Story Times at Wellington County Library are designed to help children (ages 0–5) develop early literacy skills and a lifelong love of reading. They’re also a great way for parents and caregivers to connect and share ideas.
Our programming follows the American Library Association’s Every Child Ready to Read® guidelines, with a focus on talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing. Alongside fun, interactive sessions, we share simple tips you can use at home to support your child’s learning.
Whether it’s Baby Time, Toddler Time, Family Story Time, or Saturday Stories, there’s something for every age and stage. Check our online calendar to explore Every Child Ready to Read programmes at your local branch and get inspired with some tips and tricks below!
Children learn about language by listening to parents talk and joining the conversation.
Books are wonderful conversation starters.
When you talk with your child:
Use new words
Take turns – allow your child to talk
Make connections
Model correct grammar
Extend the conversation
Songs are a natural way to learn about language.
Songs help children develop listening skills and pay attention to the rhythms and rhymes of spoken language.
Songs help children hear the different parts of a word.
Clapping helps children hear the syllables in words and helps them improve motor skills.
Singing also helps children learn new words.
Reading develops vocabulary and comprehension.
Helps children learn how books work and how the written language looks.
Helps children understand how stories are organized – beginning, middle, end.
Encourages imaginative thinking.
Point to the illustration on the cover and ask your child what he or she thinks the book is about.
Let the child fill in the blank or finish the line of a story.
Let your child turn the pages. Or if your child is too young say, “Now I’m going to turn the page.” Or “Let’s see what’s on the next page.”
Ask questions like; “What do you think is going to happen next?”
Rephrase what your child has said using new words and adding details.
With shared reading:
Your child has your full attention
You enjoy the experience together
Your child develops a love of reading and an appreciation of books
Both reading and writing are ways to represent spoken words.
Children become aware that printed letters stand for spoken words.
When your child can hold a thick crayon or marker, give him one to “write” on unlined paper.
Talk about your child’s “writing”.
Scribbling and drawing develops eye-hand coordination and exercises the muscles of the hand and fingers.
Have them “sign” their name to their work.
Label parts of a drawing.
Play is one of the best ways for children to learn about language and literacy skills.
Play helps children think symbolically; a ruler becomes a magic wand, now becomes the time of dinosaurs, a friend becomes an astronaut.
Pretend play helps children develop oral language skills.
Dramatic play helps develop narrative skills as children make up a story.
Make-believe helps children deal with real-life situations.
This programme encourages family reading and helps kids build early literacy skills for school. Find instructions, reading logs, and more through the link above or download the 1000 Books app.
