Wokingham

Libraries across the Wokingham borough have a host of activities for families with young children on offer in the coming months.

There will be free baby bounce and rhyme sessions at Wokingham Library from 10.15am to 10.45am on Tuesday April 3, May 1 and June 5; at Woodley Library from 10.30am to 11am on Monday April 16, May 14 and June 11 and Lower Earley Library from 10.30am to 11am on Tuesday April 17, May 15 and June 19. They are aimed at babies and toddlers up to 18 months old and places must be booked in advance.

There will also be free storytime sessions, which are followed by a craft activity, and are aimed at the under fives. There is no need to book a place in advance. During April, May and June there will be weekly sessions from 2.15pm to 3pm on Tuesdays at Wokingham Library; on Thursdays from 2.15pm to 3pm at Woodley Library; also on Thursdays from 2.30pm to 3.15pm at Lower Earley Library and on Mondays from 4pm to 4.45pm at Spencers Wood Library.

In addition, the Wokingham borough’s other libraries will have one session a month in April, May and June. Maiden Erlegh Library’s sessions will be from 2.15pm to 3pm on Tuesday April 17, May 19 and June 19; Winnersh Library’s sessions will be from 10.15am to 11am on Saturday April 21, May 19 and June 16; Twyford Library’s sessions will be from 2.15pm to 3pm Tuesday April 17, May 15 and June 19 and Wargrave Library’s sessions will be from 1.45pm to 2.30pm on Monday April 16, May 21 and June 18.

All the monthly sessions, and one of the weekly sessions per month at Wokingham, Woodley, Lower Earley and Spencers Wood, will have a special theme, which will be garden and flower stories in April, The Very Hungry Caterpillar in May and pirate stories in June.

The Get Arty! craft club will run at Wokingham Library on Saturday April 14, May 19 and June 16; Woodley Library on Saturday April 21, May 12 and June 23 and Lower Earley Library on Saturday April 21, May 12 and June 23. All these sessions will run from 11am to midday and the themes for April will be Sheep Collages, May will be Brilliant Bugs and June will be Creepy Monsters. These are all free and there is no need to book. They are aimed at children five to 11 years old.

Wokingham Borough Council’s children’s librarian Elizabeth McDonald said: “Baby bounce and rhyme is a lively session which parents and babies love. It is noisy with silly rhymes, fun songs and musical instruments and is a great way for babies to start learning about rhythm and language. Storytime sessions are full of funny stories and rhymes with funky crafts and colouring in. The Get Arty! sessions are full of fun crafty activities – with the chance to make things like sheep collages and brilliant scary bugs. All libraries have sessions to encourage children to come and have a fun enjoyable time in the library. Being bounced around, having stories read to you or making some cool crafts to take home only adds to the fun library experience and taking books home can only be a bonus.”

Wokingham Borough Council