Kids and Families

Play Literacy

Doctor's prescription: read to your baby

Writing down baby's earache on the medical chart

You'd like a hamburger? Let me write that down.

Play Literacy supports the idea that children learn best through play. Young children can learn the fun, as well as the importance, of reading and writing in everyday life through imaginative play. Madison Public Library's Play Literacy program is based on the work of early childhood educator Gretchen Owocki, author of Literacy Through Play (Heinemann, 1999)

Together with the Dane County Library Service, the Madison Public Library uses the Readmobile to provide Play Literacy programs as an outreach service to preschool classrooms in Madison and Dane County. Families with young children can also experience the fun of Playing with Literacy during Preschool Storytimes at library branches.  And, at the Central Library, we have a Play Literacy Corner, where young children can play with toys and literacy right in the Children's Room.  Themes change monthly.

Play Literacy was featured in a front page article in the Wisconsin State Journal. The article, A Reading Lesson (in disguise): Preschool kids play imaginative games that help build literacy, was featured in the Monday, August 7, 2006 edition.

For more information, please contact:

Readmobile Librarian
Youth Services
266-6345

What does a typical Play Literacy program look like?
Watch a short video of Play Literacy visit at a preschool
What are the monthly Play Literacy themes for 2007-2008?
Playing with Literacy at Home:  Tips for Families (pdf in English), (pdf in Spanish)

Where can I learn more about Play Literacy?

 

What does a typical Play Literacy program look like?

Checking baby's eye

Doctor adjusting the stethoscope

Doctor takes baby's temperature

Madison Public Library staff and preschool teachers work together to make Play Literacy a successful experience for children.

The Madison Public Library Readmobile brings all of the supplies needed for a Play Literacy visit: toys and literacy materials related to a theme, such as Post Office, Fishing, or Ice Cream Stand. After reading a related story, library staff model how to play and emphasize the literacy activities that go along with the theme. Staff incorporate pretend reading and writing into the program through group-based and individual literacy activities. For example, staff might write a grocery list or a letter and read a menu or a fishing map, and then help the children to do the same. Children and adults then have the opportunity to play with the toys ("go shopping," "take pizza orders," "play post office.")

At the end of the program, children and teachers may have an opportunity to check out library books for their classroom. For more information about obtaining or using a library card, contact the Central Circulation Department at 266-6357.

We all read together

Lost in a book

Choosing a favorite

Watch a short video of Play Literacy visit at a preschool

Watch a short video of a Play Literacy visit at an area preschool on your computer or borrow the video from the library. The online version is 8.5 minutes long (82.7Mg) and requires Real Player. To download the latest version of RealPlayer, please visit Real.com

Stirring the soup

Where does baby hurt?

What are the monthly Play Literacy themes?

2008

• January:  Construction
• February: Pizza Parlor
• March: Flower Shop
• April: Bakery
• May: Post Office
• June: Camping
• July: Ice Cream Stand
• August: Zoo
• September: Fishing
• October: Laundromat
• November: Grocery Store
• December: Veterinarian

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