Read from the Start – Current Month

by Brittany Hall

Read from the Start

Leer en español

 

Read from the Start – Quality Start LA has teamed up with the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) System, the LA County Library (LACL) System,  the Pasadena Public Library and Sesame Street in Communities to bring you “Read from the Start.”

Each month, QSLA and your local library systems will work together to develop a themed booklist, reading tips, and family activities all designed for families with children ages birth to five. Click on the Read from the Start booklists below to download a PDF of the list.

 

July 2021: Imagination and Play!

Monthly Booklist: To print out and share!

Click on the the images below to download the PDF of the booklists, or scroll to the bottom of the page to find every book at your local Los Angeles Public, LA County Library, and Pasadena Public Library.

Monthly Activity: Learning Through the Senses

Children gather information from their surroundings using their five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing). Check out these activities that turn everyday items into opportunities for creative play and learning to help your little one explore their senses.

  1. Soap Sensation: Use bath time to experiment! Lather kids with soap and watch bubbly suds form. Invite them to feel the sensation against their skin, and observe the bubbles—are they big, small, transparent (clear), or opaque (cloudy)?
  2. Pot and Pan Band: Take out a pot, pan, and spoon. Together, experiment with sound by creating your own musical rhythm! Listen as you drum softly and then loudly with the spoon or with your hand! Notice the different sounds you can make.
  3. Fruity Discovery: Snack time is a great time to exercise those taste buds! Give kids small pieces of fruit (like bananas or apples) and invite them to smell each fruit before tasting it. Compare sensations such as sweet/tart taste or mushy/crunchy texture. What else describes the fruit?
  4. The Wonders of Water: Gather three cups, filling one with cold water, one with warm water, and one with ice. Explain that cups hold water of different temperatures. Encourage kids to place their hand in each cup. How does it feel? What do you notice if you pour from one cup into another cup?
This activity is inspired by Sesame Street in Communities’ activity, “Learning Through the Senses.”

 

For more activities related to literacy, click on the links below to further engage children in stories and keep their little minds and bodies active.

25 Reading and Writing Activities

Click the links below for more books available for read aloud:

Reading is Fundamental: Some of your favorite stories available for children pre-k through 6th grade!

ASL(American Sign Language) Stories and Activities

Storyline Online: Watch as some of your favorite actors and actresses read their stories aloud to your little ones!

Read Conmigo: Free bilingual children’s books and literacy resources for children in preschool through fifth grade.

Monthly Family Reading Tip: Ask Questions

As you read, take time to stop and ask your child questions about the story. Try to ask questions that are “open-ended”, or do not have “yes” or “no” answers, such as, “Tell me about…”, “Why do you think…”, or “What do you think about…”. These will encourage your child to build critical thinking and comprehension skills.

Check these books out at your local library!

Find this month’s books available for digital download at your local library or for read-aloud on YouTube.

Access more Booklists from our Read from the Start Archive

Looking for more great resources?

Browse Quality Start LA’s collection of booklists, QSLA & LA libreria partner booklists, child-friendly activities, coronavirus resources, and holiday activities guides.