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  1. North Yorkshire County Council
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  5. NY Now February 2023 edition

Enjoy free events with your preschooler in Under-Fives Week

Theatre performances, a teddy bears’ picnic and film showings are among activities on offer during Under-Fives Week at North Yorkshire libraries.

From 6 March to 11 March, the county’s library service is hosting free events aimed at encouraging preschoolers to develop a love of books.

Among the highlights will be performances by Hoglets Theatre of their one-woman storytelling show, Wood Owl and the Box of Wonders, filled with music and puppetry.

A large collection of Family Matters books for parents and carers will be available, covering topics ranging from tips on weaning to improving behaviour, as well as Tough Topics bags with books and resources to help children talk about difficult subjects.

Some events will be attended by friendly faces from the NHS Oral Health Improvement team and the county council’s Healthy Start team to offer parents advice and information.

North Yorkshire Libraries are once again part of the BookTrust Storytime pilot to encourage families to visit their library. During Under-Fives Week, storytime events will be held as part of the BookTrust Storytime Prize, which aims to find the best book for sharing with children aged up to five.

Children can join the library for free from birth and all under-fives can join the Buzzy Bee’s Honey Hunt for free as soon as they have a library card.

For more information on Under-Fives Week events in your area, visit your local library. Find details of your local library.

    Reading at a library event
    Parents and young children playing with ribbons on sticks in a library
    Young child playing at a library

    Events include the following. Please check with the library about booking arrangements before attending.

    Bedale

    • Stories, Friday, 10 March at 2.15pm

    Bentham

    • Musical storytime, Thursday, 9 March

    Bilton and Woodfield

    • Storytime, Tuesday, 7 March at 10am

    Boroughbridge

    • Storytime, Wednesday, 8 March at 10.15am

    Catterick

    • Storytime, Wednesday, 8 March at 10.30am

    Cross Hills, South Craven Community Library

    • Storytime, Wednesday, 8 March at 10.15am

    Easingwold

    • Teddy bears’ picnic, Monday, 6 March 6 at 2pm

    Filey

    • Story time with Gemma, Monday, 6 March, 10.30am
    • Band of Jays acoustic music session, Thursday, 9 March, morning
    • Music therapy drop-in, Friday, 10 March, from 11am to noon

    Harrogate

    • Stay and Play, Monday, 6 March, from 9.30am to 11.30am
    • Storytime, Monday, 6 March, at 2pm
    • More than Movies pop-up cinema, Tuesday, 7 March, at 10am
    • All Join In, songs, rhymes and craft activity, Wednesday, 8 March 8 at 10am
    • KiddyCook, make your own gingerbread mix to take home and bake, Wednesday, 8 March , at 1pm.
    • Little Notes music session, Thursday, 9 March, at 10.30am.
    • Storytime, Friday, 10 March, at 10am.
    • Baby yoga and baby massage with Hazel, Friday, 10 March, at 2pm.

    Helmsley

    • Moo Music session, Tuesday, 7 March, from 10.30am to 11.30am.
    • Storytime, Thursday, 9 March.

    Knaresborough

    • Storytime with find the Hungry Caterpillar treasure hunt, Monday, 6 March, from 10.30am to 11am.
    • Imagine and play with messy paint play time, Tuesday, 7 March, from 2.15pm to 3pm.
    • Hungry Caterpillar storytime, Friday, 10 March, from 10.30am to 11am.

    Leyburn

    • Stories and crafts, Saturday, 11 March, from 10.30am.

    Northallerton

    • Pottery event, Monday, 6 March, from 10am and 11am.
    • Rhyme time, Tuesday, 7 March, from 10am and 2.30pm.
    • Gardening event, Saturday, 11 March, from 10am to noon.

    Norton

    • Harminis, Wednesday, 8 March, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.
    • Storytime, Thursday, 9 March, at 10.30am.

    Pickering

    • Baby Bounce and Rhyme, Monday, 6 March, at 10.30am.
    • Breastfeeding group, Tuesday, 7 March, at 1.30pm; Stay and Play, at 2.30pm.
    • Booktrust Storytime, Friday, 10 March, at 10.30am.
    • Science for the under-fives, fun with magnets, Saturday, 11 March, from 10.30am to noon.

    Richmond

    • Storytime, Tuesday, 7 March, from 2.30pm to 3pm.
    • Introduction to the library for new parents, Thursday, 9 March, from 10.15am to 10.45am.
    • Storytime, Thursday, 9 March, from 10.45am to 11.15am.
    • Storytime, Friday, 10 March, from 10.30am to 11am.

    Selby

    • Rhyme Time, Monday, 6 March, from 10.30am to 11am.
    • Stay and Play, Monday, 6 March, from 11.15am to 11.45am.
    • Stay and Play, Tuesday, 7 March, from 10.30am to 11am.
    • Storytime, Wednesday, 8 March, from 10.30am to 11am.
    • Little Movers, Wednesday, 8 March, from 1pm to 1.45pm.
    • Breastfeeding Support Group, Thursday, 9 March, from 10.30am to noon.
    • Little Play Dreamers: Very Hungry Caterpillar, Friday, 10 March, at 10am.
    • Little Play Dreamers: Jack & The Beanstalk, Friday, 10 March, at 11am.

    Settle

    • Stay and Play, Friday, 10 March, from 11am to 12.30pm.

    Skipton

    • Stay and Play, Monday, 6 March, from 10am to 11.30am.
    • Hoglet’s Theatre, Tuesday, 7 March, at 10.30am.
    • Storytime and Craft, Wednesday, 8 March, at 10am.
    • Craft Activity, Thursday, 9 March, at 10am.
    • Singing with Songbirds, Thursday, 9 March, at 2pm.
    • Storytime, Friday, 10 March, at 2pm.

    Starbeck

    • Storytime and crafts, Tuesday, 7 March, from 10am to 11.30am.

    Stokesley

    • Storytime, Friday, 10 March, from 10.30am to 11am.

    Whitby

    • Rhyme Time, Monday, 6 March, from 9.45am to 10.15am.
    • Story Tots, followed by Colebrooke Theatre Co’s Mini Movers dance session, Monday, 6 March, from 10.30am to 11am.
    • Booktrust Storytime Tea Party, Thursday, 9 March (morning).
    • Band of Jays acoustic music session, Thursday, 9 March (afternoon)
    • Harminis multi-sensory musical fun, Friday, 10 March, from 2pm to 3pm.