Library storytimes are some of the best free activities for kids in the Kansas City area. It’s a great way to get out of the house and give your kids a chance to socialize with other kids their age. You might even make a friend or two! Johnson County Library has top notch facilities with fun children’s areas and helpful and engaging librarians.
You can catch storytimes for various age groups at 10 branches of Johnson County
Library including Antioch, Blue Valley, Cedar Roe, Central Resource, Corinth, Gardner, Leawood Pioneer, Lenexa City Center, Monticello, and Shawnee. Visit the events page for branch specific dates and times (on the left hand side you can select which library branch you’d prefer.) You can also catch an online storytime on Facebook Live every Friday or tune into their Storytime OnDemand playlist anywhere, anytime.
Each storytime is carefully planned based on a child’s age group and developmental abilities. If you have children in different age groups, you should attend a family storytime or the variety best suited for the youngest child. Older siblings are always welcome.
Here are the varieties of storytimes being offered by Johnson County Library.
Baby Storytime
A lapsit program of songs, rhymes and movement for babies. Introduce your little one to the sounds and rhythms of the spoken word and give them a head start on language learning. Designed for birth to 18 months and a caregiver. Older siblings are welcome.
Mother Goose Rhyme Time
An active program of songs, classic rhymes, and fingerplays to introduce your little one to the sounds of rhymes and music to give them a head start on language learning. Designed for ages 12 months to 24 months and a caregiver. Siblings welcome.
Toddler Storytime
Toddlers will enjoy this Storytime with short stories, songs, fingerplays and movement activities to reinforce early language learning. Designed for ages 18 months-3 years and a caregiver. Siblings welcome.
Preschool Storytime
Preschoolers will enjoy this longer Storytime with stories, songs, fingerplays and movement activities to encourage pre-reading skills. Designed for ages 3-6 years and a caregiver. Siblings welcome.
Family Storytime
The whole family will enjoy this flexible Storytime. Hearing stories is a great way to spend time with your kids and help them foster a love of reading. Stories, songs, fingerplays and movement activities foster pre-reading skills.
Bilingual Storytime
The whole family will enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays and movement activities in both English and another language. Exposure to other languages can help develop early language learning and boost pre-reading skills. Fun for the whole family.
Since space is limited make sure you arrive early and stop by the question desk in the children’s area to secure a free ticket.
Before or after story time set aside some time to play (check out our favorite branches for indoor play) and check out some books. My kids are absolutely obsessed with the talking books that will read them a story and ask them questions at the end! Also check out a 6 by 6 books to go kit.
