Events & Programs

PRESCHOOL STEAM STORYTIME

STEAM Storytime will be held on Mondays and Thursdays at 10:00 AM beginning September 13. Please follow the library's Facebook page for any updates or changes to the storytime schedule.

Here at Mooneyham Public Library, we provide a weekly Preschool STEAM Storytime program to ensure children ages 0 - 5 have access to a program that encourages early childhood literacy and allows children to practice skills such as following directions, taking turns, and using their fine motor skills at craft time. Programs incorporate exciting STEAM related activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) and include fun and engaging crafts, songs, stories, and felt board interactions.

Research shows that literacy and language skills develop early in life and are strongly linked to academic achievement. Reading allows children to broaden their vocabulary, make connections between stories and reality, and build social interaction skills. Because we know that parent interaction is essential to building a positive relationship between children and reading, we offer a reading program that strongly encourages parents to participate with their children. Songs are also incorporated into our reading program to benefit word development. Songs are repetitive, allowing children to practice sounds over and over, and because singing slows a person's speech pattern down, children have a chance to practice enunciating words.


1000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN

Reading to your child is one of the most powerful ways to boost their brain power! This easy, fun act of sharing books can help your child learn skills such as vocabulary, letter sounds, and building background knowledge—all crucial skills that help them prepare for kindergarten.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a national program that encourages YOU to read 1,000 books with your child before they enter school. It is a fun and easy way to build early literacy skills, and can be completed in just a few years (or even a few months)! Mooneyham Public Library’s 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program is an exciting way to start your child on the path to literacy. Any child birth to five years old can participate. To start, just follow these steps:

  1. Pick Up your materials at the circulation desk on a Storytime day or during the week, Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. We will have you register and give you a folder filled with information about the program and a reading log to get started.
  2. Track Your Reading on your reading log or with the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten app for your phone or tablet. Record each book you read. If your child wants to hear a book again and again and again, count it each time. You can also count the books they read in Storytime, at preschool, or at a relative’s house.
  3. Milestones are a celebration of your hard work! When your child reads 100 books, bring their reading log to the library to receive a special brag tag and have their picture taken. We will place their owl sticker on one of our hundred book milestone branches.
  4. 1,000 Books You did it! Yay! Come celebrate with us at the library and pick up a special reward. Don’t stop at 1,000! Keep reading together!

Learning songs, rhymes, telling stories, and playing with your child are also great ways to build literacy and comprehension skills. 

One thousand books may seem overwhelming, but if you read one book a night, you’ll reach your goal in less than three years. Ask our staff for suggestions and we will happily help you on your journey to 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten!