Storyville
Storyvilles are early literacy, child-sized villages where children (ages 0-5) and their parents/caregivers can let their imaginations run wild! Each village helps children have fun while preparing for kindergarten by focusing on playing, reading, talking, and writing. Storyvilles are located at the Montague, Muskegon Heights, Norton Shores, and Ravenna branches.
Storyville FAQs
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Storyville is an educational space designed for children ages 5 and under and their parents to engage in active learning together. 90% of a child’s brain develops within the first 5 years of life. Storyville offers a wide variety of activities that have been professionally designed to encourage reading, writing, vocabulary, letter and number recognition, and narrative skills, as well as age appropriate hands on offerings that introduce science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills. Children who engage in purposeful play in their earliest years are proven to display greater comprehension, vocabulary, and cognitive skills by the time they enter kindergarten
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Storyvilles are located at the Montague, Muskegon Heights, Norton Shores, and Ravenna branches.
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Though Storyville may look like a play area for families with older children, it is actually an enhanced learning and play environment specifically designed for young children who have not yet begun school. While children who have entered school might enjoy some of the features of Muskegon Storyville, they are at a different developmental level than the children for whom Muskegon Storyville was designed.
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We adhere to a ratio of 1 adult for every 3 children, so they may be actively engaged with the children in their care. Multiple groups of 4 or less may not all be able to enter the area at the same time if there is a waiting list.
Storyville
Storyvilles are early literacy, child-sized villages where children (ages 0-5) and their parents/caregivers can let their imaginations run wild! Each village helps children have fun while preparing for kindergarten by focusing on playing, reading talking, and writing. Storyvilles are located at the Montague, Muskegon Heights, Norton Shores, and Ravenna branches.
Storyville FAQs
-
Storyville is an educational space designed for children ages 5 and under and their parents to engage in active learning together. 90% of a child’s brain develops within the first 5 years of life. Storyville offers a wide variety of activities that have been professionally designed to encourage reading, writing, vocabulary, letter and number recognition, and narrative skills, as well as age appropriate hands on offerings that introduce science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills. Children who engage in purposeful play in their earliest years are proven to display greater comprehension, vocabulary, and cognitive skills by the time they enter kindergarten
-
Storyvilles are located at the Montague, Muskegon Heights, Norton Shores, and Ravenna branches.
-
Though Storyville may look like a play area for families with older children, it is actually an enhanced learning and play environment specifically designed for young children who have not yet begun school. While children who have entered school might enjoy some of the features of Muskegon Storyville, they are at a different developmental level than the children for whom Muskegon Storyville was designed.
-
We adhere to a ratio of 1 adult for every 3 children, so they may be actively engaged with the children in their care. Multiple groups of 4 or less may not all be able to enter the area at the same time if there is a waiting list.
Storyville Materials
Schneider Beach at Montague
At Schneider Beach, play in the yellow submarine or spy something around the library through the periscope. Walk in the lake to climb the fish and the turtle. Learn about your favorite seasons in the weather zone and check out the weather vane. Explore light, gravity, and motion on the interactive tables. Best of all, enjoy a book anywhere in the village!
Montague Branch Location Page
Montague Branch
Montague Children's Events
At Schneider Beach, play in the yellow submarine or spy something around the library through the periscope. Walk in the lake to climb the fish and the turtle. Learn about your favorite seasons in the weather zone and check out the weather vane. Explore light, gravity, and motion on the interactive tables. Best of all, enjoy a book anywhere in the village!
Montague Branch Location Page
Montague Branch
Montague Children's Events
Montague Children's Events
The Neighborhood at Muskegon Heights
Enjoy reading on the front porch in the Muskegon Heights Neighborhood. Enjoy fruits and vegetables like never before. Crawl inside a carrot to read. Enjoy making a meal or playing with the refrigerator magnets in the kitchen. Crawl through the pet door to go into the garden. In the garden you can plant vegetables or pick apples off of a tree.
