Cumming Library Hosts Sesame Street Program on Healthy Digital Habits

On Monday morning the Cumming Library welcomed families to a Sesame Street Storytime program titled Raising Kids in a Digital World. The 45 minute event in the Cumming Meeting Room was aimed at children ages 3 to 5 accompanied by a caregiver, and it combined read alouds with movement activities and hands on learning designed to introduce healthy approaches to screens and technology.

Program organizers provided creative take home materials to support conversations and routines at home, and the first 50 families attending received a storytime folder. The timing of the event during the post Christmas holiday week drew caregivers who were balancing child care, work schedules, and the need to find age appropriate programming while school was out.

Beyond the immediate benefits of play based learning, the storytime highlighted public health concerns around early childhood screen time and digital literacy. Local libraries often serve as trusted community spaces where families can get evidence informed tips without cost barriers, and programs like this one can help translate broad pediatric guidance into practical household strategies. For households without reliable internet access or parental digital literacy support, in person sessions provide both information and social support at a community level.

The event also underscored equity issues that shape who benefits from such programming. Limited seating and the finite number of special storytime folders meant that some families left without materials, a reminder that capacity constraints can compound unequal access to resources in Forsyth County. Transportation, shift work, and child care responsibilities also influence which caregivers can attend weekday morning programs.

Forsyth County Public Library offered contact information by phone and email for families seeking more information about similar offerings or future sessions. As communities navigate the expanding role of screens in young children's lives, neighborhood libraries will continue to play a key role in providing accessible education and supporting caregivers who are striving to balance digital engagement with healthy development.