Early Childhood Teachers - Take Note!

Summer is the perfect time to start planning your lessons and activities for the upcoming school year. As you plan, be sure to check out our newly-updated list of Early Childhood Curriculum Resources.

Parents of young children will also find this list useful. It's chock-full of developmentally appropriate crafts, stories, and songs for the young children in YOUR life!

Summer Reading Program: Every Minute Counts

Here's another Summer Reading Program tip for you.

If you don't have a full 20 minutes to read, that's okay.

You could also:

• spend 1 minute solving a One-Minute Mystery,
• read a few poems for 5 minutes, or
• take 10 minutes to read to a little brother or sister.

Add up all the minutes you spend reading during the day. You might be surprised by how quickly you get to 20.

Remember... every minute counts when you're counting minutes for the Summer Reading Program!

Roz Puppets!

Roz Puppets will be performing in the Main Library's Theater on Tuesday, June 29th at 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, July 1st at 2:00 p.m. As with all Summer Reading Events, there is NO CHARGE for these performances.

For a complete schedule of Roz Puppets performances at Allen County Public Library locations, click here.

Happy Birthday!!

Happy birthday to "Happy Birthday to You"! The melody of probably the most often sung song in the world, Happy Birthday to You, was composed by Mildred J. Hill, a schoolteacher born on this date. Her younger sister, Patty Smith Hill, was the author of the lyrics, which were first published in the book Song Stories for the Sunday School. The lyrics were changed in 1924 to include a stanza beginning "Happy Birthday to You". Now it is sung somewhere in the world every minute of every day!

Letterboxing

Letterboxing is a fun activity for the whole family. Start a letterboxing journal and collect stamps from letterboxes hidden around the world!

There is now a letterbox hidden somewhere in the downtown library. For more information check out Letterboxing North America.

babies and toddlers storytimes today

There are six early literacy skills that your child must master before they begin school in order to become proficient readers and literate adults. By bringing your child to one of our storytimes, these skills are being introduced, modeled and reinforced. All while we are dancing, singing, rhyming and reading! Come join us for a FUN-FILLED storytime every Friday morning!

Babies 10:00 am
Toddlers 10:30 am
Toddlers 11:00 am

Sea Shell CRAFTS @ the Library

MAKE A SPLASH with lots of beautiful seashells as we bring the seashore to you. Join us for seashell crafts, activities and books TODAY, Thursday, June 24 at 2 p.m. in Children"s Services. Make a Splash - READ!

Book Sale!!

Visit the Children's Services department this Friday between 10 am and 4pm for a fantastic book sale. Old children's books will be for sale - 25 cents each or 5 for $1.00. Cash only!

Amazing Olympic Athlete Wilma Rudolph

The amazing Wilma Rudolph was born today in 1940. Not only was she the first woman to win three gold medals at the same Olympics, she overcame many adversities in her young life. She contracted polio at age six, survived the depression and was subjected to school segregation.
There are many books about this inspirational woman ~ read one and get inspired!

Amy Hodgepodge Has Arrived!

Amy Hodgepodge is a new series by Kevin and Kim Wayans. The series features a fourth grade girl, formerly homeschooled, who is attending a "real" school for the first time! Read along as she learns to navigate friendships, teachers and life in general. You will meet her friends, her twin brother and Giggles, her dog! Amy is endearing and adorable ~ stop in your library today and get started on book one in this series!

It IS Summer Now!

Happy Summer Solstice! Today is the LONGEST day of the year, enjoy all of the beautiful sunlight.

Check out Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure. Fans of McClure's artwork are sure to love this one. Not a fan, give it a look and you will be!

Shell Crafts @ the Library!

MAKE A SPLASH with lots of beautiful seashells as we bring the seashore to you. Join us for seashell crafts, activities and books this Tuesday, June 22 at 7 p.m. and Thursday June 24 at 2 p.m. in Children"s Services. Make a Splash - READ!

Summer Reading Program: Beyond Books

We're two weeks into the Summer Reading Program...are you getting in your 20 minutes a day? 

Here's a tip: you don't have to stick to books! You could also:

• pick up a magazine like Highlights High Five, Kiki, or Cousteau Kids,
• listen to an audiobook or try out a Playaway,
• read a cereal box, the menu at a restaurant, your grocery list, a recipe, or
• read a blog (hey - you're doing that right now!).

Remember... all kinds of reading counts when you're counting minutes for the Summer Reading Program!

Fun New Picture Books!

Check out the latest video posted on the Make a Splash, Read! summer reading website, featuring Dianna Burt, Children's Librarian at the Hessen Cassel Branch Library.



Be sure to check the Make a Splash! website each week throughout the Summer Reading Program for a new video highlighting books for your summer reading fun!

Snakehead Ed

Snakehead Ed was at the Main Library last night to introduce almost 100 kids and their parents to his amazing collection of snakes.

He will be back at the Main Library on Thursday at 2pm. He is visiting several other branches over the next two weeks, see his full schedule here.

Photos from Olivia's Visit to the Library

As you can see, we had a marvelous time with that one-of-a-kind pig, Olivia! To see more photos, click here.

SIDEWALK CHALK ART

Sidewalk chalk art is especially fun rain or shine.

Colorful pictures and happy smiles shone brightly as families and friends enjoyed one of our GREAT summer reading programs. Come join us for our next program and be sure to sign up to read this summer.

