• activities
• arts-and-crafts

Bring home a fun new project! You can now register to pick up a Take-and-Make Kit from the Youth Services desk or through Parking Lot Pickup. Here are the instructions for each kit:

Toddlers and Preschoolers: Chenille Stick Weaving

Young children work on fine motor skills and create a unique piece of three-dimensional art. Toddlers will want to master this new process. When you’re done, take it apart and make something new!

Inside the Toddler/PreK Box:

1 plastic canvas

10 chenille sticks

Bonus activity for older preschoolers - 1 craft paper bag w/ blunt plastic needle and yarn for simple sewing

Chenille Stick Weaving:

1. Take hold of a chenille stick and push it through one of the small holes in the plastic mesh.

2. Pull it through from the other side – a little or a lot, it’s up to you!

3. Take the same end and weave it back through the plastic sheeting.

4. Do this several times with each stick.

Simple Sewing (for older Preschoolers)

Preschoolers work on hand strength and fine motor skills, while exploring the basics of sewing.

1. Thread your plastic need with yarn.

2. Push the needle through one side of the plastic canvas and pull until the yarn is partially through.

3. Pull the needle through another hole, in the opposite direct.

4. Experiment with making lines and shapes, or simply enjoy pulling the needle through the mesh.

Grades K-2: Postcards

Let everyone know what a great summer you've had with a fun, personalized postcard!

Make a Postcard: 

1. Take your postcard, stamp, markers, and sticker bag out of the box.

2. Decorate your card with stickers…

3. …or draw something cool with your markers (or both!)

4. Write a nice message to someone you care about on the back…

5. …and make sure you write down their address and stick on a stamp, too!

6. Now you can mail your postcard (make sure a grown up helps you with this part)!

Grades 3-8: Ombre Dip Dye 

Lower fabric gradually into a dye bath to create a cool textile effect: gradual layers of lighter and darker color.

In addition to the Take-and-Make Kit, you will need: 

A plastic tarp or large garbage bag 

A plastic container for the dye, big enough to hold the entire bandana, but less than 12 inches wide on one side. (You could line the Take-and-Make box with a plastic bag and use that!)

A disposable plastic bag

Water - between 2 and 3 cups should do it

Paper towels to catch spills

Some stackable items - boxes, cans, etc. These should be around 4-6 inches high, about the same size & shape, and you might get dye on them! I went with 4 tissue boxes.

Ombre Dip Dye:

1. Lay out the tarp or large trash bag to protect your work surface. Doing this outside is a great idea! 

2. Place your container on the tarp, then create two stacked towers around the container, around 18-20 inches tall. The dowel rod will sit on top of the stacks, and the bandana will hang into the container. 

3. Use the binder clips to attach one side of the bandana to the dowel rod. Set aside. 

4. Put on the gloves, then add water to the top line of the dye bottle. Shake, then pour into the container. Add some more water, until there's just enough liquid so the bandana will rest in the liquid. (This will depend on the size of your container.) 

5. Carefully set the dowel rod on top of the stacks, making sure the bottom edge of the bandana is getting wet. 

6. Wait about 3 minutes, then carefully add 2-3 more bottles of water to the container (to dilute the dye). Holding the dowel rod in one hand, carefully remove the topmost blocks from the stack, and rest the dowel rod on the lower levels. Once again, make sure the fabric is hanging in the liquid. 

7. Wait another 3 minutes. Continue in this way, diluting the dye bath and lowering the rod, until there are just a few inches of fabric not dyed. 

8. Get the plastic bag ready, laying it open next to the dye bath. Carefully raise the dowel rod, allowing the drips to fall into the bath for a few moments, and then gently wring out the fabric with your gloved hand, making sure not to touch the topmost part of the bandana.

9. Place the bandana in the plastic bag, keeping the dowel rod at the top of the bag, and bring it to a sink. 

10. Leaving the dowel rod attached, carefully rinse out the bandana, allowing the water to move from the top to bottom. Keep rinsing until the liquid runs clear. 

