At first blush, young children and the library may seem an unlikely match. Libraries are often considered places for speaking in hushed tones and quiet reading and research. As parents know all too well, young children are not generally "library" quiet and calm. So why would parents even consider taking their toddler to the library when there are so many other kid-friendly places to go?

Children’s librarian Serena Butch says that today’s libraries are no longer hushed places where young children are likely to be considered a disturbance. In fact, she says more and more, libraries are designed to meet the needs of all members of a family, including the very youngest.

"From child-sized chairs and comfortable nooks to puzzles, games and age-appropriate books, we’ve made real efforts to make the children’s room a friendly, appealing space," says Butch.

Research shows that children who are read to from an early age are quick to learn the reasoning and communication skills they will need to succeed in school and in life. The library is a perfect place to find a vast assortment of age-appropriate books that can start your child on the path to becoming well-read and ready-to-learn.

"Taking young children to the library is a wonderful way to introduce them to the world of literature," says Butch. She says that activities as simple as letting children look around, feel the books, and play with a puzzle or two teach them that the library is a place to have wonderful, stimulating experiences long before they know what reading is all about.

Nutrition for their minds

For a lot of children, their first visit to the library is for a story time. When it comes to jump starting a child’s preschool education, these cannot be beat. Most libraries offer at least some, if not all, of the following types of programs:

Babies (under age 2) – Programs for babies include simple books, rhymes, songs, and finger plays as ways to familiarize children and their families with how much fun the library can be.

Toddlers (ages 2-3) – Toddler story times are generally based on themes familiar to young children such as families or animals. They include stories, songs, finger plays, simple crafts, and short literature-based videos. Toddler story times are a great place for children to learn to follow instructions from someone other than a parent or caretaker. They let the children be part of a group of children their own age, and develop a sense of what types of books they do and do not like. Participation also helps parents learn about age-appropriate literature and activities they can do at home with their child.

Preschool (ages 3-5) – These programs build on what a child will have experienced at toddler story times. They usually include longer or more detailed stories, flannel board activities, songs and crafts. Besides being fun, these activities at the preschool level help teach children how to take turns, share, and raise hands to ask and answer questions - all skills they will need for kindergarten.

Here are some tips from the American Library Association on using the library to introduce your child to the wonderful world of books.

• Take your child to the library often. Introduce him/her to the children’s librarian.

• Take your child to story hours, even if he/she won’t sit through an entire program. Let him/her wander through the stacks and feel good about being there.

• As soon as your child is old enough, have him/her register for his/her own library card. Make it a special event. Call grandma and grandpa or another special person to tell them the big news.

• Let your child check out what interests him/her, not just what you think he/she should read.

• Remind your child when it’s time to return the books (this is a great way to teach responsibility early on). An easy way to keep track of the due dates is to mark it on the calendar as soon as you bring new books home.

• Make a special place for your child’s books and library books - a bottom bookshelf or basket on the floor where he/she can reach them when he/she wants.

• Display books and magazines prominently in your home so they become a part of everyday life.

• Take your child to plays, puppet shows, musical performances and other live entertainment. Programs like these are offered by many libraries to stimulate the minds and imaginations of young children.

• Record your child’s favorite stories on cassette tapes to play in the car or when you aren’t around. Or borrow tapes of popular children’s books, songs and nursery rhymes from the library.

Something for everyone

In addition to books, the children’s section of the library generally includes a variety of magazines, pamphlets and videos on parenting. There are also children’s videos, audio cassettes, and educational CD-ROM games to be borrowed, as well as librarians who are readily available to answer questions and suggest good books to share with young children.

"People seem to have forgotten that a public library can be a great, free form of entertainment," says Butch. "Even if a parent never comes to an actual program, they can get a library card and have this whole world available to them at no cost."

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