Summer is but a breath away. Your children know it, and somewhere deep down (even through all the denial) you do too. How do you prepare your kiddos for the long summer days? You can start a list of amazing brand new books to read with them! Here’s just a few new books coming to the library soon.
“Nothing Stopped Sophie” by Cheryl Bardoe and Barbara McClintock
Nothing stopped Sophie Germain. Not her parents who tried to get her to sleep. Not her professors who couldn’t imagine that a girl could calculate like the boys could. Not even an unsolvable math problem could stop Sophie. This children’s biography is perfect for keeping your kiddos motivated to learn through the summer.
“My Feelings and Me” by Holde Kreul Sometimes emotions flair up as hot as the summer sun. Sometimes they’re as chill as winter. “My Feelings and Me” is a fantastic discussion starter about feelings, without the labels of “good” or “bad.” With beautiful art, this book could help navigate some of those long hot days in your home.
“Llama Llama Loves to Read” by Anna Dewdney and Reed Duncan
A whole new world opens up for Llama Llama as he learns the alphabet. And he can’t wait to show his Mama Llama I’ll bet!
Click here to see an entire list of new children’s books coming soon. Put them on hold to make sure you don’t miss them once they hit our shelves. And don’t forget to check in with us as Summer Reading starts May 30th!
Last week, the Columbia Public Library hosted a lively group of kiddos and parents for our Play Dough-Palooza program. But don’t worry if you missed out on the fun! Using the printable dinner plate template, you and your little one can make a delicious play dough dinner, snack, or brunch. (It’s never too early to learn about the finer things in life.) For extra sensory sensations, you can even make your own scented play dough. See the recipe below. While it may be appealing to the eyes and nostrils, I wouldn’t recommend eating your creations, since you might surpass your sodium intake for the year.
What’s the best part about summer? More time to read! For school-age children in particular, these lazy, hazy days are ideal for diving into books that they may not get a chance to read during the school year. Summer is also a great time to explore award-winning books. Be sure to check out DBRL’s many children’s book lists for inspiration. Equally important, summer reading helps keep reading skills sharp!
Of course, for parents and guardians, the beautiful weather and plethora of outdoor activities can make reading a hard sell this time of year. But don’t dismay! We’re here to help.
First and foremost, beginning May 30, visit one of our DBRL branches or stop by a bookmobile, and sign up for our free “Libraries Rock!” Summer Reading program! Kids and teens who complete their reading challenge receive a free book and will also be entered into our drawing for some awesome prizes.
Live in a rural area? Children and teens in grades K-12 who attend school in Auxvase, Hallsville, Harrisburg, Hatton, Holts Summit, Kingdom City, Mokane New Bloomfield, Sturgeon or Williamsburg can participate in Summer Reading through our “Books by Snail” program.
Happy almost Mother’s Day! If you’re like me and you don’t have a plan for Mother’s Day yet, listen up. While handmade cards are great, sometimes we run out of fridge space to display art. If you and your kiddos want to create something that you won’t have to feel guilty about recycling later (and something that won’t break the bank) why not make a tasty treat? Maybe you’re not chefs, but that’s okay! Crêpes are among my favorite foods to spruce up a meal.
In the life of parenthood and guardianship of young children, there may be no sweeter word on Earth than “bedtime.” According to the Better Sleep Council, May is “Better Sleep Month.” Getting good sleep can be easier said than done. However, winding your kids down with good books can be the secret to better sleep for all. Here are a few of my favorite bedtime books for little ones.
“Goodnight Moon” by Margret Wise Brown is a time-tested favorite. The sweet rhymes and soft pictures will lull your little ones into sweet sleep while you get a piece of nostalgia.
Nancy Tillman’s “On the Night You Were Born” is gentle, beautiful and a great opportunity for parent/child bonding. If you’re looking to speak a little love into your child, this is your pick! Continue reading “Better Sleep for All!”
It’s finally spring! As warmer weather approaches, we can expect plenty of rain. Many people associate rain with long days stuck indoors, but encouraging kids to play out in the rain is a great way to keep them active and expand their imagination.
