Storytime Ideas: Winter

Well, we can no longer avoid the fact that it is winter so have some fun with these books and activities!

Books:

Winter Games by Roger Paré
Elephants Cannot Dance by Mo Willems
Totally Polar by Marty Crisp
Snow by Manya Stojic
The Mitten by Jan Brett
Perfect Snow by Barbara Reid


Fun Movement Activity:

Get the kids all warmed up with this!

Have the kids repeat the rhyme after you -

Brr, Brr, Brr
It’s cold! cold! cold!
It’s time to warm up, by jumping.
Jump on one foot,
Now on the other foot,
Now with both feet.
Turn and turn, now stop!
Now we are warm.



Craft ideas:

Build a snowman:
http://www.daniellesplace.com/images/snowman-pattern.gif



Igloo craft:
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/winter/migloo.htm

Reading Resolutions for 2011

I do not generally make any sort of resolutions but this year I wanted to motivate myself to read books that have been piling up on my bedside table. I also wanted to venture back into reading books outside the Children's Department. So, here I am publicly declaring that I will clear all the books (and by that I mean read them, not put them away) piled up on my table. I also plan on reading 1 adult fiction book a month. So far, I have that one covered. I read Room by Emma Donoghue at the beginning of January. What a fantastic but horribly tragic book. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it! I also cleared off 2 books from my table - The House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (which I did not like so did not venture past page 50) and I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (absolutely incredible read).




Wish me luck!

Protecting your child online: Facebook

On Thursday night at the library I will be giving tips to parents about protecting their child on Facebook.  Facebook, which I admit that I am addicted to, can be lots of fun but it is important to show our kids how to use it properly.  The privacy settings are not usually a concern for young tweens and teens but it should be.  If all your information is wide open, that means anyone can access it.   My number 1 recommendation regarding FB privacy settings – check them each month.  FB has a nasty habit of opening up people’s information without any warning.  Taking the precaution of checking privacy settings will help protect your child online.

CBC Book Club YA Death Match!

I was on Twitter this morning and saw that YA author Kelly Armstrong (she wrote the books: The Summoning, The Awakening and The Reckoning) posted a link to the CBC Book Club. The title alone was intriguing so I clicked on the link and came upon a fantastic idea - dueling YA characters from your favourite books. There is a mix of old YA heroes (like Nancy Drew, Anne of Green Gables, the Hardy Boys) as well as new heroes (The Cullens , Harry Potter and Katniss). You have until Sunday to vote for your favourite YA hero (they are divided into categories) and then we get ready for the duel. Have fun!


http://www.cbc.ca/books/bookclub/2010/11/get-ready-to-rumble-ya-style-introducing-the-cbc-book-club-ya-death-match.html

Pizza Storytime

Almost everyone loves pizza so why not do a storytime on pizza! You can get really creative with your craft as well.


Books:

Dragon pizzeria by Mary Morgan

"Hi, pizza man!" by Virginia Walter

How pizza came to our town by Dayal Kaur Khalsa

The Little Red Hen makes a pizza retold by Philemon Sturges

Pete's a pizza by William Steig

Songs:

Pizza Round - By Cherry Carl

(Sung to: Row Your Boat)

Roll, roll, roll the dough.

Toss it in the air!

Pepperoni, cheese and sauce,

There’s enough to share!



I Wish I Were a Pepperoni Pizza

I wish I were a (Type) pizza,

That is what I'd truly like to be

For if I were a (Type) pizza,

Everyone would be in love with me.

Craft:

Paper Pizza:    http://www.makingfriends.com/preschool/paper_pizza.htm


Pizza and Pasta:   http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Food/Pizza_and_Pasta/Pizza_and_Pasta.html


Another Pizza Craft:

Make cardboard pizzas - the sky's the limit on decoration. Cut out photos and make a collage or make your own "toppings" out of decorated paper. Make a pizza-puzzle where the slices are cut out and rearranged to form a picture. Make your own pizza boxes too after dissecting one to see how they are cut and folded.

Halloween Event on the ice

This year I had the great pleasure of working on the Halloween committee for the city. It was lots of fun planning for this spook-tacular event. Check out some of our photos from the event:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42479&l=653d690a70&id=123100031035453

New Children DVDs in the library

1. How to Train Your Dragon

2. Karate Kid

3. Marmaduke

4. Le journal d’Aurélie Laflamme

5. Happy King Julien Day!

6. Furry vengeance

7. He’s your dog, Charlie Brown

8. Geronimo Stilton

9. Océans

10. Tinker Bell and the great fairy rescue