Grow a Reader

Our Grow a Reader program, classes, and storytimes are designed for children between the ages of 0-5. The librarians leading these classes and storytimes specialize in reading and other skills that babies and toddlers need before entering school. Browse resources for your growing reader below, along with the full schedule of classes and storytimes offered.

Board Books

Board Books are usually created from hard cardboard that can (mostly) withstand babies and toddler's curious minds. Most are short in length and are easier for tiny hands to hold.

Picture Books

Picture books are filled with visual representations of imaginative worlds with sometimes surprises and important lessons that your young reader will soak up. Plus, it's mostly pictures.

Beginning Readers

Beginning Readers are for children who are showing interest or beginning to read on their own. Sometimes there are different steps or levels to the books, indicating the reading difficulty.

Building Skills with Grow a Reader

Help develop your growing readers with these blogs on building reading, talking, and writing skills.

Building Skills Row 1

Reading

Early literacy skills begin to develop long before children are actually reading the words on a page.

Print Awareness

Make connections between written language and the words that your child hears spoken aloud.

Print Motivation

Keep your child's interest in the enjoyment of books and reading.

Building Skills Row 2

Letter Knowledge

Preschoolers are eager to learn their letters and can do so in such a way that it all seems like play.

Vocabulary

Children are still building a base of words, and often they ask for a definition if they don't understand.

Phonological Awareness

Rhyming and alliteration can help a child hear and play with the smaller sounds of words.

Building Skills Row 3

Playing

Playing gives kids practice at thinking symbolically and using their imaginations.

Singing

Songs present children with new words, building their vocabulary.

Narrative Skills

Using expressive language to retell stories helps children understand what they hear and read.

Talking

When you talk with your baby, your baby is hearing the sounds of the languages you speak.

Writing

Children begin developing the skills used in writing long before their work becomes words.

Library of Things Learning Kits

Check out the Grow a Reader and Early & Emerging Reader Learning Kits from the Library of Things collection. They include books and activity resources that you can enjoy with your growing reader.

Visit a Learn & Play Room!

Gone are the libraries with librarians shushing children for the slightest noise. Now we have libraries that encourage play and having fun, all while getting children ready to read.

At Fredericksburg, Howell, Salem Church, and Porter branches, CRRL has Grow a Reader Learn and Play Rooms where children and their caregivers are encouraged to explore. Each of these branches has toys, blocks, letters, and interactive panels that enhance a child’s library experience all while teaching early reading skills through play and self-discovery. What if you don't go to those locations? Never fear! While our smaller branches do not have separate rooms, children and caregivers can still join in the fun with toys in the children's department to encourage play.

But why encourage play? We're a library - not a play center! Actually, we're both. Playing has multiple benefits that help children gain the skills needed to get ready to read. When children play, they often are telling or acting out stories. These may be stories they've made up, or they may be ones they've heard at home, on the television, or in one of our Grow a Reader classes. This not only teaches children that reading and stories can be fun but also gives them a chance to practice narrative skills, which is simply the ability to describe things and events in order to tell a story. Being able to act out a story demonstrates that a child understands what is going on in the book or show. Additionally, observing children playing gives caregivers an opportunity to talk to them and ask questions. Talking, asking questions, and stretching conversations are how children learn new information, including vocabulary.

So, come on in and explore your library’s Grow a Reader Learn and Play Room, and go ahead and make some noise while you’re at it.

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