Sharing stories with your babies

Storytimes at the library

Library storytimes for infants and tots are more like a combination dance and music class, but the emphasis is on language learning and getting the youngest of children ready for school by developing a love of books early.

“It’s not just about reading,” said Bernice Chang, a children’s librarian at the Bellingham Public Library. Music, movement, and stories “are really tied together. They help build that foundation for learning.”

Chang reads several books in a half-hour session, and leads the tots in simple sign-along numbers, such as the “Alphabet Song.”

“It’s the best-kept secret in Bellingham,” said Holly McLeod, who was with her husband Bruce and 2 1/2-year-old granddaughter Annabelle at a recent storytime program. “It’s really a lot of fun.”

Jessican and Mike Fossum of Bellingham have been bringing their 4-month-old daughter Annabelle for several weeks.

“She’s very engaged,” Jessican said. “It’s also good to get her out of the house.”

Bellingham and Whatcom County libraries offer story programs for newborn to age 2 several times weekly. They’re typically 30 to 45 minutes long. Most are drop-in, but the eight-week Baby Time class on Tuesday afternoons requires a reservation.

Library calendars sometimes change, but for children newborn to age 3 at the Bellingham Public Library, look for the Little Storytimes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. At Whatcom County libraries, look for the morning Toddler Time events for children newborn to age 2.

Don’t own an extensive collection of picture books? Librarians can help parents find great picture books for children, from classics to new releases. Don’t hesitate to seek their advice.

To find story times for small children, check the online calendars at bellinghampubliclibrary.org and wcls.org. Call 360-778-7200 for Bellingham and 360-305-3600 for Whatcom County.

Find games, activities for infants online

For parents who want to take playtime with infants beyond Pattycake and Peek-A-Boo, the Internet is a great resource.

An online search of “activities for infants” offers suggestions for several websites, including babycenter.com, zerotothree.org, funathomewithkids.com and bestbeginningsalaska.org. All offer creative games and activities to help enrich young lives.

A recent Parenting magazine article headlined “12 Fun Baby Learning Games” shows parents how to expand their little one’s brainpower play playing tour guide — pointing out sounds such as a dog barking, or apples at the farmers market. Smiling and waving to the store clerk helps boost baby’s social IQ, the article says, and embracing bilingualism helps develop your child’s ability to grasp multiple concepts simultaneously.

“ We have people come ... to learn how to tell stories to their infants. ”

Doug Banner, Bellingham Storytellers Guild

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Sharing stories with your babies."