Understanding and advocating for early literacy is one of the most important aspects of my job. One of the most frequent places I can talk to caregivers about early literacy is storytime.
We often get asked where we find our early literacy messages and how we incorporate them into a storytime setting. So this week, along with many other youth services bloggers, we will be sharing our advice and experience incorporating early literacy messages into storytime. We bring you the Early Literacy Messages in Action Blog Tour!
Incorporating Early Literacy Messages Into Storytime
I don't believe there is one right way to do this. Just like we all have our own storytime style, we all have different ways of talking to our community members. In general, my style is very relaxed, conversational, and informal. Some people may be afraid to sound preachy or condescending, but I've found that when I keep the asides simple and casual this doesn't happen. Also, if I can make the early literacy tips personal by sharing stories about my nieces and nephews that goes a step a further by helping me develop relationships with my storytimers. Here are three ways I incorporate early literacy messages in storytime.
1. In My Welcome Message
The main point I try to get across to caregivers in my welcome message is that storytime is a chance for them to bond with their child and develop a positive, loving relationship. So when they sing with their child, help them with the rhymes, and sit with them during the stories, they are making their child feel safe and loved. When kids feel safe and loved, their brains are more open to learning. This early literacy message works doubly to encourage caregivers to participate during storytime rather than sit on the sidelines.
2. Before or After Singing, Reading, or Rhyming
Connecting an early literacy tip to a rhyme, song, or book helps me remember to say it. I'll often write the message down on my storytime planning sheet too. Saroj Ghoting has a blog with a plethora of early literacy asides for specific songs and books called Storytime Share. I try to work in at least one tip per storytime, but if I've got a really calm group I can often fit in more. But I'm cautious of over-burdening the caregivers with information, especially if they are new to storytime.
Here are three examples of how I actually say early literacy tips to caregivers.
“We're going to sing a song now about fruits and vegetables. This song has lots of great action words in it like peel, mash, shuck, pop, slice, and squeeze. Today when you eat lunch or dinner, try using these words again or introducing new words about the foods you're eating with your child.”
“Can everybody make their hand into a fist? We're going to pretend our hand is a beehive today. We're also going to practice counting to five. Who here can count to five? Okay, here we go (say rhyme two times). I love doing this rhyme because it helps kids develop their finger muscles which they'll need when they learn to write. Any rhyme or song that encourages your child to separate their fingers is great for this development.”
“We're going to read a book called Breathe by Scott Magoon. Before we read, let's all practice taking a big breathe (practice breathing in and out). How do you feel when you take a deep breathe? It makes me feel calm and happy. This book is a great way to teach kids how to calm themselves when they feel upset which we can model by breathing deeply.”
3. In 1-1 Conversations with Parents
If it feels uncomfortable to make these kind of statements in storytime, take advantage of the 15 minutes before and after storytime to interact with caregivers and kids 1-on-1. During this informal time, I've told many parents of toddlers that it's okay if their child can't sit still for an entire book – just read what you can and then move on but keep the experience positive. My messages can be more specific based on the child and sometimes the concerns of the parent. When delivering early literacy messages becomes tied to developing relationships with my community members, it's a double win!
Early Literacy Messages Resources
Here's where you can find early literacy messages to use in storytime.
• Plus her book – Storytimes for Everyone! : Developing Young Children's Language and Literacy
General Early Literacy and Childhood Development Books
• So Much More than ABCs: The Early Phases of Reading and Writing by Judith A. Shickedanz and Molly F. Collins
• Language Development in Early Childhood by Beverly Otto
• Handbook of Early Literacy Research: Volume 3 Edited by Dickinson and Neuman
• NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
• Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow into Troublesome Gaps – And What We Can Do About It by Lise Eliot
• The Philosophical Baby by Alison Gopnik
• Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs by Ellen Galinsky
• Proust and the Squid: The Story of Science and the Reading Brain by Maryann Wolff
• From Lullabies to Literature: Stories in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers by Jennifer Birckmayer and Anne Kennedy
• Growing a Reader from Birth: Your Child's Path from Language to Literacy by Diane McGuinness
• Handbook of Early Childhood Literacy Edited by Hall, Larson, and Marsh
• From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development edited by Jack P. Shonkoff and Deborah A. Phillips
18 thoughts on “Early Literacy Messages in Action”
• Wonderful pointers! I also had a lot of fun reading Breathe. Thanks for including such a great list of resources and for hosting the tour!
• Thank you, Kelly! So glad to have you on board!
• My blog is quite new and I had fallen off the bandwagon this summer, but I believe so wholeheartedly in sharing early literacy messages that I had to get back to blogging to participate in your tour.
