Grow Your Little Reader! Library Resources for Kids

Do you have little ones at home? The team at Mid-Continent Public Library, and our good friend Marty the Martian, have all the tools you need to start your child on a path to a world of possibilities!  

Did you know that the Library has an app just for your little readers? It’s called Grow A Reader and can be downloaded onto your mobile device for free from the iOS App or Google Play Stores. Participate in activities and track your reading on your own time. You can also track your kids’ reading by participating in the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program. They will be ready to start school, and you get a certificate to show off.  

When you visit an MCPL branch, every location has an area for children to play and explore. There are AWE computers (computers for kids) filled with many games and interactive activities. There are also thousands of picture books, audiobooks, reader and chapter books, Vox read-along talking books, music CDs, and DVDs that cover nearly any topic or character that may interest your child.

Storytime will soon be offered in person again at MCPL branches, but if you can’t make it, never fear. The Library offers Grow A Reader to Go Storytime Kits catered to different age groups, which you can place on hold and pick up at your local branch. Select branches also have early development games you can play along with your little one and themed book bundles for on-the-go grown-ups. Ask a staff member at your local branch for assistance finding these resources.

In the world we live in, the Library also provides resources and tools that you can access outside of the Library’s physical buildings. For example, select branches (currently the Antioch and Lone Jack Branches) have interactive “StoryWalks” in nearby outdoor areas, adding an interactive, literacy component to a routine walk. There may be outdoor storytimes offered during future warmer weather days as well.  

Go virtual with one of the many free early development online resources MCPL offers, such as TumbleBook Library, Just for Kids Access Video, or BookFlix, which collectively feature thousands of hours of stories and popular educational cartoons. Call the Dial-A-Story hotline (816.701.6904) for one of five options that change weekly for a bedtime story told by MCPL staff. You can also watch virtual storytimes on the MCPL360 Facebook page. There are bilingual and American Sign Language storytimes as well.  

If you have limited connectivity at home, don’t worry! You can check out a Wi-Fi hotspot and Chromebook laptop from the Library with your Access Pass (Library card).

Lastly, don’t forget to sign up for MCPL’s annual Summer Library Program later this year for a chance to win books and cool prizes as you track your reading.  

As always, contact or visit your Library to learn more, ask questions, and help your little one explore the new and wonderful world of the Library. 

Andrew E.
Red Bridge Branch