We have a new line of Backpacks in the Youth Department! These are the Beginning Reader Kits - a set of nine backpacks designed for pre-readers and beginning readers. There are games, BOB Book sets, and other activities to do that will introduce and build reading concepts. The kits are: CVC Words, Letter Recognition, Word Recognition, Sight Words 1 + 2, Rhyming, Word Families, Word Building, and Storytelling. Find all nine kits in our catalog to see the contents of each kit and to place any of them on hold. If you check any out, be sure to let us know what you think by filling out the provided comment card!

Be sure to check out our other kits as well! STEM Kits, Early Learning Kits, and Board Games are all available in the Youth Department!

   Youth Services Assistant Librarian Claire 

Thank you to everyone who has checked out a DIY Seek-and-Find Photography Kit, inspired by our Book of the Summer, Skunk and Badgerby Amy Timberlake. Here are some photos you all captured and shared. See if you can find Skunk, Badger, and one little chicken in each of these kid-created tableaus!

From Cooper:

From Duncan:

From Lyla:

From Molly and Maddy:

Find activity ideas, discussion questions, and booklists on ourwebpage all about Skunk and Badger. You can also earn the Book of the Summer badge in ourSummer Reading program!

Youth Services Librarian Allison 

Inspired by ourBook of the Summer,Skunk and Badger, we’ve created some special edition backpacks: Book of the Summer Kits! This is our DIY Seek-and-Find Photography Kit. Inside, you’ll find the tools to create your own image inspired by the art in books likeI SpyandFind Momo. 

Here’s a few I made around the Library. Can you find Skunk, Badger, and Chicken?

Try creating your own scene and hiding the skunk, badger, and chicken figurines. Send your photo toyouthservices@balibrary.org and we’ll share it here on the Blog!

Find activity ideas, discussion questions, and booklists on ourwebpage all about Skunk and Badger. You can also earn the Book of the Summer badge in ourSummer Reading program!

Youth Services Librarian Allison 

We have a ton of different materials for our littlest customers, including our expanding Early Learning Backpack collection. We have several new Early Learning Backpacks. 

 Dance Dance Dance

This fun kit is designed to get children dancing, wiggling, and shaking with activities and songs. Dancing is an important component of building early literacy skills to get littles ready for Kindergarten. 

 Duck Duck Dance! The Move and Groove Game!

Get up and move with this fun interactive game. This game promotes gross motor, learn sequencing, turn taking, and vocabulary skills. 

The Dance Remixes by Laurie Berkner with dance ribbons and scarves

Dance away with Laurie Berkner's CD The Dance Remixes. Scarves and dance ribbons are provided for extra fun. Dancing is a great way to exercise gross motor activity, while singing is great for practicing phonological awareness.

Books 

Settle down and read some books about all kinds of dancing. 

Boys Dance! (American Ballet Theatre) by John Robert Allman; illustrated by Luciano Lozano 

Hip-Hop Lollipop by Susan Montanari; illustrated by Brian Pinkney 

How Do You Dance?by Thyra Heder 

Dance Dance Dance will help keep your child engaged, learning, and moving. Check out all of Early Learning Kits available at the library. 

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo 

We have a ton of different materials for our littlest customers, including our expanding Early Learning Backpack collection. We have several new Early Learning Backpacks. 

Active Play  

The active play kits feature books, balancing stones, or another interactive toy that promotes active and pretend play. Playing is an important component of early literacy development. 

Balance Stepping Stones  

Let your little one get active with some stepping stones. The kit features 4 stepping stones that help promote gross motor movement. They also help your little one with balancing and coordination. Get creative and allow some imaginative play with the stepping stones as well. 

Melissa & Doug Pizza Party Play Set 

Have your child explore imaginative play and have some fun with a pizza party. Create and design your favorite pizza creations. With 63 pieces, your little one can play pretend, which will help with developing their abstract thinking skills. 

Books

Learn different ways to share while playing, as you cuddle up to read some books. 

Blocks by Irene Dickson 

Can I Play Too? by Samantha Cotterill

Active play will help keep your child engaged and learning. Check out all of Early Learning Kits available at the library. 

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo 

We have many different types of materials for our littlest customers, including our Early Learning Backpack collection. We have several new Early Learning Backpacks available for checkout. Two of our newest Early Learning Kits, available to check out today, are the World Traveler and Families kits. 

World Traveler 

Start learning about cultures around the world with books, activities, and puzzles in this kit. Recommended for ages 3+. World Traveler kit will provide you with the tools to help your child begin to learn about the world around them. 

Puzzle 

Children of the World puzzle is a great tool to help start the discussion of children around the world. The puzzle includes 18 children from 18 different countries. Building the puzzle will also improve your child's hand-eye coordination, strengthen their fine motor skills, and allow them to practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

A Puzzle Globe

Puzzle Globe from Learning Resources. The puzzle globe will allow your little one to build their fine motor skills and start to practice spatial awareness. The puzzle globe is an accurate globe of the world, and will allow your child to start to learn about other continents, oceans, and things that could be seen in each continent.  

Learn how to say "hello" in other languages

Hello From Around the World cards from Lakeshore Learning. Learn how to say "Hello" 25 different ways. Each card includes how to pronounce how to say hello in each language. These cards are a great way for children to begin to understand other languages and cultures from around the world. 

Books and a movie 

Cuddle up with this book and movie, and learn about how different kids from around the world live their lives. This will help expand your child's world.

This Is How We Do It: One day in the lives of seven kids from around the world by Matt Lamothe. 

DVD Let's Go Luna! Friendship around the world. 

Families

Families come in many different shapes and sizes. Learn about families with books and activities. Recommended ages 3+. The Families kit will help begin the conversation about many different types of families there are in the world, and what those families might be. 

Mix and Match families 

Mix and Match Magnetic Families from Lakeshore Learning. Through the Mix and Match Families set, a child can begin to explore unique and different types of families. The magnetic pieces will also help build stronger hand and eye coordination. 

Books and a movie about different kinds of families 

Cuddle up with these books and learn about all the different types of families in the world today. Learn about the importance of family, and the love of a family. These titles are a great way to begin to discuss with your child your family and other types of families they may know. 

Families Around the World by Margriet Ruurs, illustrated by Jessica Rae Gordon 

Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer

Families, Families, Families! by Suzanne Lang & Max Lang. 

DVD: Highlights: Family Fun!

Both the World Traveler and Families kits will help keep your child engaged and learning about different cultures, places, and people from all around the world. 

Check out all of the different Early Learning Kits available at the library. 

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo