For the kids

Did you know that reading to children from the time they are born has a positive effect on the development of language and vocabulary, as well as providing the pre-literacy skills that are essential in learning to read when a child begins school? This program is designed to encourage parents and children to enjoy the benefits of reading together.

Songs, rhymes, finger plays and stories are shared in a group environment. Library staff can also assist you in finding resources to suit your needs, such as board books for babies, nursery rhyme books and parenting resources.

Rhyme Time Sessions (suitable for 0-2 years). Bookings are essential.

Toddler Time Sessions (suitable for 12 months - 2.5 years). Bookings are essential. 

Story Time for children aged 2-5 years is held at all four libraries. Sessions include two to three stories, songs, action rhymes and a craft activity – all related to a common theme.

Older children are welcome to join story time during the school holidays and home schooling children are welcome at any time.

 Story Time Sessions. Bookings are essential.

Bounce into Spring with a range of exciting activities for children to do in the school holidays.

To register you can make an online booking or contact the organising library directly.

Come and celebrate Children’s Book Week with special guest author and illustrator Fiona Burrows. Fiona is the fabulous author of books Violet and Nothing and illustrator of The Day We Built the Bridge and Twelve Days of Kindness.

We have several illustration sessions available at different branches, all of them are free but bookings are essential. (To register follow the 'Date' column link).

The aim of the Bookstars Club is to introduce the benefits of using the library and to promote the joy of reading to all primary school-aged children.

Bookstars is held three times during school terms at Mary Davies Library and Community Centre, Safety Bay Library and Warnbro Community Library.

Sessions include crafts, storytelling, author visits, games and puzzles.

Bookstars sessions. Bookings are essential.

Learn to code in a fun, free, social open learning environment. Develop new skills and build creative projects.

Free sessions for 7-17 year olds.

Coder Dojo sessions. Bookings are essential.

STEAM Lab sessions at Rockingham Central Library and Warnbro Community Library are for students aged 6-12 who enjoy an exciting and collaborative environment.

Each session will be different, exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, Art or Maths to challenge your creative and problem solving skills.

Come and meet friends with similar interests.

Bookings are essential.

The City of Rockingham Toy Library operates from the Rockingham Central Library on Dixon Road.

The collection has a range of different toys (more than 800), that help develop children's skills and imagination across different stages of growth and development.

Half hour visits can be booked on Tuesday and Thursday.

Please contact the library to book a time on 9528 8683.

Opening hours:

Items from the Toy Library are available to all current and new library members to borrow free of charge.

Toys can be returned at any time during general library opening hours at Rockingham Central Library and loans will only be available during the above Toy Library hours.

Primary and secondary school students are invited to read and vote for books selected from the annual WA Young Readers' Book Award list.

Eligible books are displayed and available for loan at each library and this year online voting can be done until 30 November 2020. Students are encouraged to vote for their favourite book either online or by filling in voting slips at the library.

The votes are collected and sent to WAYRBA to be included in the state-wide voting.

Every child born in the Rockingham district will receive a toolkit as part of the Better Beginnings Family Literacy Program.

The toolkit includes a picture book and guidance material for parents to develop their baby’s early literacy.

Busy Things is a resource for the kids aged 3–11. It is a collection of fun learning activities that help children learn important skills in the key learning areas of creative development, problem solving, reasoning, numeracy, communication, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world.
This subscription service has been provided through Better Beginnings supporting families in sharing a love of reading.

A place where the wonderful world of Australian Children's Literature is on permanent exhibit, Story Box Library is a beautiful online ‘reading room’. Story Box Library connects children with literature through the complementary medium of film, providing its audience with a vibrant, interactive experience via a diverse range of storytellers, each sharing past and present book titles.

Kanopy Kids has a diverse selection of educational and entertaining content that range across movies, TV series, animated storybooks, live action, and animated favourites with a focus on kids aged 2-8.

View more information on this resource.

PK Magis an online magazine for primary kids focusing on sparking any kid’s imagination and creativity.

It is full of book reviews, creative writing, videos, music, arts and crafts and interactive activities.

If you are aged 7-12 you can send PK Mag your stuff to be published.

(No log in required)

Special collections have been developed at all of our four libraries that specifically cater for the young adult reader (12-18 years). This collection is separate from the adult and junior collections and includes novels, non-fiction, graphic novels and audio-visual material.

All of our libraries welcome visits by schools, child care centres and playgroups. Please contact the Young People’s Services Librarians to discuss a program for your visit.

The Young People’s Services Librarians at Safety Bay Library and Warnbro Community Library are available to visit schools and groups at their own venues.