Happy Spring, Kids!
Stop by the library lobby today to pick up a FREE take-and-make flower garden!
Stop by the library lobby today to pick up a FREE take-and-make flower garden!
These journals feature a variety of activities from Head and Heart Mindfulness, including coloring pages, a daily feelings “check-in,” breathing and gratitude activities, and drawing prompts. Grab one in the lobby today, and you’re good to go!
Kids in elementary school will be able to complete the journal independently, but there are lots of great conversation-starting prompts and activities to share with the whole family. Preschoolers can complete this journal with their caregivers’ help.
Tweens have it rough! When it comes to searching for books, eleven or twelve-year-olds find themselves at the tail end of the 8-12 Juvenile Fiction category, but their reading comprehension and understanding of the world has grown exponentially since their 8th birthday. Plus, they often feel like the whole world is shining a spotlight on just how little they still are -so anything that makes them seem young becomes embarrassing. This can include everything from hugging their parents goodbye to walking into the juvenile fiction section of the library. But does that mean they’re ready to conquer the YA shelves? There’s not always an easy answer, but here are some tips and resources to help you decide what’s right for your growing kids.
This month at MCL, we’ll be highlighting some resources to promote families’ emotional and mental well-being. Today, we’d like to introduce you to our new, easy-to-use directory of Conversation Sparks books. These books deal with various topics that can be hard to talk about with children – topics like divorce, grief, hospitalization, moving, and so much more.
In Manheim Community Library’s Parenting Section, you may have already noticed a shelf labeled “Conversation Sparks.” To go along with this collection, we’ve added a laminated topical directory which includes some books from the Parenting Collection, as well as some books that can be found in the EZ Readers and Picture Book bins. We hope this directory will be a valuable, easy-to-use resource for families!
Adoption Financial Difficulties
Anger Gender Identity
Anxiety/Worry/Fears Hospitalization/Serious Illness
Bullies Moving
Death and Grief New Baby
Divorce/ Separation Avoiding Sexual Predators
Disabilities/Differences Trauma
When young children are going through a new or difficult experience, books help them to identify and name their emotions, to see their own experience and feelings reflected on the page, and to know they are not alone. These books will also pave the way for conversations you can have with your child about how you are both feeling as you work through a challenging experience, and many come with discussion questions, prompts, and further resources.
This month, we’re offering collage supplies and idea sheets to boost creativity, literacy, and math skills for kids of all ages. Several other libraries in the county have sent us discarded magazines, so we’ve got a great selection – everything from Highlights to Glamour to Sports Illustrated.
Stop by the lobby today to pick up a magazine or two and an idea packet for your child’s age group, which includes several sheets of paper and some starter items. Packets are available in four categories (see below). If you are in need of child-safe scissors or a glue stick, come on upstairs and one of our desk staff will be happy to provide you with them. Here’s a preview of what you can do….
Preschoolers can go on a letter hunt, make silly faces, boost critical thinking skills by sorting images, and practice counting by using the included numeral sheets.
Early Elementary kids can hunt for sight words, create rebus sentences, sort more complex categories of images, and practice spelling words.
Big Kids (Upper elementary/independent readers) can create unique collages with images and adjectives that represent the things they enjoy, create freestyle poems (no rhyming necessary!), or piece together a surrealist piece of artwork.
Tweens and Teens can use print and images together to represent their personalities, write freestyle poetry, or create visual art that makes a statement about an issue that’s important to them. Teen and tween packets come with poetry starter baggies.
We’ve got some exciting new books and DVDs in our children’s area! Whether your kids enjoy graphic novels, engaging nonfiction, or a favorite series, there’s something for you to take home today. The following items are geared mostly toward elementary and middle-school aged kids. Our next post will feature new picture books, so stay tuned!
Dork Diaries
We’ve got THREE new books about Nikki Maxwell’s humorous & dramatic life written in diary format for kids in grades 4-8. Not “technically” graphic novels, these books include paragraphs of text with lots of illustrations.
Dog Man
We know you’ve been waiting to get your paws on the next Dog Man book….come in and fetch it today!
Narwhal and Jelly
These are Lindsay’s favorites! Cute, easy-to-read, and silly! Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do both love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together. Perfect for grades 1-3, or older reluctant readers.
Wicked History Series
These intriguing looks into history’s bad guys (and girls) are perfect for middle schoolers. Upper elementary avid readers with a strong interest in history will also enjoy these wicked tales of real-life villainy! You’ll find Catherine the Great in the YA section, but Cixi and Henry VIII are catalogued at juvenile fiction.
Who Was/Who Is
We’ve got some funky new titles in this popular series for elementary kids. Learn more about authors R.L. Stine and Roald Dahl, the brave Tuskegee Airmen, candy man Milton Hershey, master of the self-portrait Frida Kahlo, and Broadway-inspiring founding father Alexander Hamilton!
The Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch
Not only is the name of this series a secret, but the story is, too. For it concerns a secret – a big secret – that has been tormenting people like you for over… oh no! Did I just mention the secret? Then it’s too late. I’m afraid nothing will stop you now. Read this series if you must. But please, tell no one.
Kids in grades 3-7 will love these humorously suspenseful books!
The Nerviest Girl in the World by Melissa Wiley
A feisty girl from a family of ranchers lands a job as a daredevil stunt girl in the early days of silent film in this adventurous and funny cross between Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken and Ramona.
Saddle up for kicking ostriches, pestering brothers, and silent movie stardom!
Boxcar Children
A new classic, ready to check out today! Curl up with your favorite kid and read this one while the snow falls this week.
Ivan and Bob!
If you enjoyed the book or movie of The One and Only Ivan, you’ve got to check out the sequel, The One and Only Bob! We’ve got both books on the shelf and ready to go.
Family movie night, anyone?
We’ve got Frozen II, Pinkalicious, Swift, and Oceanea!
We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response to our first round of Take and Make Kits, so we’re rolling out some more! Kits are divided into three categories: Preschool/Kindergarten, Big Kid, and Tween/Teen. We hope you’ll check in often to see what’s new, as we’ll be switching things up regularly.
-Each kit helps kids build literacy and fine motor skills while providing kids with a fun, screen-free activity.
-You’ll find our new display in the lobby (beside the bagged holds ready for pickup.) Just buzz in and one of our friendly staff will open the door for you. Don’t forget your mask!
-Easy access: There’s nothing to check out, and nothing to return. Just grab and go!
Our little ones are doing so much on their tablets these days, even at school. While technology has opened up a whole new world of learning for kids, experts are finding that many children aren’t getting the practice they need to master fine motor skills. These packets include several sheets of silly cut-outs that will help your child give a paper friend a “haircut,” as well as more information for caregivers on how to practice cutting skills together.
*Please not that if you are in need of child-safe right or left hand scissors, one of our friendly desk staff will be happy to provide you with a pair.
Paper snowflakes can be delicate, beautiful, and also very frustrating! These templates offer clear folding instructions and pre-printed, shaded gray areas to show your child exactly where to cut. They’ll practice following instructions (with easy to understand diagrams) while cutting slowly and carefully. You’ll all be amazed at the lovely designs they unfold!
Our very popular self-care BINGO kits are still available!
Stop by to pick up your kit, which includes everything you need to make a squishy, relaxing water bead stress ball, a BINGO board that fosters relaxation, mindfulness, and kindness, and a mini-journal. Don’t forget to return your BINGO board for a prize….a free book of your choice!
Many of you have already stopped by to pick up your kit (which comes with cocoa and cookies, thanks to Weis Markets!) and shared some photos of your adorable completed gnomes. These will still be available through the end of December (while supplies last). Just stop by the lobby of the Borough building to pick one up today. Plus, you can come upstairs to the library to check out The Little Winter Book of Gnomes by Kirsten Sevig!
This year has been stressful, and we’d like to see our teens and tweens start 2021 off right. That’s why we’ll be offering Self-Care Kits starting Tuesday, December 22, which will include a mini-journal, a self-care Bingo board, and everything you need to make a water bead stress ball. Perfect for holiday break! Teens and tweens can turn in their completed Bingo board to the library to receive a free book of their choice. We have lots of awesome YA and middle grade titles ready for prizes, and we can’t wait to reward you with a great read for being good to yourself. Plus, we’ve got LOTS of brand-new kids books on the shelves, so stop by to check them out!
Pick up your supplies in the lobby, then click here for a YouTube tutorial on How To Make A Water Bead Stress Ball.
**The library will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day (December 24 and 25, January 1.) We’ll be closing at 1 p.m. on December 31 for New Year’s Eve.**
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2. Select Tumble Books from the Youth Services page
3. Click on the rectangular Tumble Books icon
4. Now enter your library card number (don’t include spaces). You can find this number on the back of your card.
5. Have fun searching the online database of e-books and songs!
There are so many amazing online resources through the library’s web site, but how do you find them? How do you use them? What are they, where are they, and why should you use them?
Fear not!
I’m here to help.
Today I’m going to show you how to use Scholastic’s BookFlix, which I use regularly for virtual Story Times. BookFlix is my personal favorite e-book resource because….
Here’s how to get to BookFlix in 5 easy steps, starting at the Manheim Community Library homepage.
STEP ONE
Beginning at www.manheimlibrary.org.
Click on the drop-down menu EXPLORE and select POWER LIBRARY RESOURCES.
STEP TWO
Click to access Power Library
STEP THREE
Select Power Kids
STEP FOUR
Select BookFlix
STEP FIVE
Enjoy exploring the site!