Hippo, Pookie and Snuggle!

Sandra Boynton's simple text and pictures paired with humorous writing (even for us adults) make sharing her books with your little one a fun time! We have several of her board books available in our collection. Come check some out today!


     
   
 

Healthy Sleep Habits

Learn about the importance of a bedtime routine and other great tips from the article Healthy Sleep Habits for Toddlers on What to Expect.

Dance Party!

         

The toddler dance party is almost here! Caregivers and their toddlers (birth through 30 months) are welcome to attend our annual toddler dance party taking place this Saturday, October 27 from 1030-1130 AM. Costumes are optional. We'll have music, treats and of course, bubbles! Registration is required and limited, so secure your spot today. Stop by, register online or give the Youth Services Department a call at 708-748-4431. Hope to see you there!

We love Karen Katz!

Karen Katz writes and illustrates wonderful books for both babies and toddlers. The bright pictures and simple text make these great selections to share over and over again with your little one. Below are just a few of her many books. Come check one, or more, out today!

    

New Board Books @ the Library

We have added some new board books to our collection.

Stop by and check out our collection!

New books include:

All of baby, nose to toes by Victoria Adler

Big, little by Leslie Patricelli

Carry-me 123 by Keith Griffin

Goodnight Faces by Lucy Shultz

I like fruit: a touch and feel board book by Lorena Siminovich

Itsy bitsy spider by Annie Kubler

Little Quack counts by Lauren Thompson

Little Quack loves colors by Lauren Thompson

Superhero me! by Karen Katz

Wheels on the bus by Raffi

If you'd like assistance locating these books, come see us at the Youth Services Reference Desk.

Happy Reading!

"Singing helps your child get ready to read."

It may not seem like much, but singing songs with your child is a natural way to learn language skills. According to Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library, songs help children develop listening skills, break down words to hear the individual sounds, and help them to learn new words. Sing songs with lots of repetition and hand gestures so that your child can join in on the fun and begin to anticipate the sequencing of the songs, such as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and The Wheels on the Bus.

Information Courtesy of:

Independency

"I can do it all by myself!"
…And they should!

I know it can be hard to allow your little one to take all the time they need to get themselves dressed, but check out this article on why it is so important to allow them to do this simple independent daily activity here:

Read more here: http://life.familyeducation.com/independence/toddler/53236.html

More Toddler Fun Food

Fruit ‘Worm’
It’s edible, I promise!

This fun (and simple!) snack idea is a great way to give your little one the nutrition they need and they’ll love it. Simply cut a few of their favorite fruits into bite size pieces and place them in a squiggly pattern on a plate. Drizzle with a bit of honey and serve. Yum!

Fun Summer Time Activities for Toddlers

Toddlers love filling things up and pouring things out! Below are just a couple of great ideas for some water fun that your little one can participate in. I suggest letting them play outside on the grass to save your kitchen floor from getting all wet!

‘Waterfall’: Fill a bucket with some water and give your little one some measuring cups! Simple, FREE, and fun!

‘Sprinklers’: Find a couple of old plastic bottles or margarine tubs and poke some holes in the bottom of them. Show your little one how to fill the cups with water and then watch it sprinkle down.

Idea Courtesy of Preschool Express

Toddler Fun Food

Peanut Butter and Banana Spirals
Spread a 6” flour tortilla with peanut butter and top with sliced bananas. You could drizzle the top with a bit of honey, too. Slice into bit size spirals and enjoy. Yum!

Music for Toddlers

Music for Toddlers
These are just SOME of the many great CDs we have here at Matteson Public Library for little ones!

100 Toddler Favorite Hits! JUV CD 100
Happy Toddler Loves to Dance JUV CD HAP
Happy Toddler Loves to Sing JUV CD HAP
Songs for Learning JUV CD SON
Bust a Nursery Rhyme: A Hip Hop Collection of Your Favorite Nursery Rhymes JUV CD BUS
Mother Goose Rocks (Volumes 1-4) JUV CD MOT
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions (Volumes include Beatles, Green Day, Rolling Stones, and Bob Marley) JUV CD ROC
We Did It! Dora’s Greatest Hits JUV CD WE
Imagination Movers Juice Box Heroes JUV CD IMA
Rock & Bop with the Doodlebops JUV CD DOO
Yo Gabba Gabba! Music is Awesome! JUV CD YO
Dora the Explorer: Dance Fiesta! JUV CD DOR

These are just SOME of the many great CDs we have here at Matteson Public Library for little ones!

Summer Time Fun!

