Evening Play & Learn at Alderete Park

While children play and learn all day long, sometimes it's difficult for the grown-ups to join them. Come out to Alderete Park (300 Aurora Ave, San Antonio, TX 78228) 6:00-7:00 PM on Tuesdays, April 4, 11, 18, 25 and May 2 and 9 for your chance to talk, sing, read, write, and play together as the sun dips towards the horizon. 

Reading from the Heart

Registration is still open for our December and 2017 workshops. Register at http://bit.ly/LRWrdgheart

Evening Play & Learn at Millers Pond

Our next Play & Learn series begins Tuesday, September 6 at Millers Pond Park. This short, September-only series is unique! The Play & Learn session will be 6:00-7:00PM in the pavilion.

Paint, paint, and more paint!

Are you planning to join us for Play & Learn on February 18? Be sure to wear your purple Play & Learn t-shirt or clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. We'll be exploring and using child-safe paint in many different ways to help build writing skills and get our children ready to read.

http://sapl.sat.lib.tx.us/record=b1766045~S1

February 18, 2016
9:30-11:00AM
Woodlawn Lake Community Room (adjacent to the Gym)
1103 Cincinnati Ave.

Fishing and More at Millers Pond

On Thursday, October 15 at 9:30AM Little Read Wagon will begin a new Play & Learn series at Millers Pond Park. We'll continue to bring fun early litearcy activities to Millers Pond every Thursday through November 19. This park on the southwest side of San Antonio has a big pavilion so we can have our programs rain or shine. The park also has a lovely lake with a one-mile trail if you'd like to go for a stroll, and a playscape for preschoolers and daring toddlers. Certainly we'll have some pretend fishing as an activity! 

If you would like to introduce your children to real fishing, Millers Pond is one of two Neighborhood Fishin' locations in San Antonio. Visit this page for more information about fishing regulations: http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/urban/regulations.phtml Please note that children under 17 fish for free, but adults must have a freshwater license.

New workshop for early childhood practitioners

Early childhood teachers are invited to attend our new workshop, "Smart Arts: Enhancing early literacy through creativity." The first workshop will be held October 3, 2015 at Pre-K 4 SA South. Please pre-register soon if you would like to attend! For more details and to pre-register, please view the workshop flyer.

It's time again for Play & Learn!

The Little Read Wagon team took a short break to recuperate from our summer Play & Learn programs and prepare for the fall. Beginning August 26 and 27 you have two opportunities to join us for Play & Learn:
Wednesdays 10:00-10:45 AM at Central Library (Story Room)
Thursdays 9:30-11:00 AM at Olympia Park (August 27-September 24)

Our full Play & Learn schedule for the year will be available soon!

I am an artist!

This week at Play & Learn we are exploring what it means to be an artist. This includes lots of opportunities for creative expression. Join us on Thursday at 9:00am at Martin Luther King Park (rain or shine, barring any flooding!) for some color mixing, singing, dancing, sewing, sculpting and reading fun!

Even if you don't make it to Play & Learn, perhaps you'd enjoy this book by one of our favorite authors. It's available in English and Spanish.

Music and More Early Literacy Moves

Little Read Wagon will offer one more "Music and More Early Literacy Moves" workshop on Wednesday, August 19 at the Central Library, 9:15am-12:30pm. We will explore how we can build early literacy skills while incorporating more music and movement into the everyday experiences of the children in your care.

If you have not yet attended this workshop, please register at http://bit.ly/musicmelm. Early childhood teachers will receive a certificate for 3 clock hours for participating in this free workshop. Parking in the library garage is $6 cash or credit card. This workshop is for adults.

Play & Learn returns to Woodlawn Wi-Fi Room

Please join Little Read Wagon at 9:30 on Tuesdays, February 10-March 10 at 9:30 for some talking, singing, reading, writing and playing fun! Look for us in the Wi-Fi/Community Room at the south end of the gymnasium.

Going Places: Playing and learning while you're on the road

Now that we are in the holiday season, you and your children are probably going to be out and about even more than usual. Your time on the road is also full of opportunities to help your child get ready to read!

Join us for a workshop at the Mission Branch Library on Thursday, December 4, 6:30-7:45 PM to learn more about how you can build pre-reading skills as you run errands and visit friends and relatives together. Participants will get to make a gel writing board to use with their children.

View event details.

Register to attend at: bit.ly/saplfwrr 

More than a Meal

What is it like when you and your child share a meal? No matter what, where or how you and your child eat, mealtime is another opportunity to build the skills your child needs for reading. 

