Last fall your Library began offering three different weekly storytimes that are based on preschoolers’ different developmental levels and personalities: Babies & Books, Read & Romp, and Little Listeners.
In the past, our storytimes were divided by age brackets. But kids are more dynamic and unique than that! We know they all develop along different timelines and learn in different ways.
With that understanding in mind, we retooled our storytimes to focus more on audiences defined by developmental ranges, rather than specific ages.
Assistant Director of Children’s Services Suzy Bomgardner says, “Our hope with this new focus is to allow more flexibility for parents and kids by providing two different learning climates: a traditional one and a more movement/rhyme-based one.”
Because these different storytimes are tailored for different levels and personalities, it’s important to identify which one your child will enjoy the most and get the most out of.
“Our storytimes will always remain educationally-curated, focused times that engage both the child and caretaker,” Suzy explains. “But moving forward we want to offer more flexibility and choice for caregivers, so they can determine which style of literacy learning best fits their little ones.”
The shifted focus to developmental levels grew out of several caregiver focus groups we held last fall. After gathering feedback about our children’s programming, we evaluated what we offered to ensure that it aligned with what our users need and want.
Suzy says, “This inclusive approach led us to reimagine storytimes that better serve our community’s diverse needs. It also helped us determine the best ways to use our resources. We’re excited to offer this new focus on developmental ranges, because it’s a great fit for the growing and changing needs of our children.”
The Library’s goals remain the same for whichever storytime you choose. All our storytimes promote literacy, encourage quality bonding time, and strengthen kids’ cognitive and emotional development. They also heighten social skills and community engagement, enhance creativity and imagination, and our personal favorite—storytimes promote a lifelong love for reading!
Which storytime is best for your child? Explore the options below, then come enjoy the one that fits your family’s needs!
Babies & Books
Babies & Books meets every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in the Library’s Jones Meeting Center. It is a lapsit storytime based on the early literacy components of the Every Child Ready to Read Initiative: talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing.
The program typically lasts 20-25 minutes and includes several songs, rhymes, accompanying books, and sensory activities. Afterwards, babies and their caregivers can enjoy brief social and open play time with other families.
This program is designed for our youngest not-yet-mobile little ones, generally ages birth-18 months. If you feel this format fits your child’s personality and needs, we encourage you to give it a try!
You don’t have to register ahead of time for Babies & Books. However, space is limited, so pick up a ticket at the Children’s Desk when you arrive.
Read & Romp
Read & Romp meets every Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in the Library’s Jones Meeting Center.
The program is designed for active preschoolers who may find it challenging to sit through longer stories. Read & Romp lasts 20-25 minutes and consists of several songs, rhymes, short stories, followed by a brief structured play time. Caregivers are encouraged to participate in the fun with their little ones.
Read & Romp is recommended for ages 19-36 months and their caregivers. But if your child is older than that and you feel this format fits their personality and needs, we encourage you to give it a try!
You don’t have to register ahead of time for Read & Romp. However, space is limited, so pick up a ticket at the Children’s Desk when you arrive.
Little Listeners
Little Listeners meets every Wednesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Library’s Storytime Room.
The program is a more traditional storytime geared toward older preschoolers who enjoy longer stories. It lasts 25-30 minutes and consists of books and music followed by a short craft time.
Little Listeners is recommended for ages 3-5 years and their caregivers. But if your child is older or younger than that and you feel this format fits their personality and needs, we encourage you to give it a try!
You don’t have to register ahead of time for Little Listeners. However, space is limited, so pick up a ticket at the Children’s Desk when you arrive.
In addition to these new programs, we offer several other storytimes that meet bi-weekly and monthly. Call the Children’s Library at (423) 434-4458 or visit our children’s event calendar for more information about any of our storytimes.
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