It's summer so enjoy some of these simple outdoor activities with your little one. Have fun! :)

Feeding Toddlers

Would you like to know more about a toddler's needed nutrition? Check out this article presented by WebMD on 'What and How Much to Feed Your Toddler'. It's filled with great information, tips and even a chart.

Visit a Local Park

Matteson has many playgrounds for your little one to play at. Call a friend, pack a picnic lunch and most importantly-have fun!

Visit www.villageofmatteson.org/sections/parkdirections/index.php for a map and directions to each of the parks. 

Breakfast Biscuits Recipe

Sunny Breakfast Biscuits

Ingredients:
- 1 package biscuits
- Marmalade (orange or any other flavor)

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Open up the tube of biscuits and separate them.  Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet. Form each biscuit into a threeinch circle and make them into a sun shape by using a knife to carve the sun's rays into each biscuit.

3. Use your thumb to press a hole into the middle of each biscuit. (The little ones would love to help with this part!)

4. Take 1/2 teaspoon of the marmalade and drop it into the hole you made in each biscuit. (They can help here, too!)

5. Place the biscuits in the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until they turn are golden brown. The Sunny Biscuits are best served warm.

Idea Courtesy of: BabyandToddlerRecipes.com

Mother's Day Books

Mother’s Day is coming this Sunday, May 13^th! Come to the library and check out some of these Mother’s Day books that are great to read together with your toddler!

Mother’s Day by Anne Rockwell
Mother, Mother I Want Another! By Maria Pulushkin Robbins
My Mother is Mine by Marion Dane Bauer
My Mom by Anthony Browne
Mommies Say Shhh! by Patricia Polacco
The Mommy Book by Todd Parr
Mama Mama by Jean Marzollo

Rainy Day Play

Rainy days got you down and out of ideas to keep your little one busy? Take out the pots and pans. Below, you will find a link to some great uses for pots and pans during playtime; courtesy of Preschool Express. How fun!

Check out: http://www.preschoolexpress.com/toddler_station05/toddler_station_jan05.shtml

Have a (felt) pizza party!

Time to make a pizza, of felt, of course! Use colored pieces of felt and create your own pizza, while reviewing colors, shapes, and food names. To start, take a yellow (crust) piece of felt and cut it into a circle about 8 inches in diameter. Then take a red piece and cut it into a circle about 6 inches in diameter. Now take that red circle and cut it in half then cut the halves into 3 wedges each (like pizza slices).

Now you can take your other colored pieces of felt to create the toppings:

- Black for olives (cut into little pieces, squares)
- Green for green peppers, or broccoli (triangles)
- White for cheese (strips, or small rectangles)
- Dark red for pepperoni (small circles)
- Brown for either sausage or mushrooms (squares)

After creating all the ingredients let your toddler put the pizza together. First lay down the Yellow big circle, then add the slices of red felt on top and the add all the toppings as you please! You can do this again and again and keep making all sorts of different pizzas. One for you, for mom, for dad, for little brother, big brother and so on!

Supplies Needed-Felt of different colors
-Scissors

 

It's okay to let toddlers pick out their own books!

Why do we have the little ones pick their own books during Lapsit?

Keeping reading and sharing books FUN is important. If the experience is not a positive one, children will relate reading to something negative, which will make them less likely to choose to read.

Information Courtesy of: Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® is a program of the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children, divisions of the American Library Association. Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® is a registered trademark and is used with permission.

Recipe for Creamy Rice Pudding

Creamy Rice Pudding (from Carnation)

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups of water
2/3 cup long grain white rice (or use long grain brown and add extra ¼ cup of water)
1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk
1/2 cup of raisins (alternatives: dried cranberries or cherries or diced bananas)
1/2 cup of sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Dash of nutmeg and cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

Add water and rice to a large pot and bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer until water is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Stir in milk, fruit, sugar, spices, vanilla and bring back to a boil. Remove a little portion of the rice mix and add to the eggs. Slowly add the egg mix back to the pan and whisk. Bring to another boil and cook (whisk whisk!) for abaout 2-5 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Yum!

Recipe courtesy of wholesometoddlerfood.com

Take Advantage of Free Admission Days at Popular Chicago Attractions

The Museum of Science and Industry is offering free general admission on Thursday, April 19. This museum is so much fun for younger children. They have a train, airplane, coal mine ride, fairy castle, farm exhibit and an idea factory where little ones (under 10) can explore (and touch!).

