What's New!

Family Place Libraries™ is a network of children’s libraries nationwide who believe that literacy begins at birth and that libraries can help build healthy communities by nourishing healthy families. Family Place Libraries feature:

• Specially designed spaces
• Programs for ages 0 - 5
• Materials and resources for parents
• Family support services

Our Family Place Libraries also offer extensive collections of toys that are developmentally appropriate for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Research shows that play fosters a variety of skills that children need: social, physical, intellectual, creative, and emotional. Through play, children express feelings, communicate, build imagination and vocabulary, and develop eye-and-hand coordination; all vital steps in their journey toward reading and writing.

Family Place Toy Library

The Toy Library is now available! To learn what toys are available and how to check one out, please click here. 

Upcoming 2024 Family Place Playgroup Series (registration required):

For parents and caregivers with children 1 - 3 years old. Hosted at PPLD's Family Place Libraries, please join us for an enjoyable 5-week playgroup, where you spend time together, play, make friends, and speak one-on-one with specialists in child development, nutrition, and more.

Cheyenne Mountain Library – Contact: Brittany McNeil: bmcneil@ppld.org, (719) 531-6333, x6205

• Playgroups coming in 2025

East Library – Contact: Janina Goodwin: jgoodwin@ppld.org, (719) 531-6333, x6013

• Playgroups coming in 2025

Fountain Library – Contact: Emily Koppenhaver: ekoppenhaver@ppld.org, (719) 531-6333, x6122

• Playgroups coming in 2025

Library 21c – Contact: SarahEllen Hickle: shickle@ppld.org, (719) 531-6333, x6335

• Playgroups coming in 2025

Penrose Library – Contact: Amanda Norris: anorris@ppld.org, 719) 531-6333, x6155

• Tue., Sept. 3, 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. 
• Tue., Sept. 10, 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. 
• Tue., Sept. 17, 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. 
• Tue., Sept. 24, 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. 
• Tue., Oct. 1, 10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Click here for registration

Sand Creek Library – Contact: Johana Pacheco: jpacheco@ppld.org, (719) 531-6333, x6207

• Playgroups coming in 2025

All PPLD Family Place Libraries

• Cheyenne Mountain Library, (719) 531-6333, x7001, 1785 South 8th Street,  Suite 100   
• East Library, (719) 531-6333, x7014, 5550 N. Union Blvd.
• Fountain Library, (719) 531-6333 x7004, 230 S. Main St.
• Library 21c, (719) 531-6333, x1527, 1175 Chapel Hills Dr.
• Penrose Library, (719) 531-6333, x7015, 20 N. Cascade Ave.
• Sand Creek Library, (719) 531-6333 x1800, 1821 S. Academy Blvd.

Supplies:

• Paint
• Plastic trays
• Paper
• Eye droppers
• Water
• Straws
• Paper cups

Steps:

1. Put paint into paper cups and use the water to thin out the paint.
2. Put your paper on a plastic tray.
3. Dip an eye dropper into the watered down paint and drip it onto your paper.
4. Gently blow the paint drips through a straw to spread the paint across your paper.
5. What kind of designs can you make?

July is World Watercolor Month! Many illustrators use watercolors to paint pictures in children’s books. If the watercolors are transparent (see-through), they can be used by themselves or in soft layers. Some watercolors are opaque, (not see-through).

Here is a list of a few illustrators who use watercolors, (in red). Find the book by looking under the author in the JEasy section of the library, or by asking your friendly librarian. Look closely at the pictures and see if they look transparent or opaque. Don’t forget to pull out your own watercolors, and give watercolor painting a try! Click on the pdf link below to see the list of books: