Jane's Midlife Journey

Toddler Time sessions are free interactive sessions for toddlers and their parents or carers. The sessions, which are run by library staff, are aimed at children under 5 years of age. There are a total of 11 sessions on offer weekly in libraries across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. The sessions are a great way to introduce young children to the world of language, storytelling and reading.

We have visited Toddler Time at several libraries. So I can confirm that the sessions are broadly the same across the various libraries, although some librarians are significantly more enthusiastic than others! We’ve experienced everything from the super exuberant to total disinterest.

Orla loves visiting the library – lots of new books to read and toys to play with. At the moment she is transitioning between Wriggle & Rhyme and Toddler Time. As yet, she is a little too young to understand the story, but she still enjoys playing with the book boxes and watching the other children getting involved.

Toddler Time Schedule

Below is the most current list of Toddler Time sessions across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Most, but not all, run throughout the year. I have marked the ones which are term time only.

Day	Time	Library
Tuesday	10.30 am – 11.30 am (term time only)	Ensbury Park
Tuesday	11 am – 12 pm	Parkstone
Tuesday	2.15 am – 2.45 am	Pokesdown and Southbourne
Thursday	9.45 am – 10:15 am	Poole Library
Thursday	10.30 am – 11 am	Kinson
Thursday	10.30 am – 11 am	West Howe
Thursday	2.15 pm – 2.45 pm	Winton
Friday	10 am – 10:30 am	Boscombe
Friday	10 am – 10:30 am (term time only)	Bournemouth
Friday	10 am – 10:30 am	Westbourne Library
Friday	11 am – 11:30 am	Highcliffe

Note: Christchurch Library offer Story Time Tribe; a story and craft activity for children over 2 years old. It takes place on Tuesdays from 10:15 am to 10:45 am and must be booked in advance.

Access

All BCP libraries have easy access. For more details, check with the specific library via the links in the table. If you are bringing a pushchair, you may be asked to leave it in a specific place upon arrival.

Price

There is no fee for attending Toddler Time.

Suitable for age

The recommended age is from 18 months to 4 years. Although aimed at children under 5, all children are welcome to attend. There is no lower age limit, however, younger children are better served by Wriggle & Rhyme, which doesn’t include storytelling.

Details

Songs and Rhymes

The sessions start with singing nursery rhymes and songs with actions, which the children can join in with. There are interactive elements, like a bubble machine and percussion instruments for children to shake and rattle.

Story Telling

The session usually ends with the librarian reading the children a story.

Books

Sessions take place in the Children’s Section of the library, so there is ample opportunity to explore the books on offer. There are plenty of board books and lift the flap books for younger children.

Puzzles and Toys

Most libraries either leave out a selection of toys, or introduce toys at the end of the session for additional playtime opportunities.

Arts and Crafts

Sessions usually include a craft activity for children to do. There is usually also a table with pencils, crayons and paper for children to do some colouring before or after the session.

Food & Drink

Food and drink is not usually provided. There may be exceptions, for example we attended a session at Easter and there was a chocolate egg hunt (with grapes offered as an alternative).

Toilets/Changing Facilities

All BCP libraries have toilets with changing facilities. For more details, check with the specific library via the links in the table.

Note: Baby changing at Boscombe is downstairs, and is usually locked. You must go upstairs and ask for it to be unlocked, then back downstairs to use the facilities. Not ideal with a toddler in tow.

• Updated: February 2025

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.