By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Have you ever explored the little side yard of the Maze Branch Library (pictured above)? It’s not exactly quiet, because it’s right next to the expressway. But it can still be a cozy place to curl up with a book, do some yoga on the grass, watch for butterflies in the … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian At the library, we often hear from parents, teachers, and other caregivers that social-emotional learning (SEL) is important to you. What exactly is SEL? Let’s take a brief look and then dig in below. What is social-emotional learning? Social-emotional learning is a learning approach that helps people understand their emotions, feel those … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Play is how kids learn. We say this so often because it’s one of the most important things for adults who raise or work with kids to remember. Librarians included! Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers learn best when they can explore the things and world around them in their own way and own … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Jenny and I are huge fans of nature programming at the library. We’ve offered nature classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary-aged kids, and kids of all ages with disabilities, for years. That’s because nature allows us to expand learning in both reading and science! As Anne of Green Gables would say, … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian How young is too young to introduce kids to history? There’s no such thing as too young! There are so many delightful and age-appropriate ways to share information on fascinating people from all time periods. Below are some suggestions for videos, books, and activities to share with your early learners! … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Scary things are back in the news. Even when we try to insulate children from the news, we often underestimate how much they can overhear and how much they can pick up on tension in their caregivers. It’s very challenging for kids and adults when kids get worried and have … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian Who else is watching the Winter Olympics? I love my regular dive back into curling, which always feels like such a fun, accessible and possible sport to play. I also love figure skating, which is less accessible, even when I try to do Ridgeland Common’s noon skates! But whatever the sport on … Read more
By Eileen Saam, Children’s Librarian As families wrap up their holiday shopping, parents and caregivers of preschool-aged children may be thinking about purchasing a tablet for their child. Some may have recently purchased a tablet and are now wondering which apps they should download. Some may also be wondering how much screen time is appropriate … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian It’s been a week since Halloween: is your kid still wearing their costumes? Dress-up imaginative play is such an important part of childhood! You know what big fans we are of Mr. Rogers here at the library, and this quote really resonated: “One of Fred’s favorite stories was about a … Read more
By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian October is the month especially set aside to celebrate and recognize various disabilities, including Augmentative and Alternative Communication Awareness Month, something dear to my heart as my brother uses a communication device to speak, and Down Syndrome Awareness Month, dear to Miss Jenny’s heart because of her niece. But that’s … Read more
