Play and Read: how to get your child ready for reading

At the tri-yearly Get Your Child Ready to Read programs we host here at the library, one of the biggest things we like to stress is that when children play, they learn.  Playing with children is one of the five activities set by the Public Library Association and Association of Library Service to Children for getting your child ready to read.  Their program, Every Child Ready to Read, sets up simple steps for parents to do at home to give children all of the skills they need in order to be able to read.

Early literacy is a big hot-topic word, which can be confusing.  Basically, 

early literacy is what children know about reading 

and writing before they can actually read or write. 

A great example of this is how to hold a book.  Before you can learn to read, you need to know how to hold a book (which side is up, which side is down, how to turn a page).  You can teach your child how to hold a book by consistently reading alongside them.

Here in the library, we try to help you find ways to do all five of these Every Child Ready to Read activities in the various storytimes and programs we host here in the library.  This past week, we hosted our DUPLO storytime, during which we find time for reading, singing, and a little bit of fun play with one of the DUPLO build and read sets. 

If you missed the program, don't worry.  We will host them again in the spring and also in the summer.  If you can't wait that long, feel free to stop by and ask someone at the desk.  They can help you find some fun books and songs to accompany a DUPLO set at home.  At $10-$12 each, they can be slightly expensive for just a book and some blocks, but perhaps you can talk to friends and each buy a different set and swap - or add it to a holiday or birthday wish-list.

We know you work hard every day to provide your family the best, and we want to help you with that.  Please let us know if we can find some materials to supplement your child's growth.  Want to learn more about Every Child Ready to Read?  Join us in February for our program Early Literacy: getting your child ready to read.

Summer Travels

This summer, many of our patrons are taking vacations to many different places.  Even staff members are headed off for vacations.  Yesterday, at our program,  we sent 18 Flat Stanleys off to places around the country. 

What is a Flat Stanley, you ask?  Flat Stanley is a book by Jeff Brown.  In it, a boy (Stanley) gets smushed by a bulletin board one day, and travels to California because he is flat and can fit in an envelope!  

In the same way, our Flat Stanleys will travel in an envelope to visit with various relatives across the country.  Those relatives will take a picture of Stanley doing something fun with them and send it back here to the library.  

The pictures and a description of what each Stanley did while he visited will go up on display in the library.  Look for our Stanleys' adventures here in the library later in the summer, but in the meantime, check out the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown to read with your family.  Have older kids?  There are Flat Stanley chapter books to read as well. You can even create your own Stanley and send him for a visit with someone else.  

Remember to have fun this summer, no matter what you do.  Even if you can't travel, your Stanley can!

National Autism Awareness Month

Did you know that April is National Autism Awareness Month? It was started in the 1970s to bring awareness to Autism.

The Autism Society defines autism as a "complex neurodevelopmental disability" that usual appears in a child's first 2 years. It affects their ability to interact and communicate with others. Autism is a "spectrum disorder" which means that it affects people differently and to different degrees. Currently 1 in 110 Americans are being diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.

National Autism Awareness Month only lasts for April, but our resources are here for families every month of the year.

• BOOKS. We have a large collection of books for parents dealing with particular issues relating to autism. The books are located within our Parenting Collection on the 2nd floor. Here are some selected titles from the collection: The Official Autism 101 Manual  and Parenting Your Child with Autism.

• BOOKS FOR KIDS. We've also got some great titles for kids to read about how to understand their condition and some tools for dealing with issues, or for kids who want to understand what their classmates may be experiencing. Check out The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (and Their Parents) and How to Talk to An Autistic Kid.

• MAGAZINES. We subscribe to Autism Asperger's Digest and Autism Spectrum Quarterly. Find them in the Parenting Collection.

• ADAPTED BOOKS. Titles are located in the Parenting Collection. These little known treasures are traditional books that have been modified with picture communication for children to have been understanding of what's happening in the story. The pages are laminated and in a binder to make it easier for them to hold, and there are textured foam "fluffers" that separate the pages to make it easier for them to turn the pages.

• AUTISM RESOURCE CENTER. This wiki, which the library started, is a site for parents or caregivers where you can find links for local resources such as dentists, family support, or therapists. You can find the link to the wiki here.

• RAINBOW TIME. Our monthly program with Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy where trained therapy dogs help children work on motor skills, interaction, and communication. The children interact with the wonderful aides and dog handlers, while their parents get a chance to check out the library's collection.