Summer Reading Events for Kids at Main Library

Have you joined the Library's Summer Reading Program? If not, do so today at any location of the Allen County Public Library! Kids from birth through 5th grade are invited, as well as their grown-ups! Find out more here.








Here's what's happening this week in Children's Services at the Main Library:

Tuesday, June 15th
3:30-5:00 pm: Lego Club
7:00 pm: Snakehead Ed

Wednesday, June 16th
9:30-10:00 am: Storytime for Preschools and Daycare
10:30-11:00 am: Smart Start Preschool Storytime

Thursday, June 17th:
2:00 pm: Snakehead Ed

Friday, June 18th:
10:00 am: Babies & Books
10:30 am: Toddler Time
11:00 am: Toddler Time

Olivia!

Meet Olivia today at 2pm!

Olivia! Olivia! Olivia!

Olivia from Ian Falconer's Olivia books will visit Children's Services TODAY at 2pm!!

Don't miss this pigarrific event!

For more information about upcoming Summer Reading Program events click here.

Worldwide Knit in Public Day is Saturday

Tomorrow is World Wide Knit in Public Day!

It's easy to knit alone and not think about all the other knitters in the world. On Saturday, we invite you to come to the Library and other public areas and show the world that you are a knitter and proud of it!

We can't wait to see what you're working on!

New Picture Book: Sleepover at Gramma's House

Sleepover at Gramma's House
by Barbara Joosse
illustrated by Jan Jutte

Bright, bold illustrations and lively text work together in this fun picture book about a young elephant who goes to visit her Gramma.

This is one your child may want to read again and again -- and repetition is GREAT for early literacy development. Before you know it, your child may be telling the story to YOU!

Sidewalk Chalk Art

Rain or shine, chalk art is FUN. Enjoy pictures of our rainy Tuesday indoors chalk art. Then join us at 2:00 Thurs. June 10 for our sunny Sidewalk Chalk Art on the plaza.

Better start now!!

Your child should read at least 1,000 books

before entering kindergarten.

Start today!

Check out a book and start reading!

Chalk Art!

Come on downtown tonight at 7:00 to help decorate the Library Plaza with chalk. What will your imagination lead you to draw?

Can't make it tonight? We'll be offering the Chalk Art program again this Thursday at 2:00 pm. It will also be offered at many of our branch libraries. You can find a whole list here.

And while you're at the Library, don't forget to sign up for the Summer Reading Program!

Summer Reading Program Begins!

Today is the first day of the Make A Splash! Read Summer Reading Program. Stop by any location of the ACPL to sign up! Or visit this website to print out a reading log.

There are many, many special programs this summer. Get the calendar here.

This week at the Main Library:
Chalk Art: Tuesday at 7pm & Thursday at 2pm

Kiwi Magazine

Want to know the natural way to handle a bee sting?
Wish you had a cheat sheet of unhealthy ingredients to avoid when you're at the grocery store?
Interested in whipping up a "green power potion" smoothie to get more fruits and veggies into your family's diet?


Then check out the latest issue of Kiwi magazine. You'll find all this and much more in the magazine for "growing families the natural and organic way." Ask a librarian to show you where to find it in the Parent-Teacher Collection here in Children's Services.

Internet Safety for Kids

Parents, guardians, and adults who care for children face constant challenges when trying to help keep children safer in today's fast-paced world. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers easy-to-use safety resources to help address these challenges. NCMEC is the nation's resource center for protecting children. For decades, children were taught to stay away from "strangers." But this concept is difficult for children to grasp and the internet confuses the issue further. It is more beneficial to help build children's confidence and teach them to respond to a potentially dangerous situation, rather than teaching them to look out for a particular type of person. Encourage your child to visit NetSmartz.org where they can learn about internet safety in a fun way.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit NetSmartz411.org to have your questions about internet dangers and safety answered.

New Cookbooks

Stop by and check out the display case in the Children's Services department ~ it is filled with cookbooks for kids! Cooking with children is a great way to make memories and impart a life long skill. We have a huge collection of cookbooks for all levels and abilities. Come in and let us help you find the perfect one for you and your child.

Der Tooth Feree

"Der tooth Feree
i luv you
fum Zelle"

This kind of writing practice is an EXCELLENT way for a child to work on early literacy skills. Zelle used phonological awareness & letter knowledge to write this letter. Her well developed print motivation inspired her to put pen to paper to let the Tooth Fairy know how she feels.

Sit your child down to write letter to a friend, a relative or even the library. The writing center in the Early Learning Center is a great place to practice early literacy skills. Visit today!

Summer Reading Program Begins Next Week!

It's almost here -- the first day of the Summer Reading Program!

Starting Monday, June 7, kids can keep track of the time they spend reading/listening to a book and earn cool prizes! What a deal! New to the program this year is the Parents as Reading Partners bookmark -- adults who spend time reading with a child can enter a drawing for a $100 gift certificate. Find out more about this FREE program at the Library's Summer Reading Website. You'll also find great new books, calendars of events, and a newsletter, updated weekly with upcoming programs, book suggestions, and family reading tips!

It's going to be a GREAT summer at the Library!

School Reading Lists

Does your school have a list of titles for summer reading? Send it to us, and we'll post it on our School Reading Lists page! This page also has links to local schools' Accelerated Reader, Lexile, and Reading Counts lists and the Indiana Department of Education Reading Lists.