Get Craft Happy During Our December 27, 29, and 30th Create a Craft Drop-In Craft Program!

Get out of the winter chill by dropping by during our Create a Craft, drop-in craft spectacular, on December 27th, 29th, and 30th during the hours of 11-2 pm.


The tables will be stocked full of crafts for children of all ages to decorate and design to their heart's content.

Some of the crafts that kids can make include Miss Jennifer's crafts (made for children 2-8 years). These crafts include a heart-y snail craft, smitten with mittens craft, glam goldfish collage, and a rockin' star windsock! See the photos below for a preview of these cute and funky creations!

See you there!

Kick It Up Read! Winter Reading Program January-February 2012

Winter Reading Clubs 
When the winter chill sets in, Kick It Up- Read! The reading program runs from December 27th and continues through March 3rd. We welcome and offer incentives to the little ones who enjoy a good picture book, our emerging readers, as well as those who are proficient readers as they progress through the program. Sign up ASAP to take part in our celebration of reading!

Special Events 

Flying High Sports and Rec Center presents
Kick Up Your Heels With Hip Hop 
Sunday, January 22nd - Two Sessions!
2 pm ages 4 -7
3 pm ages 8 and up
Friends Meeting Room
If you want to learn how to dance like J. Lo, or groove like Justin, then this is for you! A fusion of high-energy dance styles equates to this dance style that is hip hop which is featured in many music videos.

Bill DeJesus presents
Breaking Boards with Mr. Bill 
Saturday, February 11th at 2 pm
Friends Meeting Room
Join Mr. Bill as he demonstrates Korean Traditional Martial Arts. This is a version of unarmed combat for self-defense. It involves the skilled application of punches, flying kicks, blocks, dodges, and interception with the hands and feet to the rapid destruction of the opponent. Especially for children and young adults.

Action Comics with Alan Ozark 
Thursdays at 6:30 pm January 12, 19, 26, & February 2nd
Youth Services Program Room
You will learn the basics of how to draw comic characters in action!

Weekly Reading Activities 

Baby Tales for Children 6 -23 months 
Tuesdays at 10 am, January 17 - February 21
This story time allows parents and children to interact through stories, dance, songs, and books within a playgroup setting.

Toddling Twos
Mondays at 10 am, January 16 - February 20
Toddle on down to this breezy and interactive story time that includes marvelous books, flannel boards, tons of music and cute-as-a-button craft.

Terrific Threes and Fours 
Wednesdays at 4:30 pm, January 18 - February 22
Preschoolers will wiggle and giggle in this fun-filled story time which includes a whimsical craft, dancing, and of course, books.

Grades K-2
Tuesdays at 4:30 pm, January 17 - February 21
The children will enjoy a story or two and embellish it with a creative craft.

Saturday Storytime for K-2
Saturdays at 11 am, January 21 - February 25
Something new for those who cannot make our weekday program, these sessions will feature a simple story and themed craft.

Especially for Teens 

Cram Crew 
Monday through Thursday
6 - 8:30 pm
The activity room is open Monday through Thursday nights in January and February for teens grade 6 and up to gather to complete homework and socialize with peers. When a break is needed from studying, the library offers an assortment of games to play. As always, a librarian is available to assist you with reference questions.

Library Hours 

Sunday 1-5 pm
Monday - Thursday 9:30 am - 9 pm
Friday - Saturday 9:30 am - 5 pm

Oak Brook Public Library 

600 Oak Brook Road 

Oak Brook, IL 60523

630-368-7733

www.oak-brook.lib.il.us

It's Playtime!: Playtime after December 13th Baby Tales Lap-sit Storytime

After a fun storytime filled with bathtime tales, games, songs, and dances, our littlest patrons relaxed and had fun with an assortment of bright and colorful toys, art materials, and books. See the following photo I captured of these little cutie pies in action!

We May Be Having Our Last Storytimes of the Year, But There Are Still So Many Fun Things To Do At the Library!

