ONLINE STORYTIME: The Mitten by Jan Brett

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Just a reminder: the library will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25 and Friday, Nov. 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will be open on Saturday, Nov. 27 our regular hours.

While the turkey is cooking, kids can have fun with this Thanksgiving-themed activity sheet from FamilyFun! Just click http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/pdf/printables/thanksgiving-activity-page-printable-1009.pdf to open & print!

Thanksgiving Fun

It's almost Thanksgiving!  Do you know how and when the holiday known as Thanksgiving started? What did they eat at the harvest feast that inspired the holiday? Find the answers to these questions and more at the National Geographic Kids site !

 For Thanksgiving crafts, printables, games, stories and recipes, take a look at Kaboose's Thanksgiving Activities for Kids.

Halloween Party Photos!

I know it's almost Thanksgiving, but I finally found time to upload our Halloween Party photos! (I've been a very busy dragon)!  Take a look - the costumes are great (no dragons, though)!

LETTERS TO SANTA

It's time to write your letters to Santa! A special mailbox is located in the Booth & Dimock Library Children's Room, and will be accepting your letters for delivery to Santa (remember to include your address so Santa can write you back) until December 3!

HOLIDAY GIFT BAG CRAFT

DATE: Wednesday, December 8.
TIME:  4:10 PM

Decorate a festive holiday gift bag! For grades K+. Registration is required and begins Nov. 24. Call 742-7606 or register online.

BABYGARTEN!

Babygarten is a fun and exciting program for children ages 0 to 2 and their caregivers! 

Babygarten will run in multiple 6-week sessions during the year, and will require registration for each session. The first 3 days of registration are for Coventry residents only, then registration opens up to everyone. Space is limited!

• The next 6-week session begins on Tuesday, Dec. 7 - the dates are as follows: Dec. 7, 14, 21, Jan. 4, 11, and 18. Registration begins Nov. 30. Call the library at 746-7606 or register online.

What is Babygarten?

• Infants and their caregivers will share nursery rhymes, songs and books, but also get a chance to make fun projects that demonstrate the children's developmental milestones - usually a homemade toy or a baby book item.
• Many projects and activities will emphasize the importance of reading to babies and parents will learn how to do this most effectively.
• The class concludes with a free play period.

The program includes:

Nursery Rhymes and Songs – Infants in the womb are soothed by the ever-present beat of a mother’s heartbeat. Babies of all ages still respond to a steady beat no matter what form it takes – rhymes, music, windshield wipers, dishwashers, etc. Rhymes also provide interesting repetition of the sounds we use in everyday language. Using familiar rhymes on a regular basis encourages your child to make sounds and eventually form first words.

Book Sharing – We’ll read books in unison (yes, the same ones over and over!) and the librarian may recommend books that are most popular with babies. For infants, a book represents the closeness of being held and the soft sounds that come from a familiar person. Eventually, they will understand how a book “works” and that the black squiggles somehow correspond with the sounds the reader makes. These are all pre-literacy skills that better prepare your child for a lifetime of learning.

Parenting Information – Questions about infant development and parenting often arise during the Babygarten program. We welcome your questions and will do everything we can to help you find answers. Sometimes the best source is the person sitting next to you on the floor!

Handmade Toys and Mementos – The playthings that babies enjoy most are always the least expensive ones. You’ll have the opportunity to construct simple, effective toys from items we all have around the house. Also, to help you remember the fleeting moments of your child’s babyhood, we’ll make some items that are perfect for grandparent gifts or the baby book.

Free Play Period – At the end of each session, we’ll do what we THINK comes naturally to all caregivers. Playing is how babies learn and your involvement can enhance their enjoyment and enlightenment. It’s fun to see how other people play and how babies respond to each other. This is where some of your best discoveries will originate – either through observation or conversation (with babies and adults!).

***BABYGARTEN made possible by funding from the 2010 Book Sale.***

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2010

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Great gift ideas! Check out the link below for the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2010. My favorite is A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead. What's yours?

http://www.nytimes.com/gift-guide/holiday-2010/best-illustrated-childrens-books-2010/slide-show.html?page=1

Closed for Veteran's Day, Nov. 11

Just a reminder...the library will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 11 for Veteran's Day.

Wimp Yourself!

Wimpified!

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney comes out next week. How to pass the time? You've read all of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid read-alikes in our booklist - what next? Wimp Yourself!

Visit http://www.wimpyourself.com/ where you can create a cartoon version of yourself in Wimpy Kid style (like the cartoon on the right).

The library's copy of The Ugly Truth should arrive next week - first come, first serve! Put your name on the reserve list now!