Every Thursday we used to head to the library for storytime.
The neighborhood toddlers would play together for about 45 minutes, and then the librarian would read a new story each week. On the way out, we would grab a few new books to read over the week and then return them at the next storytime.
It was wonderful!
Unfortunately, the Library has been closed for a while because of the pandemic, but kids still need new stories.
I can’t fully replicate the library storytime experience, but I have found a number of ways to get new stories into my child’s hands without spending a ton, or wasting a lot of effort.
Youtube
Type “Children’s stories read aloud” in youtube and you will find thousands of books and channels of people reading children’s stories.
We can put youtube on our TV, so it is easy to throw a story up on the big screen, pull up a seat, and listen as we would have at the library. It is also a great way to test stories to see if we like them.
Book Subscription Services
I have a Highlights subscription which has age-appropriate magazine subscriptions from newborns through pre-teen years. We have a highlights hello subscription (read my review of that here), and it has been wonderful.
My daughter loves getting the little book in the mail. They are easy to hold and have great pictures, so she likes to carry them around and create her own stories when I don’t have time to read.
The best part? The books are made of vinyl and are nearly indestructible so I don’t have to worry about her ripping the pages out. I think it is worth $40 per year.
There are a lot of monthly book clubs or subscriptions out there. Here is a great post on all the different options.
Amazon
Amazon kindle unlimited is like Netflix for books. To me, this comes closest to the library experience because I can check out a book on nearly any topic and then return it when I am done.
I use it to do research and read pleasure books for myself, and then I also check out books to read with my daughter. I don’t have a kindle so we read them on my tablet or the computer.
Honestly, I think I get more use out of this one than my daughter.
Wrapping it all up
The library may be closed, but we can still introduce new stories to our children. Check out some of the options above and stay safe out there.
Jane
Jane Reid, the primary author of Unprepared Mom and STEM 911, is an educator, tutor, women’s rights advocate, and mom. Here to make your life easier one article at a time.