Learn and grow with your baby and toddler at the library!
Hosted by our Brownsville and Bushwick Libraries, families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices. Each week we will read books, sing songs, and do fun activities that promote language development, social-emotional skills, and more. Parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to learn about community resources, hear from expert guest speakers, and connect with peer support networks.
Each week, we explore a different theme: READING, TALKING, SINGING, PLAYING, MOVEMENT, and EMOTIONS. Parents and caregivers will learn how to use these practices to develop their children’s oral language and pre-reading skills. Families will also receive FREE books, toys and learning materials to continue the learning and fun at home.
Here are a few activities to try at home!
- Read with your child every day!
- Read with your child in the language you know best.
- As you read together, point to letters and words on the page.
- Talk to your children even if they aren’t talking yet.
- Talk with your child as you go through daily routines. Explain things and ask questions.
- Talk with your children in the language you know best.
- Singing slows down language so children can hear sounds and syllables. This will help them sound out words when they begin to read.
- Don’t worry if you are not a good singer. Your children will love singing with you!
- Sing with your child in the language you know best.
- Play = Learning!
- Children learn and use language by playing with one another.
- Give your child time for free play during the day.
- Children need to move their bodies in order to learn and build their brains!
- Crawling, creeping, running and jumping are Gross Motor Movements.
- Grabbing, dropping, squeezing, and drawing are Fine Motor Movements.
- Songs, rhymes and fingerplays can encourage your child to move!
- Naming emotions helps children learn that emotions are normal.
- Books can help children recognize emotions in themselves and others!
- You can help them learn language to describe emotions, by naming their feelings.
Upcoming Events
Brownsville Brainy Babies
Join us for a Brain Building storytime program, for children 0-3 years and their parents or caregivers in Brownsville. Early literacy tips, craft ideas, songs and fingerplay.
Brainy Babies Virtual
Join us for our VIRTUAL program on Zoom. Families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices. Each week, we explore a different theme: READING, TALKING, SINGING, PLAYING, MOVEMENT, and EMOTIONS. We read books, sing songs in…
Brainy Babies McKinley Park
At McKinley Park Library, families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Each week we will read books, sing songs, and do fun activities that promote language development, social-emotional…
Sunset Park Brainy Babies
Families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices. Each week we will read books, sing songs, and do fun activities that promote language development, social-emotional skills, and more. Parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to…
Brighton Beach Brainy Babies
Families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices. Each week, we explore a different theme: READING, TALKING, SINGING, PLAYING, MOVEMENT, and EMOTIONS. We read books, sing songs in Russian and English, dance, and more! …
Brainy Babies
At Borough Park Branch Library, Families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices Each week we will read books, sing songs, and do fun activities that promote language development, social-emotional skills, and more. Parents and caregivers…
Brainy Babies McKinley Park
At McKinley Park Library, families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Each week we will read books, sing songs, and do fun activities that promote language development, social-emotional…
Brainy Babies
At Stone Avenue Library, families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning practices in English Spanish. Each week we will read books, sing songs, and do fun activities that promote language development, social-emotional skills, and more. Parents…
Need a reminder to do daily early literacy activities with the young children in your life?
Print out our weekly Read, Play, Grow calendar—download now!
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