Recently we had a sensory program at the library for little ones birth to three years old. To fit with Summer Reading, we made everything outer space themed! You can try recreating these at home, or go in your own direction.
Constellation Box
This station was very popular with some of our youngest participants! Babies loved laying on the soft blanket and looking up at the ‘stars.’ To make this, we found a large box and grabbed a string of Christmas lights. After reinforcing the edges of the box with duct tape, we poked holes in the cardboard so we could stick individual lights through. You could create specific constellations, or just fill the space with the lights like we did. Creating the box will take a little time, but it’s well worth the effort!
Asteroid Field Ball Pit
In Star Wars, Han Solo tells C-3PO to never tell him the odds of surviving an asteroid field. Our asteroid field is much more safe! Toss some balls of various sizes into a plastic pool to contain them, and with a little imagination, you’ve got your very own asteroid field. We threw in some pieces of foil blanket for some extra texture, and little ones were delighted. Not only are the asteroid balls fun to play with, they’re a great way to improve motor skills, as well as hand-eye coordination if you take turns rolling them to each other.
Hubble Telescope Light Board Art
For this station, we were inspired by images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. We glued stars onto overhead transparencies, then placed them on a light board. Little ones put different colors of cellophane on the light board and had fun layering them to make new color combinations. The results were beautiful!
Galaxy Calming Bottles
We love sensory bottles, and these were no exception. We used Voss water bottles, but you can use whatever you like as long as it’s sturdy and you can seal it. To stick with our outer space theme, we made one night sky bottle, one inspired by the sun, and one glow in the dark. To make the night and sun ones, we used baby oil, candy coloring dye, lots of glitter and some star-shaped confetti. The glow in the dark bottle is just glow in the dark glue and hot water. Continue reading “Sensory Space Activities”
As America celebrates independence, it’s important to remember the families of those still fighting for our country. Holidays like Independence Day can be rough for children with deployed parents, but these picture books should offer some comfort.
“Sometimes We Were Brave” by Pat Brisson
This sweet book demonstrates how to keep going, even when you’re a little bit afraid. Jerome’s mother is in the Navy, and when she’s gone he worries about her. The description of daily life while waiting for her, along with the comforting illustrations, should help children find their own bravery despite anxieties.
“Papa’s Backpack” by James Christopher Carroll
This beautifully illustrated book describes a bear cub’s desire to travel with his soldier papa bear, even though he knows he cannot. Animals march to do battle in a stylized landscape that evokes modern military conflict without being too alarming. The bear cub speculates about traveling with his papa, but ultimately gives him a doll to take instead. A visually intriguing story that explores the feelings of children who must be left behind.
“Tuesday Tucks Me In: The Loyal Bond Between a Soldier and His Service Dog” by Luis Carlos Montalván
This book doesn’t deal with deployment so much as life after coming home. Through touching photographs, Tuesday the service dog narrates his relationship with a healing army veteran. Children will fall in love with Tuesday and gain a better understanding of how service dogs can help veterans.
For more books on this subject, check out our military deployment book list.
Looking for some 4th of July fun with your little ones that doesn’t involve loud noises and fire? Try making some colorful water-works, a simple experiment that shows the interaction between oil, water and food coloring.
What you’ll need:
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Food coloring (Any color will work, but blue and red are fun if you want to be patriotic!)
- Glass container (Large jars work great!)
- Bowl
- Fork
What you’ll do:
- Put 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a bowl.
- Add 3 drops of 3 different food coloring colors. (Don’t mix them, or it might look muddy!)
- Use the fork to comb through the food coloring droplets, making them into multiple smaller droplets.
- Fill your glass container with water.
- Pour the contents of the bowl into the container of water. If you pour it quickly, you get a fast firework show with lots of pizzaz! If you pour slowly, you can extend the fun.
- Watch as the oil goes to the top and the food coloring falls through the oil, into the water. This will create beautiful “fireworks” sure to amaze your kiddos!
