Blog posts by Elena

Kids Create: Spooky Mobile

Elena

  Enjoy this spooky season with a fun mobile!  Create your very own Spooky Mobile by making a haunting (not really) moonlight night scene full of ghastly ghosts, batty bats and laughing pumpkins.     Materials: Construction Paper Pencil Yarn Glue Stick Scissors Hole Puncher   Instructions: Draw moon, cloud, bat, ghost and pumpkin. Cut shapes out and attach moon to cloud.  If desired use scraps to make facial features for the spooky figures. Take hole puncher and make a hole at the top of each cutout. Get ready to…

Summer Reading Highlight: Books for Preschool & Pre-K

Elena

Tired of reading the same three books with your little one? Over and over again?  On the hunt for new titles?  No problem.  Take a look at our nifty  Summer Reading Booklist for some reading inspiration! If you haven't stopped by your local branch yet, make sure to visit and pick up our Summer Reading gameboard. Collect stickers by reading books with your young one, visiting library programs, and doing early literacy building activities this summer, and you will be entered into our grand prize bookset giveaway.   Bee-Bim Bop! By Linda Sue Park, Illustrated by…

Kids Create: Mother’s Day Felt Banner

Elena

Nothing says "I love you mom" like a handmade gift from the heart.  Create a sweet felt banner to express your love and appreciation for the special mom in your life. Materials:   Felt Dowel (or branch, popsicle stick, chopstick) Twine Pom Pom Glue Scissors   Instructions: Fold felt in half and cut from inside to outside to create pointed bottom.  Cut out and glue desired shapes and words to decorate banner.  Fold banner slightly over dowel and glue. Attach twine from one end of dowel to the other.  Add embellishments…

Kids Create: DIY Block Printing

Elena

Create a fun block print with your little ones while learning about different shapes, patterns and textures. Materials: Cardboard Glue Scissors Paint Paint Brush Paper   Instructions: Divide cardboard into two pieces (you will be using once piece as the base of your design and the second piece as the material for your stamp shapes).  Peel one piece of cardboard to reveal corrugated side. Using your freshly peeled corrugated cardboard, cut out a variety of shapes and arrange and glue on to cardboard base.  You now have made a stamp!  Brush…

Kids Create: Fall Leaf Mobile

Elena

Welcome Fall with a fun leaf mobile!
  Fall is just a falling leaf away and with it will come all the apple cider, cozy sweaters and of course all the fun decorating! Here is a cute Fall mobile to start off the season. Discuss with your little one the changing seasons, the different shapes of leaves, colors and even sneak in a little math when counting leaves.  
Materials: Leaves Branch Twine/String Glue Stick Tape Scissors (Note:  Feel free to go on a nature walk…

Library Lab: Exploding Chalk Baggies

Elena

  Looking for a quick STEM activity to beat the heat?  Then this post is for you! Materials: 1 cup       Vinegar 1/2 cup   Cornstarch 2 tbsp     Baking Soda 1              Zipper Sandwich Baggies 1              Paper Napkin                Food Color/ Liquid Color   Instructions: Place baking…