All Richmond Public Library locations will be closed February 17th for Presidents' Day.

Storytime at Home: Valentine’s Day

Posted about 1 week ago by Sarah Fenninger
 0
 84

Welcome to the Storytime at Home series! Every other week, we share a list of book options tied to a kid-approved theme, a craft you can set up to go along with the theme, songs/rhymes you can do during storytime, and additional enrichment activities. All books are available at Richmond Public Library, and crafts will involve items you likely have at home already! Our hope is that we can make it easy for you to share stories with your little ones and create a little bit of library magic at home. 

P.S. Love library storytimes? Take a look at all in-library storytime options here. There is a storytime for your child every morning at our various branches!

Okay, now to the fun stuff…

When February rolls in, we get bit by the love bug! Valentine’s Day is one of the best holidays to share with children because it’s fun, it teaches them about love and kindness, it involves crafting that supports motor development, and it includes chocolate. What’s not to love? While you likely hug and snuggle your babies all the time, this time of year can be an especially snuggly one – which is great for young children as it helps them for safe, secure, and loved. Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to get crafty with children. Handmade valentines may require cutting, gluing, sticking, coloring and more – all of which support your children’s fine motor development. This theme is also good for talking about emotions and teaching little ones how we can be kind and show our love and appreciation for our friends and family. Beyond all the developmental benefits, Valentine’s books – and crafts and songs – are fun and colorful. Kids of all ages, as well as the adults, are sure to love them. The library has some wonderful books about Valentine’s Day, and we’ve included some of our favorites below. When you visit, you can also search in our catalog or ask a librarian to help you find the perfect book for you and your child.

Reading to your kiddos turns them into confident thinkers. Making books a regular part of your daily routine is a great way to build children’s love of reading and learning. Storytimes also help build excitement around reading to support their literacy development. 

Here are a few book options you can choose from for your Valentine’s-Day-themed storytime.

There are many ways to make reading fun and engaging for your little one!

We love adding songs and rhymes to our storytimes. This is a great way to practice language with your child and support their physical (motor) development through movement. 

Here are two songs and rhymes you can use for this themed storytime.

Finger Rhyme: Five Little Hearts
Hold five fingers up to start, then put each individual finger up as you count up to five

Five little hearts, all in a row
The first one said, “I love you so”
The second one said, “Will you be my valentine?”
The third one said, “I will, if you’ll be mine.”
The fourth one said, “I’ll always be your friend.”
The fifth one said, “We’ll be friends until the end.”

Movement Rhyme: I Have A Little Heart
Do actions in italics as you say it

I have a little heart, (place hand over heart)
And it goes thump, thump, thump (pat chest three times)
It keeps right on beating, when I jump, jump, jump (jump three times)
I get a special feeling, when I look at you. (point to child)
It makes me want to give you a hug or two. (hug your child)

Adding a craft along with a book is a great way to continue allowing your child to learn, explore, and grow. Crafts are a nice supplement as they encourage motor development, creativity, self-confidence, and more. 

In fact, art and craft activities:

  • Build fine motor skills. Actions such as painting, coloring, gluing, and cutting develop small muscles in small hands and improve coordination skills as children learn to use both hands at the same time. 
  • Support early literacy. When children make art, they learn vocabulary and how to follow directions when getting verbal instructions from parents and caregivers. They also boost their communication skills via talking about their work!
  • Teach early math concepts. Math skills are used frequently in arts and crafts. Kids learn about and recognize different shapes, count and sort art supplies, and even measure out materials. 
  • Encourage creativity. Art helps develop creativity, self-expression, problem-solving, and curiosity. 
  • Boost self-esteem. Doing arts and crafts can give children a sense of achievement and allow them to take pride in their work, which builds confidence. 
  • Offer bonding time. Kids love spending quality time with parents and caregivers, and arts and crafts are a great opportunity for this.

Here is a craft activity you can do along with the Valentine’s Day theme. 

Materials Needed

  • Cardboard
  • Construction paper
  • Paper scraps, tissue paper, doilies, etc.
  • Markers, paint, glitter, stickers, other decorative materials
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Paintbrush

Source: Inspired by The Mom Edit

Directions

  • Cover your cardboard with construction paper or paint it to create a colorful background.
  • Add decorative materials (paper scraps, glitter, stickers, etc.) on top of cardboard once dry.
  • When collage is fully dry, draw heart shapes over it. Tip: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter or heart shape cutout from cardboard to trace.
  • Cut out your hearts to create your valentines!

The fun doesn’t have to end at books, songs, and a craft. There are many ways to enrich a storytime with additional activities and lessons. Here are a few ideas for you and your child: 

We share these Storytime at Home posts twice a month, so be sure to check back soon for more. You can also search “#storytimeathome” to see all past posts.

Have a suggestion for the next theme we cover? Email Sarah at sarah.fenninger@rva.gov and let us know!

Sarah Fenninger

Sarah Fenninger is a lifelong book worm and library lover, and an enthusiastic appreciator of puns, creative outlets, silliness, and FUN. She considers herself lucky to be able to combine these things into a youth library associate role with Richmond Public Library. Sarah loves interactive children's books and singing songs that promote motor development and movement. When she's not at work preparing crafts or reading silly books about dinosaurs in underwear, Sarah can be found at one of Richmond's many local parks/trails and spending time with family, including her husband, daughter, dog, cat, and two chickens.

Recent Posts

Categories

Write Your Comment