Back to School -- for Teachers!

Calling all preschool & elementary school teachers and homeschooling parents -- don't miss our Back to School Program coming up this Monday, August 4, from 2-3:30 p.m.! We'll be gathering in the Globe Room at the entrance to Children's Services for a presentation on materials, programs, and services for educators and their students, a tour of the Main Library and Children's Department, and a question and answer session. All participants will receive a packet of information to take back to school to share with their colleagues.

Registration is requested, due to space limitations. To register, please call Children's Services, 260-421-1220, or click here to register online.

Do you enjoy playing chess?

If you are in 5th grade or under, there's still time to register for our annual Chess Tournament for kids. The tournament will be held on Saturday, August 16th at the Main Library in downtown Fort Wayne. Call the Children’s Services department at 260.421.1220 for more details, or just use this online form to register. Advance registration ends on Friday, August 8th.

Wanna read more about chess? Here are some resources for you to check out.

Don't Catch These Bugs!

Learn all about germs...and how to avoid them tomorrow at Smart Start Preschool Storytime at 10:30 AM.

We'll play a great sneezing game with pretend germs and do a hand-washing experiment.


Pictured at left: Streptococcus pyogenes (sore throat), Shigelia dysenteriae (stomach ache), Rhinovirus (common cold), (cough), Bordetella pertussisOrthomyxovirus (flu).

Early Learning Center Mailbox

We would love to see one of YOUR drawings! Stop by the Early Learning Center today and drop one in the mail for us.

A Child's Book Review: Toys Go Out

Toys go out : being the adventures of a knowledgeable Stingray, a toughy little Buffalo, and someone called Plastic by Emily Jenkins was reviewed by 5-year-old Fiona:

Actually, the buffalo only *thinks * he's a toughie. Also, the flipping flippers of Stingray are funny.

Submit your child's book review to me via email and you may see it in a future "A Child's Book Review" blog post.

Creative and Crafty Saturdays

*Dancing Streamers *

Stop in the Children's Services today
(July 26th) during library hours to create your very own Dancing Streamer to take home.

It is fun to make this colorful craft dance along with you, or just hang it up and watch it blow in the wind!

Last Day of the Summer Reading Program

Today is the last day of the 2008 Summer Reading Program - Catch the Reading Bug! We hope that you have had fun reading this summer. Don't forget to pick up your gifts before 6pm today. Keep reading and enjoy the upcoming school year!

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month

Hooray for Ice Cream!

Join us in Children' Services
Saturday July 26th at 1:00 p.m.


Let's learn about one of America's favorite desserts, how it's made, favorite flavors, and the history of this cold and savory treat! We'll even be doing some taste testing of our own!

More than just a lick of fun!

Ballet Dreams Storytime

This morning's Ballet Dreams storytime was so much fun! We read Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird, Over in the Meadow at the Big Ballet by Lisa Shulman, and Ballerina! by Peter Sis. We danced the entire List of Dances with Jim Gill and we Put Our Hands Up in the Air with Hap Palmer. After the stories and songs, Lucia Rogers from The Fort Wayne Ballet taught us the five ballet positions, showed us jumps, leaps and arabesques. She also answered all of our questions about ballet and then she posed for photos with us. See the rest of the ballet-tastic photos here!

James and the Giant Peach

Be ready for some silly, crafty fun as we celebrate that classic book by Roald Dahl,

James and the Giant Peach!

The festivities will be held this Friday, July 25th at our Fabulous Fridays Book Party, starting at 2:00 p.m. See you there!

We love getting fan letters!

Here's a note and picture we received recently from a family who visits Georgetown Branch frequently:

I wanted to say thank you for the children's summer reading program.

My 3 year old daughter loved the prizes each week. She especially loved getting the books. This week she could not wait to start reading her book!

Here is a photo of her reading it on the floor in the adult section, she
just couldn't be disturbed until she could look at each page.

Emilie loves all of the story times, etc. I truly believe it is in great part to the excellent programs at the library that has made her a lover of all books.

Thanks for your note and picture! We love to hear stories of the Library's impact on kids and families!

