Climb Aboard the Early Learning Express!
Children delight when they see the green and purple bookmobile pull up. They climb the stairs and enter into a magical world where the walls are filled with books. They love to hear Sueño read them stories, lead them in finger plays, and explore hands-on activities together. Children and providers then get to pick out books to borrow until the next time!
The Early Learning Express (ELE) serves young children and early childhood professionals at family child care homes and center based programs year round. During the summer months we partner with Hunger Free Vermont to offer our services to children and their families at free summer meal sites. Visits include:
- Story time program – Each group of children who board the bus are entertained by one of our librarian’s story times which often include finger puppets, shadow puppets, crankie boxes, felt board stories, guitar and ukulele songs, as well as the reading of at least two books.
- After story time, all children get the opportunity to check out a book for their classroom.
- Our bookmobile has resources for child care providers to use including professional journals and books, teaching materials, and curriculum resource kits.
- During the summer months we partner with the local library to bring the summer reading challenge to the youth on our route. These children also check out books for home reading.
Our bookmobile often makes appearances at annual community events as well, including Touch a Truck, Strolling of the Heifers, and The River Valley Kids’ Fair.
CURRENT SCHEDULE
Click HERE for the Fall 2017 Schedule: September 11-December 7, 2017
CURRENT ACTIVITIES: OCTOBER 2017
Farmer Brown had five red apples hanging from a tree,
She picked one apple, and ate it hungrily…
Four more apples were hanging on the tree.
October on the Early Learning Express begins with a celebration of apple picking time. Sueño made a simple cardboard puppet show of Farmer Brown and her apple tree. Children work out the math of how many apples remain and how many are in her tummy.
Selections were made from the following books depending on the dynamics of the group.
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson is a fabulous audience participation book. Children tap, rub and pat a tree inducing all sorts of magical (aka seasonal) change. Children work on following directions and taking turns as they make their way through the actions and seasons.
Some groups read I Eat Apples in the Fall, by Mary Lindeen. In it we discuss the shape, size and colors of apples. Sueño brought in a collection of apples – from tiny orange crab apples to a giant granny smith apple and everything in between – to illustrate the wide variety of this magnificent fruit. It was especially fun comparing the different sizes of apples and noticing how some apples are big or small depending on which other apple they sit next to
Little Apple Goat by Caroline Jayne Church was the third book choice. Little Apple Goat loves eating the fruit from the farmer’s orchard and spitting the seeds out over the hedge. But one fall night, a terrible storm blows all the trees over in the orchard. No more wonderful apple ☹ But what of all those seeds that went over the hedge…?
For the middle of October we transition to TRAINS!! Chugga-chugga, woo-woo!
Sueño has created a crankie version of Donald Crews’ classic book Freight Train. With its vivid blocks of color and simple text, it was an irresistible crankie project.
Our nonfiction selection, Trains by Mary Lindeen, introduces us to different types of trains, while also highlighting what is similar about them all. The simple text is perfect for introducing toddlers and preschoolers to this favorite mighty machine!
William Bee’s and the train goes is a fun train book with striking pictures and lots of train related sounds – “clickery-click, clickerty-clack; “chuff-chuff, chufferty, chuff”; “puff-puff, pufferty-puff!” Then there’s all the people on the train, but you’ll have to read the book to know what they have to say!
Finally, the end of October’s focus is always on the traditions of Halloween. Sueño will break out her shadow puppets for the first time this school year with her version of the familiar number song “Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate.”
Book selection is still in process, but will certainly draw attention to the fact that people will be dressing up in lots of costumes, and acknowledging that some of them may be scary. Reading these books as Halloween approaches helps prepare children for what is often an overwhelming day. If there is time, we will end with a song which makes space for each child to share what he or she is dressing up as for Halloween.
Halloween-o, Halloween-o!
Be a monster so mean-o.
Be a frog so green-o,
Be a gypsy queen-o,
Be a mermaid so clean-o!
Be whatever you want to be!
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