11. Remove the dowel rod and wash the bandana in your washing machine, alone, on cold settings. You can dry it in the dryer, or let it air dry. 

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian Alyssa 

• 2020 summer reading

2020 Summer Reading has been going great so far and we have gotten so many great responses. With a few weeks left of 2020 Summer Reading here is an update on what some of your fellow readers, and pre-readers, have been doing this summer!

Book Reviews 

Activity Responses

Find out what some of your fellow readers have been doing to complete activity challenges this summer! Have you found all 5 iguanas hiding outside the library yet? 

Prize Updates

There are still plenty of days left to enter our Summer Reading Prizes! Here is a glimpse of how many tickets are entered in the grand prizes.

Pre-Readers Grand Prize:

16 Tickets Entered

Readers Grand Prizes: 

	173 Tickets Entered
	688 Tickets Entered

Remember to enter in weekly drawings for some amazing gift cards for places around Barrington. Keep up the great reading everyone!

Take a Mindful Moment: Imagine you are holding your favorite flower. What is it? What does it smell like? Who would you give it to? 

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo 

• Picture books
• early childhood
• books
• anxiety
• mindfulness
• social-emotional learning

Watch “Daniel Visits School/Daniel Visits the Doctor” on Kanopy Kids using your Barrington Area Library card number to log in, and come back to this blog post to enjoy some family activities that will enhance your child’s learning around the episode. 

Now that you’ve watched the episode, here is a companion video that will demonstrate some ways to practice mindfulness when your child is feeling nervous or worried.

Here are some questions that will help you unpack some of the topics in the episode with your child.

• Is there something new in your life that you are nervous or worried about? What is it? What questions do you have about the new thing? Talk through some of your concerns with a trusted adult.  Sometimes just talking about it helps you feel better, and they can help you answer some of the questions that you have!
• When you feel nervous or worried about something, how does it make you feel? Can you think of something to do that might make you feel a little better? What are some things that make you smile?

Below are some other activities to try as a family.

• Try role playing some of the new situations that are making your child nervous. Act it out, show them pictures, or practice a tough conversation with them. 
• Practice some art therapy with author and illustrator Christian Robinson in the episode of Making Space called “Possibility.”
• Check out our Early Learning Kit for children 3+ about emotions! 
• Sign up for Little Kids, Big Feelings on Tuesday, August 25 at 11am where we will read a book about worry and practice some more breathing and mindfulness exercises!
• Here is a video where children from New Zealand explain what mindfulness means to them.
• Check out this Storytime Activity Guide for The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld by Tandem Partners in Early Learning.
• Subscribe to the BStrong Together newsletter for tips and tools every week to enhance your child’s health and well-being.

Here are the books I mentioned in the companion video.

	Here and Now by Julia Denos, illustrated by E.B. Goodale
	Quiet by Tomie dePaola
	Listen by Holly M. McGhee, illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre
	Tiny, Perfect Things by M.H. Clark, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper
	Big Breath: A Guided Meditation for Kids by William Meyer, illustrated by Brittany R. Jacobs
	Your Mind is Like the Sky: A First Book of Mindfulness by Bronwen Ballard, illustrated by Laura Carlin

    Youth Services Assistant Librarian Stefanie 

• early childhood
• parenting
• play

Anyone who knows about the Barrington Area Library Youth Services Department knows that we love play of all kinds! One type of play that we just love is pretend play - from putting on some dress-up clothes to transform into a puppy dinosaur, to using play kitchen supplies to play house, to building a ship with blocks to sail the wide open seas. Sometimes children may not even need any toys or manipulatives to come up with fantastical scenarios.

Even when the pretend play seems so outlandish that it no longer has any connection to reality, children are engaging in a process that will greatly benefit them later in life.

Most obviously, pretend play is a great way for children to flex their creative skills but it also allows them to work on critical thinking and problem solving skills. By working through the scenarios they create they are building cognitive abilities that will translate to real world skills. 

