Ready for Kindergarten

You are your child’s first teacher.

Activity of the Month​
Thankfulness Paper Chain
Have fun at home with this simple craft.
Branch Buzz
Karl Road Branch
Looking for something fun to do with your kids? Check out Karl Road Branch.
Skill Builder
Mindfulness and Reading Techniques
Check out this fun at-home activity to help get your child ready for kindergarten.

Watch previous Branch Buzz and Skill Builder videos here.

Great Books for Kids
Bunny Loves Beans
by Jane Whittingham
What is your favorite color to eat? Is it the gold of honey, the pink of watermelon, or the yellow of the mango? Show your baby all the colors of the rainbow while hearing descriptive language and seeing adorable photos of real kids and animals!
L is for Love
by Atinuke

What does the letter “L” stand for? It could stand for light or leg, leap or loud. But most of all, “L” is for Love. You and your toddler can explore the beautifully-illustrated snapshot of Nigeria in this story of family, community, and nature.

We Are Definitely Human
by X. Fang

What would you do if three beings that are definitely (maybe) human crashed near your house in the middle of the night? Would you run? Yell? Or would you help? Prepare to belly laugh with your preschooler through this hilarious book that demonstrates human (and inhuman) kindness towards one another.

Great Websites for Kids

Funology

Funology is the ultimate parenting toolbox! We offer ideas you can use to inspire and entertain your kids offline. Simply put, we offer the cure to boredom!

Sesame Street

The Sesame Street website has everything a preschooler might need! From games and coloring to short videos and songs your child will be engaged and practicing many important Ready for Kindergarten skills.

Programs for Kids and Caregivers
Ready for Kindergarten Storytimes

Stories, songs and fun activities to build reading skills.​ Ages 0-5.

Storytime, Ready for Kindergarten Classes and Play to Learn programs are on a break and will start again on Monday, Aug. 19.
Ready for Kindergarten programs are on break until our summer session begins on June 1.
Check out our Events page for programs during the break.

Hours vary by location; choose your location below.

Programming is currently on break and will restart the week of August 21st.
Address

Temporary Location
3227 E. Livingston Ave.

Hours

Preschool Storytime:
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.

Address

115 Franklin St.

Hours

Family Storytime
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.

Toddler Storytime
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.

Address

1422 E. Livingston Ave.

Hours

Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.

Address

75 N. High St.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Thursday: 10 & 11 a.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.

Toddler Storytime
Monday: 10 & 11 a.m.
Tuesday & Wednesday: 10 a.m.

Preschool Storytime:
Wednesday: 11 a.m.

Family Storytime
Tuesday: 11 a.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.

Address

310 Granville St.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Monday: 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday: 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.

Toddler Storytime
Monday & Tuesday: 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.

Address

4500 Hickory Chase Way

Hours

Baby Laptime
Thursday: 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Toddler Storytime
Monday & Tuesday: 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Family Storytime
Thursday: 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 & 11 a.m.

Address

511 S. Hague Ave.

Hours

Toddler Storytime
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.

Family Storytime
Thursday: 10:30 a.m.

Address

5590 Karl Rd.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Thursday: 11 a.m.

Toddler Storytime
Wednesday: 11 a.m.

Preschool Storytime
Tuesday: 11 a.m.

Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.

Address

96 S. Grant Ave.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Monday: 10:30 a.m.
Thursday: 1:30 p.m.

Toddler Storytime
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.

Family Storytime
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 10:30 a.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m.
Sunday: 1:30 p.m.

Address

200 Market St.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Monday: 9:30

Toddler Storytime
Wednesday: 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.
Thursday: 9:30 a.m.

Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 1:30 p.m.
Thursday: 11 a.m.

Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.

Address

4093 Cleveland Ave.

Hours

Family Storytime
Wednesday: 11 a.m.
Saturday: 3 p.m.

Address

1423 N. High St.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Wednesday: 4:30 p.m.

Address

1113 Parsons Ave.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Tuesday: 5 p.m.

Address

1402 Brice Rd.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Wednesday: 10 & 11 a.m.

Toddler Storytime
Monday: 10 & 11 a.m.

Preschool Storytime
Tuesday: 10 & 11 a.m.

Family Storytime
Saturday: 11 a.m.

Address

3540 S. High St.

Hours

Family Storytime
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.

Address

3980 S. Hamilton Rd.

Hours

Family Storytime
Tuesday & Thursday: 11 a.m.

Address

3909 N. High St.

Hours

Baby Laptime
Monday: 10 & 11 a.m.

Toddler Storytime
Tuesday: 10 & 11 a.m.

