Safe Kids Day

Posted on Monday, April 29, 2019 by Tess

Get wild about safety at Safe Kids Day 2019! This year’s safari-themed event will take place on Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse. There will be free food, games, prizes and plenty of fun, educational activities! Climb aboard emergency vehicles, jump on inflatables and get your face painted. Then, learn about bike safety and get your car seat inspected. Be sure to stop by the library’s booth to get the inside scoop on Summer Reading!

Jim Cosgrove and The Hiccups Concert!

Posted on Thursday, April 18, 2019 by Molly

DBRL and the Stephens Lake Amphitheater Concert Series are pleased to present Jim Cosgrove & The Hiccups on Thursday, May 2 from 6-7 pm. The event, which will be held at the Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater at 100 Old Hwy 63, is for families and children of all ages.

Affectionately known as “Mr. Stinky Feet” by his fans, Cosgrove has performed over 3500 shows throughout both North America and Europe. Upbeat and interactive, Cosgrove’s shows are truly a family affair. His wife, Jeni, manages the business, while their two daughters serve as the road crew and sometimes appear with their father on stage.

An award-winning musician and performer, Cosgrove is also a motivational speaker and the author of “Everybody Gets Stinky Feet,” a collection of essays compiled from a parenting column he wrote for the Kansas City Star. Together, Jim and Jeni co-founded Jiggle Jam, once billed as the nation’s largest independent family music festival from 2007-2013.

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Put On Your Thinking Cap!

Posted on Friday, April 12, 2019 by Brianna

cover of "Sarabella's Thinking Cap"In “Sarabella’s Thinking Cap,” the main character has trouble focusing in school. Her head is so full of fantastic thoughts–pandas in flower pots and bears riding bicycles–that Sarabella can’t really concentrate on math. When her teacher asks the class to draw a picture of their favorite daydreams, she becomes inspired. Instead of drawing a single picture, she creates a thinking cap, a paper bag hat covered with illustrations of all the beautiful thoughts in her head.

Following Sarabella’s example, we’re going to make our own thinking caps at the library! Join us as we create extravagant hats and wear our thoughts on the outside of our heads.

This program will be held at the Columbia Public Library on Thursday, April 25 from 4-5:30 p.m., and it’s for ages 5-12. Registration begins on Tuesday, April 16, so stop by the Children’s Desk to sign up or give us a call at (573) 443-3161.

Unbound Children’s Events

Posted on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 by Brandy

The Unbound Book Festival will return to downtown Columbia for its fourth year! The children’s venue has been generously funded in part by the Friends of the Columbia Public Library. Join us on Saturday, April 20 at the Warehouse Theatre on Stephens College’s campus as we celebrate some of today’s best and brightest children’s authors. 

Download a complete schedule of Unbound children’s events and a campus map. This festival is FREE and open to all lovers of children’s literature, no matter your age!

9:30 a.m.
The Singing Princesses
Sing along with princesses Elsa, Anna, Cinderella and Belle. The princesses are part of the TRYPS Children’s Theatre Institute at Stephens College.

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Spring Break Preview

Posted on Thursday, March 21, 2019 by Megan

For some, spring break means traveling to see exotic animals or taking in some great art and culture.  But, did you know you can do all these things and more at your local public library? Check out next week’s line-up of amazing programs for you and your family. Registration is not required for these events.

For Families

Flights of Fancy With Jay and Leslie’s Laughing Matters

Performers Jay & Leslie of Laughing Matters

Jay and Leslie Cady are award-winning professional entertainers with more than 6,000 performances under their belts. These students of famed mime Marcel Marceau have been twice nominated for Best of Kansas City Theater awards and won the Lighton Prize in 2010 for excellence as teaching artists. At this summer reading preview, enjoy juggling, stories, orbits and more bits to tickle your funny bone. High-flying fun at your library? You can plan on it! Families, ages 4 and older.

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Podcasts We Love: Book Club for Kids

Posted on Thursday, March 7, 2019 by Megan

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!

