This article is sponsored by the Wichita Public Library.
Your Wichita Public Library has an exciting new program – Family Place – for parents/caregivers and their kids, particularly kids under age three. Join us for the Grand Opening on September 14th!
It’s based on research about the connections in the brain that need to be made at this very early age, and the role of parents as the first and most important teachers. The idea behind this new space inside the library is to provide a welcoming community environment with resources that families need to nurture their children’s development beginning at birth to help ensure they enter school ready and able to learn.
What is a Family Place Library™?
Family Place Libraries™ is a growing network of children’s librarians nationwide who know that literacy begins at birth, and that libraries can help build communities by nurturing healthy families.
Between birth and age five, children’s brains develop at an astonishing rate. At birth only 25% of a newborn’s brain is wired. By five, the brain is 90% wired. How adults respond to and interact with children between birth and five years has dramatic effects on executive function, social, emotional and intellectual development.
The Importance of Play
Play is how young children learn about themselves and their world. It prepares them for reading, math, and science and promotes healthy social and emotional development. Family Place emphasizes the importance of play in early learning and the importance of parents and caregivers to promote and participate in children’s play.
Grand Opening on September 14, 2023
Our Children’s Pavilion at the Advanced Learning Library (711 W. 2nd St.) will offer a new, specially designed, comfortable space for very young children and their parents and caregivers. In this space, young children and their adults can explore, play, share books, learn together and meet other families.
The Family Place will open at the Mayor’s Media Briefing on Thursday, September 14, 1:00 p.m. at the Advanced Learning Library. Families are encouraged to attend and explore this new space!
Getting a library card is quick and easy! You can visit any one of the seven Wichita Public Library locations to register your kids or teens, or visit the Library’s website to learn more about what you can get with your library card!
