Parents and Caregivers

Parents and Caregivers - LFPL is here to help. Here you will find information about how to help kids with their homework, sign up for ACT prep classes, access our research tools, learn about the benefits of Student Power Plus Card, and get some child-rearing tips from experts. Are you an educator or are homeschooling your children? We have Homeschooling and Educator resources too.

Program and Services available for parents of school aged children

Programs & Services

ACT Prep - The Library offers free ACT Prep classes and programs that will help your prepare for the test
Access LFPL's Research Tools designed for Elementary and Middle or High School audiences. You can also view a complete A to Z list of our Research Tools.
Book Bundles - Book Bundles are a collection of 10 books that you can check out for your family. Each bundle will be checked out to your library card for 21 days. Book Bundles will include a variety of age appropriate books for your child.
Homework Help for Kids and Teens.
1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge This library program encourages all families and caregivers to read at least 1,000 books with their young children before they enter kindergarten. Reading to preschool-age children builds vocabulary, language skills, and helps prepare them with the skills they need for kindergarten. In as little as 15 minutes a day, families can build the skills for future school and life success.
Reading Lists - The children's staff has gathered information for you concerning notable literature for children (and for teens, too). They have also developed reading suggestion lists that you and your child can read together in order to work through your child's concerns.
Ready for Kindergarten - This Jefferson County Public Schools website gives helpful information and tips about school readiness and your child.
Special Events - Throughout the year, children's library staff and outside entertainers perform for you and your child. These programs may include crafts, dance, magic, animals and many more.. Pick up a calendar at your branch or click on the link above to get the complete list of children's special events on our web site.
Student Power Plus Cards -The Student Power Plus Card is a multi-use card distributed to Jefferson County Public School, Archdiocese and private school students.
Storytime - All locations of the library perform story hours for a variety of age ranges. Call your local library to find out convenient times or stop in and pick up a calendar.
Summer Reading - The Louisville Free Public Library sponsors a reading program for children, ages birth through grade 5, as well as a new Teen summer reading program. After picking up a reading folder for each child, your child reads 10 books (or listens to them read). After returning the folder, each child received his or her prizes. Check the home page on our Teen and Kids sites every spring for the latest information.

