Best Bets for Winter 2015: Kids Strike it Rich on Sanibel

Sanibel Island is a tropical retreat that both adults and kids love.

You never have to plan a moment of your time on Island.

Discovery awaits in every corner.  Nature abounds.  And your curiosity only need to take you as far as the beach or into Ding Darling to satisfy your family's needs for bird watching and exploring.  Certainly the water activities in our beautiful sparkling Gulf will also entertain and thrill every member of the family.

But if your children need something a bit extra or you hit a rainy day, rest assured that the Island will not disappoint.

There are the ongoing activities and exhibits  in places like C.R.O.W., the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, the Bailey Museum and the Sanibel Sea School.  Classes, instruction, and educational exhibits are a daily menu at these wonderful venues.  They have become famous for all that they offer.

But there are also hidden treasures on the Island that are well worth the exploration.

The award winning Sanibel Island Library has a full roster of mind stimulants for kids from infancy to grammar school.  There are a lap sit program for babies every Wednesday, book exploration days every Thursday at 10 and craft days every Thursday at 11.  Monday host the Terrific Two's program and , of course, there is a full range of books and other special reading materials available for kids of all ages.

The atmosphere of the library's youth area is happy and relaxed with appropriately-sized furniture and book shelves, a special storybook doll house and even a row boat, the S.L.Readmore, to further stimulate a child's imagination. The youth collection includes preschool board books, picture books, beginning readers, and a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. Reference materials, including children's encyclopedias and dictionaries, are also available. You will also find a unique parenting collection for adults with information on growth, development, and children's literature.

And, you do not even have to go to the library to find enchantment.  A Phone Line Story Time is part of the Just Read, Florida! initiative. Each month a toll-free number is available for children to call to hear favorite stories read to them.