• Wow, that is so lovely to hear! I'll definitely include you in the round up that's going live tomorrow. Thanks so much for participating!
• Hi gals,
Just discovered your blog and I'm in love! It's amazing to see so many great ideas in the one place. I'm really struggling with parent messaging for my storytime, which is aimed at ages 3-5, but mainly consists of ages 4-5 (sometimes 4-7 in the holidays). The kids tend to really like the longer stories and enjoy the direct interaction with the storyteller (most of them don't want to sit with their parents). Any tips on how I work parent messaging in? I'm thinking handouts might be best?
• When googling “early literacy tips for storytime” you came up as #1. Should have known to come here first, silly me! Jbrary ladies, you have all a storytime librarian gal could ever need. Thank you so much for all you do!
• Hi Dana and Lindsey,
• • Great idea! Where did you get a copy of the Storytime Early Literacy Observation sheet? Is that from Saroj's website? I'd love to check it out.
• Yes, under “Early Literacy Observation Aids” for Talkers ages 2 – 3. I'm filling up the margins fast, though!
• Thank you guys so so much. Our children's librarians in the Live Oak Public Library system love you!
We are meeting today to talk about filming short early literacy tips as part of our virtual programming efforts.
Appreciate you!
Sha from Savannah
• Thank you so much, Sha! I would love to see the videos you create once they are finished. I could see a lot of people loving those 🙂
Where to List and Why A Good Baby Registry Greeting Helps
If you haven't already searched and found the places to list your baby registry, I’ve done the search for you. Here’s a list of some places you can consider and why:
• Amazon: Yes, believe it or not, but Amazon does have a baby registry option. Plus, you can add your message (a maximum of 500 words) which shows every time someone opens your registry list.
• Target: This universal registry offers up to 1800 locations for stores and a range of popular baby brands. You can personalize your registry page (great for putting your baby registry greeting on).
• Walmart: This is another popular pick for baby registries. With over 4500 stores to pick from and offering a wide range of popular baby brands.
• Babylist: This company makes it easy for you to compile your baby registry with suggestions and recommendations provided. You can add from any store including the ones already mentioned above.
What to Include in a Baby Registry Greeting Message
Find out first how many words you can include
You can include the following:
• Details about the nursery: This could include the color and theme of the room.
• Gender: If you want to share the gender of your baby, you can include this information. Or, if you’re going gender-neutral then let the gifter know.
• Preferences of gifts: You may only want to build your baby’s library of books or prefer second-hand gifts. Perhaps you’re eco-conscious so the gifts can be organic products.
• Name of your baby: If you want to include the name of your baby in the message it will help to personalize some gift options. And, if you’re having twins or triplets it will help to let your friends and family know when they decide on a suitable gift.
• Thank you: Acknowledge how grateful you are for your family and friends visiting your baby registry. Thanking them for their love and support goes a long way to show your appreciation. You could also say you’re excited about welcoming and meeting your new baby soon.
Let’s Get Started – 5 Baby Registry Greeting Samples
3 Baby Registry Greeting Samples for Family and Friends
Sample 1
Welcome to our baby registry! Our baby girl, Sarah, can’t wait to meet all our friends and family! Her nursery is cheerful and bright, with hints of pink, yellow and purple. We would love to grow her library with all the favorite children’ classics plus some other books. Thank you for showing so much love to our new family member, Sarah, already. Love Emma and Tom
Sample 2
Thank you for visiting our baby registry. We are so grateful for your love and support and can’t wait to introduce you to our baby boy. If you’re wondering: his room is blue and gray and we’ve chosen a nautical theme. We’re so excited to share our baby journey with you! Love Emma and Tom
We are so excited to be sharing our special day with friends and family at our baby shower. Your presence means the world to us as well as your support and love. That’s all we would ask of you. However, if you are thinking of bringing a gift to celebrate the arrival of our baby girl, then please visit our baby registry listed with Babylist.
2 Baby Registry Samples for Guests
Sample 4
We are so excited about welcoming our twins to the world. Have fun with our list of ideas on our baby registry. We want to keep it simple so it’s gender-neutral and minimalistic. We’re going to need to save some space! Love Emma and Tom
If you wish to join in our celebration of baby Victoria’s pending arrival with a gift, we have a baby registry listed with the following stores: Amazon, Babylist and Babies R Us. You can view these lists online.
How to Announce Your Baby Registry
Make sure close family members know, such as your mom, mother-in-law or sister. This way they can discreetly tell your friends and other families when asked.
Of course, if someone asks you directly you can tell them. But, also be prepared that many people may buy without asking you and not even go to your baby registry.
