Giggles could be heard in the Mountain Road Branch Library Wednesday morning as some of the area’s youngest residents participated in the library’s Babies in Bloom program.

Babies in Bloom is a program sponsored by Anne Arundel County Public Library that allows parents to bring their children for a half hour of songs, dancing, books, and nursery rhymes.

As the children entered the room for Babies in Bloom on Wednesday, they were greeted by librarian Shelley Davenport singing a song about brushing your teeth. Each child got a carpet square to sit on a floor covered with beach balls.

During the event, Davenport sang The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Old McDonald, and shared nursery rhymes with the kids, along with other songs and stories.

According to the Anne Arundel County Public Library, there are many benefits of sharing books, songs, and nursery rhymes with newborns to 24-month-olds. The nursery rhymes serve as a great introduction to literature and babies recognize familiar sounds and pictures they see in a book, according to the library.

Tina Thompson said her 22-month-old daughter, Graceanna, remembers the rhymes she hears at the library.

“She remembers the rhymes and sings them on the car ride home and all through the week,” said Thompson.

Perhaps one of the best parts about Babies in Bloom is Davenport. She has an infectious personality and her hand puppets of cows and frogs, used during Old McDonald Had a Farm, are a crowd pleaser with the little ones.

“I just really like all the music. That’s probably my favorite part,” Davenport said. “During a regular story time, you don’t get to sing all the songs. The kids really like the songs and instruments.”

What was probably the most popular activity with the kids was when they got to pick out instruments to play. They then proceeded to play along with the songs they were singing.

Babies in Bloom also provides children with the chance to interact with others, which several parents said is the best part of the program.

Stephanie Smith said her two-year-old son, Hunter, doesn’t get a chance to play with other kids at home.

“The interaction he gets here is the best part,” Smith said. “He stays at home with me during the day. So when he comes here, he loves the music and instruments and I think it is great to see him interact with other kids.”

Babies in Bloom takes place on the third Wednesday of the month at 10:15 a.m. Contact the Mountain Road Branch Library for more information.