Develop Early Literacy Skills at the Library
Develop early reading skills with your child and be part of their literacy journey. Talk, read, sing, write, and play together! Join us for free, high-quality programs at the library offered from ages 0-6. Plus, explore our early literacy toolkit to guide you with engaging activities you can do at home. It's never too early to grow a love of reading!
Reading is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.
Early childhood literacy is about creating moments that spark curiosity, build confidence, and nurture a lifelong love of learning. Make literacy fun and meaningful with fun activities when you visit the library.
Celebrate Literacy at our Family Lit Bash Event
Join our annual family literacy day event and get ready for a fun-filled afternoon! Drop by our Family Lit Bash on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 2–4 p.m. in the Kids Corner at Central Branch. Enjoy an engaging performance by The Juggling Chef, followed by activities and crafts for the whole family! Enter to win tickets to The Gruffalo's Child at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.
Read at the Library
Take a tour of our kids corner. Your child can discover all kinds of books, including board books, picture books, and books in other languages. Letting your child choose their own books makes reading more fun, and they’ll want to do it again and again!
Point to the words as you read to show how they match what you’re saying. Books introduce new and interesting words that help your child build their vocabulary.
Develop Your Child's Writing Skills at the Library
Develop your child's writing skills at the library with hands-on fun!
Explore our puzzles with knobs and other tactile activities. These help your child build fine motor skills, strengthening the muscles they’ll use later to hold pencils and crayons. Looking for more fun, Borrow a STEAM kit for more hands-on experimentation at home.
As your child plays, talk about what they’re doing. For example, describe the shapes or colours they’re working with, or count the pieces together. It is also useful to name actions and objects.
Sing, Talk and Play at the Library
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Explore our children’s area with toys and learning stations or join a program to try something new. Play helps children develop important thinking and storytelling skills.
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Use toys or books to act out a story with your child. Add your own ideas to make it even more fun!
Activities that Promote Early Literacy and Language Development at Home
Read Together at Home: Pick a favourite book and create a scavenger hunt! Look for characters, objects, or words in the story, then find similar items at home. Connect the scavenger hunt back to the story read.
Write Together at Home: Make a family scrapbook! Work together to write about family trips or special events. Your child can add notes, drawings, or decorations. Turn your scrapbook into a keepsake by adding family recipes or other fun pages.
Talk, Share and Play Together at Home: Talk about the events of the day; make up a song or story based on routines like mealtime or bedtime; use items around the house to create or build something new.
