It is no secret that we are huge fans of our Montgomery County public libraries and until I started looking for family-friendly resources for Macaroni Kid Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac, I had no idea just how much our libraries offer card holders beyond borrowing books (which is still pretty great). And, of course, it is ALL FREE!
Below are many of the options that may be of interest to families. Some branches (outside of Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac) offer additional services (like Discovery Rooms) so check the main Moco Library site for more information on those offerings specific to other branches.
Streaming Music:
Freegal
- Download five free MP3-format songs per week. Find children's music by clicking on Genre and then choosing
American Song
- There are over 1000 children's songs in this collection of streaming music.
For the full list and to learn more, please click here.
Children's E-Books/Magazines
Gale Virtual Reference Library
- Many full-text nonfiction e-books on art, biography, general reference, history, and science for kids. Includes popular DK Eyewitness e-books.
TumbleBooks
- An online collection of animated, talking picture books. Includes story books, chapter books, nonfiction, videos, and more. Also includes e-books in French and Spanish.
Flipster
- Read current and back issues of your favorite adult and children’s magazines online.
For the full list and to learn more, please click here.
Language Learning
Muzzy Online
- Interactive language learning for children. Teaches 8 languages, including English, with animation and games.
Mango Languages
- Online language courses. Over 44 languages.
For the full list and to learn more, please click here.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
Participants receive a special coloring sheet and once a book has been read (and even the book you read over and over AND OVER counts), the child colors a seashell on the sheet. All kinds of early literacy activities count, like finger plays, reading poems, attending Library story times and so on. Periodically, you bring completed logs to a Library branch, receive a new one along with incentives, like stickers. Once the child has completed 1,000 books, their name is included on the Library wall and they receive the appropriate fanfare! To learn more, please click here.
GO! Kits
Part of Montgomery County Public Libraries’ (MCPL) ACE (All Children Excel) initiative is to help children succeed in school by providing resources that will spark an interest in science. MCPL has developed educational, interactive Go! Kits to introduce children to STEM concepts while satisfying their natural curiosity and encouraging them to explore the world around them. Go! Kits are available at every Montgomery County Library branch and, if my daughter's enthusiasm is any indication, they are very fun to select and borrow for two weeks.
The kit usually includes a couple of books about the science topic, an educational toy, a tablet pre-loaded with a few apps and a folder with related activities. Unlike most books, Go! Kits are only allowed to be borrowed for two weeks and the fines for returning them late are hefty.
The kits are designed for two age groups:
Little Explorer Go! Kits –preschoolers, ages three to six. Learn more about these Go! Kits here.
Young Voyager Go! Kits — elementary-age children in grades three to six. Learn more about these Go! Kits here.
Kanopy Kids
Your children can play educational games, read hundreds of e-books and watch age appropriate movies FOR FREE?! No catch. It is called Kanopy Kids (there is also an adult version) and it is great. Easy to navigate with an extensive variety of content, your child can read (or listen to) literary classics, popular new releases and movies, commercial-free television shows and even learn a new language. All you need is a current library card and you have thousands of educational options FOR FREE at your fingertips! Click here for more information and to sign-up.
Special Summer Programming
Each Summer (usually in July), branches offer a special series, "Science in the Summer" with a STEM focus. My oldest participated last Summer and really enjoyed a class on outer space taught by a NASA scientist. This Summer, the theme is "The Science of Me" and will focus on DNA, what makes people unique, how food is fuel and more. Registration is required and these classes fill quickly so register as soon as possible. Listings are for different grades so find your child's age and desired branch by searching under the event function on the main Moco Library page.
Read to a Dog
School-age children, especially beginners learning to read and those who want to improve their confidence in reading skills, are invited to practice reading aloud in short (10-15 minute) semi-private sessions with a certified therapy dog. It is a super fun way for kids who may be reluctant to read aloud to gain some practice. For more information and the schedule at various branches, please click here.
Suggested Books by Age & Interest
The library system does a great job of suggesting books by age and interest and also keeps Summer reading lists by grade. Another feature I particularly like is the "if you like this, you might like that" suggestions so if your child is distraught over finishing the Harry Potter books, you can obtain suggestions for another series of a similar genre. Or if your toddler is ALL about trains, you can find book titles sorted by age with a train or transportation theme. More information can be found here.
You can also get personalized reading recommendations from the program Beanstack. You complete a profile indicating your child's interests and reading level and each week receive a personalized list of suggestions from the county's Children's Librarians.
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