Programs & Events for The First Five Years

Babies and Books (birth - 18 months)

Enjoy great books for babies, learn fun songs and rhymes, and meet other families in your neighborhood in this interactive program.

What is your child learning? Hearing stories and rhymes helps your baby develop language skills.

Toddler Time (18 months - 3 years)

Hear great picture books read aloud, discover delightful fingerplays, and play with other children during this library time dedicated to active toddlers.

What is your child learning? Your toddler learns nine new words a day! Hearing stories, songs and rhymes helps develop your child's vocabulary.

Preschool Story Time (3 - 5 years)

Experience new and classic picture books, enjoy favorite songs, learn new fingerplays, as well as other activities in this playful program.

What is your child learning? If your preschooler loves books and stories, your child will be a more successful reader.

Story Play (Birth - 5 years)

Hear wonderful stories, discover amazing toys, and meet new friends in this fun, informal program.

What is your child learning? Play = Learning! Through play your child develops literacy and social skills.

Brooklyn Children's Museum On-The-Go at Brooklyn Public Library

Catch a BCM event at BPL while the museum undergoes renovation.
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Special Events

Come to the Library for evening Bedtime Stories program, special Saturday events, to enjoy a children's concert, or to attend a parent workshop. Don't forget to register your entire family for Summer Reading every June. Check the online calendar or the BPL newsletter for dates and times.

The Child's Place for Children with Special Needs Children with and without disabilities play and learn together in engaging programs that foster an inclusive environment. Look for "Read and Play," a creative book sharing and educational play program, at select branches for children up to age five and their families. Learn more...   Environments for the First Five Years A growing number of neighborhood libraries have special environments friendly to young children with child-size furniture, cozy reading spaces, toys and other learning tools, and preschool computers with CD-ROM programs.   FirstRIF Through the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program, children receive free books to develop home libraries. In FirstRIF, as babies and toddlers attend BPL programs they receive board books. Preschoolers participate in BPL's regular RIF program and receive paperback picture books. For more information on FirstRIF, visit our RIF page.

Books and Materials for Young Children Discover a wide range of materials for young children at your neighborhood library. Check-out age-appropriate board books, new and classic picture books, videos, CDs, and parenting books. For more information, speak to library staff or visit the Library's catalog.   Outreach Brooklyn Public Library is committed to bringing programs and services to every community in Brooklyn. Our Children's Specialists partner with child care settings, Head Start programs, and other early childhood agencies. If you are a professional who works with young children and their families, speak to the Library staff at your neighborhood library. We look forward to collaborating with you.

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