Granby Free Public Library 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 Fall 2023 Calendar

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

Drop in every Wednesday and Friday at 10:30am 
Saturday Playgroup: Saturday, November 18th at 10:30am

Ages birth - 5 
Join us for this free playgroup where you and your child (birth-5 years) can enjoy playtime, an activity and story circle time with Marti. 

Playgroup 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.

New Early Literacy & STEAM Sheets!

Daily activities you can do at home or at the library with young children.
Read, write, sing, play, talk and learn all month long!
Download the pdf here
*Suggested books have been purchased for the library. Some titles must be interlibrary loaned.

Celebrate the Granby Free Public Library!

Design a bookmark contest

Design and enter your bookmark art in the 10th anniversary of the Granby Free Public Library's new building and the 40th anniversary of the Friends of the Granby Library Bookmark Contest. See details at the desk at the library! 

Nature Storytimes, Crafts & Hands On Nature with Ranger Tasha

Tuesdays at 10:30am

October 3rd - Bats
Learn about these nocturnal, bug-eating mammals! Make a bat puppet & more! 

October 17th - Owls
Whoo, whoo! It's you! Children will surely become wiser about owls after hearing a story & exploring some hands-on feathers, puppets, and more.

November 7th - Wild Turkeys
Want to learn some facts about those big silly birds you see strutting around the forest's edge? How were they special to Native Americans?

November 21st - Happy Earth, Sad Earth
Hands-on watershed model, pour water & see how pollution spreads from Granby to the ocean. 

December 5th - What Animal is it?
Learn how to identify what animal you hear outside by the sound it makes. Check out feathers from local birds, fur from a gray fox & more. 

December 12th - Animal Tracking
How do you know what animal track you see in the snow? Make a track mold, identify some skulls and pelts.
 
Presented by Tasha Daniels, Park Ranger/Visitor Services Specialist at the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
                            
Drop in! Ages 3-5 yrs, siblings & homeschoolers. Presented by Tasha Daniels, Park Ranger/Visitor Services Specialist a the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Read to a Dog! Reading Buddies

Thursdays from 3:30pm - 5pm

Read to a Dog!

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.
September 21st
October 19th
November 2nd, 16th & 30th
December 14th and 28th

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

Drop-in Creepy Carrot Design Fun Challenge

October 3rd - 20th

How creepy can you make a carrot look? Just for fun (not a contest) design a creepy carrot based on the book & we will put it on display! 

Guess How Many Pumpkins in the Jar

October 3rd - 27th

Stop in to guess how many pumpkins you think are in our jar during the month of October. The closest guess will win a prize! 

Not So Spooky Craft

Saturday, October 21st

Drop in between 10:30am and 1:30pm on Saturday, October 21st to make some not-so-spooky crafts! 

Q-Tip Skeleton Craft

Saturday, October 28th

Drop in between 10:30am and 1:30pm on Saturday, October 28th to make a Q-Tip skeleton craft.

November is Native American Heritage Month

Native American Bead Weaving –Saturday, November 18 at 10:30am

Join the talented Carol Pineo for Native American Bead Weaving on Saturday, November 18th at 10:30am.   
Pre-register   *Grades 5 & up
Pre-register by November 1st to receive a wooden loom to take home after the workshop. 

Book Club Bookworms

A Book Group for Ages 8-12

Fall Book Choices:
 
Friday, October 6th at 3:15pm
Lily to the Rescue: The Misfit Donkey by W. Bruce Cameron
 
Friday, November 3rd  at 3:15pm
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow

Holiday Meeting: Friday, December 1st at 3:15pm
 
Meetings include an ice breaker activity, discussion and activity. Join us! Add your name to the email list for updates.

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

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).

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.

 

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!