Children’s wellbeing
Reading Well for Children provides quality-assured information, stories and advice to support children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Totstime and Play Sessions
Fun and Interactive Sessions for Babies and Toddlers
Make some noise in the library!
Join us for Totstimes, where babies and toddlers can enjoy lively half-hour sessions filled with stories, singing, instruments, and puppets.
Why Totstimes Are Great:
- Sharing stories and rhymes helps children learn and love reading.
What to Expect at Totstimes:
- Fun Activities: Sing, count, play, and listen to music and rhymes with instruments made for little hands.
- Meet Other Families: It’s a great chance to connect with parents, grandparents, and caregivers.
- Special Events: We have extra fun activities throughout the year!
Our friendly library staff will lead the sessions with stories, singing, instruments, and puppets to keep your little ones entertained. You don’t need to book – just drop in and have fun!
Little People, Big Adventures
Saturdays, 10am to 11pm (Saturday 17 January to Saturday 28 March)
An exciting series of sessions for under 5s and their grown ups, delivered by Nottingham Playhouse.
Designed and delivered by the team at Nottingham Playhouse, these fantastic Saturday morning sessions at Hyson Green Library are full of fun, play and interaction.
Each week your child will take part in a special adventure in the library that uses the children’s own ideas. It’s a unique and fun way to explore stories, characters and language together in a safe and welcoming environment.
Sessions are completely free of charge, but booking is advised to guarantee a space as this programme is very popular. One ticket will give access to one parent/guardian and one child for all sessions during the term. Please notify us if any additional adults are planning to attend.
Please note that parents/carers are required to stay for the session.
Library Totstime Sessions
Weekly Sessions by Location:
- Mondays, 10.30am to 11am
- Tuesdays, 10am to 10.30am (Totstime)
- Thursdays, 10.30am to 11.30am (Story and Rhyme Time)
- Wednesdays, 10.30am to 11am
- Tuesdays, 10.30am to 11.30am (Story and Rhyme Time)
- Thursdays, 10.30am to 11.30am (Learn to Love Books: storytelling, songs, and craft, term time only, run by Literacy Volunteers)
- Saturdays, 10am to 11am – Saturday 17 January to Saturday 28 March, (Little People, Big Adventures – See more above)
- Fridays, 11am to 11.30am
- Mondays, 10.30am to 11am (Storytime)
- Thursdays, 10.30am to 11am (Totstime)
- First Thursday of each month includes British Sign Language
- First Wednesday of the month (term time only), 10.30am to 11.30am (Messy Play)
- Fridays, 10.30am to 11am
- Wednesdays, 10am to 10.30am
- Followed by a half-hour stay and play session
- Tuesdays, 11am to 11.30am (Totstime)
- Wednesdays, 12.30pm to 1.30pm (Story and Rhyme Time)
- Thursdays, 1.30pm to 2.30pm (Learn to Love Books – storytelling, songs, and craft, term time only, run by Literacy Volunteers)
- Totstime and Stay & Play – Under review, date & time TBC
- Wednesdays:
- 9.45am to 10.15am (Babies and non-walkers)
- 10.30am to 11.15am (Toddlers & baby siblings)
- Tuesdays, 10.30am to 11am (term time only)
Here are some great play resources for pre-schoolers:
Tiny Happy People: Offers a variety of resources to help develop preschool children’s communication skills. It includes fun activities, play ideas, and information about early childhood development.
Words for Life: From The National Literacy Trust, this resource features a wide range of activities, searchable by age range, along with lots of songs and rhymes.
Discover More
Weekly
Children’s Storytime
Dive into the magic of books and watch as stories come to life, sparking creativity and enhancing literacy skills. at our library story times.