Children's & Parents' Services Department eNews
Week of May 22, 2020
With the Children's and Parents' Services Department
Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for lots of story times, links, resources, and activities to share with your families.

Keep an eye on our library web program calendar for upcoming virtual programs. Click HERE to view.
Upcoming Programs
Kahoot (Kids Disney) Challenge!
Friday, May 22 until Sunday, May 24, 9:00pm
Test your knowledge of Disney and see how you rank.
Try it out HERE
Tail Waggin' & Readin' Fun
Tuesday, May 26, 6:00-7:00pm
Schoolage Children

Have a book you would like to read to a furry friend? Certified therapy dogs can make reading more fun and maybe even easier! Read to dogs, Anna, Stella, or Dora with handler Karen Maier. 

Register for a 15-minute private session by clicking HERE
COME LAUGH WITH US!
Tuesday, May 26, 8:30pm-9:30pm
For Parents

We like to unwind with as little words as possible....A few fun facts about laughter: Laughter is known to undo the negative effects that stress can have on your body and it can help strengthen your immune system. Laughter increases oxygen to your brain and your body leaving you feeling good and energetic. Laughter "exercises" combined with meditative breathing techniques help connect us and increase energy! Everyone looking to add joy and laughter to their lives is invited to join in!

No registration necessary. Join us using Zoom by clicking HERE
WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS
Wednesday, May 27, 8:00-9:00pm
For Parents

Kick back with us and release some of that stress.

No registration necessary. Join us using Zoom by clicking HERE
Family Game Night
Friday, May 29, 6:00-7:00pm
Families

Join Ms. Hillary on Zoom in this virtual program. We will be playing Drawasaurus (like Pictionary). You can make suggestions for other games you may want to play during the night for future events. No registration necessary. Join us using Zoom by clicking HERE or use the Meeting ID: 897 7740 4027
Crafts & Activities
SOMETHING YUMMY
Try making this easy snack this week from The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook by Barbara Grunes and Susie Cushner!

You can download the book HERE or on the Libby app.
One of my all-time favorite flavors is LEMON. Lemon flavored drinks, sweets and desserts are at the top of my list! This recipe is a simple and fun way to enjoy both Lemon and Lime in one dessert!!! This dessert is an ooey gooey recipe that will turn into a pretty and delicious square bite, or whatever shape you choose to cut it in! Sometimes I like to use cookie cutters to make different shapes. Let’s dive into this easy and fun recipe for the whole family!!! -Miss Casey 
Lemon-Lime Squares (Serves 16)

Total Time: One hour for prep and cooking (oven at 350)

Ingredients (for the Crust)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon zest
  • 6 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter

Make the Crust!
  1. Mix together all the crust ingredients
  2. Pat down into your pan (8-inch square or bigger) so it covers the whole bottom
  3. Bake for 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (for the Filling)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup of lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons of flour

Make the Filling!
  1. Mix eggs, sugar, lemon, and lime juice together
  2. Add flour and combine
  3. Pour over your pre-baked crust
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes
  5. Cool down, sprinkle with confectioners sugar and cut your shapes!!!
  6. ENJOY WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY!

Are you missing our cooking classes with Chef Rob? Check out our Facebook page for his newest cooking demonstrations and recipes and you can bring him right into your own kitchen.

No registration necessary!
SOMETHING FOR PARENTS
Weekly Parenting Podcast by Common Sense

The coronavirus pandemic has turned our lives upside down. Parent Trapped is here to help. Each week, host Ann Marie Baldonado checks in with authors, educators, and celebrities to bring you real-world stories and tips. You'll hear from experts and listeners on everything from juggling work and school with kids at home to great family movies and awesome pillow fort designs!

Latest episodes
Listen to new episodes every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts.

During a pandemic, there’s so much to be stressed about. Dr. Dave Anderson of the Child Mind Institute has some strategies for keeping your anxiety in check—including one that involves eating a sandwich!

