Linking Caregivers with Essential Support Networks
Empowering Parents and Kids Everywhere: Our website is devoted to you and your mini-me, offering a wealth of resources, programs, and information to support your child's journey towards becoming a lifelong learner and reader. Join our award-winning Growing Readers Early Literacy initiative! Here's what we've got in store for you:
Story Time Hootenanny!
libraries without story time are basically missing out on the good stuff! Story Times are a fantastic opportunity for families to immerse themselves in tales, tunes, games, crafts, and more in a warm, inviting setting. During Story Time, our library gurus provide an engaging experience that aids children in mastering essential literacy skills through the 5 Early Literacy practices: Natter, Croon, Quill, Scribble, and Play. Slide over here to see upcoming Story Time sessions. If you can't make it to the library, groove over to our YouTube Story Time Playlist.
Family Place Village!
Stepping into our branches, you're bound to hear the Family Place area before you lay eyes on it, but it's much more than a play area. It's all about linking families with the services and resources in our community to aid them and their child's growth and development. We do this through:
- Parent-Child Workshop Series: A five-week extravaganza, organized by our crack team of library all-stars and fortified by Community Resource Professionals. This series delivers weekly topics ranging from Early Literacy, Speech, Hearing & Language Development, Child Development, Nutrition, and Music & Movement. Give your local branch a ring to find out about upcoming workshops.
- Parenting Collection: You'll find this special selection at every Family Place Library, carefully hand-picked by our librarian connoisseurs to encompass books, DVDs, magazines, and brochures spanning topics from pregnancy, basic parenting, health and nutrition, child development and behavior, safety, potty training, and family dynamics.
- Play Zones: These areas are designed to spark learning through play. When your little one plays, they flex their imagination, problem-solve, and socialize - all crucial skills they'll need when they head off to school. More than half of our libraries sport Family Place status, and our goal is to have all branches decked out in this fashion within the next few years. Family Place Libraries owe their existence to the generous support of our community partner, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation.
Find a Family Place Library near you!
Online Resources for Busy Bees!
Getting to the library isn't always a walk in the park, so we've loaded our website with online resources for families!
- Parent TV: Welcome to a new resource for families - Parent TV! Parent TV features hundreds of on-demand videos and courses to support the parenting and care of children from infancy to the teen years. ParentTV works with leading psychologists, pediatricians, mental health specialists, nutritionists, occupational therapists, and parenting educators from all over the globe. To access this amazing resource, sign in with your library card (if you don't have one, type 24028), leave the PIN blank (it's not compulsory) and click "Accept" to acknowledge the Terms & Conditions. Join Parent TV here.
- Bright By Text: Need some guidance? Bright By Text is a FREE messaging service that offers families information on development, language and literacy, health and safety, behavior tips, and more from trusted partners like PBS Kids. All information is crafted to match your child's age. Sign up here.
- Gale Presents: Miss Humbleee's Academy: This FREE interactive learning program is all about preparing your child for success in kindergarten and beyond! Children between 3 and 6 can freely explore hundreds of lessons that align with preschool and elementary standards. Activities introduce children to key concepts in math, science, and social studies, language and literacy, art, and music.
- Beanstack: Ready for a reading challenge? Beanstack is a web software that allows readers to log their reading and earn prizes in reading challenges like 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and Summer Reading Program. Learn more about the 1000 Books system here.
- Book Hunters: Need some bookish assistance? Book Hunters is a FREE service that matches readers with books they adore. Are you on the hunt for books about the alphabet, counting, or animal books? Book Hunters can help! These specially trained book whisperers create custom, tailor-made reading lists based on the information you provide about what books you seek. Use this service to find books for your kids or books for yourself! Request a personalized reading list here.
These are just a sampler of the resources our website offers caregivers. Browse our website to check out all the Online Resources you can access with your library card. Find out more about our Growing Readers Early Literacy initiative.
Want a fun and lively book to read to your little one? Check out a book from the 2024 Texas 2x2 List.
2024 TLA Texas 2x2 List
our website_Kids Texas Library Association's annual list of exquisitely illustrated, often witty and insightful books meant for children 2 years old to grade two
100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli
LaRochelle, David,LaRochelle, David,### BeneathBeneath
Doerrfeld, Cori,Doerrfeld, Cori,### BigBig
Harrison, Vashti,Harrison, Vashti,### Boop!Boop!
Birdsong, Bea,Birdsong, Bea,### Butt or Face?Butt or Face?
Lavelle, Kari,Lavelle, Kari,### Catside Up, Catside DownCatside Up, Catside Down
Hrachovec, AnnaHrachovec, Anna### Cicada SymphonyCicada Symphony
Fliess, SueFliess, Sue### Friends Beyond MeasureFriends Beyond Measure
Fisher, Lalena,Fisher, Lalena,### How to Count to OneHow to Count to One
Want More?
Whether you're seeking online resources, story times, or Family Place Libraries in your area, our website is brimming with tools to help parents and caregivers shape their children into lifelong readers and learners. So, why wait? Dive in and discover all that our website has to offer! Learn more about our website's Growing Readers Early Literacy initiative.
- Our website, dedicated to parents and kids, offers Story Time Hootenanny sessions and a YouTube Story Time Playlist for immersive storytelling experiences that aid in children's literacy development.
- Family Place Village, found in our libraries, provides a variety of resources, including Parent-Child Workshop Series, Parenting Collections, and Play Zones, designed to support families and their children's growth and development.
- Online Resources for busy families are available on our website, including Parent TV, Bright By Text, Gale Presents: Miss Humbleee's Academy, Beanstack, and Book Hunters, all of which offer educational content tailored to various ages and learning needs.
- The 2024 Texas 2x2 List, available on our website, showcases an annual selection of beautifully illustrated books for children aged 2 to grade 2.
- Joining the Growing Readers Early Literacy initiative on our website grants access to a wide range of resources, programs, and information that support children's journey towards becoming lifelong learners and readers.
- With a focus on education, self-development, and lifestyle, our website also offers resources for home-and-garden, crafts, and events to cater to various interests of both kids and adults.