2019 KMOS KIDS Writers Contest

Posted on Monday, March 4, 2019 by Erin

Calling all kid writers! If you are in grades K-3 and love to write, KMOS TV is looking for original works for their 2019 Kids Writers Contest. The deadline is March 15, and finalists will be announced April 15.

A work can be fact, fiction, prose or poetry, and all stories must have at least five original illustrations. Be sure to look at the official rules for the all the details before you submit your entry form!

Did you know the library has books to help aspiring authors brainstorm ideas? Check out our list of books to help you get started. Good luck!

Crushing Hearts for Valentine’s Day

Posted on Monday, February 11, 2019 by Brianna

Valentine’s Day is coming up this week, and that means candy everywhere! If your child is hyped up on sugar, why not let them smash some hearts to burn off steam? You may have heard that the Sweethearts conversation heart candy won’t be around this year, but don’t worry! We can smash the off-brand.

close up of candy conversation hearts

For this activity, obtain some candy conversation hearts. Next, you’ll need a nutcracker and a large tray to work on. After instructing your kiddo about how to safely use the nutcracker (little fingers need to be careful), let them use those fine motor skills to place a candy heart in the nutcracker. Now they just squeeze down, strengthening their hands and crushing the candy heart with a satisfying crunch! Before they do the next one, take a moment to predict how many pieces it will break into. Then count the pieces afterward, to see how accurate the guesses were. Now your child is not only having fun with destruction, they are also practicing math skills!

The candy hearts themselves offer an opportunity for literacy skills, as your child can recognize letters and tell you the sounds they make. If you’re working on colors, have your child sort the hearts by color before commencing the crushing. Thanks to Mary Catherine at Fun-A-Day blog for the idea.

If you want more Valentine’s Day destruction, check out these baked cotton ball hearts that you get to smash with a hammer!

Search-and-Find Books

Posted on Thursday, February 7, 2019 by Lyndsey

I SpyThese colder temperatures have me reminiscing about growing up in the north. One of my favorite activities during the frigid afternoons was digging into an “I Spy” or “Where’s Waldo” book. Remember getting lost in a world of marbles, toy cars and googly eyes? If this brings warm memories to mind, then you might enjoy checking out other search-and-find books. Search-and-find books ask you to locate specific objects or people amidst a crowded scene. They are great for any age and can be a fun family activity that promotes reading! 

The library has a variety of search-and-find books that cater to the interests of any reader. Here’s a list of some of our lesser-known search-and-finds for you to browse. Not only will kids love the pictures, but they will practice early literacy skills such as scanning pages, building vocabulary and decoding symbols. It is also a great way to further develop observation skills as you explore detailed illustrations of fantastical worlds, animal habitats and castles from long ago.

Photo credit: I Spy-Shadows by CliffMuller via Flickr

Celebrate Black History Month

Posted on Monday, February 4, 2019 by Tess

Black History Month PosterFebruary is Black History Month! This is the time of year to talk to our children about the great civil rights leaders, musicians, athletes and politicians who fought for equality and justice for all people. As parents, educators and caregivers, we encourage our children to grow into tolerant, open-minded individuals, so this month I have a two-part challenge for you:

Step 1: Check out a book by an African American author or illustrator. (Here’s a handy list of picture books, chapter books, and teen books!) As of 2017, in the U.S, only 7% of children’s authors and illustrators were people of color, compared to the 37% of the population who are people of color. By actively seeking out these underrepresented voices, we can help support diversity and authors of color!

Step 2: Talk about race. Easier said than done, right? If you’re having a hard time with this one, check out this great Today’s Parent article with an age by age guide to discussing race. Before children enter kindergarten, they’ve already formed racial biases, so please don’t wait for their kindergarten teacher to teach them about diversity. Start the conversation now, and help make the world a better place, one child at a time.

Photo credit: DEOMI 2013 African-American/Black History Month Poster by Texas Military Department via Flickr