Archive for the ‘kids events’ Category
Create Your Own Story
Posted on: April 20, 2011
Last week was National Library Week, and we had so much fun celebrating in the library on Saturday! The theme for National Library Week was: Create Your Own Story. It was the perfect opportunity to have a family of authors come talk to us about how to make stories! We loved seeing the pictures of West Palm Beach (and our library) in Where do My Shoes Go? as Julia, Emily and Ainsley Miller shared their picture books with us! Thank you Julia, Emily, and Ainsley! We love your stories! You inspired us to think about the stories we can tell!
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We also created our own very own stories too! Check out the stories we made!
Taylor is 4 and she showed us how she plays the flute when she visits the library.
After Julia took her picture she drew what her story was about. Her dad helped her write down what she wanted the story to say. Her story says “Taylor was playing the flute and Strawberry Strawberry was helping her.” Hooray for Taylor!
Brianna is 6, and she thought of a story about a monkey in the jungle.
Here she is writing and illustrating her story!
Lila is 4, and she told a story about a tiger that was falling down! Watch out below!
Lennon, 5, said the name of his story is “Where is my telephone?” Lennon likes stories superheroes. He is a super guy!
Diana is 10 and called her story “Apple”
Sadie, 5, shows us her tiger. He was looking at us from inside his fort. This is the very same tiger from one of Julia, Emily and Ainsley’s stories! He came to visit the library in his favorite shirt.
Sebastian, 9, said his story was about penguins watching him on the computer. Sebastian writes in journals at home! Go for it Sebastian! Keep those stories coming!
Quintin, 6, wanted this picture called “Double Trouble”. Sounds suspenseful!
Joey, 5, told us that his story is about a boy who visits the library and likes to read about robots.
Joey’s brother, age 9, wanted his story to be about Percy Jackson. Those two loved hanging out together!
Here’s a story about traveling to space! Sounds like quite an adventure!
A big thank you to the Friends of the West Palm Beach Public Library for sponsoring the event! We raffled 4 copies of the Where Do My Shoes Go? books and a digital camera! The kids and families had a great time!
Long live stories! Don’t be shy; it’s never too late to create your own story!
-Ms. Kathy
AUDITIONS!
Posted on: April 7, 2011
April 9th, 9:30am-12:30pm @
Standing Ovation Performing Arts presents a NEW Musical Theatre Production – our first at the BEAUTIFUL Mos’Art Theatre in Lake Park! Auditions are free… rehearsals are Saturdays, 9:30am-12:30pm and performances will be at the beginning of August. Come check out this beautiful 150 seat theatre, centrally located to Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, and West Palm Beach. Ages 6-14
Learn from our amazing professionals! Bring a song you love to sing and wear clothes and shoes you can move in!
Call Erin @ 561.707.5677 with questions… see you there!
You Can Be an Author Too!
Posted on: March 30, 2011
Have you ever wanted to write your own story?
Are you a kid between 5 and 14 years of age?
Well, we have just the contest for you!
The people who created Children’s Book Week (this year it’s celebrated May 2-8th) want you to submit a book for a chance to win super cool prizes like $350 to print your book or a poster signed by a bunch of famous and amazing authors!
Here’s the info, so get creating, ok!? You need to email them your book no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22, 2011.
Happy Writing,
Ms Kathy
Join us in KidSpace during Spring Break, we have activities planned Monday thru Friday from 1:00-3:30!
For elementary ages.
Games, Games, Games!
Monday, March 14 @ 1:00 – 3:00 PM
KidSpace Scavenger Hunt!
Tuesday, March 15 @ 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Get Crafty!
Wednesday, March 16 @ 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Got Game? Wii do!
Thursday, March 17 @ 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Movie Break!
Friday, March 18 @ 1:00 – 3:00 PM
BABIES…BABIES…BABIES
Posted on: February 22, 2011
- In: authors | baby | books | child development | early literacy | emergent literacy | kids events | Literacy | newborn | parenting | read alouds | reading | storytime | Uncategorized | west palm beach public library
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Reading books to babies just sounds like a crazy idea, doesn’t it?
