In earÂly fall of 2019, I comÂpletÂed a grant appliÂcaÂtion through our local earÂly childÂhood board. I proÂposed a new earÂly litÂerÂaÂcy proÂgram called LitÂtle Engines. Each month, we will have an earÂly childÂhood proÂfesÂsionÂal proÂvide a stoÂryÂtime proÂgram with activÂiÂties. These include litÂerÂaÂcy, nutriÂtion, childÂcare, school readiÂness, music/recreation, creativity/arts, and STEAM. The library proÂvides famÂiÂlies a tote bag that includes varÂiÂous activÂiÂties and a book to enjoy at home togethÂer. This is also a partÂnerÂship proÂgram between our local school disÂtrict, a local videoÂgÂraÂphÂer, and pubÂlic teleÂviÂsion. Although this is a grant-fundÂed proÂgram, it is a simÂple proÂgram that anyÂone can adopt.
Our First Program:

In FebÂruÂary 2020, we had our first proÂgram with Dr. ConÂstance BeechÂer from the School of EduÂcaÂtion at Iowa State UniÂverÂsiÂty. Dr. Beecher’s proÂgram focused on enhancÂing STEM learnÂing through interÂacÂtive activÂiÂties for famÂiÂlies to do togethÂer. The proÂgram began with a short interÂview with Dr. BeechÂer and it was conÂductÂed by me and KelÂly Nesheim from Iowa PubÂlic TeleÂviÂsion. We did not have an audiÂence in front of us howÂevÂer, we encourÂaged famÂiÂlies to tune in via FaceÂbook Live. The interÂview focused on the imporÂtance of famÂiÂly engageÂment and the quesÂtions that were asked include:
- Tell us a litÂtle about you and what you as an earÂly childÂhood professional.
- What does famÂiÂly engageÂment mean to you?
- What are a few things parÂents, grandÂparÂents and careÂgivers can do each day to help engage with their child(ren)?
- Are there any speÂcifÂic resources that you can share on famÂiÂly engageÂment and resources that can help to genÂerÂate ideas?
- What are going to be doing today for your proÂgram (disÂcuss some of the activÂiÂties you brought and the story(ies) you will be reading).
The interÂview was conÂductÂed in the children’s departÂment stoÂryÂtime room. We repurÂposed the space to include an area rug, colÂorÂful setÂting, a few posters for a backÂdrop, and a table to showÂcase her resources. Dr. BeechÂer added the STEM backÂpacks creÂatÂed by her team. FolÂlow this link for more inforÂmaÂtion about their CheckÂout STEM proÂgram.
FolÂlowÂing the interÂview, Dr. BeechÂer proÂvidÂed an interÂacÂtive STEM stoÂryÂtime. She read the stoÂry, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. At the conÂcluÂsion of stoÂryÂtime, famÂiÂlies were instructÂed to parÂticÂiÂpate in a variÂety of STEM activÂiÂties includÂing an art project, explorÂing the STEM backÂpacks, and a sciÂence experÂiÂment. All famÂiÂlies were givÂen a tote bag with colÂorÂing sheets, a bookÂmark, and a free book. Here is the link to her proÂgram. Please note that due to COVID-19, we are migratÂing this proÂgram to a fulÂly online proÂgram. AddiÂtionÂal updates and proÂgrams will be postÂed this fall.
Key Resources RecÂomÂmendÂed by Dr. Beecher
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The folÂlowÂing are the steps to help you creÂate your own LitÂtle Engines program:
Step 1: The Layout
It is imporÂtant to conÂsidÂer the layÂout for this proÂgram. Some quesÂtions to conÂsidÂer include:
- What earÂly childÂhood mesÂsages do I want to send to parÂents? What are the key topÂics I want to focus on?
- How do I want to share these mesÂsages? Do I want to record these mesÂsages, or do I want to share them live via FaceÂbook Live?
