Happenings
You will find that most Public libraries throughout Western Australia run a wide range of great activities and are able to provide you with a lot of support in reading to and enjoying language with your children.
Many libraries hold Baby Rhyme Times or Lap Times or Story times on a regular basis - weekly, fortnightly or monthly - that you can attend with your baby and/or other children.
Here is a short description of what you might expect from one of these sessions:
- Baby Rhyme Times or Lap Times focus on very young babies from 0 to 2 years old. The sessions often include nursery rhymes and action songs as well as simple picture books. Often libraries provide print copies of the rhymes, songs and actions learnt.
For many parents it’s a chance to re-learn these and share others you might know. You will find your baby will love hearing you repeat these rhymes and songs at home and will soon be joining in.
- Story Time Sessions focus on young toddlers from about 2 to 4 years old. They will build on the range of rhymes and action songs learnt -by this time the children are often very active participants and these sessions are often loud and fun events.
Librarians will choose picture story books more suited to this age group and they will often bring the stories to life with puppets, felt story boards or dress up costumes.
At most libraries the sessions also provide for the parents to stay on after the sessions, for a tea break. Not only does it mean you meet other parents in your community, it is also a chance to talk to the library staff about books and other resources they can provide for your child and for you.
- Choosing books for babies and children – librarians have a great knowledge of the types of books suited to different age groups. Some libraryies have introduced a colour code on the spine labels to help you pick books suited to your child’s age.
- Parent Information Sessions – Some libraries will run sessions at the library especially for parents. These are often run by local health or library professionals and cover topics about parenting.
Topics might include child development, books and stories, speech and language development or nutrition. If you are interested in a particular topic talk to your branch librarian.
Contact your local public library to find out what might be on offer.