Rhymes, Songs and Poems for Young Children

Different cultures over time have taught young children their language through song, rhyme and poem. The simplest rhyme has become the most popular and over time were from child to adult they have been able to pass them down the generations to enjoy. Cultures which have not enjoyed having beautiful books with wondrous illustrations have added music and body actions to engage and entertain young children and teaching them their  cultural language at the same time.

On the page above you will find favourite old and new rhymes, songs and poems that entertain and encourage young children when learning their cultural language. View the  page when you visit again to read new additions. Picture books and CD resources  we find and sell in our ebay eStore will also be listed and can also be purchased by email order.

Post your favourite rhyme, poem or song in your language here. Tell us about it and how it can be used with young children. Write your rhyme in English and in the your language so that all can enjoy.

The online doors of The Orange Beehive eStore are open!

Welcome!
Hi! my name is Vicki and this is my blog for The Orange Beehive multilingual eStore. I am going to share with you how I started the Orange Beehive. Next time I will tell you why?

Once upon a day I decided that I just had to clean out the garage of the things that we no longer used or needed. I ventured into the world of eBay to sell them. Everyone else did it so why couldn't I? I had a few Greek picture books and placed them for sale but I didn't think anyone would buy them. 

Surprise! surprise! but sold and found new homes in such places as Italy, The Netherlands, Queensland, USA and Tasmania. As a teacher it was always difficult to buy good Greek picture books that you could read to children so on my trips I spent hours shopping for the best stories and activity books. I loved reading stories to children and wanted them to enjoy learning the language of their heritage. After these books had sold I started to receive requests for different types of books and the Orange Beehive took off!

At the same time I had bought a super large 70s orange beehive style glass vase that I saw in the window of a Vinnies store and could not believe my luck. I had been collecting decorative glass for years and already had three small beehive vases in different colours. The Orange Beehive vase was gorgeous and so the eStore was named!

In an online eStore curious customers tend to to go in and out to looking for their bargains and treasures. In a beehive busy bees go in to do what they have to and return as they need to. eBayers from Australia and countries around the world visit the Orange Beehive to find stories, activity books, CDs and DVD's for their children. They may buzz by and leave a question, place a request and order too. 

The eStore began selling used and new Greek books and resources. The Greek collection has been growing steadily with selective items from Rekos, Papadopoulos, Ellinika Grammata, Evernites and Patakis publishers. Soon we grow we will add Asian, European and Arabic languages to our collection with culturally inclusive  picture books  from around the world.

You can visit our eStore on eBay at http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/Orange-Beehive-Multilingual-eStore

In the Orange Beehive you will find:

Phonic & Alphabet activity books and aides

Language Learning mixed activity books

picture story books in hardback and paperback

Vocabulary - Word Dictionaries

Concept playing cards

Disney character story books

Colouring - Sticker activity books

eBay shopping
If you are an eBay shopper then you know what to do to buy what you like. If you do not shop on eBay and it is all new to you then just search for 'Greek picture book' or 'orangebeehivemultilingualestore' and store listings will come up. Select the one you like and read all about it. If you don't wish to buy through eBay you can email us at  orangebeehive@optusnet.com.au and we will take it from there! 

Our hardback picture book collection will be showcased here on the blog on a page all its own. Check it out before you leave us.

Cheers from Vicki at the Orange Beehive

Featured Storybook: Party at the Zoo by Giles Milton

Πάρτι στον κήπο!   -   Party at the Zoo

Written by Giles Milton and illustrated by Katherine McEwen

New, hardback, colour, 32 pages, 285x255 mm, first published by Orchard Books in 2009 in English and Minoas Publishers in Greek, ISBN: 978-960-699-940-6, known in English as Zebedee’s Zoo, 482g, $27.50

Zebedee's Zoo is very boring during the day: all the animals are asleep, catching Zs. However, when Zebedee heads home for the night, all the animals wake up, and the party can really get started! It's great fun to see how the animals get one over on their keeper, and the party is bubbly and energetic, as parties always are. The change of pace from sleep to awake will bring even the youngest of children in on the joke. Everyone will wish they were sucking up a bowlful of strawberry jelly, just like the gorilla. It's exciting, engaging and bristling with humour. There are strong rhymes throughout, which makes it perfect for reading aloud. Throw in a few animal noises here and there, and Zebedee's Zoo will be a much-loved favourite that they'll want you to read again and again.

Greek Summary - Σύντομη περιγραφή

O ζωολογικός κήπος τη μέρα είναι λίγο βαρετός. Αλλά στις εφτά φεύγει πάντα ακριβώς ο Θόδωρος ο θυρωρός......ξαφνικά μία φωνή ακούγεται από τις μαϊμούδες: «Έφυγε! Ξυπνήστε! Ελάτε και γλεντήστε!». Ώρα για διασκέδαση στο πάρκο της χαράς! 

Let us know what your child thought of this story (in English or any other language it is translated in). They could reply and tell us themselves.