Young Children

Unlock the Magic of the Library for Young Readers

Tips to Nurture a Love of Reading

• Schedule a day at the library at least once or twice a month.  Mark the dates on a calendar and create excitement about the upcoming visit.  "That's the day we get to pick out our new books!"  Check our Events Calendar for story times to make the trip even more special. 
• Help your child pick or decorate a special bag to transport their books safely.
• Introduce the Librarian.  Explain that librarians are the special caretakers of the books.  The librarian may provide a small tour and can assist with registering your child for their first library card.
• Keep the length of the visit age appropriate.  "We will browse for ___ minutes.  I will give you a reminder when we have 5 minutes left.  Then it will be time to pick out ___ number of books to check out."
• Show your child how to take care of books.   Start a habit of washing hands before book reading and explain that pages should not be bent, torn on written on.  "We want to take care of this book so the next person can enjoy it too!"
• Allow your child to choose some of the books.  Respect their preferences to encourage their interest in reading.  Set a number of books upfront for "special take home books."  Add 1-2 choices of your own to their selections to stretch their interests.  It may help to pick a quiet reading corner to try out books before checkout to ensure they are really interested in the story.
• Children learn through imitation, so select materials for yourself.  It may help to reserve your books online ahead of time so you can focus your browsing time in the children's shelves. 
• Create a screen-free family reading time where you set a timer (start 5-10 minutes and build up from there) for your child to look at their book while you read your selection.  When time is up, reward their quiet time with reading a story together.