First 5 Forever, Babies & Toddlers

First 5 Forever Pop-Ups begin February 1.

Pop up

No bookings required.

We will be visiting an area near you for a special session at 10.30am with stories, rhymes, music and movement for children under five years and their parents or carers. We recommend you bring a hat, water bottle and blanket to sit on.  In the event of adverse weather conditions, sessions may be cancelled.  Check out Facebook for latest details.
Maryborough Markets – 1st Thursday of the month
Pier Park, Urangan – 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month
Hervey Bay, Bunnings – 3rd Thursday of the month
Howard Markets – 1st Saturday of the month


All internal programs return the week beginning March 4.

Rattle and Rhyme

Rattle & rhyme

No bookings required. During school term only.

Join us for 30 minutes of song, rhyme and finger play.  Share a book with your baby and learn those traditional songs and some new ones too.  This session is designed for children under two years of age and their parents or carers.
HERVEY BAY – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday at 9.30am
MARYBOROUGH – Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 9.30am

Storytime

Storytime

No bookings required. During school term only.

Join us for fun-filled 45 minute session including stories, rhymes, music, movement and sensory play for children five years and under.  This is a fun way to encourage language and listening skills, promote attention and curiosity and develop your child’s fine and gross motor skills through music and movement.
HERVEY BAY – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday at 10.30am
MARYBOROUGH – Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 10.30am
HOWARD - 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month at 10.30am 
TIARO – 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month at 10.30am 

Playtime

Playtime

No bookings required. During school term only.

Play is central to your children’s learning and development so come along to our play sessions and have fun interacting with your child.
HERVEY BAY – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday at 11.30am
MARYBOROUGH – Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 11.30am


Design-A-Bookmark

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Get creative! Design a bookmark and have a chance to win a $50 voucher! There are now five different age categories including 60 and over.

Each winning entry will be printed and distributed in all branches. Entries close Thursday 28 March 2024.

You must be a library member to enter the competition. Join online here or visit your nearest branch.

Visit your nearest library branch for an Entry Form or download it here.


Fraser Coast Playtime Passport

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Get out and about with your children aged five and under and explore the Fraser Coast with our First 5 Forever Playtime Passport.  Our Playtime Passport is filled with activities to inspire families to talk, read, sing and play around the region’s fantastic beaches, parks, gardens, galleries, attractions and library branches.

Download and print the entire passport or just the accompanying Activities Sheets to collect stickers, from your nearest Fraser Coast Libraries branch, when you complete an activity. After you have finished all of the activities, you can show your completed passport or Activities Sheets to a staff member and collect a free book!

The passport has been produced by Fraser Coast Libraries with the support of First 5 Forever, which is an initiative of the Queensland Government, coordinated by State Library of Queensland and delivered in partnership with local government.

Playtime Passport Activity Sheets


First 5 forever logo

The First 5 Forever program aims to provide strong early literacy foundations for all children up to five years by directly supporting parents and primary caregivers as their child’s most important educator.

Up to 90% of a child’s brain development happens in the first five years. The more you talk, read, sing and play with your child, the more their brain responds. 

A great start in life

A great start in life starts with you. In the first years of life, your child’s brain develops faster than at any other stage. During this time, the simple things you do together each day can have an enormous impact.

Talk, read, sing and play

Sharing stories, rhymes, singing, talking and playing with your child from birth builds a foundation for your child’s future development that can last a lifetime.

First 5 forever brochure

For more ideas and resources visit  First 5 Forever (slq.qld.gov.au) and First 5 Forever Facebook page

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First 5 forever at Fraser Coast Libraries

Fraser Coast Libraries offers a range of activities for under fives.

Stories for Little Queenslanders 

Spark your child's love of reading with State Library of Queensland’s new series of picture books which are exclusive to First 5 Forever.  Follow this link to download or listen to each book.

Escape Room Challenges

Why not try our escape room challenges based on the Little Queenslander Titles?

Engage with our videos on YouTube and visit one of Fraser Coast Libraries' branches to collect a free, take-home pack with loads of fun playtime and STEAM activities that you can do at home. 

First 5 Forever, Under 5s Playlist

eLibrary resources for children