Babies and toddlers are naturally curious which is the perfect time to introduce them to all sorts of information, vocabulary, and background knowledge. While I don’t expect to drill babies and toddlers with flash cards and tests, I do think that introducing kids to information about the world around them through books is a valuable tool! I also think reading aloud to kids is one of the most simple and effective ways to help kids very early on when it comes to school readiness. Introducing STEM Topics These books know how to relate to the youngest of readers and do so with bright engaging phot ..read more

While the snow is coming down outside, I can’t think of a better storytime theme to write up than this one about arctic animals! I love this theme because you can really dig into some STEM topics and geography with this simple lesson plan. In fact, a globe or a blow-up ball printed like a globe would make a wonderful prop to show kids where they live and then where you would find these arctic animals. Plus, you also get to share the fun fact that penguins aren’t found in the arctic – only in the southern hemisphere (except for a few that live on the Galapagos Islands). You’ve got a host of gre ..read more

There are so many amazing books being published just in January, I didn’t even really get past this month of new titles! I grabbed one picture book that was published in December that looks absolutely adorable – Ten-Word Tiny Tales for Love and Laurie Halse Anderson has a new historical fiction book being released in April – Rebellion 1776 that I’m dying to get my hands on. Otherwise, all of these middle grade and YA titles are being published over the course of the next two weeks and they all look so good! This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you pur ..read more

It’s time for a storytime theme about lizards! I think lizards are absolutely fascinating creatures and this storytime can incorporate both fun, read aloud stories with great nonfiction titles to create a unique storytime about these particular reptiles. Songs and rhymes about reptiles and lizards are a little more difficult to find, but I came across a couple of cute songs that can definitely be added to this storytime. And as for, crafts or activities, these few looked absolutely adorable and with a little work, would be really fun for kids to create during storytime. This post may contain a ..read more

2024 Before I jump into sharing my 2025 Word of the Year, I’m going to take a moment to reflect back on the past year and how my 2024 Word of the Year helped to guide me. My 2024 Word of the Year was trust. I chose it after careful consideration hoping that it could guide me through some difficult times. While parts of 2024 were amazing – I learned how to (and go certified in) lead climbing, went top roping outdoors for the first time, and participated in my first ever bouldering competition. I feel so lucky that I fell in love with a sport in my late 30s that I’m absolutely obsessed about. My ..read more

While the general public might think that planning storytime is just grabbing a few books off the shelf and tossing in a few songs, planning a storytime isn’t that easy! But, if you do it well, the rewards are completely worth it! You’ll have both the kids and caregivers completely enthralled. And with a little planning, I can help you create the best storytime lesson plans that work for you. My first caveat in this post is that storytimes will look differently for every single librarian, teacher, caregiver, and parent. I spent eight years offering storytimes at my library and while myself and ..read more

I’m going to come right out and say it, these may not have been the best books I read in 2024, but they were some that I really enjoyed reading/learning from. I didn’t read as many books as I had expected to in 2024, but I don’t put too much pressure on setting a reading goal because it ends up making the reading process stressful and unenjoyable. There’s a little bit on everything on this list from YA historical fiction to juvenile nonfiction and some romances too! This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost t ..read more

It’s finally here! After 26 weeks of lesson plans, we have reached the final letter of the alphabet – Letter Z! It’s been a long time coming, but I’m so excited to provide librarians, teachers, and families with so much great content to serve their little readers. These storytime lesson plans are filled with early literacy skills, fine motor skills practice, and an experience for kids to enjoy what books have to offer. If you haven’t had a chance, head back through all the other great storytime lesson plans from the Letter A all the way to today, and you can also check out the dozens of other ..read more

I am forever hesitant to label any of my blog posts “the best [insert thing here].” I know full well that what I do here is all based on my opinion, so rather than sayin these are the best books for toddlers, I’ll just say they’re some fun books for toddlers. I tried to mix some classic and contemporary titles that would build a great base for a home library or a starting point for a visit to the public library! This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for mo ..read more

We’re coming down to the end of the year and this would work perfectly for the gift-giving season, but you could also use this at any time during the year – a great versatile theme for toddlers and preschoolers! With some fun books (harder to find than I was expecting), songs, and ways to create very simple children’s toys for activity centers, this is a sure fire way to keep kids busy for awhile! This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost. Please read the full disclosure for more information. Storytime ..read more