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Reading from an early age plays a powerful role in supporting children’s development and life chances. Children don’t need to be able to read to benefit from books – looking at pictures, talking about stories, and sharing time together all build vital pre-reading skills. Free public libraries near New Cross Gate make it easy for families to access books, support learning, and enjoy reading together.

There are no Stay & Play sessions during February half term - 16-20 February 2026. You can find details of all sessions and our holiday dates for 2026 on the Stay & Play page .

Stay & Play will resume after the summer break on Monday 1 September.