When is the last time you visited the library? It may be a little intimidating to walk back into a place where an older generation frequents and is staring at you as a clueless millennial… especially with a moody toddler in hand. But trust me, it’s worth taking the plunge! Before Henry, it had been a loonng time for me.
Henry has been in love with books since he was born. It still is so fun to watch him flip and inspect the pages! I could spend a small fortune on buying him books. Luckily, we live near a really nice library and who knows, you may live near one too! Here is why visiting the library is a secret ingredient to toddlerhood.
- All the books (obviously).
- With a toddler’s ever-changing interests it can feel impossible to keep up with! So having all of these books on all subjets at your disposal is huge!
- Pro tip: Use the online catalog ahead of time- I always search things Henry is into (filter into the kid’s section) and it will bring up all the book titles in that theme. Browse through and see what sparks your interest. Sometimes, I even go onto Amazon and read the reviews/get a peek into the book. This makes it easy to get books you know your kid will like rather than aimlessly trying to look at titles while also watching your wandering kiddo. You can then request them and pick them up, right at the front desk!
- Different toys.
- There are toys that may be the same as the ones you have at home but are in a different place making them extra fun again!
- Social Interaction
- Not always, but a lot of times there is usually someone else there for you and your kid to interact with! Some little boy read Henry a book today and it was the sweetest thing ever while I chatted with the boy’s mom. Big win for the both of us!
- Storytime and other events.
- Storytime is a good activity to just get you and little on out of the house especially during the cold weather months. Lego classes, music classes, all of the things to give you something to do!
- DVDs.
- Not only does our library have all the books, but there is also a huge DVD collection! Since video rental stores are no longer in existance (boo hoo) it’s a fun alternative to try new movies.
- It’s free.
- Sign up for that library card, stat.
Disclaimer: If your kiddo is anything like mine, know that pages will accidentally get ripped. Our library is very understanding about it, so invest in some clear tape next time you are at Target.
Now, are you convinced to go try out your local library? You can follow along on my Instagram page to see what books we check out each week at @Anna__Hinkle! Happy reading!
Xo, Anna
Anna Hinkle 