If you’re looking for something to do that is fun, free and developmentally appropriate for your young child, story time at Chicago Public Library is perfect!
What is library story time?
Story time at the library is a program for young children (ages 0 to 5) and their caregivers featuring books and so much more! Library story times offer fun and developmentally appropriate books and early learning activities. They also are an opportunity for your child to meet friends and practice playing with other children.
What happens in a story time?
Story times are usually 20 to 30 minutes and contain a mixture of reading picture books out loud, telling stories using puppets or felt pieces, listening to music, sharing rhymes and singing songs accompanied by movement activities. Caregivers are encouraged to participate alongside their children!
How does story time support my child’s development?
Your child may not learn to read until they have entered school, but there are lots of skills they need to develop so that they’re ready to read when the time comes! Librarians use the five early literacy practices of Every Child Ready to Read when planning story time to nurture these skills:
- Talking: Taking part in conversations during story time helps kids pick up new words and understand how language works.
- Singing: Story time is full of singing, which supports a skill called phonological awareness by slowing down words so children can hear all the parts in them. Singing also introduces new words or ideas in a way that helps kids remember them.
- Reading: When children enjoy stories, they are more likely to love reading as they get older.
- Writing: Before children can write, they need to understand that lines on a page represent words, and activities in story time (like tracing letters with a finger) help them make that connection. Plus, movement activities using hands, like singing the Itsy-Bitsy Spider, strengthen the fine motor skills that eventually help kids hold a pencil and write!
- Playing: Story time offers lots of opportunities for play during and after the program! Playing helps kids use their imagination to learn more about the world around them. This general knowledge is an important literacy skill that helps children understand books and stories once they begin to read.
Your child will also learn some essential school readiness skills like being able to sit and listen to a story, taking turns, following directions and sharing with their friends. Story time is a great place to practice important social skills in a safe and supportive environment.
I already read to my child, why should I attend story time?
Librarians are experts in children’s books, and story time can help you find new-to-you books, rhymes and songs. We hope story time offers you something new to take home and use with your family. Story time is also a great opportunity to socialize with other parents and caregivers in your community.
How old should my child be to attend story time?
Story time programs are typically designed for ages 0 to 5, with different specialized programs for different ages, including baby story time, toddler story time, preschool story time and even family story time.
What if my child cries or can’t sit still for story time?
Young children are busy, active and want to explore. That is part of the learning process, and story times are developed with that in mind! If your child gets overwhelmed or too distracted, feel free to step out, let your child calm down and then join again when they are refreshed and ready to go.
How can I make the most out of our story time experience?
Story time is a special time to bond with your child. Make the most of it by joining in the fun. You are your child’s first and best teacher, so by being an active participant in story time you can help model what you want your children to learn. After story time, take some time to choose a few books to read at home. Reading together at home will continue to build early literacy skills outside of the library and help your child enjoy story time at the library that much more!
What kinds of story time programs does CPL offer?
Aside from the story times targeted toward children in defined age ranges (like babies, toddlers or preschoolers), you’ll find story times that focus on STEM ideas, or music and singalong, or active play, while always including Every Child Ready to Read elements like books and rhymes.
At many locations, you’ll see a story time called Mother Goose on the Loose, which highlights nursery rhymes for babies and toddlers. You’ll even find story times where your child can attend in their pajamas with their favorite stuffed animal, or you might catch a librarian presenting a Destination Discovery story time at a museum or a zoo!
Are there story times in other languages?
CPL has bilingual story times (including English/Spanish, English/Polish and English/Mandarin) and also offers some entirely in Spanish.
How do we attend a story time at Chicago Public Library?
Visit CPL’s online events calendar to search for a story time program near you. You can filter your search by the age of your child for more targeted programs, too.
Story time is a time for parents and caregivers to start their young children on the path to a lifelong love of reading and learning, all while having a ton of fun. We hope to see you at a CPL story time soon!