Sign Up Here!

Get Curated Reading Suggestions on Selected Topics Sent Right to Your Inbox.
Sign Up

Enter the Land of Heroes!

Land of Heroes Pre-Reader Badge

Welcome to another exciting week in our Youth Summer Reading! 

The Land of Heroes for the Pre-Readers

If you  haven't signed up yet or have any difficulties navigating this year's challenge, here are some important links to help:Reading animal graphic

As the tutorials above will show you, logging your reading earns you badges and tickets. You can use these tickets for drawings for prizes. Additionally, you can do activities to earn more badges and tickets, and more chances to win.

Most of these badges come with reading suggestions, which leads to more reading, which leads to more badges and tickets! And since we will be starting holds for curbside pickup, you can look at this week's tagged list to put in the search engine for several great stories to place on hold for pickup. Be sure to check out details here on how to get your books. 

If you watch a virtual program with a story included, it counts towards your logged reading and activity badges. Virtual programs have their own activity badges, so when you go online to watch, look for the corresponding badge and activity through Beanstack. The calendar will give you a hint for the badges to look for. 

Each week we'll highlight an activity badge and activities, but keep in mind, you can work on these badges at any time during our summer reading challenge. 

This week, we'll focus on the Land of Heroes Activity Badge and all of the virtual programs that accompany this. You will find these on Beanstack when you click on the tab for Activity Badges. 

If you have a Pre-Reader who is logging books read, scroll until you see this picture:

Land of Heroes Black and White

Complete 3 activities related to this theme that include the Five Practices of Early Literacy-Talking, Singing, Reading, Writing, Playing-to earn a virtual raffle ticket.Land of Heroes Book Graphic for Pre-Readers

  • Talking - “Two Little Eyes” - In this rhyme, parents and caregivers are introducing concepts of the senses to their child with simple language and tapping. The rhyme can be done with your baby lying on the ground or a young child sitting in a lap facing parent or caregiver. For older children, have them point to where the body parts are.
    Two little eyes to look around, (gently tap near eyes)
    Two little ears to hear each sound, (gently tap on ears)
    One little nose to smell what’s sweet (gently tap on nose)
    One little mouth that likes to eat (gently tap on mouth)

  • Singing - “You Are My Sunshine” - We all admire our heroes, as we admire our children. Sing and listen to this classic song at Singing - “You Are My Sunshine” - We all admire our heroes, as we admire our children. Sing and listen to this classic song at You Are My Sunshine

  • Reading - Check out and read any book from this week’s search tag: #landofheroes

  • Writing - Mix It Up. Playing with wooden spoons is a great way for children to work on grasp and other fine motor skills. In this activity, let your child grab a spoon and mix up something good to eat. Supplies:
    • Large Bowls/Boxes/pots
    • Wooden Spoons
    • Large Pom Poms or shredded paper
    Instructions:
    Demonstrate to your child how to hold the spoon and stir. Let them have fun mixing up their own recipe.

  • Playing - Colored Feather Matching
    Many of our folktales and myths have birds featured as part of the story.
    In this game, children work on color skills. You can pre-color the feathers (attached) or have your child color them. You may wish to cut them out.
    Have your child match the feathers by color.
    You can add variations on this as well, counting how many feathers there are and incorporating letter knowledge by asking them what letter makes the beginning sound of each color.

    Colored Feather Matching

  • Watch one of the Land of Heroes virtual storytimes during the week of June 8, found LIVE on social media. Details at https://www.handleyregional.org/youthvirtualprograms. Watch anytime on the Youth Services YouTube playlist at Watch one of the Land of Heroes virtual storytimes during the week of June 8, found LIVE on social media. Details at https://www.handleyregional.org/youthvirtualprograms. Watch anytime on the Youth Services YouTube playlist at HRLS Virtual program.

  • Watch a virtual program on the Youth Services YouTube playlist: HRLS Youtube Playlist

We'd love to share in your successes! Post what you did and share with us on Facebook or Social Media by tagging @handleyregional.

Have fun this week in the Land of Heroes!