Learning Concepts: Seasons & Time -- 8/19/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

The Completed Hickory Dickory Dock by Jim Aylesworth
Busy Builders, Busy Week! by Jean Reidy
Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley

Books:
All Year Long by Kathleen W. Deady
Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Jump Into January: A Journey Around the Year by Stella Blackstone
Mouse Seasons by Leo Lionni
Telling Time by Jules Older

Craft: Hickory Dickory Clock with Mouse

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (clock arms, mouse)

- Write hour numbers around edges of paper plate

- Colors arms and punch hole into end that is not the arrow

- Use a brad to attach the arms to the center of the paper plate.

- Color mouse

- Cut a piece of yarn and tape to back of mouse for tail

- Glue mouse to clock

Extension Activities:

-  Make a chart with your child of the day's activities writing down what they generally do each of the day they are awake.

-  Poll family and friends to see what their favorite season of the year is.  Why is their favorite season?

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Learning Concepts: Same, Different, Opposite -- 8/12/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

One of These Is Not Like the Others by Barney Saltzberg
Different? Same! by Heather Tekavec

Books:
Always by Emma Dodd
The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
Marta! Big & Small by Jen Arena
Same and Different by National Geographic Kids
The Same But Different Too by Karl Newson
You and Me: We're Opposites by Harriet Ziefert


Craft: Same/Different Puppets
- Print two of the template onto cardstock or heavy paper
- Cut out people
- Color people
- Glue people to craft sticks to make into puppets
- Have your child tell you how the puppets are the same and different


Extension Activities:
- Play a game of Simon Says using opposite actions.
- Read a book backwards.  Then read it forwards.  See how it makes a difference to the story.


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Learning Concepts: ABC & 123 -- 8/5/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Old Black Fly by Jim Aylesworth
Stack the Cats by Susie Ghahremani
10 Dogs by Emily Gravett

Books:

B is for Bananas by Carrie Tillitson

The Case of the Missing Cake: Not an Alphabet Book by Eoin McLaughlin

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin

Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh

The Right Number of Elephants by Jeff Sheppard

Roll Over: A Counting Song by Merle Peek

Craft: Ice Cream Cone

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (cone, scoops)

- Color pieces

- Glue scoops to cone

- Optional: Use a spinner or dice to determine how many scoops to add to your cone

Extension Activities:

- Play the Alphabet Game while riding in the car.  Try to find each letter of the alphabet on road signs or license plates.

- Practice counting throughout the day by counting various activities (ex - number of sips to finish a cup of drink, number of steps to walk through a room, number of buttons on shirt, etc).

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Virtual Story Time: Back to School -- August 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Back to School, Backpack! by Simon Rich
Dad's First Day by Mike Wohnoutka

Books:
Bear's School Day by Stella Blackstone
David Goes to School by David Shannon
Dinosaur vs. School by Bob Shea
Monsters Love School by Mike Austin
School's First Day of School by Adam Rex
Stanley's School by William Bee


Extension Activities:
- Visit the school your child will be attending this year.  See if you can set up a tour of the school or visit during an Open House to meet with the various educators.
- Review learning concepts needed for school (ex - alphabet, counting, colors, shapes, etc).
- Prepare a fun lunch for the first day of school together.

Rainbow Colors -- 7/29/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

The Rainbow Snail by Karin Akesson
I'm a Unicorn by Helen Yoon

Books:
Ava and the Rainbow (Who Stayed) by Ged Adamson
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
The Hidden Rainbow by Christie Matheson
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman

Craft: Crayon

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (crayon, eyes)

- Cut four strips of black paper the width of the crayon

- Color the crayon

- Glue strips to top and bottom of crayon for stripes

- Glue eyes to crayon

- Draw face onto crayon

- Optional: Cut additional black strips to glue on for arms and legs

Extension Activities:

- Have some fun with prisms.  Show your child(ren) how prisms reflect light into the different rainbow colors.

- Take a poll to see what the most popular color is.  Let your child(ren) ask friends and families for their favorite colors and then graph the results.

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Black & White -- 7/22/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Baby Penguins Everywhere by Melissa Guion
I'll Wait, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
Black Cat, White Cat by Silvia Borando

Books:
The Black and White Factory by Eric Telchin
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
Penguin Problems by Jory John & Lane Smith
A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis
The Skunk by Mac Barnett
Something Stinks by Jonathan Fenske

Craft: Snoopy with Doghouse

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (dog house, Snoopy)

- Color pieces

- Fold doghouse in half at roof so stands

- Glue Snoopy onto top of doghouse

Extension Activities:

- Enjoy a snack of Oreos.

- Have fun with some resist art painting.  On a white piece of paper draw a design with a white crayon.  Then use black watercolor paints to paint over the whole sheet.  It will reveal the "hidden" picture.

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Pink -- 7/15/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Sylvie by Jennifer Sattler
Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure by Derek Anderson
I Can Only Draw Worms by Will Mabbitt

Books:
For Pete's Sake by Ellen Stoll Walsh
The Pink Hat by Andrew Joyner
Pink Is Not a Color by Lindsay Ward
Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann
Where Are You? by Sarah Williamson

Craft: Heart Wreath
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out wreath.  After cutting out large circle, gently fold in half to cut center solid lines.

