storytime katie

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Brush, Brush, Brush by Alicia Padron ($6.95) — Baker & Taylor
• I Have a Cavity by Lisa M. Herrington ($23.00) — Baker & Taylor
• Maisy, Charley, and the Wobbly Tooth by Lucy Cousins ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Pony Brushes His Teeth by Michael Dahl ($7.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Social Stories (2) by DuPage County Health Department ($10.00) — donated
• Play-Doh Doctor Drill ‘n Fill ($29.99) — Amazon
• Smile Tooth Brushing Timer (2) ($11.98) — Amazon
• Mesh Bag & Vinyl Bag ($6.98) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $122.87

The Manners Pack has been checked out three times in the past two months since its debut.

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• Be Safe Around Strangers by Bridget Heos ($8.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Fire Safety by Lisa M. Herrington ($23.00) — Baker & Taylor
• I Can Be Safe by Pat Thomas ($7.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Safe Kids, Smart Parents by Rebecca & Elizabeth Bailey ($15.00) — Baker & Taylor
• Stranger Safety DVD ($9.99) — Amazon
• Melissa and Doug Firefighter Costume ($29.99) — Amazon
• Playmobil Crossing Guard Set ($14.99) — Amazon
• Traffic Sign Puzzle ($9.99) — Amazon
• Vinyl Bags (3) ($6.97) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $145.86

I chose pretty much the only adult book that I could find about safety: Safe Kids, Smart Parents. I enjoyed this book and actually read it carefully because I wanted to see how it would handle many safety scenarios (consent, law enforcement, etc.). For the children’s books, I tried to select a variety of safety topics: strangers, fire, and a catch-all that mentions other situations.

The “Stranger Safety” DVD was actually one that we already have in non-fiction and have to replace every now and again for wear. It made sense to include it here.

The toys were really fun to select with this kit. I knew that I wanted to have a dress-up component and chose the Firefighters costume since kids are often frightened of the firefighter’s gear. Hopefully this will help them get used to it; although it doesn’t have the big face mask.

The Playmobil set offers a chance for caregivers to do role-playing with different scenarios (biking, crossing the street, etc.) and I thought that aspect would be helpful.

And lastly, the Traffic Sign puzzle — something that would appeal to the smallest patrons while teaching them about road signs.

The Safety Pack has been checked out eight times since debuting five months ago, which is higher than I expected!

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• Be Polite and Kind by Cheri J. Meiners ($10.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Emily Post’s The Gift of Good Manners by Emily Post ($19.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Excuse Me! A Little Book of Manners by Karen Katz ($5.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Manners Time by Elizbeth Verdick ($7.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Time to Say “Please”! by Mo Willems ($16.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Golly Geepers Manners Flash Cards ($12.99) — Amazon
• Playskool Picnic Basket Manners Game ($16.95) — Amazon
• Vinyl Bag ($2.99) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $97.80

I wanted to have a variety of kid-appropriate titles for caregivers to use. I went with two board books: Manners Time (which has caregiver tips at the end of the book) and Excuse Me!. Both of these titles work well for the younger crowd and will help toddlers navigate beginning manners. For the older kids who might be using this Pack, I included Be Polite and Kind and Time to Say “Please”!. Be Polite and Kind is very much a “teaching” book. With Time to Say “Please”!, I hoped that including a favorite author’s take on manners would help kids engage with the material.

For the caregivers, I choose Emily Post’s The Gift of Good Manners. It took me some time to find a caregiver book that specifically addressed teaching children manners as opposed to adult manners. I could have easily have selected a book on grown-up manners and etiquette, but that didn’t seem productive in the Pack.

I found the Golly Geepers Manners Game very quickly on Amazon and I was impressed with the quality of the cards and the customization for families. I also liked that this was a game to play DURING a meal together. What a great way to encourage manners and family together time!

The Playskool Picnic Basket Manners Game was another purchase from Amazon. I think this one appeals more to children because of the brightly colored pieces and the picnic basket and tablecloth game board. It encourages polite manners and turn-taking during gameplay.

The Manners Pack has been checked out six times since debuting five months ago. (That’s pretty much on par for the Parenting Packs average circulation. I find that these kits stay out for the full two weeks since there’s so much information and lots of materials in them.)