• OTHER RESOURCES. We have a copy of Boardmaker that you can use on your computer to make picture communications like the ones your child might use in the classroom. 

If you are a parent of a child who has autism and want to suggest a book for our collection or an area resource for our wiki, please feel free to email us, call us at 847.376.2839, or stop by and talk to us at the 2nd floor information desk the next time you're in.

Chess + Library = Big Brain

With study after study touting chess playing with an increase in cognitive and social skills in children- it seems chess is in the equation. That’s the kind of news that gets us excited and springs the library into action! We are delighted to introduce our newest offering (thanks to funding by the Friends of the Library): a library family chess club, Chess Mates! The club will meet the first Saturday of September through May, no registration required. Next one is tomorrow, April 6^th from, 1:30-2:30 pm.  Instructors from CheckMatesUSA will be present to teach chess at all ages and skill levels but a basic understanding of chess is required.  Chess for the family allows parents and siblings to enjoy brain boosting benefits of chess too.

In May, we are having a Beginner Chess Workshop, a 3 consecutive Saturday afternoon series for children who would like to learn how to start playing chess. Visit the Events calendar or call the Youth Services Desk  847-376-2839 for more information on any chess program. We hope to see you here!

Brain abilities and other benefits of playing chess at Des Plaines Public Library

• Memory skills
• Exercises and develops of various parts of the brain
• Problem solving
• Concentration, planning, strategizing
• Creativity
• Reading skills
• Social skills
• Communication/ sportsmanship
• Self confidence/ self worth / coping skills

Here are some links to studies on chess and the brain! 

Ten Big Brain Benefits of Playing Chess

Chess Also Develops Psychological Skills Says New Study

Chess Improves Academic Performance

Note: Above blog image source: http://www.onlinecollegecourses.com/

Calling All Future Babysitters!

Did you babysit when you were a teenager? For many of us it was our first job. I remember being so excited when my next door neighbor trusted me to take care of her toddler. Before I could start sitting for him by myself, she had me take a babysitting class.

Has your teen in grades 6-12 talked about wanting to babysit? Encourage them to register for the library's Want to Babysit? class on Wednesday, March 27th, from 1-5. We'll go over so many different things: how to look for babysitting jobs and how to act once you get them, basic child care, and how to stay safe and keep the kids safe while you're babysitting.

After they take the class, talk to them about furthering their babysitting skills by taking a CPR and first aid class. Before you know it, they'll have the skills and confidence to go out and have their first babysitting jobs. Then, one day far in the future, they'll look back fondly on those days of their first job--and realize that those babies that sat for then are teenagers today!

Have them sign up by visiting our registration page by clicking here or calling the library at 847.376.2839.

We are so grateful to be partnering with Madeline May, the City of Des Plaines Community Health Nurse, and the Des Plaines Police Department. Special thanks to the Friends of the Library for funding this program.

Youth Services 2012 Year in Review, or WOW! We did all that?

This happens to me every year, and maybe it happens to you too...I look up one day, and suddenly it's the middle of December. When that happens, I think to myself, "Where did the time go?" and then I tick off all the projects that led me to lose track of the time. Here in the Youth Services Department, we've been busy as usual, but a few big projects kept us on our toes.

We had a little work done (just a nip here, tuck there) that gave some much needed lift and color to the Youth Services area. We painted a wall in our Youth Services alcove behind the elevators bright blue, and it also happens to be magnetic! That's where you'll find build-your-own poetry pieces most of the time, but sometimes it's puzzles, sometimes it's word and picture matching games...but it's always fun! This project was in preparation for our fantastic first PoetryPlay event in April (National Poetry Month) with special guest author/poet Janet Wong!

I'm certain you have noticed our new orange wall in the Young Adult area. It's the first stage in a project of updating that wall to provide information, displays of materials, flyers, and other cool stuff. Coming in January is phase II, be sure to watch that space. Another update to the YA area included brand new and very sleek containers for our collection of music CD's. What a difference!

We finally replaced the bulk of our bulky desk/study chairs with bright blue, moveable and stackable desk chairs that have a great, comfortable profile that fits almost any body, kid or adult. After we replaced the chairs, we lowered the desk height of the Youth Services internet stations so that between the chairs and the tabletops, it's a much better fit and much more ergonomic.

