Parenting through Play at the Library

Just over three weeks ago (on the first day of a new job as the children’s librarian), I was told that the Liberal Memorial Library is a Family Place Library. I filed the information away in my brain (well, forgot about it). Last week when it was announced that the very first of our biannual five week parent/child workshops for parents and children from birth to five years of age was starting on Thursday, April 11th at the library. I immediately started to panic. How was I going to help to host a five week workshop for parents? I’m a mother, but that doesn’t make me a parenting expert. I had visions of lectures and PowerPoint presentations with kids struggling to sit still.

Then I learned more about what the Family Place Library workshops actually were. I discovered that they are not traditional workshops, but an opportunity for parents and caregivers to play with their children and to interact others in the community. Each week the library invites different local professionals to serve as resources and interact with other parents. Parents come to the library, and during the workshop they play with their children and have the opportunity to get parenting questions answered. If you don’t have any questions to ask, come for the toys and a solid hour of time to just sit down and play with your child.

Children get the chance to socialize with other children, while parents get the chance to share parenting ideas amongst themselves. The goals of the workshop are to facilitate early intervention, teach strategies for healthy child development and early literacy and to emphasize the role of parents as the first teachers of their children – all of which are done through play.

Most people don’t associate playing with the library, but as part of the grant, the library was able to purchase educational toys geared towards children from birth to age five. There are dolls, blocks role playing toys, puppets, building sets and more that children and parents can play with together at the library.

We’ve also been upgrading our parenting section, which is located in the children’s area of the library with new books. These books can answer any question that you might have that the local professionals or a fellow parent isn’t able to answer.

Registration is required for the five week parent/child workshop. It will be held at the library on Thursday, April 11th, April 18th, April 25th, May 2nd and May 9th at 6:30. Those wanting to sign up with their children from birth to age five can register at the library, by telephone (620-626-0180) or by email (childrens@lmlibrary.org).

Besides Family Place Library, Liberal Memorial is also happy to announce evening story time for children of all ages on Tuesday starting at 6:00. We still have our regular story times on Mondays for preschoolers, on Tuesdays for infants and Thursdays for the toddlers, all starting at 11:15. Registration is not required for any of the story times. I hope to see you at the library.