Websites to Visit

Adoption
- Adoption.com - Information is provided to pregnant mothers, adoptees, birthparents, and prospective adoptive parents.
- National Council for Adoption - This nonprofit agency promotes adoption through education, research, and legislative action.
Child Care
- Benefind Assistance for Kentuckians - Apply for resources from the state to help support your family's needs.
- Community Coordinated Child Care (4-C) - Find a childcare site that suits your needs.
- Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services - The Division of Child Care can guide you to much needed answers to your childcare questions and concerns.
- Child Care Aware of America - In addition to child care needs, this site can lead you to assistance with health and social services, financial assistance, and resources for children with special needs.
- National AfterSchool Association - This organization provides resources to professionals that serve the after-school population.
Early Childhood
- See LFPL's Early Childhood page
Homeschooling
- LFPL's Homeschooling Resources Page
- Kentucky Home School Information Packet
Internet Safety
- Common Sense Media - A useful site for parents to review anything from movies, tv shows, books, websites, games, apps and more that pertain to children and teens
- Safe Kids.Com - A great resource for learning more about connecting safely online and digital citizenship.
- FBI Resources for Parents - Gain knowledge about how to protect your kids both online and offline.
- Protecting Kids Online - Help reduce the risks by talking to kids about making safe and responsible decisions online.
- Consumer Notice.Org - A helpful site for navigating discussions with your child about explaining online risks and how to remain safe while cyber searching.
- Internet Safety 101 - This link has useful information about staying safe online by grouping ideas for conversations into age specific guidelines.
Literacy
- Brightly - Use this resource to gather new ideas for books to read together with your child, or for you as a parent or caregiver; the topics are very current.
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - Find out how Dolly Parton is partnering with cities all over the country to provide free books for children under age 5.
- Educational Justice - Interested in your 5th-8th grader pairing up to be a tutor with another child for mentoring and academic help? Check them out!
- Little Free Library - Find a little free library near you, contribute to it, use it for your own reading purposes, or learn how to create one in your neighborhood.
- National Center for Families Learning - This organization encourages families to grow and learn together by supporting the literacy skills of adults and involvement in their children's education.
- Read Kiddo Read - Dedicated to creating life-long readers, author James Patterson provides a multitude of booklists for children of all ages, recognizing their varied interests, needs, and reading levels.
- ProLiteracy - This site is helpful for gaining knowledge about adult education.
- Read Kiddo Read - Dedicated to creating life-long readers, author James Patterson provides a multitude of booklists for children of all ages, recognizing their varied interests, needs, and reading levels.
- Reading is Fundamental - Learn how to get involved in one of the leaders in being a voice for children's literacy around the world.
- Room to Read - This organization is working to break barriers with low income families as they seek to reach millions of children who aren't school ready to read.
- Wonderopolis - Parents and children can wonder and learn together everyday. A new topic is posted daily that will be sure to lead parent and child on a new learning adventure.
Local Family Fun and Volunteer Opportunities
- Louisville Family Fun - Search this site for links to fun all around Kentuckiana for you and your loved ones to enjoy.
- National Macaroni Kid - This is another tool for finding enjoyable things to do together with family and friends.
Parenting
- American Society for the Positive Care of Children - This group advocates that they are the voice for children in America, making sure to teach the values that all children should be nurtured in a safe environment.
- BLOCS Louisville - This organization focuses on building up out of school time to provide students with access to ways to improve their academic careers.
- The Fathering Project - Learn about how to better become equipped to engage as a father or father figure with your children.
- Foster Parenting - Information from AdoptUsKids about the foster parenting and adoption information.
- GrandFamilies.org - Check out this site if you are a grandparent involved in raising your grandchildren.
- Metro United Way - Check here for ways to get involved in improving lives of children through early childhood all the way through adulthood.
- MOPS International - Especially for mothers of preschoolers, this site provides resources and support.
- National Center for Fathering - Promotes the belief that every child needs involved fathers, grandfathers, and father figures.
- National Parents Organization - This nonprofit works to guarantee that both parents stay involved in their child's life following divorce or separation.
- Operation Parent - They have free webinars and online resources about hot topics from vaping to childhood anxiety.
- Parents USA - This organization works to preserve the parent-child relationship by first protecting the rights of parents.
- Positive Parenting - Tips and resources are provided to encourage loving and non-violent discipline.
- National Parenting Center - Parenting advice is provided through a wide selection of articles written by experts in the field of child rearing and development.
- National Stepfamily Resource Center - Information is provided on best practices while working with couples and children in stepfamilies.
- Working Mother - This is the online version of the magazine to help balance family and career.
Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Baby Center - New and expectant moms will find trusted advice and support at every stage of development.
- PregnancyCorner - Support for all stages of pregnancy is provided with accurate, up-to-date information.
- Office of Women's Health - Pregnancy - Support for all stages of pregnancy while providing accurate, up-to-date information.
School
- Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville - Look up information for Catholic schools in the Louisville area.
- Great Schools - Provides statistics and ratings of over 200,000 public and private schools.
- Jefferson County Public Schools - Parents - This page connects parents with information regarding school choice, the application process, bus schedules, school report cards, and more.
Social Justice
- Kentucky Equal Justice Center - From workers' rights and consumer law, to health laws, find information here to ensure you know your rights.
- Kentuckians for the Commonwealth - This group works hard to erase discrimination from our laws and everyday lives.
- Parents for Social Justice - If you want to get your family actively involved in social justice movements within the city, check out this organization.
- Be the Bridge - This group is empowering individuals to work towards harmony through learning about our own racial biases and growing in reconciliation.
Podcasts - Parenting and Reading

Last Updated: 10/04/2021