Early Bird Learning Activities

Miss Shelley shares books, activities, videos, and resources to help children on the path to reading.

Browse the latest activities for early learners

Librarian Shelley smiling while wearing a winter coat and ear muffs

Updated for winter: Early Bird Learning videos: A virtual tutorial for babies, toddlers & preschoolers

The world changes in winter: We get cozy and snuggly, animals shift their behavior, and trees and flowers wait for spring. There are also a lot of family holidays, which …
New! Hoopla BingePass with an icon featuring two tickets on a starbust background

BingePass gives you 7 days of unlimited streaming

With hoopla’s new BingePass and your Oak Park library card, you can get unlimited streaming for seven days with a single borrow! Let’s get started… How do I use hoopla’s …
An illustration of a lion pulling two cubs in a wagon while more illustrated animals play in a park in the fall

35 things to do with little ones this fall

Fall family fun is in full swing here in Oak Park! Explore free activities—curated by your public library and the Collaboration for Early Childhood—specially designed for families with young children …
Two cartoon ghosts surrounded by a colorful Halloween candy

Sharing scary & not-so-scary stories: Videos & books for early learners

By Children’s Librarian Shelley Harris The sun is setting earlier, and nights are lasting longer. This is the time of year when our “Chills and Thrills” bin of picture books …
A graphic featuring an illustration of a schoolhouse with children coming down a slide built on the front and the text Welcome Back to School

New year, new transitions! Videos & books for early learners

By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Welcome to the -ber months: September, October, November, and December! Most people celebrate the start of a new year in January. Not me. I graduated …
An illustration of worms working in a garden with two cats looking on and a rainbow in the background

37 things to do with your little ones this summer

There is so much to do and explore during the summer! Together with the Collaboration for Early Childhood, we’ve put together a collection of activities and free, fun, local community …
Kids and pets reading under a blanket

Kids summer reading: Kids as young as 2 can join the fun!

By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Most people look at summer as a time to relax and have fun. For Children’s Services Librarians, it’s our busy season! We’ve spent the past few …
Autism Acceptance & Pride with a rainbow infinity symbol

Autism acceptance & pride: Videos & activities for early learners

By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Happy Autism Acceptance Month! To understand why we’re celebrating… Let’s start at the beginning: What is autism & why acceptance? There are two brain types: …