Summer Reading Program Events

This week in Children's Services at the Main Library:

• Tuesday, July 22nd @ 2pm - Indiana Insects presented by Fox Island
• Wednesday, July 23rd @ 10:30am - Smart Start Storytime Ballet Dreams with a special guest from the Fort Wayne Ballet
• Wednesday, July 23rd @ 2pm - Indiana Insects presented by Fox Island
• Thursday, July 24th @ 10:30am - Team Read
• Thursday, July 24th @ 2pm - Indiana Insects presented by Fox Island
• Thursday, July 24th @ 6:30pm - Paws to Read
• Friday, July 25th @ 10am - Babies & Books
• Friday, July 25th @ 10:30am & 11am - Toddler Time
• Friday, July 25th @ 2pm - Fabulous Fridays Book Party - James and the Giant Peach
• Saturday, July 26th - All Day - Creative & Crafty Saturday
• Saturday, July 26th - 9am to 1pm - Visit Children's Services at the Barr Street Market to do the bookworm boogie!
  
• Saturday, July 26th @ 1pm - National Ice Cream Month Celebration

The summer reading program ends on Friday, July 25th @ 6pm - don't forget to pick up your gifts before then. If you haven't signed up yet, it is not too late. Visit any library branch or click here.

Early Learning Center Mailbox

Someone was practicing numbers!

Visit the Early Learning Center today to practice letters or numbers with your preschooler.

Let's Get Growing at Barr Street Market

Visit the ACPL Children's Services booth at Barr Street Market today between 9am and 1pm to make a pot and plant a seed. Take your seed home and watch it grow!

Creative and Crafty Saturdays

Watermelon Picture Frame

Join us in Children's Services tomorrow
(Saturday, July 19th) to make a
Watermelon Picture Frame
for your favorite summer picture!

Summer fun will not be forgotten as this
this juicy-looking treat hangs nicely on the fridge,
where it can be admired all year long.

Where Are the Butterflies?

On June 30, Children's Services released their Painted Lady butterflies, after an entire month of watching them grow from tiny caterpillars into beautiful butterflies! Here are a few photos, in case you missed the program. To see more photos, click here to go to ACPL's photostream on Flickr.

Fort Wayne Ballet

Today at 2pm, join us in the Theatre at the Main Library for Life in the Arts with the Fort Wayne Ballet. Dancers will share information about their lives and then present a mini-performance.
At 6:30pm, Dancing Dogs and More! will be presented in the Theatre. This will include a discussion of the book James the Dancing Dog by Linda Maybarduk and a mini-performance by the ballet.

Three Rivers Festival

The Three Rivers Festival is in full swing! Click here for full information about Festival activities around town.

Enjoy the Festival ... and don't forget to stop into the Library to visit us when you are downtown! We'd love to hear what parts of the Festival you are enjoying the most.

Summer Reading Program Events

This week in Children's Services at the Main Library:

• Tuesday, July 15th @ 7pm - Make Your Own Recycled Art (registration required)
• Wednesday, July 16th @ 10:30am - Smart Start Storytime Ladybugs
• Wednesday, July 16th @ 2pm - Life in the Arts presentation and mini-performance by the Fort Wayne Ballet
• Wednesday, July 16th @ 6:30pm - Dancing Dogs and More presentation and mini-performance by the Fort Wayne Ballet
• Thursday, July 17th @ 10:30am - Team Read
• Thursday, July 17th @ 6:30pm - Paws to Read
• Friday, July 18th @ 10am - Babies & Books
• Friday, July 18th @ 10:30am & 11am - Toddler Time
• Saturday, July 19th - All Day - Creative & Crafty Saturdays
• Saturday, July 19th - 9am to 1pm - Visit us at Barr St. Market to make a pot and plant a seed to take home.
  

You still have time to get involved in the summer reading program!

Let's Play Chess!

Children (Preschool through those entering Grade 5) are invited to register to play in this all-day, unrated, “just for fun” Chess tournament. Pre-registration - by Friday, August 8 - is requested of all participants. We’ll supply the chessboards; plan to have a fun day playing chess! The tournament will begin at 9:45 am with a players’ meeting beginning at 9:15 am. Trophies will be awarded to top players and participation awards will be given to all chess players. Registration is limited. Call the Children’s Services department at 421-1220 for more details or just use this online form to register.

