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 February/March 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 
*No Playgroup on March 22nd. 

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. 

Saturday Playgroup - March 16th 


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.

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.
March 21st
April 4th and 18th
May 2nd, 16th, and 30th

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

Nature Storytimes, Crafts & Hands On Nature with Ranger Tasha

Tuesdays at 10:30am


March 12th - Canceled
April 9th - April Showers Bring May Flowers
April 23rd - Turtles Emerge in Spring
 
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.

Mammoth March

Check out our giant wooly mammoth bone & book display! 

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.

Friday, April 5th at 3:15pm
Twins by Varian Johnson

Hide & Peep Scavenger Hunt

We will hide PEEPS around the Children's Room for you to find. Pick up a find sheet and start hunting. The hunt starts March 1st and ends on March 30th. Find all the Peeps and get a spring surprise. 

Jellybean Guessing Jar

Guess how many jelly beans are in the egg container. The closest guess without going over wins the container of jelly beans. Through the month of March. 

St. Patrick's Craft

Saturday, March 16th

Drop in to make a pipe cleaner shamrock with us! 

Hello Spring! Craft Take Home Packs

Starting March 19th

Beaded spring bracelet while supplies last. Ages 4 and up. 

Chess Club with Andrew Friedman

Thursdays from 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Ages 10-18 years. The club will start from square one. Drop in and sign up at the door. Each class is limited to 14 players. Everything will be provided.
March 14th, & 21st.

Generously sponsored by the Friends of the Granby Library. 

Join us for Family Friday during The Week of the Young Child

April 12th at 11am

Meet our friendly Granby Firefighters and create your own family fire safety plan with their help. Climb on the firetruck too (if available). Drop in! 

Pre-K and Kindergarten Readiness Event with the CFCE

April 24th from 2:30pm - 4:00pm

Join us for information tables and activities (2:30pm) that will help prepare your children for preschool and kindergarten followed by lively songs with Liam Hurley (3-3:45pm). No registration required! 

April is Poetry Month

April 1st - 15th

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

Eclipse of the Sun

Monday, April 8th (approx. 3:00 to 3:30pm)

Starting April 1st, come pick up some solar eclipse safety glasses here at the library while supplies last. 

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!