Think again!
Some mothers-to-be even read to their baby before it’s even born! If that sounds silly to you, think again. There are many reasons to read to a baby. For one thing, hearing words helps to build a big network of words in a baby’s brain. By reading to a baby, we can increase their language as they grow and develop.
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When we hold a baby close to us and read, it creates a special bond between the baby and the adult. Not only does he learn the sound of words and see new pictures of the world, he becomes a good listener in the process. It’s especially nice if you read some stories to your baby before bedtime. It’s a very calming experience once they get used to the idea. It also helps create a routine, which is so important when it’s time to get the baby to bed and to sleep for the night.
Babies watch everything we do. When you read to a baby, he watches you turn the pages. It’s a basic concept that he is learning about a book. Then he’s old enough, he can begin to turn the pages as you read. You will also catch him playing with a book and turning the pages as he pretends to read.
Babies learn by touching, too. Babies like to teethe on books to find out what they’re all about. Cloth and vinyl books are great for babies. Vinyl ones can even go in the bathtub. Who says you have to sit in a chair to read a book?
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There are wonderful board books at our library for you to enjoy with your baby. We even have Bumbo seats to hold up the babies that can’t sit up by themselves yet.
Babies are not born loving books. It’s something we teach them. Bring your baby to the library for a new experience. Sit in a Bumbo seat and read a board book together.
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Visit a baby storytime on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. You’ll experience singing, dancing, books, and lots of movement. It’s fun for babies and you! Call 868-7703 to reserve a spot for you and your baby today.
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Judy
Have you heard about Flat Stanley?
He’s the boy who was flattened by a bulletin board! You’d think that being flattened by a bulletin board would have put an end to all his adventures, but Stanley went on even more amazing adventures after becoming flat. He’s traveled by mail to and from all sorts of exotic locations, like Africa, Egypt, Japan, Mexico and Mount Rushmore. Once he even went into space!
Last week we, the Saturday Kids’ Club, celebrated Flat Stanley and his journeys to far off places! After reading The Mount Rushmore Calamity we got together, talked about out the story and then each of us made a Flat Stanley of our own.
Next we had to decide where to mail Flat Stanley. We wrote letters to our friends and family asking them to take a picture with Flat Stanley and then mail him back to us (with a picture of his adventure too)!
Click HERE for more Flat Stanley books!
Also, if you have a child in second or third grade, check out the Saturday Kids’ Club! We’re reading Dinosaurs BeforeDark before we come together again on March 12th @ 2!
Stay tuned! We’ll write more about Flat Stanley’s future fun!
Ms. Kathy
Nature’s Playground
Posted on: February 3, 2011
- In: authors | books | educational | events | family_fun | kids events | organic | parenting | reading | tv_turnoff | Uncategorized | west palm beach | west palm beach public library
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Since I moved into a house with a yard, on the weekends I find myself puttering about outdoors. When we first moved in May, we pulled out about 150 non-native plants. After a bit of research and multiple visits to the Mounts Botanical Gardens, we put in a few native vines and trees.
I have taken an interest in hydroponic gardening, too. To date, we have built two hydroponic systems that hold about 50 plants total! I am growing various red and green leaf lettuces, tomatoes and of course collard greens and kale.
“Hydroponics.” World Book Online Reference Center. World Book, 2011. Web. 3 Feb. 2011.
Needless to say, I love being outside. In South Florida we can spend almost 365 days outside, how wonderful is that? We are surrounded by a wondrous expanse of land filled with adventures. Here are some places on my outside adventure list:
1.) Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
On Saturday, February 12 from 8am-4pm, the Refuge will be celebrating their 12th Annual Everglades Day with Foreverglades: A day celebrating and promoting awareness, appreciation, and
an understanding of the Everglades.
2.) Girls u Pick Strawberry Fields
I have soft spot for others trying hydroponics and I love strawberries. Pay attention to the plants at the top of the hydroponic systems, they plant various herbs. Grab a basket and scissors and you are ready to go.