We will be finishing up our last storytime sessions of 2011 for the kindergartners (today at 4:30 pm) and the preschoolers (Wednesday at 4:30 pm). The babies and toddlers ended their storytimes on Monday and today at 10 am.

But don't worry, even though our storytimes do not begin again until the week of January 16, 2012, we still have plenty of things for our little patrons to do.

During winter break, you can enjoy a fun prize-filled bingo game open to children of all ages. Winter Break Bingo will be held in the YS Program Room on Tuesday, December 27th from 6:30-7:30 pm.

Children will also love creating easy-to-make crafts on Tuesday, December 27th, Thursday, December 29th, and Friday, December 30th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. We will have the YS Program Room crammed full of ready-to-make crafts that children of all ages can make and do! So come on down and bring your friends to our crafting bonanza, Create a Craft.

Registration is not required for these programs.

Create Your Own Storytime: December 13, 2011 Baby Tales Storytime

Storytime Topic: Bathtime

Books: Animal Baths by Bob Barner (JE Barner)
Busy, Busy Mouse by Virginia Kroll  (JE Kroll)

Opening Song
"Hi , Hello, and How are You? (Tune: "London Bridge)

Dancing with Shakers or Scarves
Song: "Rubber Duckie" (Sesame Street Platinum All-Time Favorites cd)

Song/Fingerplay Before Books
"These are My Glasses" by Laurie Berkner

Fingerplay
Open and Shut Them (Source:http://www.scribd.com/doc/28624245/Baby-O-Activities-Booklet)

Flannel board
Elephants in the Bathtub (Source: http://storytimekatie.com/2011/01/)

Song
"It's Bath Time" (Tune: "You Are my Sunshine") (Source: http://www.squidoo.com/preschoolsongs)

Game
Noisy and Quiet
Storytime leader uses a variety of sounds such as instruments, reading a book, clapping hands, a squishy ball etc. to show the difference between noisy and quiet.

(altered idea from http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/?p=868)

Closing Song with Bubbles
"Now It's Time to Say Goodbye" (Tune: "London Bridge")

Playtime
(Play with toys and read books to your baby)

Toddling Twos December 12th Storytime Topic: Snow

We're going to have snow much fun when our Toddling Twos December 12th Storytime topic is snow. We'll read a blizzard of snow-themed books, play a Santa Sack Game where children learn the difference between big and little, find missing hats in a Winter Hat Scavenger Hunt and make a penguin in an igloo craft.

*This storytime is filled and closed to further registration. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 or check out out website www.oak-brook.lib.il.us to learn about our other youth programs.

December 13th Baby Tales Lap-sit Storytime for 6-23 Month Olds Topic: Bath time

Splish, splash I was taking a bath! What baby doesn't love the joy of a bubbly bath, a rubber duckie, and the refreshing feel of a terrycloth towel after bath time? I certainly don't know of any. During my December 13th Baby Tales Storytime for children 6-23 months we will explore the joys of bath time.

We'll dance to the splashy and flamboyant Sesame Street classic "Rubber Duckie", listen to bath-themed books, hear the difference between quiet and noisy sounds in my noisy/quiet sounds game, enjoy parent/child interaction through the classic fingerplay/action rhyme Open and Shut Them and learn about body parts through the fingerplay Rub-A-Dub-Dub.

Afterwards, your baby will love our playtime session where a bounty of  baby-friendly toys, art, and  reading materials will encourage social interaction and cognitive development.

Spots are still available for this storytime. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 to register. Limit 10 children per storytime. 

Prancing Reindeers in the Library! Reindeer Paws Family Funfest on December 4th Photos

We had several little prancers join us for our December 4th Reindeer Paws Family Funfest this past Sunday. We played lots of great games including Pin the Carrot on the Snowman and Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light, danced to a rousing jingle bell dance, read a ton of holiday tales including Llama, Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney, and colored the lovely penguin coloring page you will see in the pictures below.

Our little prancers also left with a goody bag stuffed with cute little gifts to add just a little more holiday cheer.

