoken words.
When your babies babble at you, they love for you to answer them because, as far as they’re concerned, they’re talking to you!
A
Repetition is very important and children love it, so go ahead and read Good Night Moon for the 50th time.
October October
Pretend play gives children the opportunity to use advanced vocabulary, create stories, and apply their knowledge. It’s even more effective if you join in!
November
Recommended Reads
Storybook Land
Meet & greet your favorite storybook characters!
Do you play dress-up with your child?
Imaginative play is how children learn best and they actually use a wider vocabulary while playing pretend.
Library Locations February 4
MONDAY – THURSDAY 9 am – 8 pm
(except South Omaha Library closes at 7 pm)
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 9 am – 5 pm
SUNDAY select locations 1 – 5 pm
(Downtown Branch, Genealogy & Local History Room, Millard Branch & Milton R. Abrahams Branch)
A.V. SORENSEN BRANCH
4808 Cass St. | 402.444.5274
BENSON BRANCH
6015 Binney St. | 402.444.4846
BESS JOHNSON ELKHORN BRANCH
2100 Reading Plz. | 402.289.4367
CHARLES B. WASHINGTON BRANCH 2868 Ames Ave. | 402.444.4849
DOWNTOWN BRANCH
1401 Jones St. | 402.444.4828
FLORENCE BRANCH
2920 Bondesson St. | 402.444.5299
GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY ROOM 3020 S. 84th St. | 402.444.4800
MILTON R. ABRAHAMS BRANCH
N. 90th St. | 402.444.6284
SADDLEBROOK BRANCH
14850 Laurel Ave. | 402.444.5780
SOUTH OMAHA LIBRARY
2808 Q St. | 402.444.4850
W. CLARKE SWANSON BRANCH
9101 W. Dodge Rd. | 402.444.4852
WILLA CATHER BRANCH
1905 S. 44th St. | 402.444.4851
Connect
Stay up-to-date on OPL’s latest news, events and more. Follow us on social media @OmahaLibrary.
Library Holidays
Libraries will be closed on these holidays observed by the City of Omaha.
New Year’s Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Day . . . . . . Jan 15
Presidents’ Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 19 (South Omaha Library open)
Staff Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 8 (Libraries open at 1 pm)
Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 31
Memorial Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 27
Juneteenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 19
Independence Day . . . . . . . . . . . . July 4
Staff Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug 23 (Libraries open at 1 pm)
Labor Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept 2
Columbus Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day . . . . . . . . Oct 14 (South Omaha Library open)
Veterans Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 11 (South Omaha Library open)
Thanksgiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 28-29
Christmas Eve . Dec 24, Libraries close at 3 pm
Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 25 New Year’s Eve . Dec 31, Libraries close at 5 pm
February 4
January
February
April
May
March
June
August
November
Young children are active and energetic. Encourage movement— even during reading time. Even when they are up and moving, they are still listening and learning.
Every time you answer a question, tell a story, or just listen to what your child has to say, you are helping them develop language and literacy.
When your babies babble at you, they love for you to answer them because, as far as they’re concerned, they’re talking to you!
Research shows that toddlers’ vocabulary grows faster when parents talk with their children about things they are watching or doing.
Sing with your child! Singing helps develop listening skills, and when you clap along, it helps develop motor skills.
Doing fingerplays like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” helps make kids’ hands strong which will help them when they learn to write.
Clap out, tap on a drum, or sing your child’s name. This allows them to hear words slowed down so that they can make out the parts of words, or syllables.
Repetition
Use familiar song melodies and change up the words.
Change “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” to “Vroom Vroom Vroom Vroom Little Car.”
Pretend play gives children the opportunity to use advanced vocabulary, create stories, and apply their knowledge. It’s even more effective if you join in!
Point to the words as you read them so kids make the connection between printed and spoken words.
Do you play dress-up with your child? Imaginative play is how children learn best and they actually use a wider vocabulary while playing pretend.
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Literacy Early Literacy Calendar
The Early Literacy Calendar is made possible with funding provided by the Omaha Public Library Foundation. Early Literacy 2024 is © Omaha Public Library. All rights reserved.