The Kentwood branch of Kent District Library opened their KDLville space last November to the delight of many young children and their caregivers.  The space contains a custom-designed airplane by the Burgeon Group which has interactive panels for babies and toddlers.  There is also a much-loved Imagination Station with a new theme every three months. 
 
The rest of the KDLville space is dedicated to  the fostering of Early Literacy in young children.  Kentwood has four themes:  Transportation, ABC, Construction, and Animals.  Every three months a new theme is introduced to the space.  All the toys and activities bought for each theme are carefully chosen to encourage one or more of the Early Literacy Practices (Singing, Playing, Talking, Reading, and Writing).  The large magnet wall is a gathering place for children to engage in side by side creativity with magnets.  The current theme is ABC with an emphasis on letter recognition and fun with words.
 
Since the KDLville space opened last year, Kentwood has experienced an increase in families coming to the library specifically to play in this dedicated space.  Young children have  been creating, singing, using their imagination, and making new friends.  It is such a joy to see the library become a fun and exciting destination for families.

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

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Written by Sheri

Sheri is the Kent District Library Webmaster. She loves KDL’s eBook collection and her NOOK because they allow her to fit a whole stack of books in her purse to take with her wherever she goes.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 21st, 2012 at 2:00 pm and is filed under Parents & Kids. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.