The Big Brooklyn Playdate

Creating a Sensory Crawl for the Explore on the Floor zone where babies can explore sensory materials.

At Brooklyn Public Library, we regularly host sensory-learning events for children ages 0-3 and their caregivers. Branches host smaller versions, and once a year, we hold a borough wide event called the Big Brooklyn Playdate, where we turn the Central Library lower level into a world of sensory and constructive play, fine and gross motor movement opportunities, art explorations and more for up to 150 babies and toddlers and their caregivers.  

The idea behind the Playdate is simple. Babies and toddlers learn through hands on, concrete experiences with materials that not only delight and engage them, but teach important cognitive skills such as object permanence, spatial awareness and problem solving. As babies and toddlers interact with the world around them, they start to learn how their own bodies and movement can affect their environment. Our playdate activities, or “Play Recipes” as we call them, have many entry points for learning. They are open ended, so children explore them at their developmental level. We use materials parents and caregivers are likely to have at home, and provide “Play Recipes” so that they can easily recreate the activity, along with conversation starters, at home! Each year, we train a cohort of children’s librarians to offer Playdates throughout Brooklyn.

Let’s Play at the Library: Creating Innovative Play Experiences for Babies and Toddlers, by Jessica Ralli and Rachel G. Payne, Library Trends, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016

Check out the #BigBrooklynPlaydate on Instagram