Reading Together
ALL OF US love our children more than anything in the world. In their first years we feed them so they grow. We bring them to the doctor so they are healthy. We strap them in car seats so they are safe.
But the most important thing in the
first years of life is the growth of the mind and spirit. This is when a child learns to love and
trust, to speak and listen.
After a child turns two years old,
these things are very difficult to learn or teach ever again. Trusting, singing, laughing, and language are
the most important things in a young child’s life.
And so they must come first for
mothers and fathers, too, because we can never have those years over again.
Every day, make a quiet, restful place
for 20 minutes. Put your child in your
lap and read a book aloud. In the pages
of the book you will find a tiny vacation of privacy and intense love. It costs nothing but 20 minutes and a library
card.
Reading to your
little one is just like putting gold coins in the bank. It will pay you back tenfold. Your son/daughter will learn, and imagine,
and be strong in himself/herself. Your
son/daughter will thrive, and give your love back forever.
--Rosemary Wells,
author of “Read to Your Bunny”
Enjoying Music Together
Babies love music! Research shows that babies can respond to music even before birth! Music can develop an early bond between babies and their families, since babies can recognize the voices of their family members even before they can actually understand what they hear.
To help you bond with your baby through music, Atchison Elementary
School students and staff, including members of the Atchison National Education
Association, recorded a variety of songs for your “Sing to Your Bunny”
recording. We’ve also selected a few children’s rhymes and lullabies. We hope
you enjoy this music while singing along with it to your baby. Enjoy rocking,
patting, and moving with your baby as you listen and sing.
As your child grows older, it’s important to continue to expose them to
music in many forms. Sharing musical toys and instruments appropriate to their
age, as well as live and recorded music, will give them the foundation for a
lifetime love of music!
B.O.O.K. Program
B.O.O.K. stands for Believing in Opportunities for Our Kids. Our goal is to help parents of preschool children in Atchison connect with the resources they need to assure their children are healthy and ready to succeed in school. Research tells us that a child’s brain develops more rapidly during the first three years of life than during any other time. Parents are a child’s first, best teachers. That’s why it’s so important to talk, read, play and sing with your baby from the very beginning!
We hope you enjoy the books in this Read and Sing to Your Bunny
bag, and that you continue to build your child’s library. There are many
sources of free or very inexpensive children’s books. Try the Atchison Library
for free books and story times (babies are welcome). Very inexpensive books can
be found at local thrift stores and yard sales. Friends with older children are
usually happy to pass along books their kids have outgrown. And, of course, the
BOOK Program and other early childhood programs are a source for children’s
books as well. Congratulations! And remember to Read and Sing to Your Bunny
for 20 minutes every day!
Community Schools
Welcome to your new baby! As parents, you are your child’s first best teachers. We know you’ll find the Read and Sing to Your Bunny bag full of helpful information as you start your journey as new parents.
We are lucky to
have many fine elementary schools in Atchison, Atchison County and the
surrounding area. Atchison Elementary School (USD 409), one of the sponsors for Read and Sing to Your Bunny,
welcomes you to contact them with any questions you may have about getting your
child ready for school.
Atchison Elementary School welcomes your family to tour our school, visit the classrooms and experience the learning opportunities that await you and your child. We look forward to serving you and helping you on the road to a wonderful education. The Atchison Elementary School telephone number is 913-367-1611.
Atchison Elementary School welcomes your family to tour our school, visit the classrooms and experience the learning opportunities that await you and your child. We look forward to serving you and helping you on the road to a wonderful education. The Atchison Elementary School telephone number is 913-367-1611.
Recommended Websites:
Believing in Opportunities for Our Kids: https://www.facebook.com/pages/BOOK-Believing-in-Opportunities-for-Our-Kids/485925688139783
Read and Sing To Your Bunny Contacts:
Marilyn Albright
Atchison Hospital
Auxiliary
Stephanie Berkhalter
Family Resource
Coordinator for the BOOK Program (Believing in Opportunities for Our Kids)
Bradley Weaver
Atchison
Elementary School CARE’s Cadre
Atchison
Elementary School Music Educator (K-5)
Atchison National
Education Association
