Children's Programming
Early ON
Learn and play with your child, meet people and get advice from early childhood professionals. July Early ON programming includes:
Play and Learn by Early On - Children birth to age 6 with their parent/caregiver: A safe play environment which allows children to explore & create with new materials, play alongside other children & learn to express their thoughts and feelings through social interactions
- Every Monday 9:30-11:30am
- Saturday September 30th 10-12pm
Baby Time by Early On - Infants birth to 12mos of age: A time for parents/caregivers to find support & encouragement from their peers and EarlyON Facilitators in a safe and welcoming environment. This program will feature an engaging circle, giving infant and adult the time to delight together and find creative ways to use songs and puppets alongside developmental milestones!
- Thursday 11:30-1pm
Fall into Reading
Read as many books as you can during the months of October and November! For every 10 books you read, you will receive 1 ballot for your chance to win 1 of 2 Usborne Advent Calendar Book Collections.
- Enter your ballots by November 25th!
Forest of Reading
What books won Forest of Reading in 2023?
- Blue Spruce Award - Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo
- Red Maple Award - Children of the Fox: Thieves of Shadow, Book One by Kevin Sands
- Silver Birch Express Award - Bear in the Family by Eric Walters
- Yellow Cedar Award - Fred & Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog and the Discovery of Insulin by Deborah Kerbel
- Silver Birch Express Fiction - The Undercover Book List by Colleen Nelson
- White Pine Award - Daughter by Kate McLaughin
LEGO Challenge
Stop in each Thursday night to try your hand a new LEGO challenge! If you wish, bring your creations to the front desk for a photo and we will post them on social media. Please note, there will be no staff supervision.
- Every Thursday 4:00 - 7:30pm
StoryWalk
StoryWalks are up until Thanksgiving weekend!
A StoryWalk® is a fun and educational activity that places a children's story (literally a book taken apart) along a walking route in the community. This lets you read a story with your family while you walk! Our StoryWalk® features local authors, Mike Masse resides in Stratford and Jen Courtney, a Listowel resident.
Jen Courtney's X Marks the Spot: A Tail of Faith is located at Millbank Pioneer Park (4079 Waterloo Street, Millbank) and Mike Masse's Andy Gets Angry is at Sebringville Park (302 Huron Rd, Sebringville).
Spooky Story Contest
Finish the story "My next-door neighbor has always been a mysterious figure. She began to reveal her secrets on Halloween night…" and bring your submissions into the library!
With your permission, we will share the submissions on our website and social media and have a binder in the library with printouts!
You can either bring in a physical copy of your submission or email us your story at pertheast@gmail.com.
1000 Books Before Kindergarten
1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a fun, exciting and easy way to start your child on the path to success! Read a book - any book- to your child. The goal is to read 1,000 books before your child starts kindergarten. It's easier than you think. Read 1 book a night and you'll meet your goal in 3 years. Read 3 books a night, you could reach your goal in just one year.
How 1000 Books works:
- Get set for reading. Pick up a tracking poster and program materials at the Library or print them from our website.
- Track your reading. Colour in/cross out a stack of books on the tracking poster for each book you read to your child.
- Every book counts. Even if your child wants to hear the same book again and again, you can count it each time. The books your child hears in storytime, daycare, preschool or with family or friends all count as long as your child listens to the entire book.
- Keep on reading. Don't stop at 1000! Keep reading together, there's more learning ahead.
- Share your journey. We invite you to share your 1000 Books Before Kindergarten journey on social media. Tag us @pepllibrary and use the hashtag #1000BooksB4K.
Program Materials
Welcome Package, Tracking Sheet and Order Books here