Pretend play also allows children to develop social and emotional health. Engaging in cooperative pretend play means that children are learning how to navigate social situations and learning how to interact with others, such as taking turns, making compromises, and understanding others. It also helps regulate emotional responses. Becoming too aggressive or throwing a tantrum if things don’t go the child’s way will inevitably stop the play, and no one wants that! Pretend play is also a great place for children to work through real life emotions, such as being scared or upset. They can work through these big feelings in a safe space and learn how to handle their emotions once they leave their imaginary world behind.

If that wasn’t enough, pretend play also helps develop language and communication skills. It takes a lot of non-verbal cues, talking it out, and clearly communicating the scenario for a pretend play session to be successful and fun for all involved - who wants to play if you can’t figure out what’s happening? Children will quickly learn how to use language and communicate with one another to provide themselves with the best play experience possible. It also gives them a chance to test out new vocabulary they may have learned at a visit to the doctor, zoo, or even the grocery store.

We all know how great pretend play is, but what can you do as a parent to make sure they are getting enough of the good stuff to make it happen? 

Talk to them. As you go through your day explain what you are doing and point things out to them - this increases vocabulary and gives them the building blocks to create their pretend worlds. 

Provide some simple props. While there are some really great high tech toys out there, sometimes simple is best. A few dress up items, a couple dolls, and even some (child safe) kitchen items you no longer need are all fair game.

Encourage them. As children are building up an imaginary world, they may want to tell you all about it. Ask some questions and let them work through the answers all on their own. Sometimes they may not make much sense to us, but they are working on it!

Further Reading

The Benefits of Pretend Play

The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development

Why Pretend Play Is Important to Child Development

8 Ways to Encourage Pretend Play in Kids

  Youth Services Librarian Demitra 

• 2020 summer reading

With a few weeks left for 2020 Summer Reading, there is still plenty of time to log your reading and activities for a chance to earn more tickets! Here are some cool prizes that you could put your tickets in to win. 

Weekly Drawings 

Did you know we do drawings weekly? 

Here are some of the weekly drawing options: 

	Gnarly Knots: A $10 gift card to Gnarly Knot.
	Sweet Spot: A $10 Gift card to the Sweet Spot.
	Marvin's Toy Store: $25 gift card to Marvin's Toy Store in downtown Barrington.
	Barnes & Noble: $25 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble.

Grand Prizes: 

Grand Prizes have a limit of 10 tickets total. There is only one drawing done for each of these prizes, at the end of Summer Reading! Each ticket entered is an additional chance to win. 

Pre-Readers Grand Prize Option: 

Radio Flyer 5-in1 Stroll 'N Trike

Readers Grand Prizes: 

Razor Scooter 

Nintendo Switch Lite with the Animal Crossing Game included

Remember to keep logging to earn tickets, and place those tickets in the prize you would like the most! Grand prize drawing winners will be informed of their winnings after August 19th.

Take a Mindful Moment today and list three people, things, or places you are grateful for today.  

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo 

On August 1, we’re inviting everyone to draw or color a picture of an iguana, hang it in your window, then take a walk through your neighborhood to see how many iguanas you can spot. Ask your neighbors and friends to join you in participating. You can even look outside around the Barrington Area Library to find a few! 

Our Iguana Hunt is inspired by the “bloodsucking” iguanas of our Book of the Summer, Look Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts by Esta Spalding. Fortunately, paper iguanas won’t attack, though Allison found out the hard way just how ferocious they can be in “real” life… 

Find more activity ideas inspired by Look Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts on our Book of the Summer webpage or YouTube channel!

Youth Services Librarian Allison 

• steam
• light painting

                                                                        

Light painting is one of my favorite programs to do with kids. It's simple, requires very few materials, and no matter the skill level, the pictures always turn out great.

