Children's & Parents' Services Department eNews
Week of June 31
With the Children's and Parents' Services Department
Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for lots of story times, links, resources, and activities to share with your families.

Keep an eye on our library web program calendar for upcoming virtual programs. Click HERE to view.
Upcoming Programs
Kahoot: Things You'd Find in a Museum
Friday, July 31 to Sunday, August 2 at 9:00pm

Test your knowledge and see how you rank. Fun for the whole family and will spark a discussion to come up with the answers. Try it HERE
Crafts-To-Go Kits
Crafts-To-Go will be offered ongoing as part of the way that you can Summer With Us .

The theme is Miss Cathy’s Critter Corner.  Check out our Facebook page and enjoy videos posted from Miss Cathy. These kits will be available Monday, August 3 to Saturday, August 8.

Crafts-To-Go can be picked up in the Children’s Dept. when you visit the library or requested by phone (631-399-1511 ext. 262) for curbside pick-up. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!
Page Turner Adventures
The week of 8/3 - 8/7, our friends at Page Turner Adventures will share a magic and comedy show from The Amazing Mr. A, some fun improv theater for tweens and a video to help you feel calm and de-stress! Check out our  Facebook page next week for these postings.
Book and Activity Bundles
Available Monday, August 3 to Saturday, August 8. One bundle, per theme, per child, each week by age/grade level.

Reserve your bundle(s) beginning Friday, July 31 , on our web site program calendar (see links), by calling 631-399-1511 ext. 262, or by visiting us in person. You will be notified when the book bundle is ready for curbside pickup. Limited supplies, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Baby Boat Bundle
Babies birth to 35 months - Reserve HERE
 
Build Your Own Stuffed Owl Kit
Entering grades K-5 - Reserve HERE
Do you love owls? Reserve a kit and make your very own stuffed owl to keep and cuddle with. August 4th is International Owl Awareness Day and this is a fun way to celebrate and learn more about owls!

Miss Cathy's Critter Corner Book & Activity Bundle
Children 3-5 years to entering kindergarten - Reserve HERE
Entering grades 1-2 - Reserve HERE
Entering grades 3-4 - Reserve HERE
Entering grades 5-7 - Reserve HERE

Summer With Us Family Bundle (One bundle per family)
Crafts & Activities
SOMETHING YUMMY

Are you missing our cooking classes with Chef Rob? Check out our Facebook page for his newest cooking demonstrations and recipes and you can bring him right into your own kitchen.

No registration necessary!
SOMETHING FOR PARENTS

Welcome to August, my friends. The summer may be well under way, but it is still filled with surprises. Some of them spooky ( Midsummer Scream ), some of them yummy ( Rachael Ray's Yum-O! Cooking Camp ), some of them simply Muppetational ( Muppets Now  on Disney+). We can virtually visit with the ships protecting our seas (during  Seattle's Virtual Fleet Week ) and with Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy (through the  Ham4Change  fundraiser). With a little perseverance, we can even rocket out into space (with  Perseverance, the little rover off to explore Mars .)

Remember when you thought being a parent would bring an end to all the cool things you used to do? Ha! We've no sooner recovered from  Comic-Con  (most of which can still be viewed on YouTube) than it's time to gear up for Lollapalooza's stay-at-home alter ego ( Lolla2020 ). This stay-at-home summer is what you make it, and Mommy Poppins is here to help you make it awesome.

Our  Poppins@Home  platform offers even more opportunities for awesomeness, with fun and funky activities to fill kids' days.  Ballet for All   keeps little dancers on their toes, while  Graham Cracker Circus  brings the party home with a personalized circus performance. Best of all, your donation offers a spot in a class for a child living in a homeless shelter. Talk about a class act!
Keep reading to see what other surprises the summer yet holds in store!  

Set sail this summer for boating, sightseeing,  whale watching , marine critter catching, or just a good time out on the water. These  Long Island  boat tours are ideal for families eager to create nautical adventures and lasting memories.
Here are 16 voyages we think are especially worthwhile. For more Long Island adventures, check out our  guide to summer fun , the  best beaches for families , and even our picked for seasonal  day trips nearby . Staying close to home? See our  ultimate summer staycation planner . Read more.

There has been a dramatic increase in interest in RV camping this summer—and with good reason. RV camping lets a family get away to enjoy the outdoors,  and maybe even some national parks , but with many of the luxuries of home. We have been a camping family for years, and we've run up the ranks summarily, starting with tent camping, then pop-up campers, then RVs and towable trailers. We've done it all at this point and can confidently say that RV camping is an amazing (and socially distanced!) way to vacation, as long as you know the basics. Read more.
 
Family fun night doesn't have to revolve around ordering pizza cueing up a  family-friendly movie . Whether your family is ultra-competitive and ready for a  board game  battle or wants to curl up and camp out under the living room lights, we've got 10 fresh family fun night theme ideas. All it takes is a little preparation—and inspiration—to build a memorable night at home. This list gets the kids to surrender their screens and join in on the action. 
For more family fun inspiration, be sure to check out our  Stay-at-Home Guide , which is packed with hundreds of boredom busters. Read more.