                                               

                                         



Coloring and chilling out





Bucket Ball toss game



Catching Bubbles




Pin the carrot on the snowman game






Warm and Cozy coloring sheets



Hey There Baby Bug! Baby Tales Lap-sit Storytime December 6th Topic: Bugs

Bring your baby bug to our December 6th Baby Tales Lap-sit storytime for 6-23 month olds when our storytime topic is all about bugs! Your little ones will go buggy over the fun and interactive activities I have planned today. We will dance with scarves to the song "The Ants go Marching", learn about item textures in a feel and touch game, see the classic nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet come to life in a felt board story, and listen to plenty of bug stories!


Spots are still available for this storytime. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 to register. Limit 10 children per storytime. 

Toddling Twos December 5th Storytime Topic: Mice

Squeak on into the library during our December 5th Toddling Twos storytime when our storytime is all about adorable and squeaky mice! We'll read mice stories, search for a mouse in colorful houses, dance with wintry puppets to "Jingle Bell Rock", and enjoy lunch with a very hungry mouse in a pip-ingly perfect flannel board story.

Little ones will leave with a very special friend which they will make named "Squeaky the Mouse"!


*This storytime is filled and closed to further registration. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 or check out out website www.oak-brook.lib.il.us to learn about our other youth programs.

Up on the Housetop Reindeer Paws! Spaces Still Available for Sunday, December 4th Reindeer Paws Family Funfest!

Reindeer will be prancing in our library's Meeting Room on Sunday, December 4th  from 2:30-3:30 pm when I will be holding my Reindeer Paws Family Funfest for children ages 2-5. This will be quite a merry holiday event filled with: 

• Games including a variation of the popular game Red Light Green Light and Pin the Carrot on the Snowman 
• Wintry tales
• A winter parade
• Holiday music
• A jingle bell dance
• A family sing-along to songs such as "Frosty the Snowman" 
• Coloring a smiling penguin coloring sheet that will decorate the library during the holidays
• And much, much more!

So come on down to this family-friendly extravaganza that will add a dash of sparkle and glitz to the beauty of the holiday season!

Spaces are still available for this event! Please call the Y.S. Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 to register for this program. 

Leaves are Falling! November 29th Baby Tales Storytime (Children 6-23 Months) Topic is Fall!

During our Tuesday, November 29th Baby Tales Storytime you will "fall" into quite a lot of fun! Our storytime topic this week is all about the crisp and clear beauty of an autumn day!

Your little ones will be "popping with excitement" during our Popcorn lap bounce, playing peekaboo with a variety of materials including scarves and paper, dancing to the "sunny" tune "You are my Sunshine", and listening to snappy fall stories.

Afterwards, your baby will love our playtime session where a bounty of  baby-friendly toys, art, and  reading materials will encourage social interaction and cognitive development.

Spots are still available for this storytime. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 to register. Limit 10 children per storytime. 

Toddling Twos November 28th Storytime Topic: Fall

The days are getting shorter and the beauty of the holiday season is upon us! Why not celebrate the loveliness of fall by listening to autumn-themed stories, welcoming a secret guest to our storytime in a Peek-a-boo Guess Who am I? game, and creating a grinning, pumpkin-headed scarecrow? We will do just that during our Toddling Twos Storytime on Monday, November 28th. See you there!

*This storytime is filled and closed to further registration. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 or check out out website www.oak-brook.lib.il.us to learn about our other youth programs.

Give Thanks for Each Day by Steve Metzger

Give Thanks for Each Day by Steve Metzger is a precious story that simply describes the true meaning of being thankful to the toddler,  preschool, and kindergarten set.


A few of the memorable "thankful"
antidotes depicted in the pages of the story include their crayons, a hug, and even snowflakes falling from the sky.


This book is a must read for the upcoming holiday. A true Thanksgiving classic!


