Early Literacy Calendar 2024

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Early Literacy Calendar

The very best book to read with your child is one they choose themselves.

As a parent or caregiver, you play the important role of being your child’s first teacher. You can promote literacy by teaching your child about reading and writing before they can actually read or write. One of the best gifts you can give your child is a daily dose of your attention, whether it’s a warm lap or shared reading time. This will improve your child’s memory, build self-esteem, and establish a love for learning. By fostering early literacy, you are setting the stage for your child to succeed academically and in life. This calendar is full of ideas for developing reading skills that will last a lifetime. Visit any Omaha Public Library location or omahalibrary.org to find great resources to help your child discover and explore the world around them.

Young children are active and energetic. Encourage movement— even during reading time. Even when they are up and moving, they are still listening and learning.

January January

Research shows that toddlers’ vocabulary grows faster when parents talk with their children about things they are watching or doing.

February

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Recommended Reads

TumbleBookLibrary online anytime from home and at the library.

Read a talking book online! Books have pictures, music, sounds and more. omahalibrary.org

Sing with your child! Singing helps develop listening skills, and when you clap along, it helps develop motor skills.

Doing fingerplays like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” helps make kids’ hands strong which will help them when they learn to write.

Every time you answer a question, tell a story, or just listen to what your child has to say, you are helping them develop language and literacy.

Clap out, tap on a drum, or sing your child’s name. This allows them to hear words slowed down so that they can make out the parts of words, or syllables.

Use familiar song melodies and change up the words.

Change “Twinkle Twinkle Little

Star” to “Vroom Vroom Vroom

Vroom Little Car.”

Point to the words as you read them so kids make the connection between printed and spoken words.

When your babies babble at you, they love for you to answer them because, as far as they’re concerned, they’re talking to you!

A

Repetition is very important and children love it, so go ahead and read Good Night Moon for the 50th time.

October October

Pretend play gives children the opportunity to use advanced vocabulary, create stories, and apply their knowledge. It’s even more effective if you join in!

November

Recommended Reads

Storybook Land

Meet & greet your favorite storybook characters!

Do you play dress-up with your child?

Imaginative play is how children learn best and they actually use a wider vocabulary while playing pretend.

Library Locations February 4

MONDAY – THURSDAY 9 am – 8 pm

(except South Omaha Library closes at 7 pm)

FRIDAY & SATURDAY 9 am – 5 pm

SUNDAY select locations 1 – 5 pm

(Downtown Branch, Genealogy & Local History Room, Millard Branch & Milton R. Abrahams Branch)

A.V. SORENSEN BRANCH

4808 Cass St. | 402.444.5274

BENSON BRANCH

6015 Binney St. | 402.444.4846

BESS JOHNSON ELKHORN BRANCH

2100 Reading Plz. | 402.289.4367

CHARLES B. WASHINGTON BRANCH 2868 Ames Ave. | 402.444.4849

DOWNTOWN BRANCH

1401 Jones St. | 402.444.4828

FLORENCE BRANCH

2920 Bondesson St. | 402.444.5299

GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY ROOM 3020 S. 84th St. | 402.444.4800

MILTON R. ABRAHAMS BRANCH

N. 90th St. | 402.444.6284

SADDLEBROOK BRANCH

14850 Laurel Ave. | 402.444.5780

SOUTH OMAHA LIBRARY

2808 Q St. | 402.444.4850

W. CLARKE SWANSON BRANCH

9101 W. Dodge Rd. | 402.444.4852

WILLA CATHER BRANCH

1905 S. 44th St. | 402.444.4851

Connect

Stay up-to-date on OPL’s latest news, events and more. Follow us on social media @OmahaLibrary.

Library Holidays

Libraries will be closed on these holidays observed by the City of Omaha.

New Year’s Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 1

Martin Luther King Jr. Day . . . . . . Jan 15

Presidents’ Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 19 (South Omaha Library open)

Staff Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 8 (Libraries open at 1 pm)

Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 31

Memorial Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 27

Juneteenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 19

Independence Day . . . . . . . . . . . . July 4

Staff Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug 23 (Libraries open at 1 pm)

Labor Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept 2

Columbus Day

Indigenous Peoples’ Day . . . . . . . . Oct 14 (South Omaha Library open)

Veterans Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 11 (South Omaha Library open)

Thanksgiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 28-29

Christmas Eve . Dec 24, Libraries close at 3 pm

Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 25 New Year’s Eve . Dec 31, Libraries close at 5 pm

February 4

January

February

April

May

March

June

August

November

Young children are active and energetic. Encourage movement— even during reading time. Even when they are up and moving, they are still listening and learning.

Every time you answer a question, tell a story, or just listen to what your child has to say, you are helping them develop language and literacy.

When your babies babble at you, they love for you to answer them because, as far as they’re concerned, they’re talking to you!

Research shows that toddlers’ vocabulary grows faster when parents talk with their children about things they are watching or doing.

Sing with your child! Singing helps develop listening skills, and when you clap along, it helps develop motor skills.

Doing fingerplays like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” helps make kids’ hands strong which will help them when they learn to write.

Clap out, tap on a drum, or sing your child’s name. This allows them to hear words slowed down so that they can make out the parts of words, or syllables.

Repetition

Use familiar song melodies and change up the words.

Change “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” to “Vroom Vroom Vroom Vroom Little Car.”

Pretend play gives children the opportunity to use advanced vocabulary, create stories, and apply their knowledge. It’s even more effective if you join in!

Point to the words as you read them so kids make the connection between printed and spoken words.

Do you play dress-up with your child? Imaginative play is how children learn best and they actually use a wider vocabulary while playing pretend.

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Literacy Early Literacy Calendar

The Early Literacy Calendar is made possible with funding provided by the Omaha Public Library Foundation. Early Literacy 2024 is © Omaha Public Library. All rights reserved.