Merry Christmas -- 12/23/25

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 year's Christmas online Story Time.

Red & Green by Lois Ehlert
Click, Clack, Ho! Ho! Ho! by Doreen Cronin
Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear! by Don & Audrey Wood

Books:
Don't Let Pigeon Drive the Sleigh! by Mo Willems
The First Christmas by Will Moses
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by John Rox
The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats
Merry Whatmas? by Eoin McLaughlin
Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Emma Randall

Craft: Christmas Tree Ornament
This week's craft was a kit purchased from Oriental Trading.  Kids assembled the Christmas Tree Ornament be placing sticker ornaments and star onto tree before tying on a hanger.

Extension Activities:

- Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear! encourages sharing Christmas presents with those less fortunate.  Participate in a Giving Tree or Toy present drive.

- Have a family Christmas movie marathon by watching your favorite holiday movies and specials.

Virtual Story Time: Our Senses -- March 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 Story Time video.

Mama in the Moon by Doreen Cronin
The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Iza Trapani

Books:
Bear's Busy Family by Stella Blackstone
Cold, Crunch, Colorful: Using Our Senses by Jane Brocket
Five for a Little One by Christopher Raschka
Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn Harris
I Hear a Pickle by Rachel Isadora
This Beach Is Too Loud! by Samantha Cotterill


Extension Activities:
- Play a game of I Spy using all the senses rather than just sight.  (ex - I Spy something that feels soft.)
- Try to have your child guess an item just be describing it using sensory words (feels, smells, tastes, etc).  
- Have fun with scented markers.  Make pictures that smell good.

Halloween -- 10/29/24

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.

Click, Clack, Boo! by Doreen Cronin
The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing

Books:

The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey

How Do Dinosaurs Say Trick or Treat? by Jane Yolen

Mouse's First Halloween by Lauren Thompson

Pug & Pig: Trick-or-Treat by Sue Gallion

Six Creepy Sheep by Judith Ross Enderle

Craft: Frankenstein's Monster

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper.

- Cut out pieces (head, hair) and color

- Glue hair to head

- Cut four strips of green paper

- Glue to head for arms and legs

- (Optional) Fold or curl arms and legs

Extension Activities:

- It is a St. Louis area tradition to tell a joke to get candy while trick or treating.  Practice telling jokes with your child in preparation.

- Make a batch of Witch's Brew drink for Halloween night by mixing lime sherbet, lemon-lime soda, and pineapple juice.  Click HERE for the recipe and for fun, spooky add-ins.

Template --

Halloween Story Time -- October 25-26, 2021

Outdoor Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am.  (Registration is required to attend.)  Online Story Times will be posted weekly on Tuesday mornings.  (The video is available to watch for one week before a new one is uploaded.)

Click HERE for this week's Story Time video.

Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette
Click, Clack, Boo! by Doreen Cronin

Books:
10 Spooky Pumpkins by Gris Grimly

Bears and Boos by Shirley Parenteau

The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey

Jungle Halloween by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Minerva Louise at Halloween by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Not Very Scary by Carol Brendler

Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht
Six Creepy Sheep by Judith Ross Enderle

Craft: Mummy Treat Bag

- Cut out circles for eyes and glue onto the top of a brown paper lunchbag

- Cut strips of white paper and glue onto bag for mummy strips

- (Optional)  Go trick or treating to fill bag up

Extension Activities:

- Both books are about fears.  Talk with your child about what things they are scared of.  Then come up with ideas to help settle those fears.

- Ask your child to come up with a Halloween costume using items you have around the house.  (i.e. use a sheet to become a ghost, cut out and tape facial features to an orange shirt to become a jack-o-lantern, etc.)

Merry Christmas! Story Time: December 23, 2019

Books:
Click, Clack, Ho! Ho! Ho! by Doreen Cronin
Dinosaur vs. Santa by Bob Shea *
Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear! by Don & Audrey Wood *
What Could Be Keeping Santa? by Marilyn Janovitz

Craft: Christmas Tree
This week's craft was based on the picture at left.  The children glued four strips of paper to a jumbo craft stick to make a Christmas tree.  (4-1/2"x1", 3-1/2"x1", 2-1/2"x1", 1-1/2"x1")  They then glued on a large star sequin to the top and could glue on sequins for ornaments.