Preschool Storytime
Wednesday: 10 a.m.

Family Storytime
Wednesday: 7 p.m.
Thursday: 10 & 11 a.m.
Saturday: 10 & 11 a.m.

Sensory Storytime
Friday: 11 a.m. (Registration Only)

Address

4445 E. Broad St.

Hours

Family Storytime
Wednesday: 11 a.m.
Thursday: 6:30 p.m.

Virtual Storytime

Join us for books, songs and activities to get your child ready for kindergarten.

Live Storytime at 10 a.m. on YouTube

Thursday: Live Storytime 

Ready for Kindergarten Classes

Hands-on practice of kindergarten readiness skills. Ages 3-5.

Storytime, Ready for Kindergarten Classes and Play to Learn programs are on a break and will start again on Monday, Aug. 19.

Hours vary by location; choose your location below.

Programming is currently on break and will restart the week of August 21st.
Address

75 N. High St.

Hours

Wednesday & Thursday: 2 & 3 p.m.

Address

4500 Hickory Chase Way

Hours

Monday: 1, 2 & 7 p.m.

Tuesday: 1 & 2 p.m.

Address

511 S. Hague Ave.

Hours

Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.

Address

5590 Karl Rd.

Hours

Wednesday: 5 p.m.

Address

96 S. Grant Ave.

Hours

Wednesday & Thursday: 11 a.m.

Address

200 Market St.

Hours

Monday: 11 a.m.

Address

4093 Cleveland Ave.

Hours

Monday & Wednesday: 5 p.m.

Address

1402 Brice Rd.

Hours

Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.

Thursday: 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.

Address

3540 S. High St.

Hours

Wednesday: 10:30 a.m.

Address

3980 S. Hamilton Rd.

Hours

Wednesday: 11 a.m.

Thursday: 5 p.m.

Address

3909 N. High St.

Hours

Wednesday: 11 a.m.

Address

4445 E. Broad St.

Hours

Tuesday & Thursday: 11 a.m.

Play to Learn

Stop by the children’s area to play and work on fun activities with your child. Ages 0-5.

Storytime, Ready for Kindergarten Classes and Play to Learn programs are on a break and will start again on Monday, Aug. 19.

Hours vary by location; choose your location below.

Programming is currently on break and will restart the week of August 21st.
Address

1422 E. Livingston Ave.

Hours

Monday & Wednesday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Address

1061 W. Town St.

Hours

Thursday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Address

511 S. Hague Ave.

Hours

Monday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Address

1467 E. Long St.

Hours

Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Address

4093 Cleveland Ave.

Hours

Monday & Wednesday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Address

1423 N. High St.

Hours

Tuesday: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Address

1113 Parsons Ave.

Hours

Monday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Address

850 N. Nelson Rd.

Hours

Tuesday & Wednesday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Address

3540 S. High St.

Hours

Tuesday & Wednesday: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Address

3980 S. Hamilton Rd.

Hours

Monday: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Address

4445 E. Broad St.

Hours

Monday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

EVERY MOMENT COUNTS

You have big plans for your child, but it’s the little moments that count. Here are some ideas to help your child succeed.

In partnership with

  • Take a “word walk” by naming everything you see. This helps with learning new words.
  • As they get dressed, talk about the steps. “First you put on your red shirt, next, you put on your blue pants.”
  • Ask your child to tell you a story about anything in their world. Ask questions like, “And then what happened?” to keep your child talking.
  • Read or tell stories. Point out pictures, shapes and colors in the book. Ask them what they think will happen next.
  • In the car, see if they can find a sign with the letter “s” in it. Point out different shapes and words.
  • Ask your child to retell their favorite story or a TV show they watch. Retelling a story will help them remember what they read later on.
  • Start a sing-along. Get creative by leaving out words and having them choose the animals or people to insert into songs like, “The Wheels on the Bus” or “Old MacDonald.”
  • In the bathtub, sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and have them splash to the rhythm of the song.
  • Sing a song from memory with your child. Singing will help your child learn and remember words.
  • Blow bubbles and see how many your child can count. Ask your child if the bubbles are big or small.
  • Play the game, “I Spy.” Have them pick an item that they can see and you guess what it is.
  • Pick a word and create as many rhymes as you can.
Resources for Building Literacy
Receive free books monthly for your child.
Unlimited online access to classroom-tested printables and teaching materials.
Animated, talking picture books that teach kids the joy of reading.
Sign up to get free tips sent to your phone. From Future Ready Columbus.

We’ll email you tips, activities and book suggestions you and your child will love.