Final Thoughts
The best way to write a baby registry greeting is to keep it real with a personal touch. Your genuine appreciation will reflect how grateful you are for the interest and support your relatives and friends are showing. In return, you’ll receive a gift full of love.
Just like with messages that are short, I consider myself to be a minimalist also regarding baby registry items. If you need some ideas, I've put together a minimalist baby registry that might be useful when you're brainstorming for ideas. And if you want to optimize your baby registry creation process, I have some hacks for you.
• Welcome to the Parent Portal Assistance Page!
Making this information-rich connection with parents is a useful way to improve communication between teachers, parents and students.
Access to the Parent Portal can be gained from home, work, cell phone, or anywhere an Internet connection can be established. The Parent Portal is a free service to our district families, and an excellent resource for you to monitor your child’s progress.Once logged in, you will:
• Have 24 hour/7 days a week access
• View your child's homeroom and schedule
• Review your child’s daily attendance records
• View progress reports & report cards
• Access district documents & forms you may need
• View discipline activity
• Access online lunch applications when available
on the top right of the screen, select , then to see that child's information. Please contact your child's school guidance counselor with any questions.
To Change Password in Parent PortalWhile logged into the Parent Portal, click the on the top right, click , then you may change the password.
The Teenager's Office Visit: Information for Parents
Welcome to adolescence! It may seem like it has been a long time in arriving, but now that you have an adolescent of your own, we would like to address some issues that will make your visit to us different than it has been during the elementary school years. We understand that being the parent of an adolescent may at times seem like an insurmountable task. But then the younger years were probably not that smooth going either. This is just another exciting phase in the continuum of parenting that began more than a decade ago when you first found out you were pregnant and going to have a newborn baby to parent! We hope that you have been preparing for this event for the past decade, gradually establishing an atmosphere of trust and communication with your pre-teen (the child from 5-12 years old). While it is important for you to help your child develop decision-making skills and the maturity needed to develop into the self-confident and responsible adult that we each anticipate our child will become.
Adolescents who receive care at Lancaster-Depew Pediatrics are given the same respect. Although we encourage adolescents to share all health-related information with their parents or guardians, we also assure our young patients that any information that they do not wish shared with others will remain confidential. (We also explain that there are some exceptions to this general philosophy, including information, which may impact the safety of the patient or others.)
As a final note, we encourage you to share this information with your adolescent, so that we all will have a common understanding about the role of the adolescent health maintenance examination.
Prepare for Baby Dedication. View our suggested ceremony. Download child dedication certificates and see example messages with prayers of blessing.
Printable Baby Dedication Certificate
Here is what you need to know when planning a baby dedication service for your church. The printable file below includes this full how-to article, a template baby dedication certificate, and tips for making this a meaningful celebration for parents, child, and congregation.
On mother's day, our church had a Baby Dedication Service. Many churches dedicate infants and babies because of tradition rather than theology. We want our families to have a Christian vision for their children. We want them to see parenting as a divine responsibility. We believe every child is a gift from God.
Baby Dedication order of service for church
In most churches, the child dedication ceremony is a smaller event within the morning worship service lasting 10 minutes or less. In our church we often replaced the children's sermon / ministry moment spot with the baby dedication. Here is our simple order of service:
Presentation of the Child & Parents
The pastor (or clergy officiating the ceremony) invites the families forward to the front of the church meeting. He then readers the parent and child's name saying:
“It is my great joy to introduce you to these newest members of our church family. (CHILD NAME) is the son of (PARENTS NAMES) and was born (WHEN AND WHERE). These parents have come today to pledge themselves before God and this congregation to raise this child in a way the honors the LORD.”
Parental Affirmations to God
The pastor then reads the following affirmations (printed in the bulletin for the congregation to read along). After each statement the parents will respond “WE DO.”
• Do you today recognize these children as the gifts of God and give heartfelt thanks for God's blessing?
• Do you now dedicate your children to the Lord who gave them to you all, surrendering all worldly claims upon their lives in the hope that they will belong wholly to God?
• Do you pledge as parents that, with God's fatherly help, you will bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, making every reasonable effort, with patience and love, to build the Word of God, the character of Christ and the joy of the Lord into their lives?
• Do you promise to provide, through God's blessing, for the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of your children, looking to your own heavenly Father for the wisdom, love and strength to serve them and not use them?
• Do you promise, God helping you, to make it your regular prayer that, by God's grace, your children will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and for the fulfillment of all his promises to them, even eternal life; and in this faith follow Jesus as Lord and obey his teachings?