Post Reading Activities

• Write down the phrase "What I Am Thankful For" and then vertically write your child's name on a piece of paper. Help your child try to think of words that he is thankful for that begin with each letter of his name such as D for ducks, A for astronauts,  and N for nuts for the name "Dan". They can then illustrate their name poem by drawing a picture next to each letter of their name such as a duck next to the letter "D" or use colorful stickers. (This project is best for Kindergartners and up).
• Make a "thankful quilt".  Paste pieces of multi-colored construction paper or scrapbook paper squares on a small piece of poster board. You or your child can take pictures of various things she is thankful for such as a beloved teddy bear using a digital camera. Print out the pictures and cut around the image. Glue the picture onto a "patchwork" square. Continue taking pictures of items that she is thankful for to fill up her quilt. Alternative ways to decorate her "thankful quilt": Use clip art, cut pictures from magazines, or draw items onto the patchwork squares.  (This project is for toddlers and up).
• Sing the following songs found below: 

Let's Be Thankful

(Sung To: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Let's be thankful for this day
For our friends and our play
Let's be thankful; let's be glad
For our food and the things we have
Let's give thanks for you and me
And our home and family.

Thank You Song

(Sung To: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Thank you for the sun so bright,
Thank you for the moon at night,
Thank you for my family,
Thanks for friends who play with me,
Thanks for everything I see,
I am thankful, yes siree 

(Source of songs: http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/thanksgiving/songs.htm

• Go to the grocery store and buy canned foods to give to a local food pantry. Many people will be thankful for your generous and yummy donations during the holiday season!

I hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday!

Craft-tastic! Take a Look at Some of the Crafts that the Toddler and Preschool Storytime Children will Be Creating In Upcoming Sessions!

We may be taking a week off from programming due to the holiday, but Miss Jennifer has put on her thinking cap and already created her toddler and preschool crafts for upcoming sessions! Our storytime sessions will resume Monday, November 28th!

*Please note that the Toddler and Preschool Storytimes are filled for this session. Please call the Youth Services desk to learn about more of our exciting youth programs at 630-368-7734.

You Don't Scare Me, Scarecrow!

Chillin' with Penelope Penguin

Squeaky the Mouse

Gobble, Gobble! November 16th Terrific 3's and 4's Storytime Topic is Turkeys!

Our preschoolers will gobble up some tremendous turkey tales, find out who our very special Thanksgiving guest is during our Guess who? flannel board, and make their very own Tom Turkey craft!

*This storytime is filled and closed to further registration. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 or check out out website www.oak-brook.lib.il.us to learn about our other youth programs.

No Storytimes the Week of November 20th Due to Holiday

Due to the holiday, we will not be holding any storytimes from November 20th-26th. We will resume our storytimes the following week beginning Monday, November 28th.

Please note that there will be a few changes in the library's hours during this week. On Wednesday, November 23rd the library will be open until five o'clock. The library will be closed Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th.

A Look Into What Miss Jennifer's November 8th Baby Tales Lapsit 6-23 Months Storytime Was Like!

I really enjoy performing my new weekly Baby Tales Lap-sit Storytime. I promise that when parents and their little ones (6-23 months) enter the Program Room they are going to get a sassy, silly, and entertaining storytime experience filled with movement, music, stories, and interactive play. 

Check out my November 8th Lap-sit storytime which captures the magic that books and babies encourage!

Books Read

Little Green by Keith Baker 

Zoo-Looking by Mem Fox 

My Heart Is Like A Zoo by Michael Hall 

Opening Song with Rattle 

"Hi, Hello, and How are You?" (Tune: London Bridge) 

Dancing with Scarves and Bubbles 

Song: "Under the Sea" from Disney's The Little Mermaid 

Song/Fingerplay before Books 

"These Are My Glasses" by Laurie Berkner (From her CD Whaddya Think of That?)

Lap Bounce

(Babies were bounced on their mothers lap and I held a mouse puppet as I recited the following poem)

Boing, Boing Squeak (Poem by Jack Prelutsky) (Use Only First Verse) 
Poem Source: https://sites.google.com/a/lfcsinc.org/mrsguthrie/poetry/week-4 

Game 
Musical Simon Says
(Mothers helped babies move to the  movements suggested by me as I played a variety of musical instruments)


Song
"Old McDonald Had a Farm" (With stuffed animals and puppets)
(Mothers swayed back and forth with their babies and made the animal sounds as I sang this song) 
Source of song: http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/macdonald/mlyrics.htm)

Closing Song with Bubbles
"Now It's Time to Say Goodbye" (Tune: London Bridge)


Playtime 

(Mothers and babies read, relaxed, and played with toys and board books) 

Spots are still available for this storytime. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 to register. Limit 10 children per storytime. 

