Even if your child is not going to be the next Beethoven or Yo-Yo Ma, adding music and movement to your child’s routine can have a great impact on their development. And not just their musical development. “A music-rich experience for children of singing, listening and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning,” says Mary Luehrisen, executive director of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.

This month's book list features read-alouds that focus on the time of year when colors are changing outside, leavings are starting to come down, and there are lots of seasonal activities: fall! 

Fall is a great time of year to discuss the natural changes and transitions that occur outdoors. Even the youngest of littles can tell that temperatures are lower and the scenery is changing. Sharing picture books about fall with young readers helps them put words and meaning to what they are observing around them.

Making real-world connections while reading is deeply impactful for young minds and developing readers.

This month's book list features read-alouds that focus on friendship. Learning to interact with others and fostering friendships is such an integral component of preschooler development. It is at this age that we as humans begin to grapple with and hone relational skills like sharing, communicating, asking for and offering forgiveness, accepting those who are different from us, and more.

Reading books that model these relational skills can create rich opportunities for parent-child conversations about real-life situations. Engage with your child about the relational dynamics presented in these books, asking them questions about the characters and storyline and helping them make connections with their own experiences.

Happy reading and relating!