Marathon County Public Library

Come visit MCPL’s new Early Literacy Center at our Wausau Headquarters!  In September, we’ll begin offering a variety of pet-themed activities, which will be the first of many rotating themes planned for the Early Literacy Center. 

One of the many pet-themed activities you’ll be able to enjoy with your child includes a veterinary dramatic play set, complete with a veterinarian costume and all of the equipment needed to take care of our (stuffed) furry friends! Dramatic play is an integral part of a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. In learning to follow the rules of dramatic play, a child learns to coordinate with others, make plans, and resolve conflicts. Dramatic play also supports literacy by providing prime opportunities for children to experience “functional print” – text in action in the real world. 

In addition to the dramatic play set, children and care givers will be able to:

• Practice their counting skills with the Put the Spot on the Puppy counting activity
• Create beautiful pet patterns using Tangram blocks (for ages 3 and up)
• Attend “Dog Obedience School” and practice reading (and performing!) dog commands
• Sort animals alphabetically on the Alphabet Animals pocket chart
• Perfect their lacing and tracing skills with Melissa & Doug Pets Lacing Cards

Of course, there will be plenty of pet-themed books available, too!  Here are just a few titles you might want to check out:

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

Have You Seen My Cat? By Eric Carl

Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio

Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd

Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming

Pet Show! By Ezra Jack Keats

Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin

Froggy Gets a Doggy by Jonathon London

If You Give a Dog a Donut/If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff

Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney

The Great Gracie Chase by Cynthia Rylant

Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

The Doghouse by Jan Thomas

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems

Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion

The pet theme will be offered through the end of October, so stop in any time to spend some time with your child in the ELC singing, playing, and learning – having fun while also building those early literacy skills!

For more information, call the Wausau Headquarters' children's department at 715-261-7220.

article by Laura Lawler / Library Specialist

Children Early Literacy