If you’ve seen Airdrie Public Library’s (APL) lovely new website – well, almost new – you could be forgiven for possibly missing a really important online resource called "Great Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers." It’s tucked away under Programs & Events > Preschool Programs.
Like all non-profit websites – especially ones that attempt, as ours does, to inform its audience of everything we are doing – it’s easy to miss the tree for the forest, so to speak.
So, since this column is written to create awareness about your library, this week we’ll chat about this very cool online resource.
Great Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers is a page on our website meant to help parents select books for ages 0-5 years, and more specifically those appropriate to their child’s needs.
Parents know their children and may have already identified specific learning needs – being able to target those needs through the literacy choices they make could prove invaluable to their child’s future success.
So, rather than guessing at what might be helpful in developing your particular child’s early literacy skills, this easy-to-use online resource provides a list of recommended titles for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
For instance, suggestions for babies and toddlers include books with repetition of sounds and words, or that say a lot with simple language or are just the right size for small hands.
Suggestions for preschoolers include books that reflect the everyday world familiar to children, such as playing with friends, visiting family and going to sleep, or ones that encourage children to play with words and phrases.
As always, there’s more, such as a list of links that include the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Calgary Reads, the Association of Library Services for Children and much more.
These are all useful and helpful resources when it comes to choosing what books are best for your child.
For more information on this great online resource and on all our programs and services, visit airdriepubliclibrary.ca, call 403-948-0600 or drop by and get your free library card.