What happens when the invisible work of mothers becomes visible during a pandemic? Better Life Lab director, Brigid Schulte, says now is the perfect time for couples to dream up better ways to share responsibilities at home.

Ever since schools closed due to social-distancing requirements, a lot of kids have been spending a lot of time online. Is all that screen time harmful?

Recommended by Ms. M.
QUARENTUNES
Enjoy these 10 classic Disney tunes, a wonderful montage of great music and iconic Disney images that'll make you want to re-visit these movies now! 

Watch HERE
BABY CORNER
As the weather has turned nicer, I have been outside with my five-year old doing some messy arts and crafts and while he was painting the other day, I was reminded of how he was introduced to paint when he was a baby. This is the one and only time that paint will be considered no mess! This is a way to teach your baby colors as they mix colors and explore with their hands.
-Miss Tara R.
No-Mess Baby Paint

Supplies
  • Ziplock bag (any size and depends on how many colors you use)
  • Tape
  • Paint
  • Paper
  • Highchair/table

Put some paint and a piece of paper into the ziplock bag and see what they paint! Or just put the paint in the ziplock bag with no paper and have them mix colors and use it as a sensory activity. Or try both and once they discover how to mix colors, have them paint in the bag with their new favorite colors that they mixed themselves!
Miss Kathy fans, make sure to watch our Facebook page Friday mornings for her weekly baby and toddler programs. Babies and Toddlers class starts at 10:00 a.m. and class for 2-3-year olds starts at 10:30 a.m. No registration necessary!
PRESCHOOL PLACE
Do your preschoolers like to figure things out and solve mysteries? Here’s a fun game called “ Mystery Window ”, which challenges your children’s problem-solving powers, in addition to giving them an opportunity to practice their visual discrimination skills.

Cut a 1” square in a piece of paper, preferably one you’re going to put in the recycle bin anyway (this is the backside of an unnecessary letter). Hold the square over a part of a favorite book or a picture of any kind and see if your child can guess what the bigger picture is. Depending on the size of the book or picture, you might need extra pieces of paper to hide the rest of the image.

Here are four examples below from very well-known children’s books: Do YOU know what they are?
Answers here:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr./Eric Carle
The Little Engine That Could, by Watty Piper
The Very Hungry Caterpillar , by Eric Carle
Knuffle Bunny, by Mo Willems
 
Enjoy your time together!
- Miss Debbie D.
CATCH THE READING BUG - EASY READERS
Ready to laugh? Here are some hilarious picture books that are sure to tickle your funny bone. All are available for download  HERE  
SOMETHING FUN
Everyone will love this Spray Bottle Alphabet Game.

All you need is:
  • sidewalk chalk
  • a spray bottle filled with water
  • A fence or sidewalk, and you're ready.
 
 It's quick and easy and plenty of fun! Click HERE for more information.
NATURE CORNER
Backyard Safari
Take advantage of the windy weather and get crafty! While you are doing some spring cleaning in your house, look for odds and ends that you could use in your very own wind chimes! Old silverware, garden tools, broken necklace chains, soup cans…if it jangles, it can be repurposed for this DIY project!

Check out DIY & Crafts for instructions on how to get started!
Virtual Adventure
There’s no better time than now to stay home and take in some arts and culture. Google Arts and Culture that is! Google has created virtual tours of hundreds of museums, parks, and historical sites from around the world. Using just your computer and a mouse, you can walk through Dinosaur National Monument, the Coliseum, or Stonehenge! Need a starting point? Why not get a backstage pass to the International Space Station ?
At Home Learning
Get messy, have fun, and learn by hosting your very own Family Science Fair this week! There’s plenty of science experiments you can run using supplies around the house. Make a chalk sundial, launch a balloon rocket, or create a tornado in a bottle! Get your friends and family to do their own experiments, swap photos of the results, then vote on a winner!

Need some inspiration? Check out WeAreTeachers and their list of easy home experiments, or check out the many Science Experiment themed eBooks available in our MMS Community Library Digital Collection .
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