Extension Activities:
- There are many traditions at Christmas.  Explore the different traditions with your child.  Learn the meaning behind the traditions and how Christmas is celebrated around the world.  (There are several books available at the library on these topics.)
- Go on a Christmas light scavenger hunt.  Drive through various neighborhoods to view the Christmas lights keeping track of different displays you see (i.e. snowflakes, stars, nativity, snowman, blow-up, etc.)

Halloween Story Time: October 28-29, 2019

Books:
Click, Clack, Boo! by Doreen Cronin *
The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey
Jungle Halloween by Maryann Cocca-Leffler *
Six Creepy Sheep by Judith Ross Enderle
Ten Orange Pumpkins by Stephen Savage *

Craft: Vampire Treat Bag
This week's craft was loosely based on the picture at left.  The kids colored cutout hair, eyes, and bowtie before gluing to a paper bag.  They then drew on a mouth and fangs to complete their vampire.

Extension Activities:
- Go over safety tips before going trick or treating including wearing glow-in-the-dark at night to be seen, stranger safety tips, etc.
- Several of this week's books include counting as part of the story.  Practice counting with the treats received on Halloween.  Have your child separate the treats into the different kinds of food and then count them.

Template --

Halloween: A Trick or Treat Story Time: October 30-31, 2017

Books:
Click, Clack, Boo! by Doreen Cronin *
Jungle Halloween by Maryann Cocca-Leffler *
Six Creepy Sheep by Judith Enderle Ross
Ten Orange Pumpkins by Stephen Savage *

Craft: Mummy Bag
The kids glued two eyeball cutouts and strips of white paper to the front of a bag to turn into a mummy trick or treat bag.


Literacy Extensions:
- Halloween is a great time to talk about stranger danger with your children.  Make sure to discuss safety issues before going trick or treating.
- Learn more about the history and symbols of Halloween.  The library has a couple books on the topics for children.


Notes:
The children went trick or treating through the library after story time this week.

Christmas Story Time: July 25-26, 2016

Books:
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
Click, Clack, Ho! Ho! Ho! by Doreen Cronin *
Dinosaur vs. Santa by Bob Shea *
How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? by Jane Yolen
Snowbear's Christmas Countdown by Theresa Smythe *

Craft: Christmas Tree
This week's craft is pictured at left.  The children colored a large triangle before lacing red yarn for garland.  They then glued on sequins and star for a topper.

Literacy Activities:
- After reading Snowbear's Christmas Countdown discuss different things you do to prepare for Christmas.  Maybe make a list of things to do together as a countdown for your family.
- Talk about things you might want to give as presents to friends and family for Christmas.  Maybe come up with some gifts you can make together.

Halloween Story Time: July 11-12, 2016

Books:
Click, Clack, Boo! A Tricky Treat by Doreen Cronin *
Jungle Halloween by Maryann Cocca-Leffler *
Six Creepy Sheep by Judith Ross Enderle
Ten Orange Pumpkins: A Counting Book by Stephen Savage
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro *
Wild Witches' Ball by Jack Prelutsky

Craft: Ghost Necklace
Children drew a face onto a cardstock ghost before stringing it onto curling ribbon with pony beads to make into a necklace.

Literacy Extensions:
- Halloween is always a good time to talk about stranger danger.  Remind your children that they should only talk to strangers when you are around.  Check out some of the books and videos available at the library about this topic.
- Do some counting practice with candy.  Count the number of candies that are different colors, different types, different shapes, etc.


Notes:
I found several years ago that curling ribbon works great for making necklaces - especially when stringing on pony beads.  The ribbon is stiffer than yarn and does not fray at the ends which makes it easier for kids to string the beads on.  It is also just thick enough that the beads will not move once they are put on the ribbon.