Monday, May 2, 2016
49 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Little One
I found this great list of 49 phrases to calm and anxious child via a gorgeous blog I read on the regular, Cup of Joe. I am going to try and keep these phrases close to my heart so I can use them when needed. I love #s 3, 7, 26 and 38 best! And just for fun, one of my favorite and most helpful books about little ones who are anxious, Wemberly Worried (Kevin Henkes just gets it!)
Monday, April 25, 2016
New Books That You're Gonna Want to Read
A few new books that we just got in...
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| Johnny Jakes Investigates: The Hamburgers of Doom |
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| The Wonderful Habits of Rabbits |
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| Crenshaw |
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| Maxi the Little Taxi |
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| Cricket Song |
Monday, April 4, 2016
What We're Reading...
Two days ago I picked up Pax by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Jon Klassen (of I Want Muy Hat Back fame) and I haven't been able to put it down (at least, when I have some free time to read, that is!) This book is a beautiful story about a little fox and his boy. They get separated and we get the joy of reading about how they work to find each other again. The book is perfect for grades 4-7 (and animal-loving adults!) who are suckers for grand adventure stories.
The book is SO good in fact, that Katherine Applegate said this:
The book is SO good in fact, that Katherine Applegate said this:
Monday, March 21, 2016
Spring Celebration
We celebrated S P R I N G here at the library on a rather wintery day here over the past weekend. And we had a ball!
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| We played in the dirt and planted carrots and radishes |
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| We made bean mosaics |
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| We made pinwheels to spin on a windy day |
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| We even had some special guests! Baby chicks from Keelboat Farms |
Monday, March 14, 2016
Get Moving!
This year in preschool storytime, we've been doing a lot of movement. We use beanbags to practice balance and coordination, scarves to develop fine and gross motor skills, and have dance parties to keep fit!
I've just discovered something new to help kids move during storytime - and its available for you at home. It's called GoNoodle, and it's a free service that encourages kids of all ages to get up and move. Some of them are dance videos (Check out Wobby Man by Koo Koo Kanga Roo) while others are designed to get kids calmed down or thinking (Hug it Out by Maximo). There's a wide range of ages and activity levels.
Feeling extra motivated? Try out one of the Game On activities - the Airtime game has you pick your location and help a bubble move from place to place on the screen.
If you're feeling silly, check out Kitty High Five by Awesome Sauce (you can thank me later).
Best of all, did I mention that it's all FREE? They have accounts just for kids - parents sign up and create accounts for each child. Kids choose a character to level up as they go through videos, all the while having a great time getting their groove on.
Here's a link to get you started: https://app.gonoodle.com/s/sreinhardt-1
We'll be using it in storytimes in the future, but some of the videos are released at home first, so try them out and be ahead of the game!
I've just discovered something new to help kids move during storytime - and its available for you at home. It's called GoNoodle, and it's a free service that encourages kids of all ages to get up and move. Some of them are dance videos (Check out Wobby Man by Koo Koo Kanga Roo) while others are designed to get kids calmed down or thinking (Hug it Out by Maximo). There's a wide range of ages and activity levels.
Feeling extra motivated? Try out one of the Game On activities - the Airtime game has you pick your location and help a bubble move from place to place on the screen.
If you're feeling silly, check out Kitty High Five by Awesome Sauce (you can thank me later).
Best of all, did I mention that it's all FREE? They have accounts just for kids - parents sign up and create accounts for each child. Kids choose a character to level up as they go through videos, all the while having a great time getting their groove on.
Here's a link to get you started: https://app.gonoodle.com/s/sreinhardt-1
We'll be using it in storytimes in the future, but some of the videos are released at home first, so try them out and be ahead of the game!
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Upcoming Science-y Stuff at Our Library
We have a SLEW of great science-y stuff coming up at the library this spring! Here's what's cooking:
- Seed Science
- Keelboat Farms is coming to the library to share the fascinating science of seeds! There will be bean dissection, a plant/seed matching game, a chance to design your own seed packet and a cool view of how a see grows underground! Friday, March 11th from 1-3. Great for ages 3-12!
