Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or working mom, the library can be a great (free) place for you and your kids to go hangout, read, and enjoy lots of other cool features. In this article, we’ll be going over some of the top reasons to check out Tifton’s library downtown for both you and your kids.
Books (duh!)
This one is kind of a no-brainer, but the library is a great place to go to check out books for both you and your children for free. There is a great selection at the local library, but if they don’t have what you are looking for, you can ask for help putting a book on hold. This means they will request that book from another library for you. And while I love supporting authors and buying books, sometimes it can be really expensive and just another thing that clutters up the house. Having the option to borrow the book for free has been amazing for both me and my two girls, and we check out a decent stack of books at least once a week. If you have a reluctant reader and/or a child who is struggling to read, the library is a great place too because there is something for everyone. Graphic novels have been a huge hit in our house, and when my oldest daughter was learning to read, the leveled readers in the children’s section were really helpful.
Sensory Station
A recent addition to the library is the sensory station! This features play doh, sensory books, and lots of sensory toys. It’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon with littles all the way up to elementary age!
DVDs and Audiobooks
Something you might not know your local library has if you don’t visit there very often is DVDs and audiobooks. They have a pretty good selection of DVDs for both kids and adults, which can be great if you don’t want to pay for cable and/or all the streaming services out there. Audiobooks can also be a great way to get some reading in for yourself on the go or to get kids who might be struggling with reading a physical book interested in the story.
Digital Resources
In addition to physical books and audiobooks, there are also digital resources you can access through your library card like Hoopla or Libby. These are essentially digital libraries where you have access to audiobooks and eBooks and occasionally magazines, movies, and TV, which can be a great option if you prefer reading on a Kindle or other tablet.
Free Programming
Our local library does a fantastic job at putting on lots of programs for people of all ages. We love going to Storytime every Thursday morning and Homeschool Hangout on Fridays (during the school year), but they also have adult programming and other programs for preschool age, school age, and teens.
Partnerships and Passes
Books, DVDs, and audiobooks are not the only thing you can check out! Our local library, as well as all libraries in the Coastal Plains Regional System (Ben Hill, Berrien, Cook, Irwin, Tift, and Turner) have a great selection of passes to places like the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta History Center, the Center for Puppetry Arts, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, the Computer Museum of America, the Georgia Museum of Agriculture, Georgia State Parks, the Go Fish Education Center, the Macon Museum pass (includes Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Museum of Arts and Sciences, and Tubman Museum), the Michael C. Carlos Museum, the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse, and the Breman Museum. To learn more about each individual pass, you can find that here. Our family has used many of these, and it’s a great way to visit some places local to us and some that are a little bit farther away for free.
Technology Assistance
In addition to all the great things you can check out at our local library and their programming, it’s also a great place if you need technology assistance. You can also scan, fax, copy, and print things at our local branch as well if you need that.
Tifton Moms is a resource dedicated to the moms and families of Tifton, Georgia and beyond to help them find the information they need about events in Tifton and Southwest Georgia, resources in Tifton and beyond, educational tips, and so much more. We are passionate about all things parenting and our community, and we want to connect you to relevant resources, local businesses, can’t-miss events, and each other! Find more helpful articles at https://tiftonmoms.com/blog/.
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