The Lincoln Park Zoo is free everyday. The only catch is that it costs $20 to park. However, it is much smaller (read: easier to explore with a little one) than Brookfield Zoo. Currently, the price of admission at Brookfield Zoo is $15 for adults and $10.50 for children age 3-11. If you car pool or bring the whole family, you're definitely saving money by visiting Lincoln Park Zoo.

Color Song for Toddlers

“What are you Wearing?”

(Sung to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”)

(Name) has a (color) shirt on.

(Color) shirt on, (color) shirt on.

(Name) has a (color) shirt on.

I see (him/her) today.

You can substitute shirt for different pieces of clothing (pants, socks, etc.). 

Fun Finger Play

"Where is the Beehive?"

Here is the beehive. (Put your hand in a fist.)

Where are the bees?

They’re hiding inside, where nobody sees. (Point to your fist.)

Watch them come out of the hive.

1,2,3,4,5! (Open your fist one finger at a time.)

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz (Tickle your child as you say “buzz”.)

Dental Health for Babies & Toddlers

Did you know that as soon as a baby gets his/her first tooth you should start taking care of them? Be sure to use flouride free toothpaste. As they become more aware of the experience let them take a bigger part of the brushing experience. Whether its helping you put the toothpaste on the brush or putting their toothbrush under the running water, every step you help them with will help to make them more independent and one day they'll be begging you to do it all by themselves. In the meantime, this website has a great informational video about taking care of your babies & toddlers teeth.

Author Spotlight on Karen Katz

Did you know that Karen Katz has published more than 45 books? Wow! Her first book Over the Moon was inspired by the adoption of her daughter, Lena, from Guatemala. Karen Katz's website has a great bio to get to know her a little better! Check it out here.

I love that nearly all of her books are appropriate for toddler-aged children. Many of her books have emotion behind them, making them a great reading experience for you and your little one. Not to mention the illustrations are very appealing. We have many of her books on the shelves here at Matteson Public Library! Come check some out today!

Come visit us!

Being stuck inside with your little one and nothing to do can be frustrating and boring. Why don't you come visit us at Lapsit? Each Tuesday we have two programs (930 or 1030 AM). We love to see new faces!

Steps for Sharing Books

It's not always easy to share books with your toddler. Here are a few tips to make the experience both easier and enjoyable:

1. Pick the best time—when both of you are in the mood.

2. Share the book—point to pictures and talk in an excited voice.

3. Watch baby—let baby play with the book and take a break if baby’s not having fun.

4. Cuddle—touch and love baby while sharing books.

5. Share books every day—it’s important even if only for a few minutes.

Information Courtesy of: Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® is a program of the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children, divisions of the American Library Association. Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® is a registered trademark and is used with permission.

Tips For Dealing With Tantrums

Never fear the terrible twos (or any "terrible" time as a toddler). You're not alone.

Toddler Toddler has some great tips for dealing with tantrums!

Check out Bill Martin Jr. reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear!

Below is a link to a video of the author Bill Martin Jr. reading his own children's story, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  Put your little one on your lap and click below to share the story together!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

Winter Stories for Toddlers

"Snow" many snow stories!

We have been sharing many stories together this winter. Below is a list that I put together for you! Why don't you check out one to share at home together again? :)

Mouse’s First Snow by Lauren Thompson

Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kusin

Red Sled by Patricia Thomas

Frozen Noses by Jan Carr

Little White Duck Lyrics by Walt Whippo

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush by Jane Cabrera

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear? by Bill Martin Jr.

Build a Snowman, 1,2,3! by Megan E. Bryant

Millions of Snowflakes by Mary McKenna Siddals

Winter Activities for Toddlers

Playing with snow inside? You bet!

Here are some fun winter activities you can do at home:

Snow Play

Fill your kitchen sink with snow.  Put mittens on your toddler and give them spoons, cups and bowls.  Your little one can play in the snow and you don’t have to worry about taking them out in the cold!

Torn Paper Snowscene

You'll need either black or blue construction paper and white tissue paper. Tear the tissue paper into different sized pieces. With white glue, arrange the pieces of tissue paper and glue onto the black or blue paper to create snowy landscapes. Add other colors of construction paper shapes to make houses, trees etc.

Do you have any fun winter activity ideas that you do at home with your little one?

Matteson Parks & Recreation Winter Activities

The Matteson Parks & Recreation has several programs for 2-4 year olds! This winter they are offering "A,B,C Count With Me", "1,2,3 Count With Me" and "Rainbow of Colors". Registration deadlines are approaching quickly so sign up soon!

Check out the program descriptions, session dates, fees and registration deadlines here.