Hickory Dickory Dock! November 15th Baby Tales Lapsit (6-23 Months) Storytime!

Hickory Dickory Dock a mouse ran up the clock!  On Tuesday, November 15th, the Baby Tales Lapsit Storytime is going to be all about our cute, little furry friends (mice). We'll be reading marvelous mice stories, searching for a little mouse who's hiding in his colorful house during our Little Mouse, Little Mouse flannel board game, find out what foods a famished mouse is craving when we take a peek in his lunch box, play Mouse, Mouse (a variation of the classic children's action rhyme Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear) and bounce to a giggly lap bounce rhyme that will have your baby smiling !  Not to mention that I'll be blowing beautiful bubbles like nobody's business!




*Registration is required for this storytime. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 to register. Limit 10 children per storytime. 

Reindeer Paws Sighting In the Library! Children ages 2-5 Can Join Us for Our Reindeer Paws Family Funfest Sunday, December 4th from 2:30-3:30 pm

Children ages 2-5 will snuggle up and listen to a blizzard of seasonal stories during Miss Jennifer's Reindeer Paws Family Funfest in the Meeting Room from 2:30-3:30 pm on December 4th (but, that's not all)!  We'll sing songs such as "Frosty the Snowman", Play a variation of the game Red Light, Green Light (Red Light, Yellow Light, Green  Light), dance the winter blues away in quite a festive way, and decorate the library with wintry coloring pages that we will color during this "holly" day event.

Registration is Required. Limit 30 children for this storytime/special event.  

Call the Youth Services Reference Desk  at 630-368-7734 to register for this seasonal storytime/special event.

Pretty as a Picture (Book) ! See our Picture Book Display That Celebrates the Beauty of Picture Books!

Picture books have given children and adults alike the immense pleasure of a beautiful visual medium which excites the senses, tells a descriptive and sweet tale, and makes the memories of childhood extra special. I have designed a picture perfect display showcasing some wonderful picture books for kids of all ages.

Remember, November is Picture Book Month!

It's Good to Be Corny! Here's a Sneak Peek at our Corn Husk Corn Craft for the Terrific 3's and 4's Preschool Storytime November 9th!

Who doesn't love corn? It's yummy as a delicious buttery treat during the summer, great to nosh on when you have a snack attack (popcorn) and even more fun when it's multi-colored (Indian Corn)!

The Preschool Storytime children will make a colorful corn husk corn craft on November 9th  that will put everyone in the fall spirit. Isn't it great to be corny?

Here's a sneak peek at this corn-rrific craft.

There are still spots available in this storytime! To register call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734.

Registration for the Toddling Twos Toddler Storytime is Closed to Further Registrants

There are so many toddlers toddling on down to the Toddling Twos Toddler Storytime that all our spots are filled! Thank you for your interest in this storytime and please see our website or stop in to the Youth Services Department to learn about more of our new and exciting programs for kids and teens of all ages.

November 7th Toddling Twos Toddler Storytime Topic: Farm

Your little pumpkins will be a-maized by the crop of activities that await them during our November 7th farm storytime. We'll read some fresh-picked stories about growing things and farm animals, create a corny craft using real corn husks, and learn about feelings through quite an emotional pumpkin faces flannel board.

*Registration is required to ensure a spot in this storytime. Please call the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734 to register. Limit 10 children per storytime.

Oh Baby! Baby Tales Lap-sit Storytime Ages Extended to 6-23 Months from 6-18 Months

Every baby deserves a quality early literacy experience filled with enchanting songs, whimsical fingerplays/flannel boards, and playful books that will ignite their love of reading at an early age. That's why I've extended the ages of children who can enjoy this storytime from 6-18 months to 6-23 months. I wanted to make sure that the bouncy bubbles, dancing, swirling scarves and vibrant stories can be seen and heard by as many little eyes and ears as possible.


