Besos for Baby by Jen Arena and Bianca Gomez (Infant, Toddler) Spanish Everyone in the family has a kiss for baby, even the perro and gato. This appealing story will delight readers whether or not you speak Spanish. ▸ Get it at the Library Picking Berries by Hanna Lindoff (Preschool) Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian Enjoy beautifully Read More
Ways You Can Help Your Child With Bilingual Books
Look for bilingual books to use during play. Reading them in turn in different languages will help your son expand his vocabulary. Embrace multiple languages in your home. To encourage bilingualism more, give attention to both languages. One parent can speak primarily English, while the other speaks primarily a different language. Speak in one language Read More
Bilingual Books
Young children pick up new languages much faster than adults! In fact, the window for a child to acquire a new language drastically decreases after the first three years. And as it turns out, there may be huge benefits! Bilingual children as young as age 3 show a head start on fundamental social and emotional Read More
45th? We Must Do Better!
Did you see this recent headline in the Anchorage Daily News? “Alaska ranks 45thin the nation for children’s well-being, report says.” 45th in the nation? We must do better! As Alaskans, we like to think of ourselves as exemplifying that “pioneer spirit” of independence and at the same time recognizing that our climate and geography compel Read More
More Books for More Alaska Children
Over the past month Best Beginnings has sent over 1,200 books to the homes of 100 children living in areas of Alaska where there is currently no Imagination Library program. While Alaska has one of the highest rates of enrollment in Imagination Library nationwide, we know that there are still over 7,300 Alaska children living in communities Read More
Books You’ll Love to Play With
Silly, lovable, and fun to read. These titles are perfect for playing with words! Not a Box by Antoinette Portis (Toddler, Preschool) A young rabbit is sitting in a cardboard box. Why? Well, it turns out that it’s NOT a box after all: it’s a racecar, or a mountain peak, or even a robot costume. Simple Read More
Ways You Can Help Your Child Play with Books
Sing the words on the page. You can read a book that is a well-known song like Wheels on the Bus, or make up your own song to go with any story! Singing actually slows down language, which helps your son hear the smaller sounds that make up a word. Later in life this skill Read More
Books as Play
Whoever said that learning is all work and no play had it all wrong! Playing with your child is not only fun, it is one of the most important ways you can nurture her development. Through play, your child learns communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills that are key to their social, emotional, and physical development. Read More
Books You’ll Love to Start a Conversation
These stories touch on many challenges and new experiences a child may face. Use them as conversation starters to talk about your child’s feelings. Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman (Preschool) Turning the gender binary on its head, this book invites and encourages both boys and girls to wear the colors they want and Read More
Ways You Can Help Your Child with Conversations Starters
Young children experience new parts of life every day. Unlike adults, they aren’t always able to draw on past experiences to understand the new ones. It’s up to you as their parent to help them through it. Whether the topic is joyous or sad, the secret of understanding is in the conversation you have with Read More