Want to read about chess? Check out this booklist!

If you know an older kid (middle school or high school) who likes to play chess, the Young Adult department is also having a chess tournament this summer. Call them at 421-1255 for more information.

The Library at Barr Street Market

Visit us every Saturday July 12th through September 27th from 9am to 1pm at the Barr Street Market on the corner of Wayne St. & Barr St. in downtown Fort Wayne. Each week the Children's Services department will be offering a different activity.

Stop by after the parade today to get a temporary tattoo and sign up for the Summer Reading Program!

Creative and Crafty Saturdays

Fossil Rubbing!

Visit Children's Services during library hours tomorrow (Saturday, July 12th) to create your own unique fossil rubbing to take home!




By pairing up different fossil halves, you can create a fossil like the "Turtlefin"(pictured) .

Piggies!

Join us tomorrow, July 11, for some piggy songs, piggy stories, and piggy fun at our Baby & Toddler Storytimes! Here's a classic rhyme you can do with your youngster:

THIS LITTLE PIGGY
This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none,
And this little piggy cried WEE! WEE! WEE! all the way home!

Click here for more fun "piggy" stories you can find at the Allen County Public Library.

Babies & Books: Every Friday, 10:00 a.m.
Toddler Time: Every Friday, 10:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Puppet Show!

(Rufus the Dog and Pete the Rat)

Thursday, July 10th
10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.

Be sure to join us as The Roz Puppets present two favorite fables!
This is a program for families with children of all ages,
so come out and enjoy this terrific performance with the family .

Groups must pre-register for this event by calling the Children's Services Department at 421-1220

Meet Froggy

Come to Children's Services on Wednesday, July 9 at 10:30 AM or 2:00 PM for some frog stories and activities. We'll also have a special visitor...Froggy, from Jonathan London's books.

It's sure to be a hoppin' good time!

Summer Reading Program Events

Events this week in Children's Services at the Main Library:

• Tuesday, July 8th @ 2pm - Make Your Own Recycled Art (registration required)
• Wednesday, July 9th @ 10:30am - Smart Start Storytime - Meet Froggy!
• Thursday, July 10th @ 10:30am - Team Read
• Thursday, July 10th @ 10:30am & 2pm - Aesop's Fables with Roz Puppets
• Thursday, July 10th @ 6:30pm - Paws to Read
• Friday, July 11th @ 10am - Babies & Books
• Friday, July 11th @ 10:30am & 11am - Toddler Time
• Friday, July 11th @ 2pm - Fabulous Fridays Book Party - Junie B. Jones
  
• Saturday, July 11th 9am to 1pm - Visit Children's Services at the Barr Street Market for Color Me Cool: Temporary Tattoos
  
• Saturday, July 12th All Day - Creative & Crafty Saturdays
  

Have you signed up for the summer reading program? Don't miss your chance to Catch the Reading Bug!

A Child's Book Review: Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman was reviewed by 3-year-old Robert:

This book knows all about lost and found.

Submit your child's book review to me via email and you may see it in a future "A Child's Book Review" blog post.

Early Learning Center Mailbox

These scribbles may not look like much, but they are actually a very important pre-writing activity.

Stop by the Early Learning Center next week and help your preschooler practice early literacy skills.

Remember that the Library is closed until Monday, July 7th. We'll see you then!

Happy Independence Day!

Do you like to read about picnics and fireworks? Check out McDuff Saves the Day by Rosemary Wells.

Have a wonderful Independence Day and remember that the Library is closed until Monday.

Bead Creations

Do you want to learn to make beautiful beaded jewelry? Visit Children's Services today at 2pm or 7pm for the Bead Creations program!

Our Children's department has changed through the years!

This is what the Children's Services department looks like now:




Click on this link to see what the Allen County Public Library Children's Services department looked like in 1928.

Check out the Allen County Community Album to see other great pictures of our Library and of our community.

A Buggy Movie

Movie Night

Join us in the theater at the Main Library
for a "Buggy Movie" tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Bring the friends and family!