So, are you wondering what your  baby will be introduced to during their next storytime? Okay here it goes...


Tuesday, November 8th Storytime 


We'll dance under the sea with colorful scarves to Disney's "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid, Play an infant version of Musical Simon Says using a variety of instruments such as shakers and a drum, clap to the classic children's fingerplay rhyme Patty Cake, Patty Cake and read a "zoo" of animal themed books.


This storytime will end with a playtime session. Toys and board books will allow parents and caregivers to enjoy a relaxing and fun experience within the library.




There's still room to register for this creative and giggly storytime. So please register by calling the Youth Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734. Limit 10 children per storytime. 

Ready, Set, Baby Tales Lap-Sit Storytime for babies 6-18 months beginning Tomorrow Tuesday, November 1st!!

I am so excited about beginning the Baby Tales Lap-Sit storytime (which will be an exhilarating, non-stop early literacy experience for children 6 to 18 months) starting tomorrow (11/1/11)!

We'll go on a magic carpet ride by dancing with scarves to the song "A Whole New World" from the Disney movie Aladdin, bounce and squeak with an adorable mouse puppet during a lap jog rhyme, read a bounty of baby-friendly stories, see rainbows in the reflections of bright and airy bubbles and so much more!

The storytime will end with a playtime session. Toys and board books will allow parents and caregivers to enjoy a relaxing and fun experience within the library.

Spaces are still available for this wonderful and energetic storytime that will open your baby's eyes to the wonders of books!

*Please see my October 4th posting for more information about this new lap-sit storytime. 

*Please register to ensure a spot in this storytime by calling the Youth Services Desk at 630-368-7734. This and all our storytimes are limited to 10 children. 

Hurray for Hallopalooza! October 19th Halloween Party

Who doesn't love a party? Well everyone at the Oak Brook Public Library certainly does! Our party was filled with spooky games, tasty treats, an eerie tale, and a monster windsock craft which couldn't be beat.

To top off this fabulous Halloween happening, all the children looked spook-tacular in their costumes and showed them off in our Hallopalooza Costume Contest.

Check out the following pictures of our October 19th Hallopalooza Halloween Party!

Storytimes/Programs Have Ended For This Session! Please Sign-Up For Storytimes Which Begin Again On October 31st!

All of our storytimes/programs have ended for this session and will resume with a spectacular and spooky toddler storytime on October 31st. Little ones will get into the holiday spirit with sweetly spooky songs, frightenly fabulous flannel boards, bewitching Halloween-themed books, and an owl craft that toddlers will give a hoot about!

Please sign-up for our upcoming storytimes and programs for children from 6 months to young adults by calling the Youth  Services Reference Desk at 630-368-7734.

We ask you to register as soon as possible due to limited space in our storytimes/programs. Each storytime/program will be limited to 10 participants. 

Happy Hallopalooza!: October 19th Halloween Party

Our Hallopalooza Halloween Party rocked the house today! All the kids looked so adorable in their costumes from princesses to spiders. Halloween musical favorites such as "Ghostbusters" were danced to, a yummy snack of Cheez-Its and juice filled our party goer's tummies, and fun and energetic games such as Frankenstein Says and a pumpkin beanbag toss made the gala quite an event to remember.

Photos of the party will be uploaded to the blog soon!

October 17th Pumpkin Patch Parade Toddler Story Time Topic: Witches

The Pumpkin Patch Parade Toddler Story Time is getting witchy with it during our October 17th storytime. We will dance to the monstrously magnificent song "Monster Mash", wander into a perfect find the shape pumpkin patch game, listen to some bewitching tales, and create a striking and multi-colored witch's hat!

*Further registration for the Pumpkin Patch Parade Toddler Story Time is closed. 

