Literacy Spot #33: Library Time Treasure Hunt

Early literacy learning

With reading to young children such an important component of a child’s literacy development, we read together a lot in our house and heading off to the local library every fortnight for a stash of new stories to share is an important part of our routine.

When we go to the library, Immy and I will together choose a collection of books (and usually a CD or two as well). Then we like to sit and read a few stories together before checking out our books and heading over to the park next door for some outdoor playtime and a story or two in the sunshine.

Choosing library books often feels a little like a treasure hunt – what gems will we find this week?!? It is always interesting to see what attracts Immy to a book and often the quality of the picture books I choose is directly proportional to the amount of uninterrupted time I have to look at each one as we are choosing. Some weeks there are definitely more misses than hits!

So I have formulated a treasure hunt list based on many of the criteria I use myself to find books for Immy, thinking that it just might help to make choosing books at library time a little easier and even more fun. After all, children love a good treasure hunt and I think this is a great way to introduce children of preschool age and up that to the idea that there are criteria against which a book can be judged that increase the likelihood that it will be one they really enjoy!

Library Book Treasure Hunt

Can you find…

  1. A picture book that supports a current interest (of your child or family)
  2. A child’s non-fiction book that supports a current interest
  3. A new-to-you title by a favoured author
  4. A book with interesting illustrations that capture your interest
  5. A ‘how to,’ recipe book or other form of instructional guide for a project that you can do together
  6. A book that features lots of lovely rhyming words
  7. A book accompanied by an audio story
  8. A book that features your child’s name as a character
  9. An old favourite
  10. A book that makes you laugh

Then why not head home and set up a library of your very own!

Do you visit the library with your children? How do you go about selecting appropriate books?

What is Childhood 101′s Literacy Spot? It is a weekly reminder of the importance of young children learning playfully as each week I share one idea for playing around with literacy, taken from my many years working as an early childhood teacher. Visit the previous Literacy Spot posts for more fun ideas for playing with literacy.

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20 Comments

  1. Amy@Let's Explore says:

    I love this idea, Christie!

    Lately, my girls have been practicing finding books by author’s last name. I love that they are learning and remembering some of their favorite authors’ names.

    I also keep a little notebook in my purse of books I think the girls would like, so we can check for them on our library trips.

    1. The notebook is such a great idea, Amy, I really should note down titles as well.

  2. Another brilliant idea, its getting a bit hard for us at the library because my daughter has read virtually all the baby/ young toddler hard board books so we started looking at the frog books (not sure what the term is) its the ones they read at school and goes up in grades and ages. Found that having only one or two sentences on a page and still having big bright pictures is working for us, but I think I will print this list of and give us something different to do at the library.

  3. This sounds like a great way to focus our library borrowing! We go just about every week to the library. Miss 4 goes straight for the novels and selects anything with a fairy, princess, tiara or unicorn. I have to put a limit of 4 novels or we’d have the whole shelf in our library bag! Miss 2 usually just picks up one off the top of the pile and says “This one!” I’d like to encourage Miss 4 to continue with picture books as well as the novels and help Miss 2 be a bit more discerning – so a treasure hunt it will be next week!
    One tip I have used is to search for books online at home then reserve them online so when we get to the Library they are waiting for us on the reserve shelf and I say “Look these special books are waiting just for us!” The girls are happy to borrow these books and I can guide the selection a bit!

  4. I love this idea. Junior and I used to spend lots of time choosing books at our local library but now it is closed for an extended period (due to a fire) and we have to jump in the car to get to the next closest library we go a lot less. I also find it a lot more difficult to choose good books now that I have three children I have to keep track of at the library. I have recently found out that some of the libraries near us hold PJ storytime one evening a month so that give Junior and I a chance to enjoy some time at the library without his little brothers running amock and it is lots of fun too!

    1. I love the PJ storytime idea! I wish our library hosted those 🙂

  5. Brilliant post. We virtually live in the library – have visisted at least once a week since the kids were born. TheEldestSon has ADHD and various learning hurdles so this is a very important part of our week as he struggles to read . Your wonderful suggestions will re-invent our trips. Thank you.

  6. The library is a big love of ours and I often mention it on the blog 🙂

    We go through stages with the library, sometimes Miss 4 is not interested, then we have almost daily visits. We are now keeping to the once a week story time, with the occasional Sunday visit after the park. And come school holidays we are very involved in the various programs offered, especially the night time story times. 🙂

    I have learnt to step back from choosing the books for Miss 4. I don’t read non-fiction and I would find myself not choosing those books for Miss 4. I need to step back and let her choose what intests her and not push my personal reading biases. (I’ve written about that somewhere too!)

  7. Lovely to hear about your library visits. I’m another one who reserves library books online so they’re waiting for us under our name when we get there. I find I get many ideas for new books and authors online (from blogs like yours) and it’s easiest to log onto the library website then and there to order that book in – I never remember them when I’m at the library! It also gives me access to all the libraries in my council area, not just the branch I go to.

    1. Like you, I never remember the titles I wanted to find once we are at the library either, I must start making use of the online reserve 🙂

  8. What a great idea! I usually come equipped with a small list (especially if we’re talking about a specific theme, then try to choose whatever looks interesting at the time. I love the idea of your treasure hunt!

  9. I was an elementary school teacher before becoming a mum so I’ve had lots of practise choosing books for little ones. And hence the blog. But we go to the library a lot and my girls love choosing their own books so we often end up with some really interesting (for lack of a better word) books. 🙂

    I, too, use the hold option at the library. That way we can choose from books at other libraries rather than limiting ourselves to the selection at our local branch. Another thing I like to do is visit online bookstores and browse their new release sections. Then I search the library online for the newly released titles I want and put them on hold. Often we end up being the first to read some great new books.

  10. Kate @ Puddles and Gumboots says:

    This is fabulous idea Christie! I just love it! I’m definitely doing this next library trip with the kids

  11. I love the idea of a library treasure hunt! I’ll have to remember this when my little one is older. Not only is it a fun way to get them excited about books, but a great way to learn how to use the library.

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