- Color wreath.  Color back if you would like the wreath to have a colored background.

- Fold triangles down on dotted lines.

- Fold small triangles and glue around edge of outer circle to make wreath.

- Optional:  Fold triangles up on dotted lines to make a crown with points sticking up.

Extension Activities:

- Do some pink painting with strawberries.  Cut the tops off of strawberries and press down to make pink patterns.

- Make a simple pink worm craft.  Slide pink pony beads onto a pink pipecleaner.

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Purple -- 7/8/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Raisin and Grape by Tom Amico

Books:
Creepy Crayon by Aaron Reynolds
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
The Purple Puffy Coat by Maribeth Boelts
Silly Boobies: A Love Story by Ame Dyckman
When Pencil Met the Markers by Karen Kilpatrick

Craft: Purple People Eater

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, wings, horn, eye)

- Color pieces

- Glue wings to sides of body, horn to top of body, and eye in center

- Add mouth and other featuers

Extension Activities:

- Draw a purple adventure like Harold did.

- Try some new purple foods -- eggplant, purple carrots, cabbage, plums, etc.

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Blue -- 7/1/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

The Big Blue Spot by Dave Holwitz
Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Peter Peck

Books:

Blue Boat by Kersten Hamilton
The Blue Table by Christopher Raschka

The Blue Umbrella by Emily Ann Davison
Blueberry Mouse by Alice Low
Dog Blue by Polly Dunbar

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
One Blue Gnu by Danna Smith

Craft: Bird with Birdhouse
- Color pieces (bird, wooden stick, birdhouse)

- Fold roof down to make overhang and glue at top point so stays in place

- Roll wooden strip into loop and glue

- Glue loop to birdhouse next to "hole"

- Glue bird to loop

Extension Activities:

- Have your child squeeze blueberries into water to create an edible paint.

- Create a blue sky picture by adding star stickers to blue paper.

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Virtual Story Time: Color Our World -- July 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Color the Sky by David Elliott
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

Books:

Dr. Seuss's Book of Colors by Dr. Seuss

Green on Green by Dianne White

Mix It Up by Herve Tullet
The Rainbow Snail by Karin Akesson

Red Sings for Treetops by Joyce Sidman

Remixed: A Blended Family by Arree Chung

Extension Activities:

- Have fun decorating cookies or cupcakes with different colored icing.  Let the kids mix their own colored icing using food coloring and plain white icing.

- Play a game of I Spy using color clues.

- Ask your child to organize things by color (ex - their clothes in the closet, books on a shelf, etc).

Green -- 6/24/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
Little Green Donkey by Anuska Allepuz

Books:
The Croaky Pokey by Ethan Long
A Girl and Her Gator by Sean Bryan
Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Green Beans by Elizabeth Thomas
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Craft: Caterpillar
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, head)

- Cut along straight black lines to get legs

- Color pieces (back and front)

- Fold legs so every other leg is folded backwards or forwards

- Glue head to front of caterpillar

Extension Activities:

- Go on a leaf scavenger hunt.  How many different types of green leaves can you collect.  Can you identify them?  If not, check out a leaf identification book from the library.

- Have a green food taste testing.  Try different green foods such as kiwi, grapes, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, cucumbers, pickles, etc.

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Yellow -- 6/17/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel
Counting to Bananas by Carrie Tillotson

Books:
5 Little Ducks by Denise Fleming
I Am Not a Chair by Ross Burach
The Little School Bus by Margery Cuyler
This Is the Sunflower by Lola M. Schaefer
Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach
Yellow Copter by Kersten Hamilton

Craft: Bee

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, wings)

- Color pieces

- Roll strip of paper (body) and glue in place to make bee's head

- Glue on wings to bee's back

Extension Activities:

- Make Banana Pops to eat.  Peel a banana and slide onto a craft stick.  Dip the banana in yogurt, chocolate, or peanut butter.  Roll the banana in nuts, sprinkles, mini chips, etc.  Freeze.

- Hold a Rubber Ducky Race at your local pool.  Give each child a rubber ducky and see which one crosses the pool first.

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Orange -- 6/10/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
It's a Tiger! by David LaRochelle

Books:
Beware of Tigers by Dave Horowitz
Carrot & Pea by Morag Hood
Hello, Little One: A Monarch Butterfly Story by Zeena M. Pliska 
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
Ten Orange Pumpkins by Stephen Savage

Craft: Clownfish

- Print template (above) onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out clownfish

- Color clownfish

- Cut orange paper into small pieces.  Glue pieces to stripes of clownfish

Extension Activities:

- Hold a taste testing of orange foods -- oranges, canteloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, cheez-its, cheetos, goldfish crackers, etc.

- Plant a carrot top.  Cut off the top of the carrot and trim away the leaves.  Place the carrot top in a small container on top of a layer of pebbles.  Let your child pour water in up to the carrot.  Wait for it to start to grow roots and then transplant to dirt.

