Baby’s First
One small book ignites a lifetime of learning.
The Osceola Library System is partnering with Osceola Community Health Services (OCHS) to support early literacy development through the Baby’s First program, an initiative that encourages families to begin reading to their children from birth!
The partnership supports the importance of routine well-baby visits and childhood vaccinations. OCHS emphasizes that infants and toddlers should stay up to date on all required vaccinations, especially when preparing to enter school. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, OCHS participates in a sliding scale discount program, ensuring families can access essential care regardless of income. OCHS has several convenient locations around Osceola County. Find the closest location here.
Baby’s First Care Package
During pediatric visits at OCHS’s Poinciana and Stadium Place clinics, families will receive a Baby’s First care package that includes a bilingual board book, early literacy tips, and information on how to get a free library card. By sharing these resources during a key stage of development, the Library aims to make early literacy more accessible and hopes to expand the initiative countywide in the future.
The care package also includes a certificate to celebrate the special milestone of reading a first board book! To allow parents to keep this certificate as a keepsake, the Library has included a voucher in every package. This voucher can be redeemed for a special prize at any of our Baby & Me programs once the Baby’s First Book certificate is completed. The certificate does not need to be presented – just the voucher.
The Baby’s First program is part of the Library’s broader commitment to supporting families and early literacy. Supplies for this initial phase of the program are limited as the Library seeks to add partners and funding to expand the program.
The Osceola Library System has baby storytime, online resources, and age-appropiate books that families can enjoy! Click here to find your nearest branch location.
Storytime Program
Baby & Me
Hug your little one while sharing this special first-time experience. This storytime introduces books with play time and repetitive music.
Hart Memorial Library – 10am-10:30am, every Monday
Buenaventura Lakes Library – 11am-11:30am, every Wednesday
Poinciana Library – 11:30am-12pm, every Tuesday
Veterans Memorial Library – St. Cloud Branch – 10am-10:30am, every second Tuesday
West Osceola Library – 11am-11:30am, every Tuesday
Books & More
Wonderbooks
Books that read to you! Every Wonderbook is a print book with a ready-to-play audiobook inside. Kids will press play to read along with their favorite books and then switch to Learning Mode for literacy learning and fun. Browse Wonderbooks here.
Phonics Kits
Introduce and reinforce early literacy skills with your little one with our Phonics Kits. Books at each level are carefully selected to meet the needs of a child’s reading development. Kits contain up to 25 books with options in English and Spanish, with popular characters and themes. Browse the Library’s collection here.
Online Resources
Tumblebooks Library
A variety of animated interactive books for children in English, French, and Spanish! These books which teach kids the joy of reading in a format they’ll love. Click here to access now!
LOTE4Kids
A variety of animated interactive books for children in over 65 languages, with 150-200 new books and new languages added monthly. Click here to access now!
Storytime Videos
Watch your favorite storyteller do storytime like only they can on our YouTube Page! We have an entire playlist of storytime videos featuring Youth staff and even author Peter Raymundo.
Visit our Storytime Masterlist for all of our Storytime videos, or check out our YouTube channel for more Library fun!
