As families return to a summer of fun activities, librarians at Medina County District Library hear concerns regarding the pandemic’s long-term effects on child development. Parents are worried their baby missed out on learning and social opportunities that older siblings benefited from. Caregivers are concerned their toddler may have a motor skills delay or their kindergartener is behind in word recognition.
Kelly Halleen, Children’s Department Supervisor at Brunswick Library says, “It's easy for caregivers to feel like they are not doing enough. As a full-time working parent of a preschooler with a speech delay and a baby born during the pandemic, I think to myself: What more could I have done? Did they reach their milestones? Did I read to them every night?"
Luckily, her team of librarians is always ready to spring into action, ready to help families support school readiness with events and initiatives.
The Summer Reading Game begins June 1 at all six MCDL locations and Bookmobile. This reading challenge includes a colorful gameboard to track progress, a prize from the treasure chest and a new book of the child’s choice upon completion. But that’s not all.
“Families come in for books and stay for the fun, with events, shows, outdoor storytimes, crafts and more! We’ve seen kids greatly improve their reading skills over the summer. Instead of a summer skills slump, many kids discover how fun reading can be,” Kelly says.
Learn more about the summer reading program at MCDL.info/SummerReading.
Storytime is another opportunity to build the foundation of reading. The more books a child is exposed to, the larger their vocabulary and understanding of the world. Librarians love to build relationships with children and recommend books that spark their imaginations. Check out the full line-up of storytimes at MCDL.info/Storytimes.
Kelly says that when you're feeling any doubt, “It's going to be okay. We see you and hear you. We are proud of you. You brought your child or grandchild to storytime — that’s a great step. We hope by sharing our love of reading and literacy, your child will grow to love stories too and you will enjoy the memories made at the library.”
Early Literacy – Tips to practice at home
- Read the same book over and over if that’s what your child wants. Create a routine, bond with your child and read before bedtime.
- Talk by using fun words with your child. Words like “pop,” “splash” and “boom” will grab your child’s attention and can be incorporated into play.
- Sing with your sing. Nursery rhymes like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" feature rhymes that help children break sounds and syllables in words.
- Write by tracing large letters in a magazine or write words with brightly colored markers.
- Play! For babies, play peek-a-boo. Babies love faces and will learn you are still there — even though they can’t see you!
MCDL Early Literacy Resources
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten – a reading initiative motivating children to read, with gameboards to track progress and small prizes along the way.
- Early Literacy Kits – center around a theme, complete with numerous books, puppets, games and crafts. Great for small group or in-home use.
- Discovery Packs – a bookbag with themed books and toys for checkout.
- Kindergarten Kits – made available through partner preschools and for download on the library website. These kits help caregivers assess their child’s school readiness with skills practice incorporated into fun activities.
- ABC Mouse – award-winning learning program featuring thousands of lessons is available free on the library website and computers.
- Get Ready to Read newsletter – a monthly calendar of activities and events to do with your child with songs, rhymes and games to make learning fun.
- Library Events – from storytimes to interactive shows, every library event incorporates early literacy skills into the fun.
- Play Areas – MCDL locations have designated play areas in each Children’s department. Find stimulating toys, learning games and other families to interact with and practice those social skills!
- Books – our carefully curated children’s collection features new releases, classics, fiction and non-fiction. Get books from other MCDL locations and from more than 40 other libraries through the CLEVNET consortium. Ask a librarian for reading suggestions or to reserve a specific book for your family!
Learn more about all of these services at MCDL.info/EarlyLiteracy.
Additional Resources
Sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to receive free books for children until age five.
Concerned about your child’s development? Contact the free services at Ohio Help Me Grow and Ohio Early Intervention or your pediatrician for assistance.