The upcoming school year is just around the corner, and many parents might be seeking ways to prep kids for the new year or for tools to enhance school curriculum, especially if they are facing virtual learning. Educational workbooks and children's activity books can often help to fill that gap, especially in elementary-age kids.
Workbooks for kids come in many formats and offer a host of different types of skills practice. There are preschool workbooks, kindergarten workbooks, and those that delve into more advanced subjects. But with so many options out there, choosing the right workbook for your child can be a bit overwhelming.
With that in mind, we've singled out our 13 top picks for ages ranging from preschool to 5th grade. Find more homeschooling resources in our  Remote Learning & Homeschool Guide   for parents.  Read more.
QUARENTUNES
Maya, Mary, and family go to the children's science museum! Have fun with the children's song 'Let's do Science!". From the Maya and Mary youtube channel. 

Watch HERE
BABY CORNER
Here is an idea that builds on two activities I’ve shared in past e-newsletters. During these hot summer days why not use frozen popsicles to paint with? It is another fun way to introduce painting and could be your little ones first experience with water paint!! Making art with frozen paint popsicles on a warm summer day while outside will be super fun and keep the mess outside! Make sure to put them in their bathing suits or just their diaper/pull up so you don’t have to worry about getting clothes messy. Just make sure they know that these popsicles are not edible and are actually paint.  
Frozen Popsicles

You will need:
  • Water
  • Popsicle mold/ ice cube tray
  • Food coloring or liquid watercolors
  • If you are using an ice cube tray you will need craft sticks or toothpicks for the paint pop handles.
 
Make sure you are picking vehicles that are okay to get wet. You don’t want to choose anything that has a battery as the water will ruin the vehicle. Your little one will love cleaning their cars or trucks. Just fill a bucket or bin or two with water, add some soap and include a sponge or a plastic cup or two. They will enjoy squeezing the sponge, pouring the water with the cup and washing their vehicles! It is a fun way to keep cool as well. This is an easy sensory activity that helps with their fine motor skills also!
To prepare the Paint Pops:
  1. The night before you plan to do this activity, fill a popsicle mold or an ice cube tray with water, and add a couple of drops of color to each mold or tray.
  2. Remember the more color you add, the more vibrant and intense your ice paintings will be. Add at least 2 drops of color to each section.
  3. Put them in the freezer overnight and if you are using ice cube trays, add the craft stick or toothpick handles after about a half hour of freezing.
  4. When you’re ready to use you ice paints, quickly run them under cold water or bring them out in the sun for a minute. This will loosen your paint pops so they slide out easily.

This is an activity that can be done on the driveway or on a deck or patio. If you are worried about getting anything stained, like a table or patio, just cover with a tablecloth or newspaper first.

Cardboard is a fun canvas but construction paper works too. 
Have fun! -Miss Tara R.
Miss Kathy fans, make sure to watch our Facebook page Friday mornings for her weekly baby and toddler programs. Babies and Toddlers class starts at 10:00 a.m. and class for 2-3-year olds starts at 10:30 a.m. No registration necessary!
PRESCHOOL PLACE
Here’s a fun guessing game to play with your preschooler. It doesn’t require any materials or technology and helps to enhance your child’s listening and memory skills. Give your children clues about someone or something they know well, and see how excited they get when they guess correctly!

For example, a Guess Who...” I’m thinking of someone who loves to walk her dog. She is so happy when you come to visit, and she cooks your favorite food.”

When your child guesses correctly, “Grandma!”, show your excitement and start again.

Here’s an example of a Guess What: “I am thinking of something that is a big, soft rectangle. Something on it has a picture of a dinosaur, and you spend more time with it at night than in the daytime.” ...” My bed!” ...and you can go on and on...then turn the tables, and see if your child can give you clues about someone or something.
Have fun! - Miss Debbie D.
CATCH THE READING BUG
Sharks and the Ocean
It’s Shark Week! Learn all about them or read a sharky story. These and many more books are available at your library or online HERE . Magazines about the natural world, including Ranger Rick and National Geographic Kids , are available on the library’s homepage. Scroll down to ‘The Library Online’ and click on ‘eMagazines’. 
Picture Books
Easy Readers
Chapter Books
Non-Fiction Books
NATURE CORNER
Backyard (Shark) Safari
Fun Fact: Did you know that a house mouse can eat 15 to 20 times in a single day?

It’s Mouse week in the Nature Corner. Check out our new in-depth Backyard Safari Spotter’s Guide on the MMS Community Library Facebook  page to learn all about the hungry, hidden rodents living all around us. We’ll be giving you everything you want to know, including where to spot them, what to look for, and plenty more fun facts!
Garden Crafts
Just because you’ve finished crafting, doesn’t mean the fun is done! This week we’re talking about mouse finger puppets. All you need is a sheet of paper, some craftiness, and you can be telling a story with puppets in no time! Read along with your favorite mouse-themed picture book or make up your own mouse tail tale! Check out the Red Ted Art blog HERE or YouTube video .
Science Education
It has never been more important that children be as informed as possible about scientific topics. Knowing the facts and scientific evidence behind topics like pandemics and climate change, among others, is essential. The National Center for Science Education works to promote scientific learning and ensure scientific topics are taught accurately in our schools. They have a number of free resources available for kids to use at home to further their science education, including articles and lesson plans. Check out their collection of DIY activity kits at NCSE.ngo HERE
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