You only need a few materials to do light painting:

1. A flash light. Glow sticks, finger lights, and Christmas lights can also be fun.

2. A camera set to a long shutter or slow shutter.

If you use the camera on a smart phone or iPad, you can use apps such as Slow Shutter or Long Expo. The longer it takes for the shutter to close, the more time you will have to do your design. You can experiment with how long you want the shutter to be open. If you are using a digital camera, your camera's manual will help you find how to change your camera's settings. The long shutter setting may show a night icon.

3. A dark room. Try to make the room as dark as possible.

Check out the video below for more details on how to do light painting at home.

Light painting can be fun for kids of all ages. Younger kids can stand in front of the camera, and wave the flashlight. Older kids can be the photographer or try drawing specific shapes and drawings. Adults may discover a passion for light painting too!

Once you get the hang of light painting, you can try more complicated designs. At the Barrington Area Library, we love seeing your creations. If you would like to share your light painting designs, email them to youthservices@balibrary.org.

Looking for more fun activities? See a list of the library’s upcoming events for kids.

  Youth Services Librarian Ann 

• 2020 summer reading

Our 2020 Summer Reading program still has a month left and we have gotten so many great responses already. Remember to keep logging, to get tickets for a chance to win our grand prize and gift card prize drawings! Here is a look at what some of your fellow readers have been doing this summer. 

Picture Reviews: 

Big Nate Blasts Off by Lincoln Pierce 

Picture Review by: Hiba, 11.5

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene

Picture Review by: Niharika, 10

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Video Review by: Aaina, 8

Pictures from Activity Tracks:

Code Breaker: Create a treasure hunt of your own and tell us what you did? Take a picture and send it to ys@balibrary.org.

"I created a treasure hunt for my dad on Father’s Day. The prize was a basket of secretly baked cookies!" -Colin, 12

Garden Guru: Plant some seeds and email us a photo of your plants as they grow (youthservices@balibrary.org). What did you plant?

Natalie planted some pumpkin seeds! -Natalie, 7.5 

  My Home: Make a map of your home or neighborhood. What are some of your favorite spots?          

 "Thank you for having this challenge each year! My neighbors and I have a tradition of doing it every year together and this year we didn’t know if it was gonna happen this year because of the virus but when we heard it was we were so happy! Thank you!" -Camryn

Activity Track Responses: 

Keep up the great reading, everyone! Remember, it's not too late to sign up for Summer Reading!

Take a Mindful Moment: Have your next snack in slow motion. Try to eat it as sloooowly as you can.

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian MaryJo 

• early childhood
• activities
• sesame street
• birds
• social-emotional learning

Watch “Elmo Finds a Baby Bird” on Kanopy Kids using your Barrington Area Library card number to log in, and come back to this blog post to enjoy some family activities that will enhance your child’s learning around the episode.

Here are some questions that will help you unpack some of the topics in the episode with your child.

• When Elmo and Rosita find the baby bird, they can’t figure out what the baby bird is trying to tell them. Have you ever tried to communicate something to someone, but they couldn’t understand you? How did that feel?
• “Chasing the cheese” was a silly and fun way for the inhabitants of Sesame Street to get some exercise. How have you been moving your body and exercising lately? Can you think of a fun and silly way to get some exercise with your family this summer?
• During Elmo’s World, Elmo asked children how they play with their pets. Do you have a pet? If so, how do you play with your pet? If you don’t have a pet, have you ever played with a friend or relative’s pet? What did you do?

Below are some other activities to try as a family.

• Check out some of Audubon’s resources on birds! Here’s some information on what to do when you find a baby bird near your home, some activities on Audubon for Kids, how to make a DIY birdfeeder, or take a look at some adorable baby bird photos.
• Watch the Sesame Street crew’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert!
• Complete some Summer Reading activities to earn your Wellness Warrior badge! You can try a new fitness activity, take a walk or bike ride with your family, and so much more.
• Dance is exercise too! Sign up for our Watch Live: Family Concert with Tunes with Tim on Monday, July 27th at 10 am.
• Try eating or cooking with a new fruit or vegetable (with your grownup of course!). Here’s a smoothie tutorial by Cookie Monster. What did you eat and/or make? Make sure you log your activity to help earn your Summer Reading Garden Guru badge!

