Brooklyn Public Library runs Ready, Set, Kindergarten! across a dozen branches at once, which means most families in the borough have a version of it within walking distance. The six-session series uses stories, music and play to build the early literacy, science and math habits that make the jump to school less brutal, and every family walks out with free materials for home. It's funded through BPL's First Five Years initiative, so it costs nothing.
What to expect
Each branch runs the same structure: a caregiver-and-child session built around stories, songs and hands-on activities that quietly teach pre-literacy, early math and science thinking. Librarians pace it for three- to five-year-olds, so nothing runs long, and caregivers take part rather than watching. Free take-home materials go out at the end so the activities continue between sessions.
Good to know
- Designed for children ages three to five with a caregiver attending alongside.
- It runs at roughly a dozen branches at the same time, so check which is nearest you.
- Free take-home materials are provided so families can continue the activities at home.
- It's part of a six-session series, but individual sessions still stand on their own.
- Everything is free, funded through BPL's First Five Years initiative and City's First Readers.
- Branch program rooms are indoors and air-conditioned, a real advantage in a heat wave.
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Common questions
What ages is Ready, Set, Kindergarten! for?
Children ages three to five, attending together with a caregiver.
Do we have to attend all six sessions?
The program is designed as a six-session series, but each session works on its own and families are welcome to join partway through.
Which branches host it?
It runs simultaneously at around a dozen Brooklyn Public Library branches, including Cypress Hills, Sunset Park, Dyker, Coney Island and Sheepshead Bay.
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