Preschool is one of the first building blocks of education — and a brightly colored one at that! It’s a big first step for children and for their families. I remember feeling nervous and scared on my first day of preschool. I did not want my mom and dad to go and leave me there alone. But I wasn’t alone: I had a team of supportive pre-K teachers behind me. They were there to help with my transition to preschool and made me feel welcome in the classroom.  

I remember making art, ornaments, and more in my preschool class. My parents still have so many of them saved, even though I’m 28 years old now. I remember singing songs and rhymes with my teachers and classmates. I remember making friends and playing with my other classmates. These experiences were the first building blocks of my life. They created a foundation of learning and curiosity.   

As an early childhood outreach librarian one of my goals is to help young learners build their early literacy skills, and it is also important for me to create meaningful experiences that children will take with them after preschool during my visits to schools. It’s a privilege to do this work and to help create the experiences I had as a child for others.

In Mount Prospect, we are fortunate to have an abundance of high-quality early childhood programs to choose from — but that can also be quite daunting. The library is here to help by offering our annual Preschool and Child Care Information Night. During this open house event, parents and caregivers can get their questions answered by any of the more than 20 of Mount Prospect’s preschool programs and child care centers present — all in one place. 

A child’s early years are a time of rapid growth and development, which is why quality early childhood education is important to the future success of our youngest learners. If you are researching potential programs for your child(ren), keep an eye out for the elements that make up a high-quality program for each developmental stage as described by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The more you know, the better prepared you will be to ask valuable questions of the programs you are considering. Join us on January 28 to get the information you need to make the best choice for your family! 

2026 Preschool and Child Information Night

• Wednesday, January 28^th | 6:00-7:30pm
• Mount Prospect Public Library, 10 S. Emerson St.  
• Meeting Room A room 154 | Meeting Room B | Youth Program Room  
• No registration necessary; just drop in! 

If you’re looking for more resources to inform your preschool and child care search or your child’s development, visit our Find Preschools and Child Care information page and check out the additional resources from our library collection below. 

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Kate loves telling stories and singing songs in preschool and kindergarten classrooms all over Mount Prospect. In her spare time, she loves to read, go to the movies, play soccer, bake, and do craft projects.