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• ABC Doctor by Liz Murphy ($15.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Doctor Ted by Andrea Beaty & Pascal Lemaitre ($17.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Froggy Goes to the Doctor by Jonathan London ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• I’m Getting a Checkup by Marilyn Singer ($16.00) — Baker & Taylor
• Medical Kit by Fisher Price ($16.99) — Amazon
• Melissa and Doug Doctor Role Play Costume ($29.99) — Amazon
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $122.94

This Pack is the only Pack that just has books for the kids. I couldn’t really find any parenting books on the subject and that makes sense. I provided four books with a variety of storylines: ABC Doctor is an alphabet book about the doctor, Doctor Ted is a book about a bear being a doctor, and both Froggy Goes to the Doctor and I’m Getting a Checkup are traditional books that explain the doctor visit procedures.

The Fisher Price medical kit and Melissa and Doug costume are excellent ways for families to play doctor at home before their visit. Showing the child was some of the equipment they’ll see looks like may help to ease fears.

It’s the end of May and the Visiting the Doctor Parenting Pack has gone out 8 times since launching at the end of November! As a former child who was very scared of the doctor, I hope this Pack has provided some comfort for the kids!

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• Can You Make Me Better? by Ann de Bode & Rien Broere($10.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Do I Have to Go to the Hospital? by Pat Thomas ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Harry Goes to the Hospital by Howard J. Bennett ($14.95) — Baker & Taylor
• What About Me? by Allan Peterkin ($9.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Your Child In the Hospital by Nancy Keene ($14.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Melissa & Doug Magnetic Human Body Play Set ($12.99) — Amazon
• Stethoscope ($19.00) — Amazon
• True Life X-Rays ($29.99) — Amazon
• Vinyl Bags (2) ($5.98) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $144.78

For the kids books: Do I Have to Go to the Hospital? addresses many of the fears a child may feel prior to going to the hospital. Both Can You Make Me Better? and Harry Goes to the Hospital detail different situations — one talks about surgery and the other title is only about being sick. And very important to me was to also include a book for siblings of children who need to stay in the hospital and What About Me? was the answer to that question.

For caregivers: I found one great book to help caregivers prepare for a child’s visit to the hospital. It talks about so many things that I didn’t even think of like getting doctor records, talking with insurance, arranging tours, and obviously helping the child through the experience. It was an excellent addition to this Pack.

Since there are a lot of different reasons a child might need to stay in the hospital, I wanted to include anatomically correct human body models that addresses organs, muscles, bones, etc.. Luckily, there was the fabulous Melissa and Doug magnetic set that does all the different systems in the body.

I wanted to include real medical equipment and that was done very easily with the stethoscope and x-rays. The x-rays were laminated to keep them from getting scratched up and messing the film. The stethoscope is kept in a vinyl bag to protect it while in the Pack.

It’s the end of May and the Staying in the Hospital Parenting Pack has gone out 3 times since launching at the end of November! I’m happy to see that its circulation is low because I hope that very few of my families will need the Pack.

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• Foxy by Emma Dodd ($14.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety or School Refusal by Eisen, Engler, & Sparrow  ($18.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten by Hyewon Yum ($16.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Lil Movers School Bus by Fisher Price ($17.99) — Amazon
• Ready, Set, School! ($32.99) — Amazon
• Vinyl Bag ($2.99) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $130.88

For the kids books: Foxy addresses school anxiety and that was really important to include. Then, I decided to have one book that focused on starting preschool (Maisy Goes to Preschool) and one book that focused on kindergarten (Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten!).

For the caregiver: Just one book on separation anxiety. I know that is one of the major concerns with parents and I thought that the book Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety or School Refusal really made a lot of helpful suggestions.

I included the Lil Movers School Bus because of previous attendance at one of our school’s kindergarten registration. Most of the questions from the caregivers are about taking the bus. “Where does the bus stop?” “How long will the driver wait?” “What if I’m not there to meet the bus?” “How many days a week can they take the bus?” “Who do I call if they’re not going to be on the bus?” Since caregivers are nervous about the bus, I know that the kids will pick up on this. Hopefully the Lil Movers School Bus can be used for some dramatic play to help talk out those concerns.

The “Ready, Set, School!” kit comes with lots of material. I included: safety scissors; dry-erase marker; all of the spiral-bound books; and the shoelace tying kit. I removed the consumables, crayons, and stencils to make this useful for the Pack. These items will let kids practice many of the school-ready skills that they will need.

