Wiggle worms

Join us for storytime featuring books, songs, and playtime for babies and toddlers and caregivers. | Central | Children

Central Library – Children’s Room
Thursdays | 10:30-11:30 AM

Join us each week for a quiet and sensory friendly storytime for babies and toddlers who are not yet walking. Siblings welcome!

Tiny Tots Sensory Fun

Bring your little ones for some sensory fun and let us worry about cleaning up the mess! | East Forest Park | Children

East Forest Park Branch – Children’s Room
Every other Thursday | 10:30-11:30 AM

Every other Thursday we will offer an array of toddler friendly sensory activities to work on motor skills. Aimed at toddlers, but siblings welcome.

Weather permitting, this program will be held on the children’s patio!

Stompers Storytime

Join us for storytime featuring books, songs, and playtime for babies and toddlers and caregivers. | Central | Children

Central Library – Children’s Room
Tuesdays | 10:30-11:30 AM

Stompers is a special storytime developed for toddlers that encourages  interaction through stories, music and play. Come have fun while building early literacy and social skills. For children and their caregivers.

Sensory Playgroup

Join us for storytime featuring books, songs, and playtime for babies and toddlers and caregivers. | Central | Children

Central Library – Children’s Room
Second Tuesday of the month | 3:00-4:00 PM

Join us in a sensory friendly space to read together, make friends, and explore sensory activities. This program is inclusive, but primarily created with children on the Autism Spectrum in mind. For ages 3 and up.

Registration required, because space is limited. Visit our calendar to register.

Home City Families: Playgroups

Parents and their children are invited to join us for stories, songs, and activities! | Children

Home City Families Playgroup

East Forest Park Branch
Fridays | 1:30-2:30 PM | Ages 1-5

Forest Park Branch
Tuesdays | 10:30-11:30 PM | Ages 1-5 

Indian Orchard Branch
Tuesdays | 10:30-11:30 PM | Ages 1-5 

Mason Square Branch
Wednesday | 10:30-11:30 PM | Ages 1-5 

Sixteen Acres Branch
Tuesdays | 1:30-2:30 PM | Ages 1-5 

Parents and their children are invited to join us for stories, songs, and activities!

This playgroup is a great opportunity to meet other parents and give your child the opportunity to socialize with other children their age.

No registration required – just come in!

Circle Time Fun

Join us for songs, rhymes and a story or two at Circle Time Fun. | Sixteen Acres | Children

Sixteen Acres Branch
Thursdays | 10:30-11:30 AM | Ages 0-5

Join us for songs, rhymes and a story or two!

“Circle Time” is not only a fun experience for your child but also a great way to be ready for preschool and kindergarten.

Be sure to browse our extensive collection of children’s books and multimedia before or after the program!

Ages 0-5, older siblings welcome. An adult must accompany and consistently supervise children.

No registration required – just drop in anytime during the program!

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Read just one book a day to build a foundation for lifelong success. Prizes awarded for every 100 books! | Children

All Library Locations
Began January 2022, ongoing

All it takes is sharing one book a day with your child to build a foundation for lifelong success. Start your child’s book journey today! The goal is to have read 1,000 books before your precious one starts kindergarten.

If you read just 1 book a day, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. If you consider that most children start kindergarten at around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think. So, let’s get started!

How to Participate

Read with your child. Studies have shown that reading with your child provides a great opportunity for bonding. Reading together is fun and will create life-long memories for the both of you.

Keep track of the number of books you read with your child. Ask your librarian for a paper log to start on your reading journey.

You may choose instead to log your books online using Beanstack. Visit our Beanstack website or download the app to log your books digitally. You can view Beanstack instructions here or ask a librarian on how to use it.

After each 100 books you read, visit your local Springfield City Library branch to collect your free book prize. After 1000 books, come in and get a tote bag!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate in this program?
– Any child from birth until they enter kindergarten.

How long does the program take?
– The program will take anywhere from a few months to a few years. The program is self-paced and will depend on how often you read together.

Can we repeat books?
– Yes!

How many of my children can participate?
– All of them (provided they have not started kindergarten). Make it even more fun and read as a family!