From borrowing children’s books to attending Brick Club South Africa, here’s how Somerset West Public Library became part of our weekly family routine.
I finally found a way to slow the pace of the school run this week.
After picking up my son from school, we headed straight to Somerset West Public Library. It has gradually become a weekly ritual for our family—a quiet pause in the middle of otherwise busy afternoons. My son now has his own library card, something he is incredibly proud of, and every week or two we stop by to refresh his bedside table with a new collection of books.
The atmosphere is exactly what you hope to find in a community library: peaceful, welcoming and wonderfully calm. The staff are incredibly patient, which is something I especially appreciate when browsing with a curious five-year-old who wants to look at almost every shelf.
I have to admit that for years I did most of my reading online, while my husband was always the one who enjoyed visiting libraries. Returning to a physical library has reminded me of something I’d almost forgotten—how relaxing it is to wander through shelves, discover unexpected books and simply slow down for an hour. It’s become one of those outings that leaves us all feeling a little more refreshed.
Choosing books that match what he’s learning
We usually borrow three or four books during each visit, and over time we’ve developed our own little system.
We try to match our book selection to whatever theme my son is exploring at school. It has become a simple but effective way to reinforce what he’s learning in the classroom while keeping it fun at home.
A few weeks ago, we searched for books about transportation. Last week, it was all about space.
With Term 2 coming to an end, we decided to get a head start on Term 3 by choosing a few introductory maths books. I was genuinely surprised by the range of educational titles available for younger children. There was everything from counting and shapes to measurement and early problem-solving.
As always, my son made a beeline for the interactive books. Anything with flaps to lift, moving pieces or hidden surprises immediately grabs his attention. This week’s haul included DK’s First Maths Glossary, How to Measure Everything and a fascinating children’s book on space by Stuart Clark—books that I suspect we’ll be reading more than once before they’re due back.
It all started with Brick Club
Looking back, our regular visits to the library actually began because of Brick Club South Africa.
The monthly LEGO building sessions, held every four weeks on a Saturday morning from 9:30 am to 10:30 am, introduced us to a side of the library we hadn’t really experienced before. Our son has always loved LEGO, building and anything involving shapes, so that very first Brick Club session quickly became one of his favourite activities.
Afterwards, we joined the WhatsApp group where one of the librarians shares details about upcoming sessions. It’s clear how much heart and effort goes into organising the club, and that sense of community is something we’ve really come to appreciate.
More than just borrowing books
Since that first Saturday morning, we realised there was no reason to wait for Brick Club to visit the library.
It has become one of those places we naturally gravitate towards. Some afternoons my son is happily sitting at a table paging through a Junior Animal Atlas. Other times he’s laughing while posing behind the colourful LiBee the Bee cut-out before choosing his next stack of books.
What I appreciate most, though, is seeing his excitement about learning continue long after the school day has ended. The library has become more than somewhere to borrow books; it’s a space where curiosity is encouraged, imaginations are given room to grow and learning feels like an adventure rather than homework.
For our family, Somerset West Public Library has become far more than a place to check out books. It’s become part of our weekly rhythm—a peaceful stop after school where we can slow down, discover something new and spend quality time together. Sometimes, it’s the simplest routines that end up becoming the most meaningful.
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