Culture shot: Libraries and toddlers

The public library system is a thing of wonder to me. With the growth of big retail bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Borders, the idea of the library seems to be a thing of the past or so I thought.

Libraries are a great place for toddlers. The kids section is always filled with books, mini tables and chairs, art and those funny felt boards with cut-outs that I remember from kindergarten. If you're really lucky your local library will have a fun animal your kiddos can enjoy, too. Our favorite library has Max the mouse. A big celebrity around these parts.

I started taking Lillie to the library for story time. A wonderful teacher, Ms. Stephanie, reads stories, sings songs and dances with lots of little ones for about 20 minutes once a week. She is a librarian, you hardly hear about nowadays, and is the most wonderful person. And, best of all, this activity is totally free.

We have discovered so much more at our library other than story time, and it’s a great place to have your toddler look, learn and feel everything around her. The only drawback is making sure they use an inside voice, as it is usually dead silent in there.

Search your city's web pages or white pages for the closest library and inquire about story time. Oh, and best of all, you can get a library card with you and your child's name on it. Once they stamp your due date on the inside sleeve, you'll be instantly taken back 20 years.