Apr 10

Apr 10 The day the libraries closed

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that the seriousness of Covid-19 initially hit me when all our local libraries closed. I have an enormous TBR (To Be Read) pile at home but the thought of losing access to more books scared me. My nighttime routine consists solely of brushing my teeth and then reading, usually for half an hour but longer if I can. I’m trying to help my girls create a similar routine to help them wind down before bed.

While reading the same book over and over is actually beneficial for preschool children, I can’t say that I love reading the same books every single night to my now-5-year-old and it is important that we all get some variety while we are isolating at home. For those of you desperate for new reading material, here are some ways you can add new books to your day without leaving the house or having to pay.

Click on the image (left) for links to a number of Author read-alouds including books by Australian favourites Mem Fox and Alison Lester and the quirky Oliver Jeffers.

Here in my home town, Geelong Regional Libraries have created a YouTube channel where they are posting baby time, toddler time and story time videos. Their website has all the information you need to join in/watch virtual events online and there are events for children, young adults and adults so the whole family is covered. The eCollections page has access to an incredible array of resources, from newspapers to reference collections. For children’s books, I would recommend the StoryBox Library and Tumblebooks and Busythings is an interactive, fun learning resource for preschool children.

Storyline Online has classic and new picture books read aloud and it is completely free. I would also recommend looking up your favourite authors on social media and see if they are reading their books aloud online, or offering activities based on their books.

While the online offerings are fantastic, remember how important it is to read to your little ones because reading is ultimately about shared connections and reading to your little ones is one way you can show them love, care and attention.