Story Time Videos
This popular summer program has come to an end, but keep reading kids and have a great school year! Thank you to Family Educator Madi for thoughtful books and topics to share with preschoolers during 2020.
RESOURCES
Happy International Youth Day! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they share some ways to celebrate and support youth around the world. If you haven’t heard, Madi is leaving Helping Services. Make sure to join Madi and River for their last Story Time next week! The featured books are The Berenstain Bears New Baby by Stan & Jan Berenstain and Murray’s First Book of Words by Sesame Workshop.
https://www.un.org/development/desa/youth/iyd2020.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOA3il4cetI
We’re celebrating a birthday! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they sing happy birthday to a special guest and learn some words of wisdom. Madi made a very important announcement! They will be starting a new job in September. Madi has had a blast with story time and hopes you can join them for the next two Wednesdays. The featured books are How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Mark Teague & Princess Petal written by Lesley Rees and illustrated by Jo Brown.
Happy National Chicken Wing Day! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they share some history and ways to celebrate. The featured books are My Little Toolbox by Claire Bampton and Grover’s First Day at School by Sesame Workshop
Happy National Hot Dog Day! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they share some of the history of this yummy day. Madi is asking for ways that Story Time can be more inclusive and welcoming to all people. The featured books are Cozy by Nancy Parent and P is for Potty by Sesame Workshop.
Happy National Give Something Away Day! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they talk about some ways you can make someone’s day by giving something away. Madi hosts a special guest on this story time that shares her Spanish skills and some fun facts about Hispanic culture. The featured book is We Are A Rainbow/Somos Un Arco Iris by Nancy Maria Grande Tabor.
Happy National Chocolate with Almonds Day! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they talk about some of the amazing health benefits of almonds and how we can celebrate this delicious day. Don’t forget to keep wearing your mask and remember that the fight for racial justice is not over. Featured books are Best Friends by Disney’s Frozen and Gee! Excuse Me! by Nancy Parent. Tune into next week’s story time for a very special guest!
Happy International Joke Day! Let’s get some giggles out with Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as we share some jokes together. 4th of July is coming up this weekend! Madi invites you to think about the ways that July 4th commemorates independence for some people, but not for all people. Featured books are Shapes Around Town by Dollar General and Pass the Cheese, Please! by Nancy Parent.
Happy Swim a Lap Day! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they give you some ideas to celebrate and be prepared when community pools open back up. They also share a video to continue the conversation about race and racism with kids. It’s important to remember that masks are still important to wear as states re-open and Madi talks about how you can make it more fun for kids ages 3 and up. Featured books are Poodles on Parade by Nancy Parent and At the Zoo by Sesame Beginnings.
Resources:
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man – Episode 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfo1XJDJKSU
Swimming by Kids Health: https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/swim.html
Cloth Face Coverings for Children During COVID-19: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Cloth-Face-Coverings-for-Children-During-COVID-19.aspx
Happy National Eat Your Vegetables Day! It’s also Madi’s Birthday! Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) are continuing the conversation on how to keep kids involved in discussion on race and racism. Remember that June is Pride Month! Madi has some resources to share with parents about supporting LGBTQIA+ children. Tune in for a special guest singer for the song portion of story time. Featured books are Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems and Board Book of Shapes by Dollar General.
More resources to support LGBTQIA+ (“Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and much more!”) children :
- https://www.minus18.org.au/articles/your-guide-to-words-and-definitions-in-the-lgbtqia+-community
- https://www.minus18.org.au/articles/love:-how-to-support-and-celebrate-your-lgbtqia+-child
- https://www.minus18.org.au/articles/learn:-how-to-educate-when-your-child-is-lgbtqia+
- https://www.minus18.org.au/articles/listen:-what-to-do-when-your-child-comes-out
- https://www.minus18.org.au/articles/look:-what-to-do-if-you-think-your-child-might-be-lgbtqia+
Happy National Iced Tea Day! Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) will tell you a bit about how to celebrate and also share some resources on how we can talk with children about race and racism. It’s important to keep kids involved in the conversation for racial justice. Featured books are Care Bears Caring Rainbow by Scholastic and The Way I Feel by Jana Cain. We’re all in this together!
Suggested resources to talk to your kids about racism:
Family Educator, Madi, takes local story time online during this special stay-at-home time. Madi is live on Facebook every Wednesday at 10:30 am central time. Watch Madi here, Youtube, or Facebook!
Happy World Bike Day! Celebrate with Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as we learn how to celebrate world bike day safely. The song for today was Happy Birthday and featured books are Honey Rabbit by Margo Hopkins and Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats.
Happy National Grape Popsicle Day! Celebrate with Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as we learn about how grape popsicle day came to be. The song for today was Head Shoulders Knees and Toes and featured books are If I Ran the Family by Lee and Sue Kaiser Johnson and The Peek-a-Boo Snail by Dollar General. Tune in until the end to find out how you can celebrate National Grape Popsicle Day properly!
Happy World Bee Day! Celebrate with Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as we learn some facts about bees. The song for today was Down by the Bay and featured books are 1, 2, 3 To the Zoo by Eric Carle and Like Likes Like by Chris Raschka.
It’s Frog Jumping Day! Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) as they celebrate! The song for today is 5 little Speckled Frogs and featured books are The Rainbow Zoo by Karla Hodge and I’d Know You Anywhere, My Love by Nancy Tillman. Make sure you watch until the end to meet our friend Larry the Unicorn to see how he saves the day!
Family Educator Madi celebrates Nurses Day and thanks all the health care workers who have been working hard. The featured story is Five Trucks by Brian Floca. Madi reviews hand washing with this fun song: “Wash your, wash your, wash your hands, wash them for 20 seconds! Wash your, wash your, wash your hands, get them nice and clean! On the top, underneath, all your fingers, in between. As you wash, you can sing this little washing song!” Lastly, don’t forget Mother’s Day is coming up! Madi reminds you to celebrate the special mother or special someone in your life this weekend.
Madi celebrates International Dance Day! A fun Whitney Houston song is played (due to copyright restrictions, the song “Merengue de Limon” has been substituted). Featured books: Cars and Trucks from A to Z by Richard Scarry, and Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell.
Happy Earth Day! Celebrate the day with Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) and find out some ways you can show appreciation and care for our mother earth! Books featured are How Are You Peeling? by Joost Elffers and Saxton Freymann and Just Go To Bed by Mercer Mayer. Due to copyright restrictions, the song Earth Day has been replaced with “Almost August.”
I said Boom Chicka Boom! Can you guess the song we’re moving to today? Join Madi (they/them) and River (they/them) for some good storytellin’ and body movin’! Featured books are Billy Bully by Ana and Alvaro Galan, illustrated by Steve Simpson, and Rosa Loves Dinosaurs by Jessiaca Spanyol. Due to copyright restrictions, the song Boom Chicka Boom by the Kiboomers has been replaced with “Bonito.”
Happy April Fools day! Come celebrate with Madi (they/them) and River the Rabbit (they/them). We’ll read some stories, tell some jokes, and maybe play one harmless prank. Featured books are Wake Up Tug by Michael Garland and But I Waaant It by Susan Swartz and Travis Swinford.
Welcome to the first ever virtual story time with Helping Services! Join Madi (they/them) and River the Rabbit (they/them) for some stories, movement, and fun! Do you like fruit salad?? Featured books are The Feelings Book by Todd Parr and I Can Share by Karen Katz. Sorry about the audio quality on the song! Audio has been fixed for future online story times!