Storytimes are a wonderful way to introduce books and the joy of reading to your little ones. They help build early literacy skills and acquaint young readers with their library and community. At HCPL, we recognize that young readers have different needs and abilities, and our goal is to help each reader find the right fit. Read on to learn more about the Library’s storytime offerings including the new Adaptive Storytime!

With the start of school just days away, don't forget your most important supply: a library card! The Library offers several resources to help support students and their families throughout the school year. Learn more about what’s available to you with a library card and set yourself up for back-to-school success!

Since 1971, Week of the Young Child has been celebrated by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and early childhood educators around the country. This weeklong event is a time for communities to learn more about the hard work being done to help educate and prepare young children (birth through age 8) for success in school and life.

We are excited to share our newest educational platform for kids, Just for Kids Access Video. Just for Kids offers a kid-safe and advertisement-free streaming platform where young patrons can learn, explore, and enjoy.

Starting this week, our in-person and virtual storytimes have a brand-new schedule, and can be found on their own dedicated calendar. Read on for more information about upcoming storytimes!

Reading is the one activity that can increase the bonds between parent and child, teach your little one about the world around them, and open their eyes to concepts they might not encounter every day. Read and Discuss Stories is the last pillar of the Basics. The idea is to make reading fun while your kids are young, and instill a love of reading that will persist beyond childhood.

There is so much for a child to learn about the world around them, and their best tools are movement and play. Movement and play support motor development while simultaneously encouraging curiosity- and are the pillars of the fourth principle of the Basics.

Picture books are more than colorful images paired with words. Great picture books insist that the reader and the listener actively play and talk. Learning is made dynamic when you add dancing, imagination, and verbal responses. Movement makes literacy fun!

Our librarians at Henrico County Public Library are always ready to provide information and tips on early literacy. But we also love early math! Little ones are ready to tackle math concepts well before they reach kindergarten, and it starts with counting, grouping, and comparing. These three foundational concepts set the stage for mathematical understanding. Here are our tips to count, group, and compare, the third principle of The Basics.