Music Time at the Library!

There’s always something to do at the library! When you think library, you think books, but the Tulsa libraries also provide a variety of activities and resources. My grandson and I are big fans of storytime. We’ve been attending a weekly storytime at Schusterman Benson for the last two years, and we love it! We decided to expand our usual routine and attend Music Time with Mr. Benji at Central Library this week.

I’ve been toying with the idea of enrolling Callister in a music program, but two barriers kept popping up. Some of them can be pricey, and I have a problem with committing. Yes, I’m commitment phobic and cheap. I heard about music time for toddlers at Central Library and thought it sounded like a perfect way to spend a winter morning with my grandson. Two big incentives, it’s free and no reservations are required!

Since we hadn’t been before and I was uncertain of parking, we decided to go early. I was pleasantly surprised that the parking was easy, a covered parking garage with easy access to the library. I was glad we arrived thirty minutes early because it gave us a chance to explore the library. I found a couple books I had been wanting to read, and Callister loves to help me check them out. I do believe it’s important to model behaviors, and the love of reading is important to pass on. Kids are more likely to become readers if they see their parents and grandparents read.

We entered the children’s area and explored the many areas for kids to play. We’re used to a small neighborhood library, so this huge space was exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There was so much to choose from including lots of areas for a child to exercise their imagination, a Legos area, and of course, lots of books!

It was soon time to go into the room for music time with Mr. Benji, who was sitting on the floor with a guitar. There were lots of musical instruments for the children to choose from, and soon all the kids were shaking their maracas along with the music. I tried to count how many kids were in the room but soon realized it was like trying to count worms in a bucket. I would guess there were between 35 or 40 kids ranging from infants to six-year olds. The music was perfectly geared towards the pre-school crowd, and it was fun to see the recognition and excitement in Callister’s face when Mr. Benji sang some of his favorite songs. Mr. Benji knows how to engage children, and the crowd most definitely approved!

The music program lasts thirty minutes but right now, my two-year-old grandson’s attention span is about twenty minutes, so we quietly left when I could see he had reached his limit. The average attention span for a two-and-a-half-year-old is around eight minutes, so I adjust my expectations to meet him where he is developmentally. Otherwise, we both end up frustrated when the purpose of our time together is to enjoy exploring the world together.

If you’re looking for a great, expense free activity on a Monday morning, head to Central library for music time! My only warning would be if your child is sensitive to noise, this might be too much stimulation in the auditory area. Callister is not a quiet kid, but he did put his hands over his ears and say, “Too loud” a few times. But overall, he loved it and although it’s a little out of our normal area, it was well worth the travel time. There is always something going on at the libraries in Tulsa, so be sure to go to the website and check out the activities offered! There is never an excuse to be bored in Tulsa!