Early Learning Services at Queens Public Library

Specially designed for little ones, ages 0-5 years old and their families, QPL's Early Learning programs create a welcoming, joyful environment for young children to learn, play, and grow. Parents and caregivers are also offered the tools to raise children who love reading and learning, with useful resources, informational support, hands-on activities, and much more—helping you to become the very first teacher in your child's life. 

QPL Baby 

Welcoming a new baby is a major life event which impacts individuals and families in different ways. With over 60 locations across, Queens Public Library is committed to being there for you and your little one every step of the way! Our completely free offerings, especially designed for expecting parents and new families, provide access to valuable programs, services and resources, including health workshops, dedicated support groups, and engaging educational programs for both caregivers and their little ones. 

Download our May virtual programs calendar. 

Baby Basics: A virtual 3-part workshop series which provides education and support to pregnant people and new parents of babies under 2 months old. Baby Basics presents information on ways to have a healthy pregnancy, how to prepare for your baby's arrival, and how to care for a newborn once your baby has arrived. We host sessions 4 times a year in February, May, August, and November. 

New Mamas Virtual Support Group: A virtual weekly support group for moms of babies under 12 months, which meets year-round on Fridays from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, with a bread during the summer and winter seasons. Led by a postpartum doula, the group is designed to cover different topics at each session, such as breastfeeding, sleeping, playing, milestones etc. This support group is a valuable space for receiving resources, guidance, and support.

Please visit our calendar to view upcoming dates. Learn more or register for Baby Basics or New Mamas Virtual Support Group by email at catherine.olivo@queenslibrary.org.

Learn more about QPL Baby.  

Early Learning Spaces
Come by our fun, nurturing spaces for little ones within specific library locations. Young children are invited to play and interact with materials including age-appropriate books, toys, puzzles, dramatic play items, blocks, and drawing stations. Meanwhile caregivers can access resources about play-based learning. Come to play, stay to learn! 

Librarian-Led Storytimes
With over 60 locations across Queens, we offer storytimes featuring books, songs, fingerplays, and more activities carefully, selected by our team of knowledgeable librarians, to delight young children at various stages of their development. 

These programs are designed to introduce parents and caregivers to the five early literacy practices: playing, reading, singing, talking, writing. Attendees will learn how to replicate them at home. We offer storytimes in English as well as bilingual storytimes in English and Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, Polish, Russian, or Kreyol. Contact your local library or visit our calendar to find a storytime that is right for your child. Weekly storytimes include: 

  • Mother Goose Storytimes: from birth to approximately 6 months old (i.e. birth to crawlers) 
  • Toddler Storytimes: approximately 6-18 months old (i.e. crawlers to early walkers) 
  • Picture Book Storytimes: approximately 18-36 months old (i.e. early walkers to runners) 
  • Story Hours: approximately 3-5 years old (i.e. runners to jumpers) 

Visit our calendar to browse storytimes across Queens. 

Toddler Learning Centers (TLCs)
Designed to serve the needs of toddlers ages 1 - 3 years old and their caretakers, TLC is hosted in-person at approximately 30 QPL locations across the borough twice a year in the spring and fall. 

Over the course of 5 weeks, this dual-learning program combines social and emotional learning experiences for toddlers with introductions to child specialists for caregivers. Toddlers will play with a variety of toys while their caretakers will get the chance to chat with a professional in the fields of parenting and caregiving, early literacy, nutrition, speech development, and gross motor movement.

Learn more about Toddler Learning Centers. 

Kickoff to Kindergarten (K2K)
Designed for young children, ages 3-5 years old, and their caretakers, K2K is hosted both in-person and virtually several times a year, with translation support in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

Over the course of 7 weeks, this dual-learning program focuses on increasing pre-literacy skills in young children, while giving their caregivers the tools they will need to help support their child in learning how to read. Young children are invited to grow their early literacy skills through storytimes, games, activities centered around literacy and reading, and more, to help kick-off a lifelong habit of reading. Meanwhile, parents and caregivers are empowered to feel confident in their teaching skills as they support their child's development, through the modeling of the dialogic reading method, a way for them to talk with their child about what they read together. 

Learn more about Kickoff to Kindergarten (K2K). 

Higher Order Thinking (H.O.T) Grab & Go Activity Kits 

Designed for children, ages 4-5 years old, and their caregivers, QPL provides grab-and-go activity kits to families to be completed at home. These activities allow child(ren) and caregivers to explore, think, imagine, and create together. New kits are released twice a year in the spring and winter seasons. Kits are available in English and Spanish. 

Higher Order Thinking, or H.O.T., refers to the creative thinking skills needed for children to come up with unique and original solutions on their own. Our H.O.T. activities provide children the opportunity to build and practice skills that help them reason, think critically, and problem solve. H.O.T programs include supplies and a guide to building these skills through a combination of stories that will delight children, art and building supplies to support a playful challenge activity, and questions for caregivers to ask their child after the play activity is finished, which encourages creative thinking and conversation. 

Learn more about QPL’s Higher Order Thinking (H.O.T.) Activity Kits.