Parents, did you know that our story times are magical?
Yes! Our story times are intentionally designed to develop your child’s early literacy skills in a fun and engaging way. Every time you talk, sing, read, write, and play with your baby, you are helping them build essential skills such as oral language, phonological awareness, vocabulary, background knowledge, letter recognition, and print awareness. Early literacy development begins at birth!
Building early literacy skills is crucial—it lays the foundation for your child to learn to read and write.
Many parents visit the library with a newborn and, when invited to story time, respond with, “But my baby is too small to understand.” However, research shows that early literacy development begins at birth. Babies’ brains form critical pathways when they engage in activities that support early literacy. Following, I'll break down how our story times achieve exactly that!
Talking
Engaging in conversation helps children develop oral language, one of the most vital early literacy skills. Our story times encourage children to participate through interactive stories and rhymes.
Singing
Singing supports phonological awareness by slowing down language, helping children hear the different sounds in words, and expanding their vocabulary. Our librarians love to sing with families and model movement-based songs that make learning fun.
Reading
Reading together is the most effective way to prepare a child for learning to read. It fosters a love for books and motivates children to become readers. We include at least two books in every story time session and incorporate interactive elements to make reading engaging and fun!
Writing
Children learn that printed letters represent spoken words when they see print in everyday life. We provide crafts and activities that help develop fine motor skills, an important precursor to writing.
Playing
Play is one of the best ways for children to develop language and literacy skills. Through play, children put their thoughts into words and express what they are experiencing. Our story times integrate play, especially through flannel board stories and interactive activities.
Bringing Story Time Magic Home
Our librarians are passionate about supporting early literacy and take an active role in empowering families during story times. In addition to sharing engaging stories, songs, and rhymes, our librarians incorporate practical early literacy tips that parents and caregivers can easily use at home. These tips are grounded in the five core practices of early literacy—talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing—and are designed to make learning both meaningful and fun.
To further support families, we provide a monthly calendar created by the Public Library Association that features simple, developmentally appropriate literacy activities for each day. These activities help parents build their child’s language and literacy skills in everyday moments, fostering a strong foundation for future reading success.
Story Times at Your Library
We offer a variety of age-appropriate story times across Nashville, carefully tailored to meet the developmental needs of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. These sessions are thoughtfully designed to spark a love of reading through interactive storytelling, movement, and play—creating joyful, literacy-rich experiences that connect children to books, language, and create community.
📖 Babies & Books (Ages 0-2) Babies and their caregivers are invited to join us for a gentle and joyful introduction to early literacy. Through tickle rhymes, wiggle songs, and simple stories, we foster early brain development and bonding between child and caregiver. Each session also includes tips and best practices that parents can use at home to support their baby’s emerging language and literacy skills.
📖Toddler Tales (Ages 1-3) Designed especially for busy toddlers and their caregivers, this interactive story time features engaging stories, playful rhymes, and songs that support early language development. We also share practical early literacy strategies that caregivers can use throughout the day to build vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of books.
📖Music & Movement Story Time ( Ages 2-6) Get ready to sing, dance, and move in this high-energy, family-friendly story time! Music & Movement promotes physical coordination, rhythm, and listening skills while encouraging joyful participation. Through songs, movement games, and rhythmic play, children develop key early literacy skills in a fun and dynamic environment.
📖CuentaCuentos (Spanish Story Time for 0-6 years) Come enjoy a story time entirely in Spanish! Join us for singing, dancing, rhymes, and stories in a fun and welcoming environment. This program is designed to strengthen early literacy skills while celebrating the Spanish language and culture. Perfect for Spanish-speaking families or those who want their children to grow up immersed in the language.
Join us for story time, where learning and fun go hand in hand! Visit our story time page to discover more.
Stay informed! Sign up for our English newsletter or Spanish newsletter for programs in the children's department at the Main Library!
Sing the early literacy song with us!