- Family Maker Days
- Once a month we create some time for families to come together and tinker! Messing around with circuits, tape, glue, building materials - all kinds of stuff is a really fun way to spend your Saturday afternoon! It's drop in, so come any time after noon on Saturday, March 12th! All ages are welcome!
- Farm Science
- Meet the newest chicks of Keelboat Farms! We'll have real live (and incredibly cute!) chicks from the farm at the library. We'll be learning about the cool science of eggs. How did those chicks get in there and what happens while they're inside? You'll get a chance to see inside an egg where a baby chick is growing and all kinds of other activities and fun! Friday, March 18th from 10-11. Ages 3-12.
- Spring Celebration
- On March 19th, it will nearly be spring! And are we sure READY! The chicks of Keelboat Farms will be around to help us celebrate and learn about the science of eggs too! Food, fun, games and all things spring from 1-3! Wear your garden hat! All ages!
Monday, February 22, 2016
A Few Great Books I've Read Recently
Now I'm always reading a nice handful or 2 of books simultaneously. And a few of them are always children's/teen titles. I've read a few really amazing ones recently and here they are (we own all of these, but they're most likely checked out of our particular library because they're THAT good, but we can always order you a copy from another Allegheny County Library!):
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley was just....lovely. It was moving and informative and enlightening and charming. While it didn't win the Newbery, it was a Newbery Honor Book. And deservedly so. To be honest, I listened to this book on CD and I looked forward every morning and every evening to my commute to and from work to find out what was happening with Ada and Jamie. Two sort-of orphans in the midst of WWII who are shipped out of London and into the country as the city was under threat of bombs. It's a discovering-the-self kind of book that I loved when I was young and still love!
The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems and Tony Diterlizzi (is there a better duo out there?) I was VERY excited to read this little book because of its powerhouse authors. And it did not disappoint. It's reminiscent of The Lady and the Tramp. Two unlikely friends who set upon a number of adventures together. It's a great easy reader if you're little one is just setting out to read on his/her own.
HiLo: The Boy Who Crashed To Earth by Judd Winick. Let me first say that while I'm a huge HUGE fan of Judd Winick (do any of you remember him from The Real World: San Francisco? The one with Puck? And he's still married to Pam! Swoon!) but I hadn't realized this was his book until I was nearly 1/2 way through (way to pay attention!) I love comic books for the younger set and this book, they say and rightfully so, is Calvin and Hobbes meets Big Nate! It's great fun!
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell was a very unexpected book. It came highly recommended to me by a book-loving friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's 1917, and Feo and the wolves who love her embark on a rescue mission in the Russian wilderness. It's a strange little plot but a gripping adventure that had me turning the pages and finishing the book in one night!
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| The War That Saved my Life |
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley was just....lovely. It was moving and informative and enlightening and charming. While it didn't win the Newbery, it was a Newbery Honor Book. And deservedly so. To be honest, I listened to this book on CD and I looked forward every morning and every evening to my commute to and from work to find out what was happening with Ada and Jamie. Two sort-of orphans in the midst of WWII who are shipped out of London and into the country as the city was under threat of bombs. It's a discovering-the-self kind of book that I loved when I was young and still love!
 |
| The Story of Diva and Flea |
The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems and Tony Diterlizzi (is there a better duo out there?) I was VERY excited to read this little book because of its powerhouse authors. And it did not disappoint. It's reminiscent of The Lady and the Tramp. Two unlikely friends who set upon a number of adventures together. It's a great easy reader if you're little one is just setting out to read on his/her own.
 |
| Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth |
HiLo: The Boy Who Crashed To Earth by Judd Winick. Let me first say that while I'm a huge HUGE fan of Judd Winick (do any of you remember him from The Real World: San Francisco? The one with Puck? And he's still married to Pam! Swoon!) but I hadn't realized this was his book until I was nearly 1/2 way through (way to pay attention!) I love comic books for the younger set and this book, they say and rightfully so, is Calvin and Hobbes meets Big Nate! It's great fun!
 |
| The Wolf Wilder |
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell was a very unexpected book. It came highly recommended to me by a book-loving friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's 1917, and Feo and the wolves who love her embark on a rescue mission in the Russian wilderness. It's a strange little plot but a gripping adventure that had me turning the pages and finishing the book in one night!
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