Storytime

Come and have fun at Storytime! Each of our libraries holds storytime, most on a weekly basis, for young pre-school children and their families. Bringing your child to storytime is the perfect way to introduce your child to the magic of books and help them develop a love of reading. Children who love reading and develop strong literacy skills by grade three are ready to learn for the rest of their lives. High reading proficiency is critical to a child's success in school and their ability to contribute to society as an adult.

Recent studies show that a child's emotional development begins early in life and is very closely tied to their cognitive, language, and social skills. This means that early emotional development lays the foundation for future academic achievement, mental health, and the ability to be a successful member of society.

It's important to lay down the foundation of emotional development so children have the skills necessary to learn and thrive later in life. These skills are often referred to as "executive function" and are skills such as focus, self-control, communication, making connections, and being able to take on new perspectives. These skills are the "how" of learning, which enable children to be prepared for the "what" of learning such as reading, math, and science.

So the stories, crafts, and games at Storytime aren't just fun, they also help your child get ready for school. Kids develop an increased attention span, ability to follow directions, learn to interact with their peers, and other important "executive function" skills that help them start out on the right foot in school.