Exploring Online Resources: ScienceFlix
Today we are exploring another online resource that patrons can access using their library card. We will be looking at all of the exciting features of ScienceFlix! You can find this resource by clicking the link above or by searching through the Brooklyn Public Library website. Under our logo on the left you will see Borrow, Learn, Attend and BPL Presents. Click Learn --> All Resources and Databases --> and the S to filter out the results by letter. You can also use the filter on the right-hand side to search only resources for kids. Watch the…
A Day of Mourning, Protest and Thanksgiving
Jezz Bold
No one knows when the "first" thanksgiving occurred. People have been giving thanks for as long as people have existed. Indigenous nations all over the world have celebrations of the harvest that come from very old traditions; for Native peoples, thanksgiving comes not once a year, but every day, for all the gifts of life. To refer to the harvest feast of 1621 as "The First Thanksgiving" disappears Indian peoples in the eyes of non-Native children. - Deconstructing the Myths of "The First Thanksgiving by Judy Dow (Abenaki), from A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in…
Kids Explore: Map Your World
Recently the Carroll Gardens Library hosted Community Word Project for an outdoor program called “Map Your World”. The program was led by teaching artist, Libby and it was a great opportunity to use maps as a way to discuss our communities and the things we value in them. We started by exploring a variety of different maps with the group. We looked at subway maps, artistic maps, Google maps, maps that showed bike routes throughout the city, and maps that marked community gardens in Harlem. This became the jumping off point to discuss all the things that maps can do and…
Kids Explore: Magical Adventures with Fairies
The theme for Summer Reading 2020 is Imagine Your Story. It’s a way to celebrate reading whatever fun stories spark your imagination. And it’s also a way to celebrate the creatures of folklore and myth, of fantasy and wonder. We’re bringing a little magical sparkle to your summer with this celebration of fairies. Some of them may be small, but each one has a lot of magic to bring into the world, by sharing their talents. (Does that sound like any young kiddos you know?) These books,…
Kids Explore: Flag Day
June 14th is the celebration of Flag Day, which was established as an official holiday in 1916. It marks the day in 1777, when the men writing the Articles of Confederation (a precursor to the Constitution) passed a resolution that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” As new states came into the United States, the flag gained new stars. And here’s an interesting story: In 1958, a high school student from Ohio named…
Kids Explore: Brooklyn Birds
Rachel Lipkin
While most families are stuck indoors amidst this global pandemic and leaving the house or apartment seems less and less likely we, as public librarians, aim to make this time easier for you and your child. Having been quarantined for the last three weeks I found ways to entertain myself and learn a new skill all at the same time and while exploring my own urban backyard. You do not need to live near a park to participate in this activity. The only thing you need is a sense of exploration, curiosity, and the Merlin Bird ID app. Bonus points if you can get your hands on a pair of binoculars (…
Kids Explore: Wildlife
In celebration of National Wildlife Week, we're sharing some resources to help you explore nature and wildlife right from home. Try a Virtual Zoo Visit Observe animal behavior through the following links. Bronx Zoo’s Instagram Webcams from the National Zoo California zoos and aquariums These are just a sampling of what is available. Search for "virtual zoo" or "animal webcam" and you'll find many more! Free Educational Materials Enjoy free access to National Wildlife Federation’s award-winning…
BKLYN Kids Presents: National Physicians Week
Doctors, nurses, and medical professionals are working tirelessly around the clock to keep us all healthy, especially now. To celebrate National Physicians Week from March 25-31, 2020 we have come up with a booklist, crafts, and activities to inspire you. Here is a list of books you can read with your kids, including some they can read independently, to help answer questions about what doctors do, and what a child can expect at a doctor visit. Kids Create Cotton Swab Painting: Super fun and easy, all you need is cotton swab / cotton balls , paper…
Kids Explore: Virtual Farm Tours
To wrap up National Agriculture Week, we're sharing a few ways to explore and enjoy farm life from home! Take a virtual walk with Alpacas at the Northern Solstice Farm in Maine. Truffles, Isadora, and Sperry are just a few of the 35 adorable Alpacas you'll meet while virtually touring the farm. We could spend hours watching them graze in the pasture and relax in the barn! Take a dairy farm tour from Dutch Hollow…