Children's Services

Sensory Rooms are an excellent space of refuge for children who get overstimulated easily. Children on the Autism spectrum, with Down's Syndrome, and other sensory disabilities can become overwhelmed by spaces with lots of other children and noises. While we offer many interactive and play spaces in our Children's area here at Nashville Public Library, we felt it would be important to make sure ALL children feel welcomed and comfortable. Our new Sensory Room offers a quiet and peaceful retreat from the hustle-bustle of the Children's department. Come see for yourself!
On January 19th (Dolly's birthday!), Nashville Public Library launched a week-long registration drive for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. This incredible program provides a free book every month to children, from birth until the age of 5. Without a doubt, the Imagination Library has become an integral part of the movement to boost early literacy and foster a love of reading among young children!
Pronouncing someone's name correctly is a conscious choice, regardless of whether it is normalized in the United States. Check out these beautiful Children's books that create empathy around the idea of misnaming and celebrate diverse names!
Cooking with children is a great summer past-time and can help build motor skills and vocabulary! Here are some fabulous cookbooks for kids available at Nashville Public Library. WARNING: Reading this blog post may cause hunger and salivation.
The whole family can celebrate Pride Month with two fantastic children's books about same sex couples and their families' lives. Bathe the Cat is a hysterical tale about a feline friend who causes all kinds of mayhem in efforts to avoid his bath. Dad and Daddy and the whole family are thrown out of sorts trying to prepare for Grandma to arrive! Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle is an endearing story of a child and her Mama who spend a whole week together while Mommy is travelling for work. 
Sea turtles are an important part of the web of life for the planet's survival.  The work of many individuals has made a difference in the survival of the species.  This article mentions one of them.
L'il Rabbit yawns as his Granna lovingly holds him by the kinara.
We could all use a little reminder of what really matters this holiday season. These three titles explore the diverse ways in which kindness prevails in every winter celebration! 
The Boston Tea Party was the first event that ignited the Revolutionary War.  It was the first step to the country becoming The United States of America and preceded the Declaration of Independence by about two and a half years.
Nashville Public Library has a number of resources that help provide support and reassurance to children and adults with Diabetes I.
Charles Ghigna states that 'to write for children, one must write from the child within."  That philosophy has guided the work of this beloved Alabama author for many years.
Holidays bring opportunities for making memories.  One long-ago Halloween was especially memorable.
October is pumpkin time!  This ancient food source of indigenous peoples all across the Americas continues to be an important part of our lives and is celebrated both nutritionally and aesthetically.
Explore other fun bedtime stories inspired by Margaret Wise Brown's classic Goodnight, Moon! Goodnight, Ganesha by Nadia Saloman and Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann mirror the soothingly sweet tone and format of Goodnight, Moon, offering new and playful perspectives to the theme of nighttime rituals and unwinding before bed. 
Popcorn
Popcorn has been celebrated as both a food and a decoration for at least 9,000 years.  Any time is the right time for popcorn but fall and winter are made extra special when served up with the treat. 
Children can learn the basic rules of social engagement from an early age.  Nashville Public Library's catalog has the resources for teaching and learning social skills.
Fall brings with it a new crop of apples ready to be enjoyed.  Many elementary school students are learning about apples and the folk hero known as Johnny Appleseed. 
The halcyon days of late summer, 1963, brought about one of the most significant actions of the era.  It brought attention to the problems of inequality and the demands of a people who were willing to stand together and say, "no more."  Congress heard and acted. 
As children begin to understand that they are growing and will one day grow up they think about what they want to become--what kind of work they want to do.  Books help them learn about the possibilities.
Summertime fun times almost always include ice cream!  Celebrate summer with your family by creating your own icy cold treats at home.  It's easy and we have resources!
Elephant and Piggie star in Mo Willems' twenty-five volume award winning series for early readers that will delight both children and adults.
Fairy tales teach important life lessons.  They teach us to be the hero and to have hope as well as taking responsibility for our own actions.  Fairy tales teach us what true beauty is all about.
Sharing short travel experiences outside of the city is a great way to make memories and learn more about our beautiful state's past and present.  Shown is York Mill located on the Wolf River in Pall Mall.
whoever you are
Looking for new favorites that support early reading skills like rhyme, repetition, colors, and numbers? Here is a list of books with diverse representation and inclusive themes for a young audience. 
The Memory Box: a Book About Grief by Joanna Rowland, is based upon the author's experience of creating a memory box so she might never forget a dear friend who died.  The closing pages of the book lists several ways to support a child who is experiencing grief and makes suggestions for the creation of a memory box.
The CDC reported that 1 in 54 children were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2016.  The diagnosis can seem daunting but knowledge is power.  Nashville Public Library has the resources to provide knowledge and understanding for parents, friends, siblings and others.
The ancient porquior stories and myths are a delightful explanation of the "hows" and "whys" of nature and humanity.  Choogie Kingfisher, Cherokee National Treasure, is pictured here telling stories. 
Just as it takes many varied pieces of cloth to make a beautiful whole quilt, it takes a diverse group of people to make a beautiful community of many faces.  Nashville Public Library has a number of resources celebrating diversity.
Everybody bakes bread in one form or another.  Bread, the staff of life, is our past, our present and our future.
Road through trees
Everyone knows what it feels like to be hungry and what to do about it but some people are not able to get enough food to eat.  Without enough food, we cannot become who we were meant to be.  We can help others who are in need of good food.
The Trail of Tears is a part of the American story that is often ignored. This blog lists some of the children's books that are available as well as short day trips to significant places in the life of one Uchi girl.
Homeschool Friends and Film
Film is a great medium for kids to use to explore their own creativity and to put to work their problem solving skills. Entrenched in both the arts and sciences, film ingratiates all of the STEAM fields in a playful and engaging way. From storyboarding to special effects, learn how Homeschool Friends is helping kids get inspired through the art of filmmaking.  
Keep calm and homeschool on with the help of Nashville Public Library's Children's Department. Put your mind at ease knowing we have your back when it comes to at-home learning. Check out these amazing resources and programs geared for homeschool families with questions. 

Haylee is a Library Associate at the Main Library and lover of bears. She enjoys thinking about bears and drawing bears. At the library, her main projects are Homeschool Friends and Dungeons and Dragons. Outside of library work, Haylee loves being at home with her many animals (no bears though). 

Sol is a Library Associate at the Main Children’s Library. Sol loves embordering, junk journaling, pho, movies, taking photos, sustainable fashion, writing, and her free PressReader account that you can also get with your library card.

Pat is the manager for the Children's Department at the Main Library. She is passionate about connecting kids to reading through fun programs and activities. She loves reading Picture Books and Young Adult Fiction. In her free time she enjoys sharing time with friends and family, dancing, cooking, reading and watching her favorite series.

Nikki works in the Children's Department at the Main Library. She loves every part of her job, but she especially loves leading baby story time and helping kids find their new favorite books. When she's not at the library, she's usually making cute animals out of felt or hanging out with her cat, Chickpea.