Using the library as your newest parenting hack is simple. Sign up in person for a free library card, or some libraries have an online registration option. Then, check out what your library has to offer, such as:
Story times and sensory activities. "One thing people don't often know is that many people who do story times have had specialized training in early childhood education and brain development," says Betsy Kennedy, MLS, director of the Cazenovia Public Library in New York. "What we do is purposeful."
More-than-just-books lending. Dolls, sports equipment, Legos, telescopes, programmable robots, fishing poles, and other items can often be borrowed from libraries in the same way as books.
Try before you buy. Things like gardening tools and special occasion cake pans can be signed out at some libraries, saving you the expense of buying an item you may only need once.
Shared entertainment passes. Some libraries offer passes or discounts to museums, parks, and historic sites within your area that they share with patrons.
Events for parents. Book clubs, potluck dinners, educational courses, movie screenings, and exercise classes can be great ways to get out and keep you feeling like your adult self.
And, of course, books. Physical books and even audiobooks and e-books are always available for the whole family in the library and online.
(Parents)