Our July Book Recommendations are all about making connections.
The power of community can have a positive impact that supports social and cognitive advancement.
Through relationships, children discover the world around them. Building and strengthening personal connections provides an opportunity for your child to develop social skills, and communicate confidently. Nurturing relationships with a variety of people helps your child develop a “sense of self”, while celebrating the differences of others.
Our expert programming team have hand-picked these July reads that introduces empathy, portrayings the value of community and the importance of spending time together.
Saturday, By Oge Mora
Saturdays are special, because Saturday is the only day Ava’s mother doesn’t have to go to work. Every Saturday, Ava and her mother get to go on an adventure through the city, but this Saturday is a little different. Ava realizes that Saturdays are special not because of where they go or what they do, but because they get to spend time together.
Green Green: A Community Garden Story,
By Baldev Lamba, Marie Lamba & Sonia Sánchez
“Green, green, fresh and clean. Brown, brown, dig the ground.” As the city grows and grows, there is less and less green space left. The neighborhood children inspire the community to join in and build a garden in the middle of the city for everyone to share.
Swimmy, By Leo Lionni
Swimmy is a little fish who loves adventure and wants to explore the sea. When he meets a school of small red fish, he invites them to swim and play, but the little fish are frightened of the big fish that lurk nearby. Swimmy comes up with a plan so he and the other fish can all safely explore the ocean together.
Counting on Community, By Innosanto Nagara
We’re counting up from one stuffed pinata up to ten hefty hens and counting on each other. Children learn the value of community, the joys of engaging in eco-friendly activities, and the agency they possess to make a change.
Bear Came Along, By Richard T. Morris & LeUyen Pham
This action-packed adventure is all about the importance of friendship and community. The story starts with a river. The river never knew it was capable of adventure… until Bear came along. Bear is soon joined by Froggy, Turtles, Beaver, Raccoons and Duck. These very different animals travel together downstream, but never knew they’d need each other… until the river came along.
For more story time fun, visit our Gymboree Play & Music YouTube channel where our teachers will take you on different adventures such as:
Story Time, Play Time Fun, and Art & Music Activities!
Through these videos your little one will be engaged in play, building crucial skills to support a lifetime of learning!