Fusion of Play - Early Literacy

Sat - 1 - 2:30 pm
Panel of libraries, architects to discuss creating early learning spaces and how early literacy and play ties in.

** Will edit post at later time, blogged during session, will add info with speakers names, spell check

Baltimore, Maryland
Storyville

Mt. Airy Branch, Carroll County Maryland
Created early learning spaces in all branches. $30,000 all grant funds (except $400)
All branches have 5 signs (talk, sing, read, write, play)
Worked with designers - created train station.

Tracy Hvezda-Lehtola
Hennepin County Libraries

41 branches, Minneapolis - system wide initiative to create playful learning environments system wide. Build kindergarten readiness skills through hand on multi-modal play. Early Literacy Traveling Team (ELTT) - team of 9 to create environments. No professional degrees or designers. Meet with staff, learn about community, create a list of purchases. Budget $500 - $1500.Schedule date for installation, whole team meets together to create. Provide play training for all staff in building (cleaning and Maintaining), includes research on why important, how ties in. Pair with ELTT team member for ongoing support.

Light table (magnatiles, letters, see through blocks, skeleton, agate slices, blocks).

Doll houses (Lakeshore), lots of vocabulary, not just people, also animals, cars, dinosaurs.

Science play - promote observation skills, magnifying glasses, scales

Reading, writing - slate board, chalk, water with paintbrushes, letter recognition, hand eye coordination.

Best Practices
* Pair books from collection with your play activities.
* Rotate play activities throughout year (Demco station - ice cream stand, bookmobile)
* Unify play through a theme (insect xrays on light table, specimens on science table) Makes space cohesive and repetition of theme helps reinforce the learning
* Caregiver prompts (simple signs, when I play I am learning ___, and a sample thing to say)
* Land of nod stand, apple day cafe, food cafe - customize play piece
* Light table or panel (command strips can secure panel to table)
* Lego or magnet vertical wall on endcaps
* Traveling play kit (wind tunnel - kodo) - keep for one month

Kristie Estrovitz
San Francisco Public Library, youth services
Worked with Burggeon - Kim

10 years ago focus on early literacy - support parents. Expand collections, connect with caregivers in intentional way, strengthen partnerships, enriching environments.

Rule free, strong beautiful, staff light, fit, scale, and place, rule free, positive interactions, funding to replenish over the next years.

Benefit play pro - child development, play pro, green materials, collaborative process, artisans and art, customize projects, friendly, responsive, fun.

77 activity panels, 11 libraries, 7 multigenerational  panels, 23 cubes, 5 toy book returns, 5-6 multi lingual panels.

Measure self in books, ghiradelli chocolate, cable cars - experience the library in a physical way (play to learn) -

"Color is almost a form of language, that can speak to us" from "The Power of Play".

Burggeon
Left, right brain integration threading boards, dots for parents to solve, layers to engage. Over 700 designs (11 years) - only make things for public libraries. Started in Phoenix public, started the children's music of Phoenix.A love of library and museum education. Box ultimate open end activity - spycraft exhibit in Vancouver is like the box. Mirrors at the top show you what's happening inside.

Working on book bike, electric assist bike with airstream trailer, pop up. Checkout, create cards, provide books. Spoken word is the name of the bike. Wheels on the board go round and round song, lights, magnet board.

Ballrun in Maine. Patent pending pit ball, baby safe, no exposed hardware, all pieces come apart.

Marissa Conner, Youth Services Maryland
James Radcliffe archiects

Marissa background in education, early learning. 11 years ago moved beyond books. Early learning skills as entering kindergarten, was low. Small budgets $500-$5,000 friends grants.

Play that produces learning (pioneer of first ECRR version 1) - research from 70's longitudinal studies on types of play that produces learning. 5 key pieces

- Choice
- Materials
- Manipulate objects freely
- Talk about it while doing it
- Support from adults / parents

Focus on relationship with parent,s without that, no learning.

Basic features
- colorful rug define space
- bin unit to organize toys
- bookcase for theme unit
- puppet theater
- adult / child seating
- Magnetic board
- small table and chairs

Read, play, learn curriculum (animals, bugs, farm, water, dinosaurs, wild things, on the go)

Library friendly toys =
- no small pieces
- clean up / noise
- open ended
- gender neutral

World wall with vocabulary attached to bin unit. Rotate out the themes every few months. Matching skills for bins. Tips for parents laminated in bins.

Lessons - flexible, durable, safe, beautiful, adult child appeal.

3 branch - 3 prong table, has tops that flip over, difference surfaces to play on.

TMC - kids furnishings. Cuyahoga branch. sample furnishing designs.

Storyville - play on steroids
- 2 storyvilles (one for each half of the county), water and wood themes.

James Bradbury - James Bradbury Architects, Brynn Mawr architects. Cotsen Children's at Princeton. Working on CT now.

Mapped out venue, spaces, activities, etc. 14 areas of play. Ripped out children's area and re-did. 2,500 sq. ft, triangle shape. Finding right mix of venues and flexibility. Range of experience for babies and toddlers and preschoolers.

Woodlawn, wood area for children, trolley (historical stop).

Schooner cove, maritime library.

Burrgeon - measure conversations with parents before and after a space, book circulation linked to center, storytimes bursting at the seems. 3 measures good to use for grants.

Storyville, know ages, repeat visits, attendance.

Book signing for power of play tomorrow.