The kitchen table isn’t just for eating, it’s a place where conversation, learning, and family bonding can thrive. Family mealtimes offer an incredible opportunity to connect, share, and foster valuable literacy skills in children.
Here are three ways to make family meals into a powerful tool supporting your children’s literacy development and school readiness:
Conversations Spark Learning:
Ask open-ended questions about the day’s events or discuss favorite books and stories. This expands your children’s vocabulary, gives them practice in telling stories, and develops communication skills.
For example, instead of asking, “How was school today?” try asking, “What was the most interesting thing you learned today?” These questions encourage your child to think critically, express themselves clearly, and engage in deeper conversations.
Literacy through Cooking and Recipes:
Mealtime provides a natural setting for learning through cooking. Reading recipes is a fantastic way to combine literacy and life skills. Children can learn to read instructions, follow steps, and remember sequences. Cooking also introduces them to new vocabulary related to ingredients (vocabulary), measurements (math), and cooking methods (science).
Encourage your child to help plan and prepare meals. Let them read the recipe, measure the ingredients, and even write a shopping list. By involving them in meal prep, you are teaching them practical literacy skills they can apply in everyday situations.
Building Family Bonds:
Mealtime provides an opportunity to share stories, laugh together, and encourage a sense of belonging. These moments of connection contribute to a positive emotional environment that can make children more eager to engage in reading, writing, and learning.
Spotlight:
Check out our Storytime Kit: Healthy Food Habits! This kit includes books in Spanish and English, hands-on activities, and fun learning resources designed to teach children about healthy food choices.
As parents, we all want the best for our kids, including a healthy mind and body. One great way to make this happen is by spending time outside. Fresh air and outdoor activities do more than just help your children stay active—they can also boost their learning, creativity, and overall well-being. So, let’s take a closer look at how going outside can make a big difference in your child’s life!
Why is fresh air important?
When we talk about spending time outdoors, it’s not just about getting away from screens or taking a break from schoolwork. Fresh air has real benefits. Here’s why:
Boosts Brain Power: Research shows that spending time in nature can help improve memory, focus, and problem-solving skills. The more time your child spends outdoors, the better they will feel and think.
Improves Health: Outdoor play encourages physical activity, which is great for growing bodies. Whether they are running, climbing, or jumping, your kids will get stronger and healthier.
Reduces Stress: Just like adults, kids can get stressed. Fresh air helps to calm them down and reduces anxiety. Nature offers a peaceful environment where children can relax and reset.
Fosters Creativity: Nature is full of wonders—bugs, trees, clouds, and much more! When kids are outside, they use their imagination and creativity to explore. This sparks new ideas and helps with problem-solving.
Looking for some fun outdoor activities to enjoy with the whole family? Our Nature Explore Backpacks are the perfect addition to any adventure! Take them to the park, enjoy a picnic, or head out for an exploration in nature with our all-in-one kits.
Inside your backpack, you’ll find tools to discover:
Con el tiempo, las familias recogen innumerables historias, momentos y recuerdos que no siempre tienen un principio o fin claro. Pero esos recuerdos son lo que nos hace ser quienes somos, y es importante atesorarlos—tanto los que ya tenemos como los nuevos que creamos. Una forma de hacerlo es comenzando una nueva tradición familiar: el Día de la Memoria.
Entonces, ¿qué es exactamente una tradición familiar? En pocas palabras, una tradición familiar es la historia de nuestra familia—nuestras experiencias compartidas, los recuerdos que tenemos de nuestros padres, abuelos e hijos, y los momentos que nos unen. Pero, ¿por qué son tan importantes las tradiciones? Nos ayudan a mantenernos conectados con nuestras raíces, reflejan nuestros valores y refuerzan el sentido de unidad en nuestra familia.
Hagamos que sea una parte divertida y regular de nuestras vidas volver a visitar nuestras tradiciones familiares y crear nuevos recuerdos cada mes. Ya sea a través de una actividad, cocinar una comida, crear una imagen o simplemente compartir historias, el Día de la Memoria nos permite honrar el pasado mientras creamos algo nuevo con nuestros seres queridos.
Aquí te contamos cómo empezar:
Escoge un día cada mes en el que todos en la familia puedan reunirse—ya sea una tarde de fin de semana, una noche después de la cena, o un tiempo libre en el calendario.
Comienza con algo visual—una foto, un dibujo o un objeto que tenga significado en tu familia. Deja que inspire conversaciones sobre tradiciones pasadas.
Disfruta el momento. Tómate el tiempo para rememorar, reír y compartir recuerdos. Esto se trata de vincularse y crear conexiones.
Hazlo oficial. Añade tu Día de la Memoria al calendario como un evento mensual recurrente, para que se convierta en una tradición.
