The story doesn’t end at the library

Usually when story time is over at a library, the children leave with their parents and go home, but not at Pacific Park Branch Library. Once the stories are over, the fun continues at the adjacent Pacific Park Community Center, where kids bounce into the gym and enjoy playtime. It’s great for a child’s brain and their playful spirit.

The collaborative effort strives to make the Pacific Edison Complex a “one-stop” location for the community, said Sevag Garabetian, a community services supervisor for the city. Edison Elementary is also in the complex.

PHOTOS: Playtime follows storytime at the library

In between stories come nursery rhymes including “Bingo Was His Name-O.” Sometimes in unison, children mimic the sounds of ducks and sheep to other catchy nursery rhymes.

This past Thursday wasn’t the first time Stacee Longo ventured to “Tot Storytime” with her 2-year-old daughter, Frankie. She’s been attending the story time since her son, Bodhi, was 9 months old. Now, he’s 7.

“It’s a very enriching story time with all the reading modalities,” Longo said, as Frankie waddled to colored mats, placing them in a lopsided stack at the end of story time. “This is a big part of her early education.”

The free sessions hone in on educational skills, such as counting numbers, followed by craft time with help from caregivers.

Recently, staff from Glendale Adventist Medical Center began hosting a nutritional cooking demonstration through the “Choose Health L.A. Kids” grant, providing healthy food options for families with children under age 5.

This week, staff gave families and children a taste of spinach pasta with zucchini, cherry tomatoes and ground turkey.

Children’s librarian Kristine Markosyan, who leads story time, said she’s seen the program grow from a small back room to roughly 80 participants weekly.

“It’s an opportunity to have a safe, social environment,” Markosyan said. “We’re setting them up for the classroom.”

The story time/playtime program, held twice a week, is also a chance for parents and caregivers to meet others.

“It’s a collaboration that’s year-round,” Garabetian said. “It’s really convenient for parents, and we see [the same] people every week.”

This past Thursday, toddlers clasped bells and pretended to brush their teeth to a cheerful rhyme. For Frankie, the story times are her way of learning to share and communicate with other children.

“This is a springboard for at home,” Longo said. “My son still remembers the ‘teeth brushing song’ and sings it with Frankie. This is a great community resource.”

At the end of story time, the community center’s gym transforms into an active play space with large toys for toddlers, from tubes to tricycles. Children take turns playing with large blocks and crawling through tubes.

“Tot Storytime” is held on Thursdays starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Pacific Park Library, 501 S Pacific Ave.

For more information, contact the library at (818) 548-3760.

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FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this story stated that “Tot Storytime” takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It takes place only on Thursdays.

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