Gotta love the library

I have rediscovered the library. Now that I have a kid, I am finally checking out the children's section and, boy, there's some good stuff! In Mississauga, many of the libraries are becoming much more family-friendly, with toys, puzzles and games scattered around. And what I'm totally addicted to is borrowing DVDs for my daughter! I've been able to get my hands on Barney (my daughter calls him "Marmey"), Elmo's World, Yo Gabba Gabba, Johnny and the Sprites, Roll Play, In The Night Garden ... you name it. This saves me from spending money on DVDs, especially since my daughter gets tired of them so quickly. (Totally off topic, but did you know Selena Gomez was on Barney when she was a kid?!)

Also, I've just learned that many libraries have free programs, such as song-and-dance classes for tots, crafts, story time, etc.  So if you need something different from home activities and/or what's available at a drop-in centre, see what your library has to offer.

Checking out drop-in centres is worth it

So I don't know about you, but I get stir-crazy when I stay indoors for too long. And this really sucks in my case because my husband and I have one car! So when I do have the car, I'm so relieved but ... where do I go with an active tot? I am very fortunate to live by a number of Ontario Early Years Centre drop-ins, which have been amazing lifesavers. So if you are expecting or you haven't considered visiting an OEYC, I highly recommend checking it out. Other benefits? Well, at the centres I've been to, I've been able to reap these rewards:

-Free toys that the centres don't need anymore
-Extra Heinz or Gerber coupons that are available when coupon boxes are at the front desk
-Free issues of ParentsCanada or Canadian Family
-Mother Goose classes
-Take-home nutrition and health guides (which helped me when I started my daughter on solids and when she had her first cold!)

Moreover, I've had the privilege of meeting other moms and swapping advice. Not that I don't appreciate my kid learning how to talk, but sometimes a conversation with another adult makes my day. Plus, my daughter gets to learn how to interact with other children while exploring toys we don't have at home.

In my area, the OEYCs are free, though I've heard that some locations outside of Mississauga do require registration fees for courses.

For more info on drop-in centres, check out this Today's Parents article, which was published in the March 2012 issue.