¿Necesitas inspiración? Puedes consultar nuestra colección de libros, actividades y kits sobre tradiciones familiares, incluyendo nuestras Mochilas Bilingües que cuentan con recursos sobre tradiciones familiares, música, comida y más. Estos kits están disponibles en nuestras sucursales o en el catálogo en línea.
Cada familia tiene una historia que contar—¡asegurémonos de que nunca olvidemos contarla!
Over time, families collect countless stories, moments, and memories that don’t always have a clear beginning or end. But those memories are what make us who we are, and it’s important to cherish them—both the ones we have and the new ones we create. One way to do this is by starting a new family tradition: Memory Day.
So, what exactly is a family tradition? Simply put, a family tradition is the story of our family—our shared experiences, the memories we have of our parents, grandparents, and children, and the moments that bind us together. But why are traditions so important? They help us stay connected to our roots, reflect our values, and reinforce the sense of unity in our family.
Let’s make it a fun, regular part of our lives to revisit our family traditions and make new memories each month. Whether through an activity, cooking a meal, creating a picture, or simply sharing stories, Memory Day allows us to honor the past while creating something new with our loved ones.
Here’s how you can get started:
Pick a day each month when everyone in the family can come together—perhaps a weekend afternoon, an evening after dinner, or a free time on the calendar.
Begin with something visual—a picture, a drawing, or an object that holds meaning in your family. Let it spark conversations about memories and traditions.
Enjoy the moment. Take time to reminisce, laugh, and share memories. This is all about bonding and creating connections.
Make it official. Add your Memory Day to the calendar as a recurring monthly event, so it becomes a tradition.
Need inspiration?
Borrow a Bilingual Backpack. These backpacks feature resources about family traditions, music, food, and more. These kits are available at our branches or online catalog.
Sabemos que la comunicación está en el corazón de cada relación. Ya sea verbal o no verbal, la forma en que nos expresamos da forma a la manera en que nos conectamos con nuestros hijos y cómo ellos navegan por el mundo que los rodea. Una de las formas de comunicación más simples pero poderosas que tenemos a nuestra disposición es una sonrisa.
Una sonrisa es universal, trascendiendo el idioma, la cultura e incluso la edad. Para los niños, una sonrisa puede ser una herramienta poderosa para el desarrollo emocional y social. Es más que solo un gesto de felicidad: puede tener significados como “gracias”, “te veo”, “te aprecio” o simplemente, “estoy aquí contigo”. Al enseñarles a los niños a reconocer y utilizar el poder de una sonrisa, les estamos ayudando a desarrollar su alfabetización emocional y a profundizar sus conexiones con los demás.
Una Sonrisa como un “Gracias” -En el mundo acelerado en el que vivimos, a veces los simples gestos de gratitud pueden pasarse por alto.
Una Sonrisa como “Te Veo” -Cada niño quiere sentirse visto, escuchado y comprendido. A veces, no basta con solo decirles que los vemos; necesitamos mostrarles a través de nuestras acciones.
Una Sonrisa como “Te Aprecio”- Un niño que recoge sus juguetes, ayuda a poner la mesa o simplemente comparte una sonrisa con un hermano – todas estas acciones merecen ser reconocidas.
Una Sonrisa como una Forma de Comunicación-La primera forma de comunicación de los niños no son las palabras, son las expresiones.
Sonreír para Conectar y Brindar Consuelo-Una sonrisa también es una forma de consuelo.
Enseñar Sonrisas como una Habilidad para Toda la Vida -Cuando enseñamos a los niños a sonreír a cambio, les estamos enseñando una valiosa habilidad para la vida: reconocer el mundo que los rodea con positividad y calidez.
How can we help our children pick the right book for them?
Our library has many books for children 0 to 18 including board books for babies, picture books for toddlers, easy readers for beginning readers, chapter books for independent readers, and non-fiction for curious minds.
How do we help our children select books based on their interests, reading levels, and exploration? Without limiting the massive selection of books on the shelves in our library, here are some tips:
PICK:
P: Purpose
– Are they reading for pleasure?
-Are they trying to learn something?
-Is the book going to be read silently or out loud?
-Who is the audience?
I: Interest
-Looking at the front of the cover
-Flipping through the pages
-Reading the back cover
-Reading the chapter titles
C: Comprehend
-Did I understand what I just read?
-Do I remember what I read?
-Was I able to read most of the words?
K: Know the words
Words on the page that you recognize, decode (sound out), or read and understand.
Explore Bilingual Backpack: Cuentos Traditionales
Our Cuentos Tradicionales backpack is full of culture, history, and stories that will take us back to our traditions. You will find songs, rhymes, and long-time favorite stories in this kit. Titles include “La mujer que brillaba aun mas que el sol”, and supplies include one lizard puppet and felt story pieces. Check out our bilingual backpacks.
Would you like to add more songs to your child’s play or reading time?
Let me tell you about the Story Time Kits available in our Yolo County Libraries. The “Let’s Sing This Book” Kit has eight bilingual sing-along books, a puppet and a felt story. The kit includes favorite songs such as Five Little Ducks and Old McDonald Had a Farm.