Muskegon Heights Branch Location Page
Muskegon Heights Branch
Muskegon Heights Children's Events
Enjoy reading on the front porch in the Muskegon Heights Neighborhood. Enjoy fruits and vegetables like never before. Crawl inside a carrot to read. Enjoy making a meal or playing with the refrigerator magnets in the kitchen. Crawl through the pet door to go into the garden. In the garden you can plant vegetables or pick apples off of a tree.
Muskegon Heights Branch Location Page
Muskegon Heights Branch
Muskegon Heights Children's Events
Muskegon Heights Children's Events
Olthoff Bay at Norton Shores
Crawl or walk into the Hines Baby Garden for some safe, fun play and reading. Infants will love crawling through the caterpillar or over lady bugs, and pulling themselves up on colorful flowers. Early learners will be amazed with the nature-like insects and outdoor scenery.
Steer the boat, ‘MAX’, in Olthoff Bay. Fish for words or read in the lighthouse. Play in the Camp Store. You can shop, weigh items, or learn about money while being the cashier. You can even run your own ice cream shop! Before you go, don’t forget to grab a book and read on the porch.
Norton Shores Branch Location Page
Norton Shores Branch
Norton Shores Children's Events
Crawl or walk into the Hines Baby Garden for some safe, fun play and reading. Infants will love crawling through the caterpillar or over lady bugs, and pulling themselves up on colorful flowers. Early learners will be amazed with the nature-like insects and outdoor scenery.
Steer the boat, ‘MAX’, in Olthoff Bay. Fish for words or read in the lighthouse. Play in the Camp Store. You can shop, weigh items, or learn about money while being the cashier. You can even run your own ice cream shop! Before you go, don’t forget to grab a book and read on the porch.
Norton Shores Branch Location Page
Norton Shores Branch
Norton Shores Children's Events
Norton Shores Children's Events
Bulldog Acres at Ravenna Branch
Come visit Bulldog Acres to play and learn all around the farm. Engage in creative play at the veterinarian's office. Settle on the pickle bench to read some books together. Crawl and explore your way through the white pine forest, and find your way back to the farm just in time for some planting.
Ravenna Branch Location Page
Ravenna Branch
Ravenna Children's Events
Come visit Bulldog Acres to play and learn all around the farm. Engage in creative play at the veterinarian's office. Settle on the pickle bench to read some books together. Crawl and explore your way through the white pine forest, and find your way back to the farm just in time for some planting.
Ravenna Branch Location Page
Ravenna Branch
Ravenna Children's Events
Ravenna Children's Events
Guidelines
In order to provide a safe, educational, and fun experience for you and your children, please note the following guidelines:
- Storyville Villages are designed for children from birth to age 5. Adult supervision is required at all times. Children from 6-12 are welcome to use the library, as long as they are supervised.
- Always check in at the desk. We encourage a 1 adult to 3 children ratio to promote active engagement.
- To preserve a clean and sanitary environment, please do not bring any food or drink into a Storyville Village. Nursing or bottle-feeding of infants is welcomed.
- The Hines Baby Garden (Norton Shores only) is reserved for babies who are not yet walking and their adult caregivers.
- Please safely stow away electronic devices while inside Storyville.
- Strollers should be left outside of Storyville.
- Help maintain a safe and healthy environment by keeping sick children at home.
- If an adult or child(ren) needs to leave the village for an extended period of time, please check out. Potty breaks and diaper changes do not require checking out.
- Storyville closes 15 minutes prior to library closing time.
- Have fun playing with your child(ren)! Enjoy these teachable moments that will prepare your child for success in school.
Donors
Storyville was made possible through corporate and private donations and grants. Many opportunities to be involved still exist for the maintenance of the current branch villages and expansion to other branches.
Thank you to our sponsors!
- Community Foundation of Muskegon County
- MAISD
- Consumers Energy
- Meijer
- State Farm
- Lakeshore Employee Benefits
- Vikings Linne Lodge No. 57
- DKG International Society for Key Women Educators
- Mike & Kay Olthoff
- Hearthstone
- Friends of the Norton Shores Library
- HINES Corporation
- Williams Hughes PLLC
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