Celebrate National Library Week and Encourage Your Preschooler to be a Lifelong Reader

Do you remember your first trip to the library?

What impressed you the most?

The seemingly endless supply of books, music, and movies?

Or was it the thrill of that getting that first library card, visiting with a friend or family member, or getting help with that big research project?

Share those memories, and that love, with your preschooler April 3-9 by celebrating National Library Week.

Made possible by the American Library Association (ALA), National Library Week is an annual event that highlights the valuable roles libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities. You can find out more about ALA’s week-long activities, tools, and resources, and meet honorary chair, Molly Shannon of Saturday Night Live fame, here.

At Building Blocks Preschool, we are encouraging parents to visit the library with their preschoolers and check out all they have to offer. It is never too early to foster a love of reading, and numerous studies show that reading books with your child early on in their development can boost their literacy and communication skills, and language acquisition. Plus, it’s a terrific way to bond with your toddler and create some memories.

Why not introduce your preschooler to some of the authors you might remember from your childhood:

• Shel Silverstein

Experience trees that give and teach important lessons, and stroll on a sidewalk full of imagination with The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends.

• Eric Carle

Treasure tales of hungry caterpillars that morph into butterflies, and a brown bear’s observations with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?

But don’t stop there, you can find hundreds more options, classic and new, by visiting your library. There’s even something for you as a parent. There are books, audiobooks, and ebooks that can help you answer questions on a variety of developmental topics. Wondering how to deal with tantrums? Struggling to explain a challenging life event? You can find those answers and more at your local library. Or dive into a novel, biography, or short story collection of your own, and role model just how fun reading is to your preschooler.

The human search engines (known as librarians) can help find the perfect book to read with your toddler, suggest an activity, and get you a free library card. It’s your golden ticket to:

• Books of all kinds (board books, picture books, first readers)
• Movies
• Music
• Events like Little Libros, Family Storytime, Family Read Aloud Fun, Family Movies and more! Check out your local Mustang branch, and click here for an online calendar of events.

Unable to attend in person? Want to check books out from the comfort of your couch during naptime? Your local library also offers terrific online resources, and many of the services provided in person can be enjoyed via the web.

Have you visited the library with your preschooler? What library resources do you use and recommend?