Zoom into Bilingual Time!

Timberland Regional Library is excited to offer a Spanish/English bilingual storytime for children and their caregivers, every other Wednesday at 10 am via Zoom. This engaging program designed for children 0-6 years old, is called Bilingual Time or La hora Bilingüe.  

During La Hora Bilingüe, bilingual library staff share stories, songs, and rhymes in both languages. Bilingual Time encourages active participation and listening for all language levels and backgrounds. Presenters have developed a colorful and inviting bilingual activity guide to accompany each 4-week session. The guide, organized around a central theme, includes book titles, song lyrics, and early learning tips to encourage at-home learning and fun.

So far, topics explored have included colors, feelings, and animals. A series focused on the idea of ‘play’ is set to begin in March.  

Regarding the activity guide a family shared, “I like it because I have the information to borrow the books from the library and the songs and games to repeat between storytimes. We love Bilingual Time! It has helped our family and child so much!” 

One of the Bilingual Time presenters, Betsy Storey, noted, “We have had families participate from primarily Spanish speaking homes, English speaking homes, and bilingual homes. It is wonderful to see the kids, from all backgrounds, shout out answers and sing along, easily switching between both languages. We always have a blast learning and sharing together.” 

Every storytime begins with the statement, “We offer bilingual storytimes because we want to celebrate bilingualism. Being bilingual opens endless opportunities, helps us understand diverse cultures and improves our brains. Whether you are fully bilingual right now, or working to become bilingual we are glad you are here!” 

Register to receive upcoming Zoom links, and the activity guide, by visiting events.trl.org and keyword search ‘bilingual’ or visit any Timberland Regional Library branch and ask for registration assistance from staff.  Click here to view upcoming La Hora Bilingüe