Make the library part of your family story. The Greater Victoria Public Library has put together activities you can undertake with your grandchild to develop your special bond and help set up the little one in your life for early-learning success. Choose from interactive activities and prompts for interesting conversations, inspired by favourite storybook characters, library resources and a thirst for knowledge. Take time to enjoy the magic of learning together.
Around Town and on the Road
Explore new neighbourhoods and visit Little Free Library boxes dotted around town (littlefreelibrary.org and victoriaplacemaking.ca/little-free-libraries). Count the books inside and talk about what you see including the design of the box and the reading material.
Pop into a library branch to pick up some great books, then head to a local park. Find a bench in a beautiful spot and read together in the great outdoors.
Attend a Baby Time, Storytime or other free program at your public library. Learn songs to sing, rhymes to perform and stories to enact together.
Make Connections
Set up one of GVPL’s StoryWalk® kits in the backyard. Pages from a picture book are placed around the yard in a circuit. Kids and adults go from page to page in sequence, reading the book and discussing characters, illustrations, themes and vocabulary.
Share books you remember from your childhood. Tell your grandchild why you loved each book, what you remember about it and why you wanted to share it with them.
Get Creative
Borrow a cookbook from the library, and let your grandchild select one of the desserts. Make the delicacy together; sit; enjoy; and repeat!
Put on your bookface! Find a book with a face on the cover, take turns holding it in front of your faces, and take silly photos.
Create a new set of illustrations for a beloved picture book.
Go Digital
Borrow a movie or TV show using Hoopla, a streaming service for library users. Get settled with snacks, and enjoy the show.
Explore Tumblebooks or Biblioenfants: watch picture books come to life with animation, sound effects and narration.
Make Believe
Dress up as characters from your grandchild’s favourite story, then read the book together in costume.
Have a conversation about which book characters your grandchild would like to spend the day with. What would they do? Where would they go? What would the characters say?