Red -- 6/3/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

I Am Bat by Morag Hood
The Starry Giraffe by Andy Bergmann

Books:

Crabby Crab by Chris Raschka
The Little Fire Truck by Margery Cuyler
Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Red Truck by Kersten Hamilton
Ten Apples Up on Top! by Theo LeSieg

Craft:  Ladybug

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, antennae)

- Color pieces

- Glue wings so they overlap slightly

- Fold and glue antennae to top of ladybug

Extension Activities:

- Enjoy a fruit a salad made with red fruits -- apples, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, watermelon, etc.

- Visit a fire station to view a fire truck. 

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Virtual Story Time: Summer Colors -- June 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

The Colors of Summer by Danna Smith
Ten in a Hurry by Lo Cole

Books:

Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson

Dog's Colorful Day by Emma Dodd

Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley

The Hidden Rainbow by Christie Matheson

I Know a Wee Piggy by Kim Norman

Magic Colors by Patrick George

Extension Activities:

- The Colors of Summer gives colors on a summer beach day.  Have your child write their own version of the book using colors they would see on their summer day at home, at the park, etc.

- Go on a color scavenger hunt.  Try to find something for each color of the rainbow.

- Make a colorful suncatcher by placing tissue paper pieces between two pieces of contact paper.  You can then cut out the shape you would like for your suncatcher.

How Do Dinosaurs Stay Friends? -- 5/27/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Waddle! Waddle! by James Proimos
How Do Dinosaurs Stay Friends? by Jane Yolen

Books:
Carrot & Pea by Morag Hood
How to Cheer Up a Friend by Stephanie Calmenson
Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
My Best Friend by Rob Hodgson
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom
Two Bunny Buddies by Kathryn O. Galbraith

Craft:  Velociraptor
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, legs, arms)

- Color pieces

- Glue legs to bottom of body with one leg in front and one in back 

- Glue arms to front of body with one arm in front and one in back

Extension Activities:

- Make a Friendship Chain.  This can be done two different ways.  Kids can write a friends' names on strips of paper and then make into a paper chain.  Or they could write attributes they like in friends (ex - cheerful, like to play outside, etc) on paper strips to make into a paper chain.

- Make friendship recipes together.  These are recipes that can easily be adjusted to make individual mini foods for different people.  For example, make individual personal pizzas letting each child add the toppings they like.  


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Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters -- 5/20/25

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters by Jane Yolen
Mitchell's License by Hallie Durand
My Dad Is Big and Strong, But . . . by Coralie Saudo

Books:
Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere
Chengdu Could Not, Would Not Fall Asleep by Barney Saltzberg
Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
Good Night, Owl by Greg Pizzoli
The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House by Eric Litwin

Craft: Monster Puppet
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out monster

- Color monster

- Fold along dotted lines to make mouth than can open/shut

- Optional: Glue sequins on for more decoration

Extension Activities:

- Bedtime stories are a great way to end the day with your child.  Choose books that are calming rather than more excitable books.
- Have a PJ fashion show.  Ask your child(ren) to show off their best pajama fashions.


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Baby Bear's Chairs -- 5/13/25

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Baby Bear's Chairs by Jane Yolen
There's a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins

Books:
Bears on Chairs by Shirley Parenteau
A Couch for Llama by Leah Gilbert
Down the Back of the Chair by Margaret Mahy
Frog on a Log? by Kes Gray
He Came with the Couch by David Slonim
I Am NOT a Chair by Ross Burach

Craft: Sitting Bear

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (bear, strip) making sure to cut along the slits in bear's legs

- Color bear and write name/saying on strip

- Fold bear's arms and legs

- Slide paper strip into slits in legs to make bear sit up

Extension Activities:

- Play a game of musical chairs.

- Frog on a Log involves animals only being able to sit on things they rhyme with.  Have your child(ren) come up with what objects different family and friends can sit on.

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A Bear Sat on My Porch Today -- 5/6/25

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

A Bear Sat on My Porch Today by Jane Yolen
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback
Chicken Story Time by Sandy Asher

Books:

Bark, George! by Jules Feiffer
The Farm That Mac Built by Tammi Sauer
Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont
One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree by Daniel Bernstrom
Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore by David McPhail

Craft: Walking Bear
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (body, legs)

- Color pieces

- Fold body along dotted lines so stands

- Glue tabs on head together into circle and then glue onto body

Extension Activities:

- Play a cumulative rhythm game.  Give a pattern of claps, stomps, etc. and have your child repeat it.  Continue repeating it back and forth adding more claps, etc. each round.

- Print out Jane Yolen's activity guide to her book A Bear Sat on My Porch Today.

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Virtual Story Time: Jewish American Heritage Month -- May 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak

Books:
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen
It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemach
Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Leslea Newman
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak


Extension Activities:
- Have a whistling contest.  Who can whistle the loudest? longest? like a bird?
- Make a pot of chicken soup with rice (or noodles).
- Visit jewishamericanheritage.org for activities for Jewish American Heritage Month for all ages.