Combining Early Literacy With Family Bonding

Grandparents, kids find bonding time and start new family traditions

“Are we going to storytime today, Grandma?” is a question Kathy Scott enjoys hearing often. It’s a family affair when Kathy and her husband Marshall bring their two granddaughters to the Mountlake Terrace Library for storytime.

Kathy is a frequent visitor of the library where she checks out books, movies and CDs. One day last fall, she saw a poster promoting the storytimes and she’s been attending with three-year-old Ruby and one-year-old Karilyn ever since. “It really means a lot to me to become close with my granddaughters,” remarks Kathy. “My parents were very involved with my children and that was always a real positive thing, so I feel the same way about having an impact.”

Although overall library usage has increased in recent years, older adults may not be utilizing library services that can be valuable to them. Spending quality time with a grandchild at storytime is just one of many ways seniors can benefit by developing a special family bond. Libraries provide opportunities for all community members, from babies to seniors, to learn, grow and be social.

Linda Counter is creating a family tradition. She used to take her own children to storytime and now she has been bringing her granddaughter to the Monroe Library storytimes for the past two years. It’s not just fun for the children, “I enjoy it too. I sing along … and it brings back memories of preschool with my two kids,” says Linda.

While Linda’s granddaughter, five-year-old Caitlin, enjoys Sponge Bob and Olivia books, her favorite part of storytime is the playtime and crafts. Afterwards, Grandma Linda will help find books on flamingos to satisfy Caitlin’s surprising curiosity about the birds.

Storytime with Caitlin is what Linda considers “a special time” for just the two of them. Linda urges other grandparents to attend storytime with their grandkids to experience the joy she feels when she sees Caitlin learn and socialize. Sno-Isle Libraries’ “Ready Readers” program teaches essential pre-reading skills in every storytime they present. Kids who develop pre-reading skills before they enter kindergarten are shown to do better in school.

Ask any proud grandparent about their grandchildren and the stories are pleasantly in abundance. Kathy’s face glows as she reveals three-year-old Ruby’s knack for checking out her own books, “She loves to scan the barcode, she says, ‘I can do it!’” Grandpa Marshall giggles as he explains how Ruby likes to play Library Lady, “She turns the pages and pretends to read to others, she sees the pictures and makes up the words, it’s really cute. She’s the Library Lady. Sometimes at home she plays Library Lady, too.”

She checks out her own books and conducts an imaginary storytime — Ruby could be a future Sno-Isle Libraries employee, but for now, she gives Grandma and Grandpa a good reason to come to the library.

Find storytimes and other free activities at Sno-Isle Libraries by visiting www.sno-isle.org. Upcoming intergenerational programs include “Let’s Cook and Converse,” a class for children and seniors to come together to learn food preparation techniques and etiquette at the Lynnwood Library on July 6 and September 14.

About Sno-Isle Libraries

Sno-Isle Libraries serves more than 656,000 residents in Snohomish and Island counties.  Sno-Isle has community libraries in Arlington, Brier, Camano Island, Clinton, Coupeville, Darrington, Edmonds, Freeland, Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Langley, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Oak Harbor, Snohomish, Stanwood, and Sultan, as well as bookmobile stops in communities and at senior centers. Services and materials include more than 1.3 million items, reference services, electronic databases and computer equipment, Internet access, outreach programs for the homebound and local daycares, and story times for children.

For more information on library services in your area, please call the Sno-Isle Libraries Service Center at 360/651-7000 or 1-877-SNO-ISLE (1-877-766-4753), or visit the Web site at www.sno-isle.org.