This time of year, I can’t help but dream about all of my favorite summertime activities, especially camping. There’s nothing better than setting up a tent, sitting around a fire, and telling spooky (or not so spooky) stories with those you love. However, it’s not always ideal to camp outside with your little ones when it’s too hot or too rainy. The next best thing is to bring the fun inside and camp indoors!
Steps for a successful indoor camping trip:
- Set up camp
Grab the necessary supplies to build an epic indoor tent. This might include an actual tent, or you can simply use chairs and blankets. Not only is it exciting to transform your living room into a campsite, but it is a great way to encourage kids to practice their teamwork and communication skills.
No campsite is complete without a campfire, so there are several options for you. Either set up your tent in front of the fireplace, turn on one or two lamps or find a virtual fire on your preferred streaming service to supply you with the right lighting and magical crackling sound.
- Grab snacks
In the mood for s’mores? Being indoors doesn’t have to hold you back! Use your microwave, or roast marshmallows over the oven. For a healthier alternative, you can make ants on a log. Simply put peanut butter on a celery stick and top with raisins or chocolate chips. Continue reading “Indoor Camping Fun!”
Singing songs and rhyming can be great ways to get your child interested in reading. Rhyming words and songs are not only fun but also help familiarize children with the beginning and ending sounds in words. This is crucial for when kids begin reading on their own.
Songs are great for on the go! You and your child can sing in the car, at the grocery store, while playing at the park and before bed. You can even make up your own fun songs that play with words and sounds.
The theme of our 2019 Summer Reading program is “A Universe of Stories” and is a fantastic place to start. Those of you familiar with our story times can probably sing our crowd favorite “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,” but if you haven’t heard of it, give it a try! (Don’t forget to blast off at the end, jumping into the air.)
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
If you want to take a trip,
Climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
Blast off! Continue reading “Blast Off With Songs and Rhymes About Our Universe”
It’s never too early to introduce your child to the wonder of reading. Nursery rhymes and songs are an engaging way to help your little one develop their early literary skills like phonological awareness, the ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words. This skill will enable children to sound out the words in books when they begin reading on their own. Additionally, by reading with your child frequently, you are helping expand their vocabulary, letter knowledge and storytelling skills.
Board books are best for young readers because they teach children how to to handle books while withstanding the wear and tear of small hands (and teeth!). Try allowing your child to hold the book while you read the words aloud. Below are some suggested titles that compliment our Summer Reading theme, “A Universe of Stories.” We hope these titles provide plenty of inspiration for exploration and adventure.
Continue reading “Lift Off With Early Literacy Skills”
It’s hard to believe that a childhood classic like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” is turning 50 years old this year! Publishers have continued to reprint and circulate this beloved title since 1969. It’s even been translated into 65 different languages!
To celebrate this amazing milestone, DBRL has decided to throw a birthday party for Eric Carle’s most-celebrated book. This event will feature crafts and activities that mirror his use of color and collage. This program is for ages birth-5 with an adult.
“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” Celebration will kick-off at the Columbia Public Library. Mark your calendar for one of the following sessions:
- Tuesday, March 19 from 10-11:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, March 19 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 20 from 10-11:00 a.m.
Then, in April, we’ll continue the celebrate in Fulton, Holts Summit and Ashland on the following dates:
For many children, playtime is their favorite time of the day! But did you know that play is not only fun, but also an important part of the childhood experience? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “[T]he many forms of play enrich a child’s brain, body, and life in important ways.” Overall, creative play not only allows a child to learn about themselves, but also, learn about others and the world around them.
But while playtime is an essential building block of the childhood experience, equally important is learning to clean up after the fun.
Continue reading “Clean Up, Clean Up!”
Several months ago, I wrote a blog post wherein I highlighted several podcasts for kids and their families to enjoy. Shortly after it was published, I was contacted by “Book Club for Kids” a podcast book club for kids by kids.
“Book Club for Kids” encourages children from across the nation to read and review middle grade books. They then share their impressions with public radio journalist Kitty Felde. In November, several participants from our Heavy Medal: Mock Newbery book club shared their favorite contenders from 2018. Listen to our special episode below!
