Learning to Love the Library

When looking for things to do in town have you ever checked out what the library has to offer? Did you know there are many programs from infants and up for all levels of children. When looking for events that are child focused one of the first places I check in the Pikes Peak Library website. You may be surprised to find multiple events and programs going on throughout the week, even during the summer!

While my preschooler and I do fun educational things at home, its always nice to use the library facilities to explore things further. Every month the library puts out a children’s program bulletin and calendar. I like to look over that and have my preschooler pick out things that he would like to attend. They hold programs in the mornings and some in the evenings, so you are bound to find something to do within the week that meets your child’s age level and schedule.

I also like to just take him there on our own time to generate a deeper love for books and to establish a connection to how the library works and why it’s an important part of our community. All the libraries in town have their own uniqueness, we have been to almost all the ones in town. My preschoolers favorite is Library 21C, I believe it’s because there is SO much to do there, he gets sad to leave. On our last visit, he really enjoyed putting on a puppet show with me. We had a good time pretending and playing with the puppets. It gave us on opportunity to create a fun memory and just be silly while we spent time at the library. There are also many other opportunities to play, explore technology, and enjoy a multitude of other hands on learning adventures.

I also tried to explain to him (yes, even at the age of 4) how the library works, how to search and locate a book, and how to take extra special care of the books because we are just borrowing them. That last part is a little hard sometimes to understand. He loves books and it’s hard to comprehend that we didn’t buy them, they are not his to keep forever, but that the books are so special that we share them and allow other little kids enjoy the stories too.

So, when you are trying to find activities for your child to do please take time to check out our local libraries. They really have a lot to offer. So much learning and hands on quality time with your child surrounded by an endless amount of information and imagination. It’s a wonderful resource for families and the library is a great place to start, at any age, a love for learning at the library.

Ms. Whitney
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Curriculum Coordinator