Children's Room Newsletter

Paper copies of our Children's Room Newsletter are available in the lobby of the library. If you'd like to be added to the GFPL Children's Room Newsletter email list, please email Janice McArdle at janicemcardlegpl@gmail.com.

Download the May/June Newsletter Here


Follow us on Facebook!

Keep up with the most relevant information about the Granby Free Public Library and what's happening in the Children's Room! 
https://www.facebook.com/granbylibrarychildrens/


CFCE Playgroup

Ages Birth - 5

CFCE Playgroup
Every Wednesday and Friday at 10:30am

Ages Birth - 5
Parents & caregivers, join Marti for a free playgroup, where you and your child can play and enjoy an activity, stories and songs! Don't wear your best - we get messy and have fun. The last spring Playgroup is on June 20th. There will be a short break before Summer Playgroups start. 

No Playgroup on the following dates:
April 23rd and 25th
*There is no Playgroup when Granby Schools are closed.

CFCE Yoga Time! For Caregivers & Children
Ages 1-5yrs. Saturdays: May 3rd and 10th from 11-11:45am.
Pre-register for yoga with Marti by email - mwiechman@collaborative.org
*Yoga mats are provided

Playgroup and Yoga is made possible with funding from a Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grant from the MA Department of Early Education and Care, administered by the Collaborative for Educational Services.


CFCE Yoga Time for Caregivers & Children Ages 1-5

Saturdays: May 3rd and May 10th from 11am - 11:45am

Pre-register for yoga with Marti by email - mwiechman@collaborative.org
*Yoga mats are provided

Playgroup & Yoga is made possible with funding from a Coordinated Family and Community
Engagement (CF CE) grant from the MA Department of Early Education and Care, administered
by the Collaborative for Educational Services.


Nature Storytime with Ranger Tasha

Select Tuesdays at 10:30am

Enjoy a nature themed story, learn hands-on and make a craft about the world around us in New England. 
Drop in! Ages 3 and up. Homeschoolers - hands on science!

May 6th - Great horned owls are nesting.

May 20th - World Bumblebee Day

June 3rd - Red fox kits start to explore their world.

June 17th - Butterflies, dragonflies, and fireflies are out!

Presented by Tasha Daniels, Park Ranger/Visitor Services Specialist at the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 


Read to a Dog! Reading Buddies

Thursdays from 3:30pm - 5pm

Give your kids a fun, laid back chance to practice by reading to a dog. Our friendly, certified therapy pooch is ready to listen (along with their human teammate). A child's reading improves with practice – and the dog vocabulary will benefit, too!
Dog + kid + book = fun! Pencil in a pup appointment! 

Children in Kindergarten & up ~ Sign up to reserve a 20 minute spot to read to Gwen, the sweetest greyhound, she loves to be read to!

Thursdays 3:30 -5pm
May 1st, 15th and 29th
June 12th and 26th

To pre-register, stop in or call the library during open library hours. 413-467-3320


Book Club Bookworms

A Book Group for Ages 8-12

Meetings include an ice breaker activity, discussion and activity. Join us! Add your name to the email list for updates.

May 9th at 3:15pm - Katie and the Cupcake Cure by Coco SImon. 

June 13th at 3:15pm - Kristy's Great Idea (Graphic Novel) by Raina Telgemeier. 

 


April is Poetry Month

Drop in to write your own poetry with word cut-outs we provide. Glue the words on a paper to create your own poem.


Earth Day Drop-in Craft

April 22nd

Throughout the day, while supplies last, create a grassy field scene with flowers and butterflies!


May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month

We've collected & displayed our favorite books featuring AANHPI characters created by AANHPI authors and artists. 


Star Wars Day!

May the 4th Be With You!

Check out a Star Wars book to celebrate! Color a Star Wars picture and get a sticker when you stop in between May 1st and 3rd.


Drop-in Mother's Day Card Making

May 6th - 10th

Kids, create a card for Mother's Day, but sh-h-h don't tell her. 


Bluey Week! Enjoy Some Bluey Themed Fun!

June 3rd - 7th

Enjoy our Bluey table with fun activities. Check out some Bluey books too!