It’s the end of May and the Starting School Parenting Pack has gone out 3 times since launching at the end of November! This doesn’t surprise me and I expect that this Pack will see a lot more use over the summer and into the beginning of the school year.

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• Dinosaur Vs. the Potty by Bob Shea ($15.99) — Baker & Taylor
• No More Diapers for Ducky! by Bernette Ford & Sam Williams ($9.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Potty by Leslie Patricelli ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• The Potty Training Answer Book by Karen Deerwester ($14.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Potty Training Girls the Easy Way by Caroline Fertleman ($12.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Once Upon a Potty for Her DVD ($14.99) — Amazon
• Once Upon a Potty Plush Doll Set ($15.00) — Amazon
• Potty Training Sticker Chart — created in-house
• Vinyl Bag ($2.99) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $112.88

For the kids books: Dinosaur Vs. the Potty, No More Diapers for Ducky and Potty. I made sure to include a book about the potty that was very simple (Potty), a book the mentioned leaving behind diapers (No More Diapers for Ducky), and a book that hopefully made potty training a fun experience (Dinosaur Vs. the Potty). All of these books were used in both the Potty Training for Boys and the Potty Training for Girls Packs.

For the caregivers: The Potty Training Answer Book was a recommendation from many of our staff after I left a variety of choices out in staff room. The staff members who were parents enjoyed the Q&A style and the ability to flip through the book at ease to address specific problems. Then I made the decision to have a gender specific book in the Pack, Potty Training Girls the Easy Way, because caregivers might prefer a gender specific title to address specific concerns (ie, if an opposite gender caregiver is primarily responsible for potty training).

The Once Upon a Potty series is very popular here. I decided to purchase the DVD and the doll for each Pack. I like the doll because it is anatomically correct and can be used to talk about the parts of the body while potty training. The DVD includes a song that is pretty catchy and also uses the same style illustrations as the doll.

I created a Potty Training Sticker chart using Publisher and bought stickers to go with it. These are included in the Pack in a white envelope that is sealed with tape and has a note explaining that we do not want to receive the chart or stickers back if used in the kit. So far, most families have taken the chart!

It’s the end of May and Potty Training for Girls Parenting Packs have gone out 5 and 8 times since launching at the end of November! Definitely a worthwhile addition to our early literacy kits!

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• Dinosaur Vs. the Potty by Bob Shea ($15.99) — Baker & Taylor
• No More Diapers for Ducky! by Bernette Ford & Sam Williams ($9.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Potty by Leslie Patricelli ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• The Potty Training Answer Book by Karen Deerwester ($14.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Potty Training Boys the Easy Way by Caroline Fertleman ($12.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Once Upon a Potty for Him DVD ($14.99) — Amazon
• Once Upon a Potty Plush Doll Set ($15.00) — Amazon
• Potty Training Sticker Chart — created in-house
• Vinyl Bag ($2.99) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $112.88

For the kids books: Dinosaur Vs. the Potty, No More Diapers for Ducky and Potty. I made sure to include a book about the potty that was very simple (Potty), a book the mentioned leaving behind diapers (No More Diapers for Ducky), and a book that hopefully made potty training a fun experience (Dinosaur Vs. the Potty). All of these books were used in both the Potty Training for Boys and the Potty Training for Girls Packs.

For the caregivers: The Potty Training Answer Book was a recommendation from many of our staff after I left a variety of choices out in staff room. The staff members who were parents enjoyed the Q&A style and the ability to flip through the book at ease to address specific problems. Then I made the decision to have a gender specific book in the Pack, Potty Training Boys the Easy Way, because caregivers might prefer a gender specific title to address specific concerns (ie, if an opposite gender caregiver is primarily responsible for potty training).

The Once Upon a Potty series is very popular here. I decided to purchase the DVD and the doll for each Pack. I like the doll because it is anatomically correct and can be used to talk about the parts of the body while potty training. The DVD includes a song that is pretty catchy and also uses the same style illustrations as the doll.

I created a Potty Training Sticker chart using Publisher and bought stickers to go with it. These are included in the Pack in a white envelope that is sealed with tape and has a note explaining that we do not want to receive the chart or stickers back if used in the kit. So far, most families have taken the chart!

It’s the end of May and Potty Training for Boys Parenting Packs have gone out 6 and 8 times since launching at the end of November! Definitely a worthwhile addition to our early literacy kits!