- How many times per month do I want to do this proÂgram, and will it be tied to a regÂuÂlarÂly schedÂuled program?
Step 2: NeedÂed Equipment
A key part of the LitÂtle Engines proÂgram is the use of a virÂtuÂal platÂform to reach famÂiÂlies. For this proÂgram, we purÂchased a triÂpod to fit both a tablet and a cellÂphone so we can record these videos. HowÂevÂer, you could use a webÂcam and conÂnect a lapÂtop or deskÂtop comÂputÂer to record the videos. You will need to have access to a strong WiFi or ethÂerÂnet for live videos.
Step 3: RecordÂing Platforms
The folÂlowÂing is a list of recordÂing platforms:
- FaceÂbook Live
- Zoom
- Google HangÂout
- WebÂroom
Step 4: FindÂing Presenters
For this proÂgram, the preÂsenÂters we locatÂed were from a variÂety of secÂtors includÂing eduÂcaÂtion, health, parks and recreÂation, emerÂgency serÂvices, uniÂverÂsiÂties, and earÂly childÂhood comÂmitÂtees. It is imporÂtant for me to emphaÂsize that the preÂsenÂters for the LitÂtle Engines proÂgram have expeÂriÂence speakÂing with peoÂple; howÂevÂer, they may not have expeÂriÂence on camÂera. It is imporÂtant to reasÂsure them and help proÂvide guidÂance throughÂout this process. The folÂlowÂing is a short list of preÂsenÂters to whom we will reach out to parÂticÂiÂpate in the LitÂtle Engines program:
- Iowa State UniÂverÂsiÂty School of Education
- Boone Iowa CounÂty Conservation
- EarÂly ChildÂhood Iowa board
- Iowa AssoÂciÂaÂtion for the EduÂcaÂtion of Young ChilÂdren play committee
- Boone CounÂty Hospital
- Blank Children’s Hospital
- Reach Out and Read Iowa
- Iowa PubÂlic Television
- Boone Humane Society
- State Library of Iowa
Step 5: The Program
The LitÂtle Engines proÂgram has two phasÂes. The first phase includes an interÂview between me, on pubÂlic teleÂviÂsion, and the monthÂly guest speakÂer. This interÂview focusÂes on askÂing the speakÂer speÂcifÂic quesÂtions relatÂing to famÂiÂly engageÂment. The objecÂtive for this interÂview is to proÂvide parÂents an underÂstandÂing of the topÂic, resources availÂable to them and their child to learn more about this topÂic, and ideas on how they can engage with their child. The secÂond phase is the proÂgram and some quesÂtions to conÂsidÂer include:
- What are speÂcifÂic topÂics that are in high demand for the famÂiÂlies you serve? Some examÂples include healthy eatÂing or the imporÂtance of physÂiÂcal activity.
- What space do you have availÂable to host this proÂgram and is it posÂsiÂble to modÂiÂfy this space to meet the need of the partner?
- What will engageÂment between chilÂdren and famÂiÂlies include? For examÂple, what activÂiÂties can the partÂner proÂvide in their proÂgram to encourÂage this engagement?
- How can we modÂiÂfy the proÂgram to meet a virÂtuÂal platform?
- If posÂsiÂble, what giveÂaways can you proÂvide to famÂiÂlies, i.e., books, bookÂmarks, a tote bag, and/or a make-and-take craft?
Step 6: Advertisement
To adverÂtise this proÂgram, we worked with Iowa PubÂlic TeleÂviÂsion to creÂate a logo to include on posters and newsÂpaÂper artiÂcles. We adverÂtised on the local radio staÂtion, local newsÂpaÂper, on our FaceÂbook page and the comÂmuÂniÂty FaceÂbook page, with the local school disÂtrict, and the local human serÂvices comÂmitÂtee. CanÂva is an excelÂlent tool for us to use to creÂate marÂketÂing mateÂriÂals at no cost.
Key Books Used for this Program