Parenting 

123 Read with Me

It’s never too early to start reading to a child! Babies respond and benefit from being read to right from the first days of life.

The Ottawa Public Library, with the help of the City of Ottawa, makes sure every baby in Ottawa has a head start by providing them with a123 Read with Me bag. a cloth bag filled with The Incredible Directory (a parent resource list), a certificate redeemable for a free board book, and information about the Every Child Ready to Read [link to ECRR] approach.

City of Ottawa Public Health nurses and midwives deliver the bag to parents of newborn babies. If you’ve received your bag, bring your baby to the library to get their free book – and of course their first library card! If you haven’t received a bag, please visit your closest branch library – you can pick up your bag and free board book on the spot!

Library branches across the city also offer programs with songs, fingerplays and rhymes for babies and their parents/caregivers. It’s a great way to get additional tips on the Every Child Ready to Read approach, and to get to know other parents with babies in your community.

Here are some tips that will help develop your baby’s pre-reading skills.

Happy reading!