Family literacy is how a family interacts with text, words, pictures, rhymes, and songs. Family literacy can be practiced by reading books, playing games, and singing songs. Let’s explore literacy through singing.
Sing songs together. Make up new songs, too! The sillier the better. A fun way to sing together is to take a familiar song and add new verses, include family names in the song, find new rhymes, or sing with silly voices. Create new songs about what you are doing and have fun working together. Watch a musical and sing the songs all day long.
Create a family concert and ask your children to practice their favorite song.
Have everyone participate in a family march and make up a song as you go. As you march around the house or outside, the children can collect objects to tell a story or become part of your song.
Help your children read a sing-along book. If you don’t know the tune, make it up!
Be silly!
And of course, have as much fun as possible.
Story Time Kits and Bilingual Backpacks are available at your local Yolo County Library branch. Check out yolocountylibrary.org/learning for additional information.
Before about 6 months, a baby’s eyesight is not fully developed. Their ability to focus and see colors is extremely limited. Books with simple, black and white images are perfect for young babies. Sit your baby on your lap, snuggle, and look at a black and white picture book together. Talk to your baby – tell them all about the pictures – they will enjoy the sound of your voice. You can even take their hand and point to things on the page and turn the page together.
At about 5 months, babies can see all the colors. You can introduce the colors in playful, fun, and engaging ways. Here are some ideas:
Locate 1 or 2 basic colors with your child. You might look for red, green, blue, orange, purple, pink, black, or brown. Helping your child identify colors provides a sense of exploration and learning at the same time.
Match a color to things in the household: your child’s room and clothing items. This will allow children to see, point, and listen to you say the color and name of the object. This is a great everyday way to build your child’s vocabulary.
Add color to words to describe an action when identifying objects. For example: “Look at our big red car”, “we have a black dog”, “your shirt has blue dots”
Read books in which colors are identified such as “Brown, Brown Bear What Do You See” by Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carle, and “Mouse Paint” by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Don’t be afraid to read a book over and over. Young children learn from repetition!
Have you ever played Lotería? Let me share with you the fantastic benefits of playing Lotería or a similar well-known memory game: Bingo.
Children practice many early literacy skills when playing memory games such as Lotería and Bingo: exposure to new vocabulary, visual recognition and attention to detail, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. The environment you create when playing the game is also important. The game can played in small or large groups: design a group that creates a sense of well-being and excitement in the new learning opportunity. Children will also work on problem-solving skills, engaging with others, asking questions (why, how, who), and incorporating math, facts, and brain development. Play these memory board games in groups and take turns. This will develop important school-readiness skills: playing with others, following directions, and taking turns.
Another benefit of Lotería? It can be played pretty much anywhere: at home, in the park, in the library, or outdoors.
Let’s celebrate Family Literacy Day together on January 27th!
“Let’s Explore Reading” is the theme for Family Literacy Day. You can start by exploring your local library! Gather everyone up and head over or just go online to www.yolocountylibrary.org/learning/early-learners
Your family will find a reading adventure by exploring new books and reconnecting with your local library community. Learning as a family helps to build strong literacy skills for both adults and children and it may also strengthen family bonds. What do you want to read about as a family? Maybe you want to listen to a book together. Maybe you want to find a discount pass to a park or fun museum.
Let’s set new goals! For example, let’s learn about nature. Let’s be adventurers and explore the outdoor classroom.
Count how many times we go outside and smell the roses.
Let’s count how many steps from our school, library or grocery store it takes.
Find something new (leaf, tree, plant) ask your librarian to guide you to a reference book.
Pick a spot in a greenish area in your local park, backyard, front yard to sit and enjoy a good book.
Invite friends to come along with you on a walk or to the library to explore new books.
Take pictures of your outdoor adventures.
HAVE FUN!
Take time every day to read or do a learning activity with your children. Playing and reading are crucial to a child’s development. Not only will the children gain literacy skills, but parents and caregivers can learn and have fun as well.
What Should I Read Next? Answer a few simple questions about what you like to read (or need to read) and library staff will email personalized recommendations directly to your inbox.
Play, learn, and grow together at this lap-sit program for babies and their parents/caregivers that promotes language and social development …read more
Schedule an appointment for FREE one-on-one technology help at the Winters Community Library! Every Tuesday, 30-minute appointments are available from …read more
Free homework help with volunteer teen tutors. All school subjects are welcome, including reading practice. No registration required. For students …read more
Free access to The New York Times Online for 72 hours. Click on the “REDEEM” button. Then create an account or log in with your email address and password. For more information, please watch the short videos which can be found on the Research page. If you have questions about accessing the NYT, please contact NYT@library.ca.gov.
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We acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory and homelands of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. For more information, please go to: www.yochadehe.gov
Why is fresh air important?
Birds