    Youth Services Assistant Librarian Stefanie 

• activities
• arts-and-crafts
• kits
• take-and-make kits

You can now register to pick up a Take-and-Make Kit during the Barrington Area Library’s Parking Lot Pickup hours, bringing a fun new art project home to explore. Here are instructions for each kit:

Toddlers & Preschoolers: Contact Paper Stained Glass and Nature Art

Contact Paper Stained Glass

1. Cut out different colored shapes from the cello paper.
2. Remove the backing from the contact paper, carefully setting the sheet down sticky-side up. 
3. Press the cello paper down onto the sticky contact paper. 
4. Display your artwork in a window, letting the light shine through. 

Contact Paper Nature Art 

1. Go outside, gathering up small leaves, sticks, and flowers.
2. Remove the backing from the contact paper, carefully setting the sheet down sticky-side up.
3. Press the objects from nature down onto the sticky contact paper.
4. Feel free to add any other materials from your own supplies.
5. Display your artwork!

Grades K-2: Sidewalk Stained Glass

Turn your sidewalk or driveway into a work of art, while having fun in the sun.

1. Find a square of sidewalk or driveway, or make a large square or rectangle out of tape.
2. Stretch and stick a piece of painter’s tape, any size, across the space in any direction. 
   Stick another line of painter’s tape in a different direction.
3. Keep going to create different geometric shapes. 
4. Once your square of sidewalk is broken up with a good number of lines, start coloring in the shapes with sidewalk chalk.
5. Use one color for each space.
6. Once all the visible pavement is colored over, pull off the painter’s tape.

Grades 3-8: Sun Prints

Use the power of the sun and objects from nature to create beautiful designs.

1. Find some objects you’d like to print - leaves, flowers, rocks, or anything you’d like to use to make a print. 
2. Once you are ready with your objects, remove the blue sun-printing paper from the manila envelope. 
3. Place the paper in the sun, and then immediately place your chosen objects on the paper. 
4. Allow to sit in the sun until the sun-printing paper turns very pale blue, about 2 minutes.
5. Remove the objects from the paper, and quickly remove the paper from the light.
6. Immediately soak the paper in a container of plain tap water for about 1 minute. 
7. Dry flat.

Youth Services Librarian Allison 

• e-books
• middle grade
• funny books

For a silly summer read, I recommend this funny take on mermaid life and drama.

You can download Bad Mermaids Make Waves by Sibéal Pounder on Overdrive. 

 
Subscribe to our Youth Services YouTube channel for more videos of book recommendations, story times, and activity how-tos.

Youth Services Librarian Allison 

Is hand washing becoming a hassle? Try these simple tactics…

• Make it easy to do. Use a step stool or a faucet extender.
• Your kids are going to learn from you. Make sure you are washing your hands too! 
• Sing a song as you scrub along.
 

Sung to the tone of: Wheels on the Bus

The soap on your hands goes sud, sud, sud.

Sud, sud, sud. Sud, sud, sud. 

The soap on your hands goes sud, sud, sud.

And the germs go down the drain.

Sung to the tune of: Are you Sleeping, Brother John?

Tops and Bottoms,

Tops and Bottoms,

In between, 

In between,

All around your hands, 

All around your hands,

Now they’re clean,

Now they’re clean.

Sung to the tune of: Row, Row, Row Your Boat 

Wash, wash, wash your hands,

Wash them nice and clean. 

Scrub them here (hand motion scrubbing together) 

Scrub them there (hand motion scrubbing tops of hands) 

And scrub them in between (hand motion scrubbing between fingers) 

Wash, wash, wash, your hands, 

Play our handy game 

Rub and scrub, scrub and rub, 

Germs go down the drain HEY! 

Wash, wash, wash, your hands 

Play our handy game

Looking for some other ideas of things to do with your little one(s)? 

See a list of the library’s upcoming events for young children (Birth to PreK). 

  Youth Services Assistant Librarian Venessa