Are you looking to incorporate more STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) activities into your child’s life? Have them design and build boats out of aluminum foil, then race them down streams or see if they float in a puddle. Let your kids experiment with the shape of the boats to see which float the best. Then add twigs and little rocks to see how much weight each boat can carry. When you’re ready to warm up inside, you can read “Things That Float and Things That Don’t” by David Adler. This book is full of illustrations and simple definitions for complex subjects such as density and buoyancy.
For more nautical STEAM-inspired fun, be sure to sign up for the Wiggle-Bot Boats program at the Columbia Public Library on Monday, April 23. Kids age 8 and older will have the opportunity to design and build a motorized robot boat. And, even better, they get to keep their creations! Registration begins April 10.
Spring is here, which means lots of rainy days ahead. If your family is stuck inside during a downpour (and you’re not afraid of a bit of a mess) then try out this glitter slime recipe. This slime is super shiny, stretchy, squishy and sparkly! And it’s pretty easy to make, so include your kids in on the messy fun of creating this recipe.
What you need:
1/2 cup white glue (Clear works too!)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon saline solution
Food coloring and glitter
Bowl
Spoon
What you do:
Add glue to your bowl.
Add water to glue, and stir until they are combined.
Stir in the baking soda.
Add food coloring and glitter. (We used fine glitter. It doesn’t show up well in photos, but it looks really pretty up close!)
Add saline solution and stir vigorously to form the slime. This takes a few minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it starts bubbling and pulling up from the sides of the bowl.
Play! Explore the fun, sticky texture of the slime. It’s a bit messy, so wear clothes you don’t mind getting a little grubby. Store your slime in a baggie or reusable container.
It’s one thing to know that Daniel Boone Regional Library offers fantastic events and services. It’s another thing to know what makes them so special. Let me share a story with you.
5-month-old Rebekah, Nathana and Mitch Clay
My wife and I had just moved to Columbia, MO with our 5-month-old daughter. We had loved the libraries where we moved from and knew that we needed to check out DBRL whenever we had the chance. Our daughter had an attachment to books as soon as she made acquaintance with the world.
A random evening opened up for us, so we brought the whole family to a baby story time. That night, Paula (that evening’s story time leader) focused a theme around “noisy sounds.” We had a blast listening to the books and singing library classics such as “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom” and “Webster Waddles.” But then Paula got out some toys and everything changed. Continue reading “Why We Bring Our Children to Story Time”
It’s soooo much fun to say! But what is an onomatopoeia? Well, here’s a poem with a couple of great examples:
A Dog Saw a Cat on a Lonely Roof
A dog saw a cat on a lonely roof. He greeted her with a friendly ‘woof.’ The cat looked at him with a hopeful ‘meow.‘ “I’d like to come down but I don’t know how.”
Merriam-Webster defines onomatopoeia as “the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss).” In the poem above, “woof” and “meow” are onomatopoeias.
Books that feature onomatopoeias are not only fun to listen to but are also fun to read. Consider the classic “Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You?” by Dr. Seuss. Whether reader or listener, it’s hard not to laugh when Mr. Brown sounds off with everything from “moo moo” and “boom boom” to “sizzle sizzle” and “blurp blurp!”
At DBRL, we have a wide variety of books that feature onomatopoeias. Here are a few (from a very long list!) you can enjoy with your children.
What would happen if you mixed a board book with a lots of bumps and glitter? It would become a really feely book! You may have read books such as “That’s Not My Teddy” by Fiona Watt and “Kitten” by DK where readers can feel one texture on each page. DK publishers took it to the next step with the new Really Feely series. Try out “Really Feely: Baby Animals” or “Really Feely: Farm” by Polly Appleton for multiple sensory experiences on every page.
Pages from “Really Feely: Baby Animals”
These books have a combination of bumps, textures, fluffy patches and glitter, and they can be great for children with sensory concerns. The reader is encouraged to explore the textures by the text. Check out more textured books at a library nearest you!
“Nothing Stopped Sophie” by Cheryl Bardoe and Barbara McClintock
“My Feelings and Me” by Holde Kreul
“Llama Llama Loves to Read” by Anna Dewdney and Reed Duncan
What you need:
Stir in the baking soda.
