Ready for Kindergarten
You are your child’s first teacher.
Looking for something fun to do with your kids? Check out Whitehall Branch.
Watch previous Branch Buzz and Skill Builder videos here.
Great Books for Kids
Peekaboo! Explore with your baby as you play peekaboo with the animals, toys, and babies that hide throughout this book. With big, bold illustrations and pop-out objects, this book is guaranteed to surprise and delight.
Sometimes change can be scary, but this title shows that change can also bring new and amazing adventures! Through the topic of moving, you and your toddler can walk together through the many feelings, wonders, and new possibilities that change creates.
Whoosh! Get ready to fly with this powerful and uplifting story about being true to yourself. As Riley begins to fly her paper airplane, it’s hard for her to block out the noise from those wanting her to change until she finds support from an unlikely friend.
Great Websites for Kids
A site where celebrities like Chris Pine and Betty White read books for children. There are tons of videos and books to choose from. There is a search bar where you can search for a particular book or celebrity. Check it out at storylineonline.net.
The Sesame Street website has everything a preschooler might need! From games and coloring to short videos and songs your child will be engaged and practicing many important Ready for Kindergarten skills.
Programs for Kids and Caregivers
Check out our Events page for programs during the break.
Stories, songs and fun activities to build reading skills. Ages 0-5.
Hours vary by location; choose your location below.
3434 E. Livingston Ave.
Family Storytime
Tuesday: 5:30 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m.
115 Franklin St.
Family Storytime
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday: 1 p.m.
Toddler Storytime:
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.
75 N. High St.
Baby Laptime
Thursday: 10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.
Toddler Storytime
Monday: 10 a.m. & 11a.m.
Tuesday: 10 a.m.
Wednesday:10 a.m.
Preschool Storytime:
Tuesday: 2 p.m.
Wednesday: 11 a.m.
Family Storytime
Monday: 2 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.
4500 Hickory Chase Way
Baby Laptime
Thursday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Toddler Storytime
Monday & Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Preschool Storytime:
Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Family Storytime
Thursday: 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
310 Granville St.
Baby Laptime
Monday: 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday: 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.
Toddler Storytime
Monday & Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.
4500 Hickory Chase Way
Baby Laptime
Thursday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Toddler Storytime
Monday & Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m.
Preschool Storytime:
Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Family Storytime
Thursday: 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
511 S. Hague Ave.
Toddler Storytime
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.
Preschool Storytime
Thursday: 10:30 a.m.
5590 Karl Rd.
Baby Laptime
Thursday: 11 a.m.
Toddler Storytime
Wednesday: 11 a.m.
Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.
Preschool Storytime
Tuesday: 11 a.m.
96 S. Grant Ave.
Baby Laptime
Monday: 10:30 a.m.
Thursday: 1:30 p.m.
Toddler Storytime
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.
Family Storytime
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 10:30 a.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m.
Sunday: 1:30 p.m.
200 Market St.
Baby Laptime
Monday: 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.
Toddler Storytime
Wednesday: 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.
Thursday: 9:30 a.m.
Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 1:30 p.m.
Thursday: 11 a.m.
Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.
4093 Cleveland Ave.
Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 11 a.m.
1423 N. High St.
Baby Laptime
Wednesday: 4:30 p.m.
1113 Parsons Ave.
Baby Laptime
Tuesday: 5 p.m.
Preschool Storytime
Monday: 11 a.m.
1402 Brice Rd.
Family Storytime
Wednesday: 11 a.m.
3540 S. High St.
Family Storytime
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.
Family Storytimes on select Saturdays:
1/20, 2/3, 2/17, 3/2, 3/16, 3/30, 4/13, 4/27, and 5/11
3980 S. Hamilton Rd.
Family Storytime
Tuesday & Thursday: 11 a.m.
Family Storytime
Tuesday & Thursday: 11 a.m.
3909 N. High St.
Baby Laptime
Monday: 10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
Toddler Storytime
Tuesday: 10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 10 a.m.
Family Storytime
Wednesday: 7 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
Saturday: 10 & 11 a.m.
4445 E. Broad St.
Family Storytime
Wednesday: 11 a.m.
Thursday: 7 p.m.
Virtual Storytime
Join us for books, songs and activities to get your child ready for kindergarten.
Live Storytime at 10 a.m. on YouTube
Thursday: Live Storytime
Hands-on practice of kindergarten readiness skills. Ages 3-5.
Hours vary by location; choose your location below.
75 N. High St.
Wednesday & Thursday:
2 p.m.
Thursday:
7 p.m.
310 Granville St.
Tuesday:
1:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Thursday:
10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
4500 Hickory Chase Way
Monday:
1 p.m., 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Tuesday:
1 p.m. & 2 p.m.
511 S. Hague Ave.
Tuesday:
10:30 a.m.
5590 Karl Rd.
Tuesday:
1 p.m.
96 S. Grant Ave.
Wednesday & Thursday:
11 a.m.
4093 Cleveland Ave.
Monday:
4:30 p.m. & 5:15 p.m.
1423 N. High St.
Monday:
4:30 p.m.
3540 S. High St.
Saturday:
11 a.m.
3980 S. Hamilton Rd.
Wednesday:
11 a.m.
Thursday:
5 p.m.
3909 N. High St.
Wednesday:
11 a.m.
4445 E. Broad St.
Tuesday & Thursday:
11 a.m.
Stop by the children’s area to play and work on fun activities with your child. Ages 0-5.
Hours vary by location; choose your location below.
3434 E. Livingston Ave.
Monday & Wednesday:
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
1422 E. Livingston Ave.
Wednesday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
1061 W. Town St.
Thursday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
511 S. Hague Ave.
Monday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
1467 E. Long St.
Monday - Thursday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
4093 Cleveland Ave.
Monday & Wednesday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
1423 N. High St.
Tuesday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
850 N. Nelson Rd.
Tuesday & Wednesday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
3980 S. Hamilton Rd.
Monday:
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
4445 E. Broad St.
Monday:
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
EVERY MOMENT COUNTS
You have big plans for your child, but it’s the little moments that count. Here are some ideas to help your child succeed.
In partnership with
- Talk
- Read
- Sing
- Play
- Take a “word walk” by naming everything you see. This helps with learning new words.
- As they get dressed, talk about the steps. “First you put on your red shirt, next, you put on your blue pants.”
- Ask your child to tell you a story about anything in their world. Ask questions like, “And then what happened?” to keep your child talking.
- Read or tell stories. Point out pictures, shapes and colors in the book. Ask them what they think will happen next.
- In the car, see if they can find a sign with the letter “s” in it. Point out different shapes and words.
- Ask your child to retell their favorite story or a TV show they watch. Retelling a story will help them remember what they read later on.
- Start a sing-along. Get creative by leaving out words and having them choose the animals or people to insert into songs like, “The Wheels on the Bus” or “Old MacDonald.”
- In the bathtub, sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and have them splash to the rhythm of the song.
- Sing a song from memory with your child. Singing will help your child learn and remember words.
- Blow bubbles and see how many your child can count. Ask your child if the bubbles are big or small.
- Play the game, “I Spy.” Have them pick an item that they can see and you guess what it is.
- Pick a word and create as many rhymes as you can.