The Phillip Whitehead Memorial Library Chaddesden Park

What it’s like

Free rhymetimes and storytimes for babies and toddlers, with library membership free from birth.

This is a proper toddler-and-baby haunt rather than a browse-the-shelves-in-peace one. Storytimes and rhymetimes run for babies and under-threes, and the site is clear about the point of them: singing and saying rhymes with your child is a portable habit you can keep up at home, and it's meant to build up their exposure to language early. Membership is free and a baby can be signed up from birth, so there's no reason to wait until they can hold a book themselves.

Beyond the sessions for little ones, it's also a genuine community spot. There's a knit and natter group, coffee mornings, a walking group and regular reading groups for the adults who fancy company as much as a book. If you're a parent who wants ten minutes with another grown-up while your toddler shakes a maraca, this covers both jobs at once.

It's free to get in and free to join, which makes it an easy one to slot into a week rather than a big planned outing. Toilets are on site. Bring your own snacks and expect a couple of hours at most, given the age range the sessions are pitched at.

What’s on here

• TUE13

  Chaddesden Library Walking Group

  10:45 - 12:45 · 16 more dates

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• TUE13

  Chaddesden Library Rhymetime

  11:00 · Free · 16 more dates

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• TUE13

  Chaddesden Library Storytime

  11:30 · 16 more dates

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Facilities

Need to know

Best for

0 to 3, built around rhymetime and storytime sessions

• Library membership is free from birth, so sign a baby up straight away
• Sessions are pitched at 0-3s, not really for older kids
• There's a knit and natter group and coffee mornings if you fancy adult company too
• Toilets are on site

Plan your visit

Featured in 2 Huddlepin lists

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