Drop-in Father's Day Card Making

June 10th - 14th

Come in to create a card for Father's Day, but sh-h-h don’t tell him.


Library Wildlife Habitat

Our Library's Children's Garden is now a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat proving that we provide the 4 basic elements for wildlife to thrive; food, water, cover and places to raise young.


Summer Reading Adventure

June 20th – August 8th

Our summer reading program is easy and fun! Sign up, get a folder & logsheet, put an X on each calendar
day on your “Level Up Page” that you read/ are to for at least 15 minutes between June
2th0 and August 8th. We will have two main prizes & weekly baskets. Enter the raffles by
reading & earning “Level Up Tickets.” Ages birth – 11yrs. *We have a Teen Program
too!

Check out a quick glance of our summer activities:
Weekly Stickers, Guessing Jars, Magic/Comedy Show, Minecraft Madness
Program, Cats vs Dogs, Shark & Sea, Dog Reading Buddies, Yeti &
Unicorns, CFCE Summer Playgroups Playtime, stories & circle time…and
more!


Scholastic Teachables

The Granby Library has Scholastic Teachables for you to use for free from any device! Tons of printables, lessons and more for students through grade 6. You do not need to have a Granby library card (other communities welcome). Go to the following link: https://digital.scholastic.com/site/launch/tcb?ucn=600019968

On Teachables:    
         Username – granbypl
         Password – granbypl
 *You must go though our link – the picture on our library Children’s tab/ page*
 
Help Navigating
There are a couple of great YouTube videos that walk you through Scholastic Teachables. These videos help you navigate Teachables for it’s full potential and show you how to reach your specific needs.
 
Search YouTube for:
                          eResources Review: Scholastic Teachables
                          Volusia Reads: Scholastic Teachables Tutorial
 Remember to use OUR library link, username & password (no library card needed).


1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Make sure your child is as ready as they can be for one of the biggest moments of their little life - starting school. Read them 1,000 books before kindergarten & keep track with this nation-wide program. 

Program Overview: 
The concept if simple, but the rewards are priceless. Read a book (any book) to your newborn, infant, or toddler. The goal is to read 1,000 books (yes, you can repeat books) before your child starts kindergarten. 

Sound hard? Not really if you think about it: If you read just 1 book a night, you will have read 365 books in one year - that's 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. If you consider that most children start kindergarten at around five, you have more time thatn you think (to get started)! 

How to participate: 
Read with your child. Keep track of how many books you've read by filling in the shapes on your log. Books read at storytime count too! When each log sheet is completed, bring it back to the Youth Services Desk and receive your next log! You will get a sticker for every 100 books read. 

When your child reaches 1,000 books, they will have their photo taken for our Wall of Fame, they will get a certificate and a medal, and may pick out a free book! 

You may read (and re-read) ANY book. We do have a list of book suggestions if you need help choosing books. 

www.1000booksbeforekindergarten.org


ABC Mouse at the Library

ABCmouse.com helps kids learn to read through phonics and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music and much more!  For kids ages 2 - 7+.  Use it on the computers in the Children's Room of the Library! 


Children's Resources

Great online resources offered free of charge

Teach Your Monster To Read! The groundbreaking game that makes learning to read fun!

Learning apps and games.

Make any room a classroom. 

An online hub for literacy and reading that features many lesson plans, activities, and printable materials such as book-themed word searches, crosswords, and memory games. 

Get printable worksheets, at-home lesson plans, craft ideas, and activities. 

STEM experiments and space themed storytimes.

Activate your kids' imagination with podcasts, audiobooks, and music.

Join the PBS Kids newsletter for access.

The publisher offers writing and drawing activities, puzzles, games and mazes, word searches, and coloring pages themed around picture books, nonfiction books, and chapter books.

Candlewick Press has produced a myriad of resources featuring some of our favorite characters like Stink and Mercy Watson. Click on "Resources" and then "Activity Sheets and Reproducibles."

Fun printables based on picture books published by Harper Collins. Also some great storytime tips!

Resources, downloadable activities, bookslists and more! Click on "Activities and Printables" to find printable learn-at-home activities.

Resources for Parents and Caregivers

Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts, Inc. - Resources for Homeschooling in Massachusetts