Life is expensive right now. Just contemplating the next grocery run is enough to make your eyes water. But fear not, Sunshine Coast parents, because there is one place bursting with entertainment and free activities for kids. One that is open rain or shine. And that is your local Sunshine Coast library.
Free activities for babies and preschoolers
It’s warm and welcoming
Gone are the days of tiptoeing around shelves and librarians constantly ‘shushing’. Today’s library is a hub of exploration and a perfect place for babies and toddlers to visit! Most have a dedicated kids’ area with toys, games, pint-sized furniture and comfy corners.
Foster a love for learning
The local library is brimming with information and is the perfect place for little ones to begin to learn. Do they love trains? Borrow a book about trains! Do they have a burning question about the world or a hobby they are curious about? Explore it at the library together.
It’s never too early to start
Babies are born ready to learn and the first five years of a child’s life are critical to their literacy development. As huge literacy enthusiasts, librarians are eager and ready to help you with simple literacy activities to give your child the best start in life.
Plus, all Sunshine Coast Libraries hold regular Storytime and Rhymetime sessions for children ages 0-5 and their carers. Yep, these are free too!
Free activities for kids and young adults
Nurture their imagination and their media literacy skills
As kids grow up, we still want their wonderful imagination to remain! Reading books can teleport you through time and space, to magical worlds and the lives of others—both real and imaginary. This can also help to develop empathy and acceptance as they see things from other perspectives and beliefs.
Access to high quality media
Libraries provide open access to a great variety of high quality, selected resources, information and tools. These come in all formats including digital, giving children access to all media formats and developing their media literacy skills. Plus with skilled professionals on hand, the library is the perfect place for children to learn how to access research and evaluate information from various sources.
A safe space
Offering resources and guidance, libraries offer a welcoming and safe place for girls and boys to do school work or explore a world of information. Being a community hub, the library is also a great place to find out about programs that can help them to explore their own creative endeavours, including school holiday workshops and local activity groups.
Encourages independence
Libraries are one of the first spaces where children experience being a citizen in their own right. They have their own library card; they can choose what they borrow and are responsible for looking after and returning those items.
The library is not just for books!
We all know that libraries are full of books, but did you know that many also lend movies, games, music, magazines and toys?
Can’t make it to the library? There is a tonne of online content too! Your library card gives you free access to homework help links, eBooks and eAudio books, Encyclopaedias and self-paced learning platforms. You can watch Storytime and Rhymetime sessions online too!
By Karen Gawen, Young People’s Services Supervisor, Sunshine Coast Libraries
Visit Sunshine Coast Libraries website for more information on library services and locations.
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