There are so many children’s-book lovers in caregiving and education. We are creating a space to share our favorite books and how we incorporate children’s books into our work with children. Our first meeting started with sharing an intention for the group, setting a few group agreements, and introductions of those present.
We had a few people in attendance and would love for our numbers to grow. We were lucky to have author Kathy Fry-Miller share her picture book Maria’s Kit of Comfort opens in a new tab along with some pictures of the work Children’s Disaster Services has done for children in the aftermath of traumas.
If you are thinking of joining us in August, you do not have to be a published author! We would love to hear from a variety of people who work with children. You can be new to the field or a seasoned professional, work with preschoolers or youth… We would love to hear specifics of how children’s literature enriches your work with children and which are your go-to books.
Some of my favorite activities with children incorporate food. Growing Vegetable Soup opens in a new tab by Lois Ehlert is a wonderful book for the beginning of the year and introduction to our garden and outdoor learning area. After reading the book, we determine what vegetables we’d like to try to grow. Discussing our garden leads to some research about which plants will grow best in what area of our yard, the varieties of seeds and starters available, and how we will care for the plants as they grow.
Last year, my group of kindergartners were fond of cooking activities – in particular, making vegetable “friendship” soup. The group requested to repeat the activity throughout the year. We dove into many books about vegetable gardens and soup cooking such as Rainbow Stew opens in a new tab. I look forward to seeing where the next batch of kindergartners lead our curriculum and what books I can share in future meetings.
More than what I can share, I am eager to hear what others bring to the meetings. Sharing ideas and experiences is what this group is all about.
