International Games Day

On Saturday November 21st, more than 1,000 libraries around the world will celebrate the 8th annual International Games Day @ Your Library.  So bring the whole gang to play it up with board games, card games, and more, 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the Puett Room.  The whole family is invited to come have fun!

STAR WARS READS DAY!

Two years ago the library celebrated the first ever national STAR WARS READS DAY!  We are super excited that we will be celebrating again and this year it's going to be bigger and better, as this national party has turned into an international celebration!  Join the huge party at the library in the with games, crafts, trivia, prize drawings, giveaways, plus watch The Cone Wars on the big screen!! Also, costumes are encouraged, so come dressed in your favorite Star Wars character.  AND...members of Cloud City Garrison (a legion of dedicated fans wearing film-authentic costumes) will be here dressed as Star Wars characters, so be sure to bring your camera, as there will be lots of photo ops!  The party is open to all ages and is on Saturday October 11, 2-4 p.m. in the Burgess Community Room.

More on Screen Time

Can you tell we liked the presentation by journalist-turned-author, Lisa Guernsey? First Janet, and now I am blogging about it! And I have to admit, my first reaction when I saw we were hosting an author to talk about screen time, was "Great. Now I have another person to make me feel guilty about letting my under-2-year-old watch TV." And it was not that way at all. Lisa focuses more on the quality of TV, apps and video games than the quantity (even for kids under 2), and she offers a pneumonic to help you remember: SPLERN. "SPLERN???" you may ask, "How am I going to remember a nonsense word like that?" That's what I said to myself. But I remembered it without even taking notes, so the acronym did it's job!

• Straight-time story line (the story goes from beginning to end without things like dream sequences, flashbacks, memories, side plots, etc)
• Participation (Dora or Blue's Clues are good examples of this where the kids are actually asked a question and given time to answer, but anything that encourages participation like songs, movement, etc.)
• Labeling (When unfamiliar words or items are shown, they are labeled or defined within the context of the show)
• Engagement (Do the kids like it?)
• Repetition (Speaks for itself)
• Non-Violence (I should probably stop letting Coby watch even the 1981 Spiderman cartoon *cringe*)

So glad I got the opportunity to see her in person, and I highly recommend her book Screen Time: How Electronic Media--From Baby Videos to Educational Software--Affects Your Young Child.

May LEGO Construction Zone

Drop in to work on your creations with other LEGO funs! We'll supply the building blocks, you bring the creativity! Our next LEGO® Construction Zone will be on May 26th in the Puett Room at 1:30-3:00 p.m. Ages 5 and up are welcome to come play and build. See you there!

TINKERTOYS are a Winner!

In 2010 Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education launched an annual study “that looks at how young children in natural settings play with a variety of toys. Each year, nominated toys are placed in preschool classrooms and videotaped using remote cameras. Researchers use a scientific instrument to determine which toys best promote children's development in three areas: thinking and learning, social interaction and cooperation, and self-expression and imaginative play.” The study is called Toys That Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination, but for short it is called: The TIMPANI Toy Study.  This year's winner is the classic Tinkertoys construction set.  To learn more visit: http://nutmeg.easternct.edu/mt-static/early_childhood_education/2011/11/tinkertoys-determined-to-be-timpani-toy-of-2011.html

Come play BINGO!

National Gaming Day is this coming Saturday November 12th.  Bring the whole family to the library to play a few rounds of our "All Ages BINGO".  Anyone can partcipate and play as many rounds as they wish.  There will also be prizes!!!  We'll be playing in the Puett Room 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm.  So come on down and spend an afaternoon with us!

It's Judy Moody Party Time!

With the "Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer" movie out in theaters, we thought summer would be a good time to celebrate all things Judy Moody here at the library. For the entire month of July, we'll be hosting Judy & Stink's Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treaure Hunt. Children are invited to stop by the children's room and pick up a treasure hunt sheet and search for clues throughout the library. When you locate the clue sheets among the library stacks, you'll see that each clue will include an anagram. Unscramble the anagram and write that word on your treasure hunt sheet. When you unscramble all the clues, turn in your sheet at the Children's Desk for a chance to enter a special prize drawing. Prizes include books, mini movie posters, and more. AND the GRAND PRIZE winner will get a special treaure chest full of Judy Moody goodies. How rare is that? Treaure hunt sheets are due Sunday July 31st.

We will also be hosting a Judy Moody NOT Bummer Summer Party on Monday July 18th for grades K-4 from 2-4 pm in the Community Room. Join us as we make mood rings, fortune tellers, "Me" collages, and other fun stuff. Plus we'll make ice cream sundaes in honor of Screamin' Mimi's Ice Cream Parlor, a Moody family favorite.

Anime for All Ages!

Parents, bring your kiddos to the library on Thursday, March 24 for All Ages Anime from 4-6 in the Community Room. We'll be screening the film Whisper of the Heart, and we've planned activities for kids of all ages, including Wii gaming and Japanese-themed crafts. Join us to sample some of the flavors of Japan and celebrate the amazing imagination of our friends in the East.

Keepin' the Kids Entertained

Rain is in the forecast. Luckily, the library has some fun activities planned to keep the kiddos occupied indoors.

With no school on Friday, bring the whole family to our Family Game Fest from 2-4 p.m. in the Community Room. Try out board games, Rock Band and other video games on the big screen. Awesome! 

For those who need a little sparkle in their lives, stop in Saturday to the Puett Room from 1:30-2:30 for our Fancy Nancy Extravaganza! If it's fancy, it's got to be fun!

Sunday from 1:30-3 p.m stop by Puett Room for some Lego building fun. We'll supply the blocks for some easy entertainment.

While you're here check out some movies, music and books to help that inside time fly by!

Get Gaming

Family getting bored? Escape after-holiday dreariness with a trip to the library. Monday, December 28, bring the whole crew to our Family Game Fest from 2-4 p.m. in the Community Room. Do a little Dance, Dance, Revolution, or maybe bowl a few games on the Wii, or enjoy a good old-fashioned board game. Definitely fun and completely free.

All-ages Animanga

Looking for something to do with your kiddos during the break? Join us for All-ages Animanga on Wednesday, December 23 from 4-6 p.m. in the Community Room. We will be watching Kiki's Delivery Service, another great film from Studio Ghibli. We'll also play some Nintendo Wii, snack on Japanese treats and have some film-related games and prizes. 'Tis a jolly good time for the whole family!

National Gaming Day: A Gathering of the Ages

Calling all generations: Celebrate the American Library Association's National Gaming Day at the library on Friday, November 13.

Grandparents grab your grandkids to mingle and play at the Library!

Join us for Board Games, Bingo, Chess, Nintendo Wii, and swing dance and music.