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• I’m a Big Brother by Joanna Cole ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• I’m a Big Sister by Joanna Cole ($6.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings by Dr. Laura Markham ($15.95) — Baker & Taylor
• There’s Going to be a Baby by John Burningham ($7.99) — Baker & Taylor
• We Have a Baby by Cathryn Falwell ($6.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Baby Bear Set (Bear with t-shirts; diapers; bottles — all pieces sold separately) ($28.97) — Amazon
• Mesh Bag ($3.99) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $96.82

For the kids books: I’m a Big Brother and I’m a Big Sister, There’s Going to be a Baby, and We Have a Baby. I wanted to provide a range of times that this Pack could be checked out: before baby or right after baby arrives and chose titles that reflected both time periods. I also included suggestions on the Resources Guide for specific titles (big brother welcomes little brother, big brother welcomes little sister, big sister welcomes little sister, big sister welcome little brother, and older sibling welcomes twins) to reflect different situations.

For the caregivers book: I chose Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings because it includes a very helpful chapter on how to handle the transition between single child and multiple children. It also provides a variety of tips on parenting multiple children and is a popular series at our library.

I created the baby bear set by purchasing two sets each of the “I’m a Big Brother” and “I’m a Big Sister” bears. I have two bears in reserve in case one of them needs to be replaced I also purchased baby bottles and LaLaLoopsy magic diapers (yes, seriously) to make this set. Kids can practice on their own animals as caregiver is changing the real baby or as caregiver is preparing the child for the baby to arrive.

It’s the end of May and the New Baby in the House Parenting Packs have gone out 4 times each since launching at the end of November! I’m very happy with my decision to create two of these Packs however because they’ve often been out at the same exact time.

For an overview of the Book Bundles and Parenting Packs early literacy kits, please visit the original post. The cost listed is the list price of each item, regardless of whether or not we got it on sale/discount. The activity sheets and resource guide amount was calculated by cost of binder clip + lamination sheets.

Itemized List

• Carrying Tote ($15.99) — The Container Store
• Cool Kids Cook by Kid Chef Eliana & Dianne de las Casas ($14.95) — Baker & Taylor
• Give Peas a Chance by Kate Samela ($14.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Go, Go, Grapes! by April Pulley Sayre ($17.99) — Baker & Taylor
• The No Cry Picky Eater Solution by Elizabeth Pantley ($17.00) — Baker & Taylor
• Rah, Rah, Radishes! by April Pulley Sayre ($17.99) — Baker & Taylor
• Learning Resources Healthy Helpings: A MyPlate Game ($19.99) — Learning Resources
• Learning Resources Pretend & Play Sliceable Fruit and Veggies ($19.99) — Learning Resources
• Mesh Bag (1) & Vinyl Bag (1) ($6.98) — The Container Store
• Activity Sheets & Resource Guide ($3.00) — created in-house

Total: $148.87

For the kids books: Cool Kids Cook which includes easy and healthy recipes for kids to make with caregivers. I liked that this book was “written” by a Kid Chef and seemed a lot more accessible than some of the character cookbooks in our library. And then Go, Go, Grapes! and Rah, Rah, Radishes! because of their great photos and excellent rhythm — hopefully these books will inspire kids to try a new fruit or vegetable!

And the grown-up books: Give Peas a Chance and The No Cry Picky Eater Solution. Both books address picky eaters (which is a common issue with healthy eating), but Give Peas a Chance addresses other eating concerns like nutrition, how much food is enough, and beyond the toddler to the whole family. It’s also written by a pediatric nutrition specialist. The No Cry Picky Eater Solution is from a trusted line of books and it’s a resource that we have in both areas of the library (adult and parent/teacher collection).

I wanted to include a MyPlate tie-in since the USDA is an excellent source for caregivers to turn to about healthy eating. And rather than including a chart or book, I was thrilled to find a game. Kids can race to fill their plates with healthy choices. This enforces the MyPlate choice options and portion sizes.

Lastly, I wanted to include play food. Since I was focusing on healthy eating, I stuck to Fruits and Veggies. I loved play food as a child and hope that it sparks their interest in new fruits or vegetables. I also included suggestions to keep these in the kitchen so that the family can “prepare” dinner together, even if the child is using pretend food.

It’s the end of May and the Healthy Eating Parenting Pack has gone out 7 times since launching at the end of November! Another popular choice from our collection!