At the library, we’re always looking for creative ways to help children and families grow a love of reading. One way we’re leaning into that journey is through nature. We create programs and experiences that invite children to wonder about the world around them. A bird singing from a nearby tree might spark a question, a story, or a new word. Noticing that one fall leaf is crimson while another is golden gives children new ways to describe what they see. These small moments of wonder are also moments of literacy.
Our early literacy practices—reading, writing, singing, talking, and playing—fit beautifully into the natural world. Children can sing along with the birds, talk about changing leaves, read a story beneath a tree, draw what they discover, or turn a stick into something entirely new through play. Nature gives children something to be curious about, and literacy gives them the tools to explore and share that curiosity.
We’d love for you to experience some of that wonder with us! Our Kids’ Birding Club invites young explorers to slow down, listen, and discover our feathered neighbors, while Nature Play gives children the freedom to get curious, creative, and maybe even a little muddy. Families can enjoy stories on the move through Chapters and Steps, our audiobook walking club, or discover a book one page at a time along our StoryWalks® located in parks throughout the area. Whether you’re listening for birds, wandering a trail, or stopping to read the next page, there are plenty of ways to take literacy beyond the library walls and see where the story leads.