Parents, please join us this Wednesday, November 5 at the Molly Pruitt Library for a fun and informative workshop about how we can incorporate early literacy into mealtime experiences.

Please register at http://bit.ly/saplfwrr or by calling (210)207-2531.

Fun Ways to Raise Readers

This year Little Read Wagon will offer "Fun Ways to Raise Readers," a series of eight workshops for parents and informal caregivers. The first workshop, "Big Dreams: Getting Kids Ready for Bed and Ready to Read," will be October 1, 6:30-7:45pm at the Johnston Branch Library.

We’ll share ideas with each other and you’ll make a simple learning tool to take home and use with your child. Child care will not be provided. Please register at least three days in advance of each workshop: http://bit.ly/saplfwrr or call (210)207-2531.

Each workshop is based on Every Child Ready to Read, a national early literacy project of the Association for Library Service to Children and the Public Library Association.

View a printable flyer here. View the Little Read Wagon workshop calendar here.

Free Workshops for Early Childhood Teachers

Do you work with children in child care, preschool, or another early childhood setting? Little Read Wagon will offer the three-hour workshop: Exploring Math, Science and Early Literacy four more times this year. The workshop is free and open to adults who live or work within San Antonio city limits. For more information and to register, please view the workshop flyer.

Teachers explore a variety of materials for use in math and science experiences.

Summer Early Literacy Fun

All summer long there are a multitude of opportunities for you to help your child build the skills needed for reading by simply talking, singing, reading, writing and playing together. Your schedule may already be full of exciting activities to enjoy with your family. Remember to set aside some time for some early literacy fun!

Summer Reading

This summer the San Antonio Public Library is encouraging people of all ages to have fun reading, and children in particular to "Dig Into Summer Reading". Find out more and sign up the entire family for the Summer Reading Program by visiting the library's Summer Reading Page: http://mysapl.org/srp/

Story Time

You can also enjoy a lot of great books by coming to story time at the Woodlawn Community Room on Tuesdays at 10:00, June 11-July 9. Then July 16-August 13 Little Read Wagon will offer Play & Learn (same time and place)!

Play & Learn

Can't wait until July 16 for Play & Learn? Neither can we! Feel free to join us at these locations:
Mondays (June 10-July 8) 10:00 -11:30 a.m.
Mission Branch Library, 3134 Roosevelt Ave. 78214

Tuesdays (June 11 - July 9) 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Las Palmas Branch Library, 515 Castroville Rd. 78237

Workshop Series for Parents and Caregivers

Parents and caregivers are invited to join Little Read Wagon at New Frontiers Charter School for a series of Every Child Ready to Read workshops. Participants will learn how to use talking, singing, reading, writing and playing to nurture early literacy skills. For more information and to register, please view the Little Read Wagon listings on the San Antonio Public Library calendar.

Next Stop: Forest Hills Library

Our next Play & Learn series begins Thursday, August 30 at 10:00 a.m. Come back each Thursday through the end of September for some fun early literacy activities as we get Every Child Ready to Read!

With the changing of the seasons we will have some new experiences for your and your child to enjoy at the Forest Hills Branch Library, 5245 Ingram Road.

March 31 Early Literacy and Play Workshop

The next Early Literacy and Play workshop for early childhood teachers will be Saturday, March 31. Please click here for a flyer with instructions for entering the registration lottery.

Workshop: Early Literacy and Play

This past Saturday Little Read Wagon staff offered the new "Early Literacy and Play" workshop to a full auditorium of early childhood teachers. As usual, there were some powerful conversations along with a good bit of laughter.

Topics included in the workshop are: library resources, strategies from the Every Child Ready to Read project, patterns of play, and supporting play and early literacy.

This workshop will be offered again in February at the Central Library. Adults who teach children 0-6 years of age are invited to register by first reading the workshop flier and then entering the registration lottery. Participants will be awarded 3 clock hours in Professional Practice, Methods and Curriculum.

Getting ready to read by talking

This past week at Play & Learn we focused on talking as a strategy for building pre-reading skills. Although we talk with our children every day, sometimes the value of simply making time for conversation can get lost in the busyness of daily activity. One of our participants commented, "It is important to speak to your child and wait for their personal response. You should also include your child in things that allow them to communicate and problem solve with their peers."

You can learn more about talking as an action that builds pre-reading skills by visiting our early literacy resource guide and by joining us at Play & Learn. Our strategy for the week of January 9 is singing!