Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Fun & Educational Online Activities Compiled by your very own HBPL Children's & Parent Services Department

We are so sad that we cannot be with you  all during this time of social distancing and quarantine due to the Corona Virus, COVID-19. But even though we miss having programs with you and helping you out in the Children's Room, doesn't mean we can't help you out virtually.

First take a look at what you can do with your HBPL Library card. If you don't have a library card or it is currently expired and/or you can't make a password, please sign up for a temporary card that will last for 90 days here.





 Access to live tutors in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests. Also includes a 24-hour online writing lab and Homework Question Center. (Available in Spanish)




We have access to several databases including; Britannica School (available in Spanish), CultureGrams, Digital Public Library of America, Kids Infobits. These are some great places to find articles, information, and encyclopedia entries.





Novelist K-8 Plus provides access to reading recommendations for both fiction and nonfiction for kids in grades K-8.



Access to e-books, audio-books and more. You can read many on your computer's web browser, or download to your Kindle or Kindle App, or use the Libby app!



Check out the 'Homework Help', 'Read It!', and 'Parenting & Family' tabs on the Children's Room site for great homework resources ,reading lists & early literacy activities, as well as our Pinterest page for other great ideas.


Without further ado, here's what the Children's Room has come up with to make your time at home fun and educational! We will continue to post our favorites from this list and new one's as they come to our department's Facebook page! Many that are usually paid, are providing extended free trials during this time.

StoryTimes Online:



  • Stay at home Storytime with Oliver Jeffers Everyday at 2 pm Oliver Jeffers will read one of his books and archive it on his website.
  • Storytime from Penguin Kids: Everyday at 11 am EST authors and illustrators will read their books on Instagram.
  • Storytime From Space: Astronauts read to you from the International Space Station!
  • Storyline Online: Some of your favorite celebrities read some great stories.
  • Turtle Dance Music: Long Island library favorite, Mr. Matt is doing live performances that include, songs and stories, 3 times a day, as well as daily parent only activities on his Instagram account.
  • #OperationStoryTime: Many celebrities, authors, and illustrators are reading stories using this hashtag, check out your favorite social media accounts and see what they have for you to enjoy.
Drawing Fun:
HBPL's Miss Jaimie is enjoying doodling.

  • Draw Every Day with JJK: Jarret J. Krosoczka the author of the Lunch Lady series and Peanut Butter & Jellyfish  is providing an all-ages masterclass at 2 pm everyday.
  • Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems: Mo Willems the author of Elephant & Piggie and the Pigeon books will post weekdays at 1 pm with a new video to doodle and show off some behind the scenes looks of his work.


Games, Activities, & Lessons:


  • BrainPOP: A trusted learning resource supporting core and supplemental subjects in a fun cartoon format.
  • Cool Math: Math games and lessons
  • Exploratorium: This museum in San Francisco, has tons of online experiences to feed your curiosity and education resources supporting online teaching and learning.
  • Funbrain: Hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving and literacy.
  • Jumpstart: Some great educational games,worksheets and activities you can print out.
  • National Geographic Kids: Explore games, videos and all types of animals.
  • Preschool Games: Preschool level games from Education.com
  • Scholastic Learn at Home:  Provides 20 days’ worth of active learning journeys designed to reinforce and sustain educational opportunities for those students who are unable to attend school.
  • Virtual Field Trips: Many museums, zoos, aquariums and more have virtual tours and activities to view, a great way to see something new without leaving your home.
Comment below with your favorite websites or online activities! Keep posted for new stuff and important updates on our Facebook page . We hope to see everyone soon!


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Monday, January 28, 2019

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake Sensory Play

Last week, we had an exciting program that involved lots of great sensory activities for our toddlers and preschoolers. We started off with reading a children's classic If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff.



Miss Jaimie created a flannel board made from felt for children to match cake flavors, frosting and cupcake liners. She used a coloring page of a cupcake to trace out the different pieces. The coloring page and other details you can add to your cupcakes are found here.

Another simple activity was counting sprinkles. The numbered cupcakes can be laminated and cut out individually as well.

The real fun was had when we got our hands a bit messy.  Water beads were mixed with shaving cream to create a fluffy 'cupcake'. 


We also scooped kinetic sand into a cupcake tin and decorated with gems.



Lastly, Miss Jaimie made a batch of homemade puffy paint to create our own cupcake art to take home. The recipe was very simple and allowed for four different colors of paint.




These are really great activities for children's motor skills and creativity and can easily be replicated at home. Let us know in the Children's Room if you make any of these and we hope to see you at a program soon!


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Friday, March 2, 2018

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! - Read Across America Day

"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child."


In 1904, Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2nd. In 1937, Dr. Seuss as he was now called wrote his first book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. Soon after he wrote many books that have engaged young readers and helped teach them to read, which continue to do so to this day.


National Read Across America Day is celebrated every March 2nd, in honor of Dr. Seuss' inspiration to readers and to further encourage young people to continue to read.

"The National Education Association is building a nation of readers through its signature program, NEA’s Read Across America. Now in its 20th year, this year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources." nea.org/readacross
 Check out more information at www.readacrossamerica.org and see people's "shelfies". Try out posting your own "shelfie" of you and your favorite childhood book.  Struggling to pick something to read? The National Education Association has compiled a list of great booklists just for the occassion or you can always come in to the Children's and Parent Services Department here at the library and we will be happy to help you find something.

To help celebrate both Dr. Seuss' Birthday and National Read Across America Day we had a 'Dr. Seuss Story Craft' program. Miss Kim read a few favorite Dr. Seuss books to our pre-school patrons.

She helped them make a One Fish, Two Fish,Red Fish, Blue Fish  inspired  fish bowl craft.

