There are two locations for these FREE play towns and early learning centers designed just for kids under 5. You can find them at the Rosedale and Woodlawn branches of the Baltimore County Public Library.
Yesterday, Macy visited the Rosedale Storyville with me, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother. What a fun activity for a chilly winter afternoon!
From the moment we entered, Macy had a huge smile on her face. And we did too, as we watched her explore in awe the child-sized village filled with toys, books, and educational activities. There's a baby garden, a toddler area themed around the Chesapeake Bay, a mail room, grocery store, climbing area, puppet stage and more!
Although Macy is only 11 months old, there was plenty for her to do outside of the baby garden. She loved interacting with the "big kids" and watching them climb, dress up in costumes, and check groceries out at the pretend grocery counter.
One of my favorite parts was that there were books EVERYWHERE! In literally every nook and cranny you could find a children's story just waiting for you. Amidst playing in the post office or digging in the pretend veggie garden, I watched as kids picked up books that were tucked amongst the shelves. This made for a great way to "sneak in" early literacy skills through play. And you can rent out any of the books that are featured.
If you're planning on visiting I recommend calling ahead to make sure there isn't a wait. The maximum amount of people that can be inside Storyville at any given time is 60, so sometimes there is a waiting list. I imagine mornings before nap time are popular, especially during these cold, winter months when we're cooped up indoors.
We arrived around 1:30 p.m. after calling and speaking to a staff member who told us there were currently 52 people inside. He assured us that if we got there quickly, we would be able to get in right away. I found this very helpful because enduring a long wait with a baby is no fun!
Plus, did I mention all this is FREE?! It's well worth the visit!
Here are a few pictures from our afternoon at Storyville. Enjoy!
