Resources for Parents

 

Baby Bounce

Baby Bounce is a program developed for parents and babies aged 0-24 months. It consists of 20-30mins of songs and rhymes. The sessions are interactive, fun and beneficial to both parent and child.

Singing and rhymes are a part of early literacy. Early literacy is the foundation of learning to read. Singing develops your child’s communication, voice development and helps with their emotional wellbeing.

 

Parents with babies at baby bounceSession Times

Baulkham Hills
Thursday
10.30am
Carlingford Thursday 10.30am
Castle Hill Thursday 2.00pm
Rouse Hill
Wednesdays & Thursdays
10.30am

 

Singing and music

  • Can help children with rhythm and rhymeParents with babies at baby bounce
  • Allows them to hear the voice used in different ways
  • Can be used to learn about emotions and feelings
  • Can be used to calm down (or hype up)

 

Fingerplays and Rhymes

  • Learn how language works in a fun way
  • Help develop motor skills 
  • Help learn simple counting and spatial concepts 
  • Help learn names of the body parts etc

 

Informative websites

  • Early Words - developed for Western Sydney families to promote early literacy in babies. There is also an Aboriginal site. It has lots of great information and links to more sites with song lyrics
  • Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Western Australia - contains lots of interesting information about development. This page contains many fact sheets including the benefit of music and first songs.
  • Sing Your Way to Reading Success - a very informative article from Scholastic about the benefits of singing and the Mozart Effect for babies.

 

Rhymes and song lyrics

  • Bookstart- a UK site with rhyme sheets that can be downloaded.
  • Mother Goose- created by a librarian , this site is open to anyone who is looking for ideas and themes for storytelling and singing to their child or groups. Mother Goose is similar to Baby Bounce at The Hills Shire Libraries
  • NIEHS Kids' Pages - a US site which is an informational and educational resource for all ages. It contains a comprehensive list of songs, some with midis, so you can sing along with the music.
  • The Teachers Guide -songs with midis attached, also has links to children’s song lyrics. 

 

Kids at preschool storytimePreschool Storytime

Storytime is a fun and interactive 30 minute session for parents and children aged 2-5. It consists of stories, songs and activities which aim to encourage literacy and a love of reading in children. Storytime is a great way to bond with your child. It is also valuable preparation for starting school, as it gives children a chance to participate in a group and introduces them to books and reading.

 

Session Times

Baulkham Hills Tuesday and Friday 11.00am
Carlingford Wednesday and Friday 10.30am
Castle Hill Tuesday and Wednesday 10.30am & 11.15am
Dural Wednesday 11.00am
Rouse Hill Tuesday and Friday 10.30am

 

Kids at preschool storytimePlease note: due to space restrictions participant numbers are limited at Castle Hill and Rouse Hill. Special group visits are welcome by appointment at any branch.

 

Benefits of storytime:

Early exposure to books and reading has been shown to:

  • Develop language skills and increase vocabulary
  • Trigger the imagination.
  • Help make learning to read easier
  • Be valuable preparation for starting school
  • Foster a lifetime pattern of reading and a love of books
  • Promote reading as a fun experience! 
     

Website Links

For Parents:

 

For Children:

  • Children’s Storybooks Online – E-books for your child to read online.
  • PBS Kids – A wide range of online stories and games.
  • CBeebies – Lots of online stories and rhymes with favourite characters such as Charlie and Lola and the Teletubbies.
  • Tumblebooks-  a digital collection of animated and talking children’s picture books. Also included in the Tumblebook Library is a selection of quizzes, puzzles and education games related to the books in the collection to help young readers.

 

Back to Top