Miss Kim even had a delicious birthday snack prepared.

And for the grand finale, we had a special visitor, the Cat in the Hat (our very own, Miss Melanie!)



Check out our Facebook page, as more pictures will be up soon!


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Tuesday, January 2, 2018

New Year, New You!

Happy New Year! The Children's and Parent Services Department hope you've had a great holiday season and we look forward to seeing you at the library in the new year.

 As all of you and your children reflect on the past year and what you would like to accomplish in the upcoming months, take some time to try out a new hobby! January is the perfect month to get started on something new or to learn about a hobby before the weather allows it.

We have a plethora of books in our non-fiction section from candle making, paper crafts, creating spa products, to knitting, photography, computer coding, magic tricks and more!

Here are some of the most popular hobbies for kids and a small selection of books on each topic:

Baking & Cooking




Drawing/Comics & Graphic Novels
Music


Sports

Writing

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Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Season of Giving

November has started off with a burst of kindness. Yesterday (Nov. 13th) was even World Kindness Day!


We began the 2017 Season of Giving with our K-6th grade program 'Chain of Kindness'. We read the book Maddi's Fridge by Lois Brandt, which is about two young girls that like to laugh and play in the park, but one unfortunately does not have any food in her refrigerator and often goes hungry. When Sofia finds this out about her friend, Maddi, she devises ways to get Maddi the food her and her family need.

We also briefly discussed a portion of the book Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners by Laurie Keller. We talked about how the rabbit in the book can be considerate to his new otter neighbors regardless of their differences. 

This began a discussion of all the kind things and good deeds the children have done. From something small such as saying 'thank you' to others, to helping mom make dinner, to volunteering time at the Southampton Animal Shelter. We began our very own 'Chain of Kindness'. Currently displayed in the Children's Room, feel free to come by and add your own link!


We are also going to continue the good deeds this month, into December with a Toys for Tots Donation box. We are currently collecting brand new toys, in the original packaging. Please do not wrap them up! Toys for Tots is a donation program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and the toys will be donated to children who aren't fortunate enough to have families that can afford holiday gifts.


On December 5th, we will have our No Child Left Inside program at Mike's Christmas Tree Farm where we will get our tree for our annual Mitten Tree donation drive. We will be collecting throughout December, brand new or handmade mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats for both children and adults. These items will be donated to the Church of St. Rosalie and then distributed to children and adult in the Hampton Bays area who are in need in the upcoming cold months.

image from clipartxtras.com
Please consider contributing to one of our Season of Giving projects. For information about World Kindness Day and more ideas on good deeds the whole family can do check out the Random Acts of Kindness website .








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Friday, September 29, 2017

Banned Books Week 2017

This week, September 24th-30th is Banned Books Week. 
Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association.
"Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers — in shared support of the freedom to seek and express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular." - American Library Association 


Here at the library, we hope that you will find any book that your heart desires and that it is up to you and your child to determine what you want to read, no one else's. Many books we know and love are frequently challenged in school districts and libraries across the country. The American Library Association keeps a list of these books to inform the public about the harm of censorship. Check out the list of 'Frequently Challenged Children's Books' here:  http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/childrensbooks
"Out of the hundreds of challenges ALA records every year, only about 10% of books are removed from the location where the challenge took place, thanks to local literary champions such as librarians, students, and patrons who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read." -American Library Association
Here are some of our favorite frequently challenged children's books:

A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects he meets inside a giant peach.


Pairs of rhyming words are introduced and used in simple sentences, such as "Day. Play. We play all day. Night. Fight. We fight all night."

Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.

When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen.

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

To find out more about Banned Books Week, and to see the most current 2016 Top Ten Challenged Books go here: http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about

Let us know on our Facebook page what your favorite banned books are! 

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Monday, August 28, 2017

Top 5 Back to School Tips

The Hampton Bays Public Library Children's and Parent Services Department Presents....

Top 5 Back to School Tips


1. Get a library card! HBPL library cards are free for all year-round residents of Hampton Bays and East Quogue. Every parent or legal guardian that can prove they live in the library district can obtain a card for each of their children. Library cards are required of each child to register for programs and are a great way to encourage responsibility when checking out their own books, DVDs, CDs, etc. from the collection! Find out what is required to get a library card here: http://hamptonbayslibrary.org/get-a-library-card/

2. Read 15 minutes a day! For children Birth-3rd Grade reading aloud to your child can have wonderful benefits. Even sustained silent reading at any age is important to continue to develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, and knowledge about the world we live in! Find out more here: http://www.readaloud.org/why.html

3. Register for library programs and/or join an after-school club/sport! Make new friends with similar interests, learn something new and have fun after all your school-work is done! Check out the library's newsletter here: http://hamptonbayslibrary.org/newsletter-archives/

4. Check out a museum pass from the HBPL Circulation Department! Museums are a great chance to further study a topic learned in school or to discover something new. Find out more here on the passes the library offers: http://hamptonbayslibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Museum-Pass-Brochure1.pdf
5. Need help with homework or a research project? Check out our selection of non-fiction books and biographies. Use your library card to  check out databases on Livebrary. Need information on a country? Try Culturegrams! Need a book recommendation? Try Novelist K-8 Plus! Need general information on science, arts, geography, etc.? Try Kids InfoBits!  Find other databases and more information here: https://www.livebrary.com/kids-learning

Bonus Tip: Use your library card to get homework help from an online tutor in a variety of subjects, as well as feedback on your writing. Available in English and Spanish, Brainfuse is available Monday-Sunday 2pm-11pm EST. Find out more here: http://main.suffolk.ny.brainfuse.com/authenticate.asp?
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