3.) Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami-Dade
Years ago, when I lived in Tampa, I drove to the Ringling Museum once of month. Vizcaya reminds me of the Ringling and I enjoy walking around the gardens of both.
The Mounts Botanical Gardens is beautiful to stroll through. I just love checking out their vegetable garden. The vegetable garden would be great places to have the kids’ guess the plant and what vegetable will it produce. If you are interested in starting a garden with kids, check out the library’s books on gardening with children.
If you are having a hard time getting the kids away from their video games, check out the book by Fiona Banks, Nature’s playground : activities, crafts, and games to encourage children to get outdoors
What are some of your favorite outdoor places? Comment on our blog!
Happy Birthday Mozart!
Posted on: January 27, 2011
- In: authors | baby | books | early literacy | kids events | Literacy | mozart effect | read alouds | reading | storytime | toddler | Uncategorized | west palm beach public library
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Happy Birthday Mozart!
The world celebrates the life of Mozart this month,
born January 27, 1756…
Though we may never compare in genius to Mozart’s gift of music, exploring and developing a LOVE for music through song, simple instruments and rhythmic activities, all play a part in early literacy! Musical activities are not only engaging but more importantly they help children develop large and small motor skills, as well as, listening skills.
A favorite musical activity at Toddler Storytime is the Numbas Rumba by Raffi! Children and parents participate in a loose rendition of a ‘rumba dance’ while large numbers are passed and the children trace them with their pointer finger! Did you know that tracing numbers and letters is a pre-writing, literacy skill? What’s even better is that this ‘learning’ activity is just plain FUN for Toddlers! This activity crescendos with children hopping across the ‘numbas’ rug! This entire musical activity enhances children’s awareness of numbers and letters and they develop an interest to explore these symbols even more!
Check out Rise and Shine by Raffi!
Another way of exploring and developing a love for music at storytime is to sing a picture book. One of my favorite pieces of music in the whole wide world is, What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. It has child friendly lyrics that ALL ages easily understand! The music is played from a CD while turning the pages of the wonderfully illustrated children’s book by George David Weiss, of the same title! This is but one example of a picture book that can be sung instead of read and in this case set to the music as well!
So next time, you pass by Toddler Storytime take a moment to enjoy the music! They really are exploring and developing a love for music and books!
Your city library has a wide variety of children’smusic CDs and DVDs to enjoy with your child no matter the age!
The Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts is a wonderful DVD collection for the more musically minded elementary age kids that teach all about music and the orchestra.
…and who knows…introducing and developing a love of music early may lead to more formal music training known as, “The Mozart Effect.”
Research shows, “Teaching the music of Mozart or Beethoven to children as young as three can improve their academic performance. Scientists have proved that children who practice for as little as 10 minutes a day on the piano score dramatically higher results in intelligence tests.” (Norton, Cherry. “Early music lessons boost brain power.” Sunday Times (London, England) Oct 12, 1997)
-contributor, Jeanne Taylor, Children’s Librarian
Happy Birthday Mozart!
Wizarding World Weekend!
Posted on: December 14, 2010
This weekend I was lucky enough to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Universal themepark in Orlando! It was a great time and a must do for Harry Potter fans.
http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/
It was a misty morning as we walked into Hogsmead. The Hogwarts castle was visible above the buildings. Employees and visitors alike were wandering the streets dressed in wizard garb. As we waited in line to enter Ollivanders wand shop, a spontanious conversation sprung up between strangers about the details of each Hogwarts House. You can sip Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice as you walk around, or have a sit-down meal at the Three Broomsticks (reservations recommended). All of this created a truly magical atmosphere that did justice to one of the best stories of our time.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey takes you on a fast-paced, virtual ride around Hogwarts. Waiting in the line that travels through the castle is half the fun! I made it a point to ride the Flight of the Hippogryph multiple times; make sure to bow to Buckbeak! I must admit, I was too much of a Muggle to go on the Dragon Challenge. I did hear from one kid that it was awesome!