Columbus Day Pumpkin Patch Parade Toddler Story Time Topic: All About Me/My Body

You're very special! Today, we will celebrate the characteristics that make each child special from their hair to their eye color. During our Columbus Day Pumpkin Patch Parade Toddler Story Time, we will gleefully dance to the classic children's song, If You're Happy and You Know It, read books about the hair and body, and  learn about our five senses through a bright, cheerful and sense-sational flannel board, and make a very "handy" hand print flowerpot craft.

Happy Columbus Day!


*Further registration for the Pumpkin Patch Parade Toddler Story Time is closed. 

What a Scare!: Paper Bag Scarecrow Craft

It's fall! The days are getting shorter, the winds are beginning to blow, and the crisp, bright colors of autumn are going to begin their showy parade. Why not create an adorable scarecrow paper bag craft that I have found and use it as a centerpiece on your table or near your entry way to welcome the many bounties of fall? See the link below for directions.

Paper Bag Scarecrow Craft

Hallopalooza Halloween Party Is Closed to Further Registrants Due to Popular Demand

Boo-hoo! We're sorry, but because of popular demand, openings for our Hallopalooza Halloween Party are filled. Please see our brochure for more upcoming ghoulishly spook-tacular programs!

Fireman Bob Robertson Helped Make the Lil' Sparks Preschool Fireman Story Time a Four-Alarm Event!

I would like to thank Bob Robertson of the Oak Brook Fire Department for helping me create such an amazing story time. Without his help, humor, and kindness I would not have been able to make my fireman story time such a success.

The children were so engaged and the giggles from the crowd as he read Firebears: The Rescue Team by Rhonda Gowler Greene were contagious. He had such an easygoing manner and you could tell he felt very comfortable working with young children. Fireman Robertson made the book come alive with his dramatic reading and humorous commentary.

Since we had time, he even effortlessly taught the children the important steps of the stop, drop, and roll procedure. He made sure each child understood the process by having them demonstrate the procedure.

Bob Robertson was such a pleasure to work with and the Youth Services Department was grateful to have such a warm and caring individual read to the children.

Thank You!


Miss Jennifer 

Baby Tales: Baby's First Steps into Reading for Babies 6-18 Months Starting November 1st

Miss Jennifer is proud to introduce a brand-new storytime to the library on Tuesdays at 10 am for babies between the ages of 6-18 months.

Remember that it is never too early to start reading and bringing your child to story time! Your child's brain development is constantly increasing with complexity and a rich language, cognitive, and sensory environment such as story time helps develop children's burgeoning skills. Story time is also an enjoyable experience which facilitates interaction between parents, caregivers, and their children. 

See the fascinating facts below which show how children's brain development is rapidly changing during specific stages of development.

Early Milestones in Brain Growth

4 months: The infant's brain responds to every sound produced in all the languages of the world.
 
8 to 9 months: Babies can form specific memories from their experiences, such as how to push a ball to make it roll.
 
10 months: Babies can now distinguish and even produce the sounds of their own language (such as "da-da") and no longer pay attention to the sounds of language that are foreign.
 
12 months: Babies whose parents say, for example, "Lookeee at the doggiee," will go to the
appropriate picture of a dog in a picture book more often than those babies who are talked to in normal, flatter voices.

12 to 18 months: Babies can keep in memory something that has been hidden and find it again, even if it has been completely covered up.  They can also hold memory sequences of simple activities, such as winding up a Jack-in-the-box until the figure pops up.

Source: http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/brain-growth.htm


To learn more about this storytime see the description below.

Baby Tales: Baby's First Steps Into Reading for Babies 6-18 Months (A Lap sit Program)
Tuesdays at 10 am Nov. 1, 8, 15, 29, Dec. 6 and 13

Our littlest patrons will be mesmerized by the magical experience of their first story time. The sounds of bubbly music will fill the air, bold and bright illustrations will come alive through picture books, and wiggly dances will get little ones toes a tapping. Flannel boards and floating bubbles will excite your baby's senses and add wonder to the joy of reading. *This story time does not offer a craft activity.

*Limit 10 Children Per Story time. Please sign-up early in order to ensure a spot in all of our story times.