One of the Most Used Items in My Summer Bag

Want to know what one of the most used items in my summer bag will be?  Nope, not a Target Red Card.  Although you would think that I did with all of the free publicity I give their dollar section, I don’t have one. Sunscreen?  It is a close second.  

One of the most used items in my summer bag will be my library card.  If you do not share my enthusiasm for the library, I still invite you to keep reading to see if I can change your mind.  I am glad to safely return to our local library and enjoy all of the resources they have to offer.  Our local library also has this perfect little playground outside of it, so we make a morning of it any time we go.  I am a #wordnerd at heart, so libraries are one of my favorite places to visit.  I can remember going as a kid, and I want my kids to share in those experiences.  

Here are a few reasons we love the library and why you should think about getting your library card!

The Obvious One: Free Books

If my house were large enough, I would have all.of.the.books.  I love to do theme units and focus on a topic or person.  To save my wallet, having the library allows me to explore books without having to buy them.  If I find one I love, I have had the chance to preview it before I purchase it.

Access to Additional Media

We live in a world where everything is accessible online or through streaming.  However, there are still some classic stories on DVD or books on a cd worth checking out at the library. I have used books on tape/cd for my kids since they were babies. Hearing language, exposing them to rich vocabulary, rhyming words, and read aloud in the car is an excellent tool for supporting your child’s language development.  

Free Resources and Events

In our current environment, most libraries are now requiring registration for events.  Our library is back to offering in-person storytime events.  I don’t know about you, but our librarian is quite the read-aloud artist.  He exudes such enthusiasm and has incredible character voices.  I love to read aloud to my kids, but sometimes it is nice to hear from others.  

It is also fantastic for kids to have the chance to peruse the shelves of books to give them some choice in what they are reading. Selecting or looking at a book about something you are interested in increases motivation to read it. I like the change of pace and setting the library offers. Sometimes it is nice to have a minute to sit at a table and look through a stack of exciting books and pick out the ones you want to take home to read again. Sometimes, it is nice to sit somewhere different from your house, color a picture, or dive into a story with a favorite character. 

Our library offers a 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program. Can someone read that many before kindergarten? We are giving it our best effort.  We will see. Even if we don’t,  having the log of books that we have read on our fridge and getting a sticker when he completes the list has been very motivating and exciting for my kiddo. 

Our library also offers free virtual events such as a storytime with an author, a visit with a local animal shelter, and a play with a local theatre company.  These activities were in person at one point, and I suspect they will be one day again soon.  Offering these events allows me to provide my kids with various enrichment experiences over the summer.  The library is also offering incentive cards for kids of all ages.  They complete different (simple) activities, and then they can bring it in to exchange for a new book.  What kid doesn’t love a new (and free) book! See the picture of our cards below. 

Teaching Responsibility to My Children

Keeping up with and taking care of library books is a tool to provide just the right amount of responsibility for my children.  We can discuss how if we damage the books we will have to pay for them. I can model how we look at pages, so we do not tear them, how we read with our tracking fingers and do not mark in the books, and how we return them carefully to the basket. Checking out books is a great and easy way to teaching about borrowing, returning, and showing common courtesy in taking care of something that belongs to someone else. 

Quick Tip: We have a designated “library basket” that stays in the same spot in our home all summer. To keep the books separate from our books at home, my kids select a book, read it, and return it to the same spot. It saves a lot of trouble of having to dig through dirty rooms, stacks of books, or under laundry piles to find library books. The basket goes to and from the library with us.

Building a Love for Books

Lastly, I want to instill a love of books and stories with my kids.  A lot of times, when children have an aversion to reading, it could be because they have had negative experiences with it.  Maybe reading is a challenging skill for them. Perhaps they have limited time to read what they are interested in because they have to focus on school-related material.  What better time to offer positive interactions with books than the summer?  The pressure of school and homework are off the table.  You can visit the library at your convenience and spend time finding books with an exciting cover or about a person or topic that sparks their curiosity.  My toddler randomly requested to check out a book on chipmunks.  Ok, maybe not so random if I think about it because we have a resident chipmunk who is causing trouble in our garden at home.  He has taken a keen interest in this little varment.  I kid you not, we walk into our library, and there was a display of books on various creatures, and chipmunks were front and center.  The kid thought they had put it there just for him.  Reading books aloud above their reading level exposes them to rich vocabulary and stories that they can connect with or learn something from in the end.    

I realize that not everyone has flexibility in their schedules.  But consider taking advantage of one of these events when you do have some time off. If you are a parent or guardian at home with your child this summer, this is a great way to keep learning happening over the summer in a fun way!  Make sure to see what your local library has to offer.

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