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Let’s face it, the logistics of taking any child under five into a quiet area can seem like mixing oil and water. Sure, we all know that the library is a storehouse for early literacy, but parents have to pick their battles and some days the library is just one more skirmish we’d rather not initiate. So, the question arises: Is it worth the battle? It is. Today’s public libraries offer so much more than storytime and Dr. Seuss. Our tax dollars are hard at work: From theme boxes to puppet shows, library systems are bursting at the seams with free programs and resources developed specifically for young children. New research is clear: Children who are read to daily do better in school. Private music or tumbling classes for toddlers can cost $40 or more an hour, and yet these activities don’t begin to compare when it comes to building young brains. What many parents don’t know is that the library is a virtually untapped resource: checking out books is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what they offer families. Consider “Books to Grow On,” theme boxes containing music, stories, and hands-on activities that explore a particular topic, such as dinosaurs, going to bed, or preparing for the new baby. These theme boxes, offered by the King County Library System, can be reserved online and picked up at any library branch; the perfect way for a parent to share quality time with a toddler or preschooler (or a group of them!). Just about every library in the Puget Sound area offers a storytime for preschoolers, and many now offer bilingual storytimes. Programs typically run 20-30 minutes and include stories, songs, and finger plays: The ideal breeding ground for developing pre-reading skills. The Federal Way Regional Library has recently renovated the children’s department, adding a seven-foot module with cranks, pulleys, and other hands-on activities that promote print awareness and early literacy. Several children’s departments around the Northwest offer puppet theaters, cozy reading nooks, and computers with quality preschool programs for the littlest patrons to enjoy. Visit a library system website, and you’re guaranteed to stumble across many valuable resources, including a list of “good reads” for every age level, links to local events, and interactive games and activities for the children. For example, children can listen to a story of the week by Charlie Williams, the “Noise Guy,” on the KCLS website or play A Game a Day on the Timberland Regional Library website. Patrons can browse library catalogs and even put materials on hold online. It’s all just a click away. Give your child his own library card and there will be no problem convincing him to use it. For many children, the ideal age for obtaining a library card falls between four and six years of age. Parents may choose to adopt guidelines for their child’s library card use by allowing their children one book per year of age, for example, or allowing the child to check out books and music, but not DVDs or videos. With very young children, however, the problem isn’t usually getting them to the library, it’s keeping them quiet while they are there. Geri Jones, children’s librarian at the Federal Way 320th Library, gives this advice: “As a parent, if you’re like me, you feel embarrassed especially because libraries are supposed to be quiet places. Most of us who work in the library have had this experience ourselves, so please know we understand the situation.” Jones suggests parents take a deep breath, relax, and softly remind children what the library is for. “If they’re really not happy that day—maybe they don’t feel well, or they’re tired or hungry—go on home and come back at a time that’s better for the child,” said Jones. The more we enjoy and use our libraries, the better the programs and wider the selection they can offer. Northwest library websitesGrays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties Sarah Menck lives and writes in Tacoma with her husband, Andrew, and their three young children. |
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