Pastor's Message or Charge to the PARENTS
In a shorter ceremony, the pastor will simply read a biblical admonition about parenting. In a longer service the preacher may ask the parents to sit down while he gives a short baby dedication sermon or message. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Psalm 78:1-8 are popular verses for this sermon.
Prayer of Blessing
The pastor lays hands on the child and offers this baby dedication prayer:
(child's name), together with your parents, who love you dearly, and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God for ever.
Congregational Greeting
When the service is finished, the parents and child are ask to stand while church members come to offer their congratulations or personal blessings. If a reception is planned, the family can proceed to the fellowship area and await their guests.
How We Plan our Baby Dedication Ceremony
Pastor David Michael at Bethlehem Baptist Church has given us some great ideas for baby dedication. David and his wife Sally are behind the Children's Desiring God curriculum. Their approach to baby dedication emphasizes parental promises and includes a mandatory parenting class. So before the ceremony, parents are challenged to have a God-centered vision for their children.
Time needed: 30 days.
How to plan our Baby Dedication Ceremony
• Plan a Parent's Meeting
I invited parents to meet with me about baby dedication. These are families from our church that have added new children since last year. I take the initiative to contact them.
• Provide Parent Training
We have arranged a training meeting several weeks before the dedication. We will use this as a teaching time to explain the dedication service and reinforce a biblical vision for Christian parenting. We discuss specific scriptures about parenting. We invite them to define their vision for their children. We challenge them to dedicate themselves as parents to raising God-centered children.
• Rehearse the Dedication Service Questions
Do you today recognize these children as the gifts of God and give heartfelt thanks for God's blessing? Do you now dedicate your children to the Lord who gave them to you all, surrendering all worldly claims upon their lives in the hope that they will belong wholly to God? Do you pledge as parents that, with God's fatherly help, you will bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, making every reasonable effort, with patience and love, to build the Word of God, the character of Christ and the joy of the Lord into their lives? Do you promise to provide, through God's blessing, for the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of your children, looking to your own heavenly Father for the wisdom, love and strength to serve them and not use them? Do you promise, God helping you, to make it your regular prayer that, by God's grace, your children will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and for the fulfillment of all his promises to them, even eternal life; and in this faith follow Jesus as Lord and obey his teachings?
• Day of the Service – Affirmations
Invite the family to the front of the church along with their child. The pastor reads the above questions and the parents affirm “WE DO.” The congregation will have these same promises as a bulletin insert. We want this time to reinforce a biblical vision of parenting for the whole congregation. We invite all parents in the congregation to silently re-commit to being intentionally Christian in their parenting with each affirmation.
• Day of Service – Blessing Prayer
fter the parents have affirmed the promises the senior pastor will pray this prayer of dedication: (child's name), together with your parents, who love you dearly, and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God for ever.
• After the Ceremony
• Provide Annual Updates
The ideal situation would be to visit this family at 6 months or a year out from the service to remind them of the commitments and discuss how the church can further empower them in their calling as parents. In this case, the baby dedication service is only the first step in a program of equipping parents.
Common questions about Baby Dedication at Church
What is the difference between a baby baptism and dedication?
Catholic and some protestant churches offer infant baptism, which is a sacrament that infers grace upon the child. Godparents are often named and presnet when the baby is baptized. The baby dedication ceremony in an alternate tradition in many protestant churches, in which the parents pledge to raise the child in a godly manner and the congregation offers a prayer of blessing upon the child and parents. Godparents are not typically part of this tradition, but some churches encourage older Christians to sponsor the young parents.
What age do you do baby dedication?
Most churches offer a dedication ceremony while a child is under the age of two, many plan it for the first Sunday the parents bring the infant to church after it is born. For older children (as in the case of adoption), churches can offer a child dedication service. This is essential the same format, but for an older child.
Why do you dedicate a baby?
The ceremony is usually performed before or after the Worship service of Sunday. When the parents have come forward with the child, the pastor presents it to the congregation, or asks the parents to do so.Most often, the pastor asks parents to say orally their commitment to raising the child
More Baby Dedication Celebration Ideas
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1 thought on “Baby Dedication Ceremony: What You Need to Know”
• I am the widower of a Minister, who agrees with your approach to this order of service for a baby blessing service. I have moved back home to my family church origins. The leadership has become very different that I am not comfortable continuing to worship there. This Leader did a baby blessing service using water as a part of the service. I had the nerve to approach him about the use of water, and he seemed to agree with me. This Sunday pass, he presented another baby blessing service along the same line of before. Now of course, the baby was his own. It did not matter to him, whether my insistence the use of water in the service was a form of Baptism.