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…
Today’s storytime theme is ICE CREAM!
I scream, you scream, we all scream for…. well, you know how it goes. Ice cream is popular among the masses, and children are no exception! Ice cream is not only a delicious treat, but a wonderful storytime theme to share with young ones. Books about ice cream can teach us about sharing, patience, colors and flavors, decision making, and more. It’s a topic that is well known and easy for children to follow, but also one that leaves room for a lot of learning, exploration, and fun. As our days get hotter and hotter, cool off with this yummy treat theme! The library has some wonderful books about ice cream, 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.
Books
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 ice cream-themed storytime.
Preschool
- Ice Cream by Elisha Cooper
- I Scream for Ice Cream by Laura Driscoll
- Screams for Ice Cream by Kim Dean
- The Nice Dream Truck by Beth Ferry
- Ice Cream and Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin
- The Ice Cream Vanishes by Julia Sarcone-Roach
- Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis
- Gorilla Loves Vanilla by Chae Strathie
Toddler/Baby
- Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star by Kevin Henkes
- Max Drives Away by Rosemary Wells
- Should I Share My Ice Cream by Mo Willems
There are many ways to make reading fun and engaging for your little one!
Click here to see some of our favorite tips for bringing stories to life at home.
- Point at the pictures and ask your child what they see. Help build their vocabulary by pointing to pictures and saying the word aloud.
- Ask your child questions about the story: What do you think will happen next? How do you think this character is feeling?
- Read with expression and enthusiasm, and use different voices for different characters.
- Act out what’s happening in the story.
- As your child gets older, count objects in a book, discuss the different colors they see, point out shapes in the story, etc.
- Snuggle up and be patient. Reading is great bonding time for you and your child. Take your time walking them through the story. If your child wants to turn the page or be finished with reading, that’s OK too. You don’t have to read every word or even every page for reading with your little one to be beneficial for their development.
Songs and Rhymes
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 is a fun song you can use for this themed storytime.
Movement Song: Do You Like Ice Cream?
Tune: Do Your Ears Hang Low?
Do you like ice cream?
Do you like it in a bowl?
Do you like to eat it fast?
Do you like to eat it slow?
Do you like it with syrup?
With sprinkles and nuts?
Do you like ice cream?
Arts and Crafts
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 ice cream theme.
Puff Paint Ice Cream Cones Craft
Materials Needed
- Paint or food coloring
- Glue
- Shaving cream
- White cardstock paper or cardboard
- Scissors
- Marker
- Paintbrush
Source: Crafty Morning
Directions
- Draw an ice cream cone shape on cardstock or cardboard. You can also cut out the shape. Whatever you prefer!
- Mix together the glue and shaving cream in about a 1:1 ratio until you you get “stiff peaks” in the mixture.
- Add some paint or food coloring to the puffy paint to make your ice cream “flavor.”
- Using a paintbrush, add the puff paint to the top of the cone to create your perfect scoop.
- You can decorate further if desired! Add sprinkles, a cherry on top, etc.
Additional Enrichment Ideas
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:
- Enjoy an ice cream cone together! Taking your kids out for ice cream not only earns you some “cool” points, but is also a great opportunity to teach them about ordering food and payment processes. You can also discuss colors as you peruse ice cream choices, and talk about the different flavors and options available.
- Feeling especially handy in the kitchen? Work with your child to make your own ice cream at home. With a few simple ingredients and a lot of shaking you can make a tasty treat and enjoy the benefits of cooking with your child! (Did you know scooping, pouring, mixing, and stirring are great motor skill development activities?)
- Create a taste-safe ice cream themed sensory bin or mess-free ice cream sensory bags.
- Practice early math skills with a cone and scoop counting activity. Draw cones on a sheet of paper and write numbers inside of them. Then, help your child count out pom-poms or paper cutouts in scoop shapes and add the correct number to each cone.
- Set up an ice cream store for a pretend play activity! You can use playdough, small balls, etc. for ice cream scoops. Make a cash register out of cardboard so you can check out with your treats! Give your child paper and pencil so they can take your order. Help them make a menu of options. The play possibilities are endless!
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!
