Programs for Children
Most of our programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Library. If you would like to join the Friends or to know more about them click here.
This Week's Programs for Children and Tweens
To confirm dates and times, please call us at 732-329-4000 x7285.
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Library programming is a great way to engage children and to help them love books and libraries. Research shows that library programs contribute to children’s reading skills and enhance their reading achievement. Children’s librarians are professionals specialized in child development, children’s literature, and matching children with books. They incorporate pre-reading skills into fun and enjoyable stories, rhymes and songs in preschool programs to plant the seed of early literacy. Children attending preschool storytime regularly can acquire all these skills and a yearning to start reading.
What is Storytime?
Storytime is the sharing of stories, rhymes, and songs.
Why Preschool Storytime?
Preschool storytime helps children to acquire the six pre-reading skills that are required before they can learn to read. It also helps to develop their brain, broadens their social skills and essentially creates a desire to learn. In addition, it serves as a role model for parents and caregivers to read to their children at home.
* Early Literacy— Six skills for getting ready to read:
• Print Motivation is a child’s interest in and enjoyment of books.
• Phonological Awareness is the ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.
• Vocabulary is knowing the names of things.
• Narrative Skills is the ability to describe things and events and tell stories.
• Print Awareness is noticing print everywhere, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the words on a page.
• Letter Knowledge is knowing that letters are different from each other and that they have different names and sounds.
* Information from American Library Association Every Child Ready to Read Project.
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Tips to raise a booklover
Start reading to your baby now
Research shows that children who love to read tend to do better at school. In order to nurture a reader, start reading to your baby as early as possible. A baby’s brain is not fully developed, so reading to your baby helps to stimulate the growth of your baby’s brain and the development of your baby’s senses.
Never too young to read
Before you start, make sure your baby is comfortable and not tired. Sit your baby on your lap so that s/he can see the pictures while you read. Show him/her how to turn the pages, and talk about each picture. Keep in mind that babies have a very short attention span. They will learn more from several short readings each day.
Choose the right book
Choose books with large, clear, colorful pictures and repetitive text. Remember to look for topics that interest babies, such as other babies, animals, animal sounds, and nursery rhymes. Babies also love books about familiar daily experience like mealtime and bath time.
Create the right environment
One way to help your child to become a reader is to have books around your house. Make sure to include some books in your baby’s toy box.
Visit the library
Attend children’s programs offered at your library. Children’s librarians are professionals who are specialized in how to connect children with books. They will show you how to read to babies, and will help you choose books that are most suitable for your child.
While you are at the library, don’t forget to pick up a book for yourself. What better reading role model can children have than their own parents or caregivers?
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