You may (or may not) have noticed some new additions to the collection. This year we added a few e-readers to the mix: Kindles, VTech Innotabs, and LeapFrog LeapPads. We also have game cartridges for the Innotabs and LeapPads. I say you may not have noticed them because these items check out like gangbusters! These initial purchases have been so successful that you'll be sure to notice more of this in the coming year. New this year too were cartridges for your Nintendo DS here on the Youth Services floor. Check one of these many new items out today, or if you can't find one on the shelf, place one on hold for yourself or ask a staff member for help so you'll be sure to get in line for the next one available.

In March we rode the wave of the Hunger Games. A group of 25 received the red-carpet treatment through a generous partnership with Muvico in Rosemont: we had exclusive use of the game room while we gathered together, then, in our VIP reserved front-row seats we watched together as Katniss survived the Hunger Games on screen. Later, we gathered at the library AFTER HOURS to fight it out in several challenges of strength, intellect, endurance, and wits. Only the strong survive.

March was especially busy because it was also our visit and workshop with author/illustrator Raina Telgemeier. In a partnership with Algonquin Middle School, we listened to Raina's stories, asked her questions, practiced drawing with her, and got our copies of Smile signed by the author!

New this year also was a program around software and materials purchased through a generous partnership with NorthShore University HealthSystem. LEGO WeDo Robotic programs for 1st-3rd and 4th-6th graders brought the house down! Watch for more of these in 2013.

Whew!

And I didn't even get to all the wonderful storytimes, outreach programs, workshops, book discussions, amazing volunteers, Family Science Expo, Art Attack, Battle of the Books, Reading is SO Delicious summer reading...I could go on! If you're not here with us, you're missing out. We are closed on Monday, December 31, and Tuesday, January 1, but we'll look forward to your visit in 2013. Happy New Year from all of us in the Des Plaines Public Library Youth Services Department.

Art Attack: Pinecones

If your child missed our first Art Attack program, have no fear.  You and your family can make a pine cone decoration at home.  All you need is ribbon, pins, and a styrofoam egg and you can make your house look festive for any holiday or decorate your child's bedroom with a fun accessory.  The best part is that your child can easily help with it all and you can have a lot of fun together for less than $10.

 

Art Attack is an ongoing program for 5th-8th graders here in the library.  Look for more fun Art Attack events going on throughout the year.  If you want to make a pinecone at home, just follow these directions here.

 

Have younger kids, but still want to have a fun day?  Try making snowflakes out of empty toilet paper rolls and plastic cups following the directions here.

Celebrate Family Reading Night

What is your family doing on Thursday, November 15th?  You have plans... and they involve the library.

Family Reading Night is a state-wide event  sponsored by Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian.  It encourages families to spend quality time reading together.

 

To aid in this effort, the library is providing 50 families with a library bag filled with hot chocolate for four and popcorn to share while you enjoy your family time.  Inside of the bag will also be five books for you to check out and share with your family.

 

Stop in from November 1st - 14th to pick up your family's bag and then share the treats and books with your family on the night of the 15th.  Post here to tell us about your night and if you enjoyed participating and remember to return the books when you are done.

 

*bags will be given out while supplies last, limit one bag per family*

(Summer) Reading is SO Delicious!

Thinking about how to guide your family's time this summer? Instead of lounging with a laptop or sprawling in front of a big screen, consider the wide variety of activities that are open to you at the Des Plaines Public Library this summer. Our annual Summer Reading Club "Reading is SO Delicious!" goes into full swing on Saturday, June 9 with a kickoff event that will surely tempt your taste buds for all the delectable things happening at the library this summer. The Fantastic Food Festival sponsored by the Friends of the Library includes scrumptious snacks, fabulous face painting, a creative craft, appetizing activities, and enticing entertainment for the entire family. June 9 is also your first opportunity to register to participate as a reader in the Reading is SO Delicious! Summer Reading Club. Stop in between 1:30-3:30 on June 9 to sample all the deliciousness of the day!

Don't think, though, that the savory summer ends there...no, no, no! Check out the Reading is SO Delicious! web site here, and our mouthwatering schedule of events here. Find something flavorful to fit any fancy. It's going to be a summer feast of fabulous-ness that's fit for a king!

Battle of the Books Teams Forming Now

Team registrations for the 2012 Battle of the Books begin this Sunday, March 11. Phone or visit the Youth Services Desk to sign up your child's team of three or four participants to compete either on Friday, April 27 (6th - 8th graders) or Friday, May 4 (4th - 5th graders). Both competitions will be held from 6:45 - 8 p.m. in Meeting Rooms B/C.

What do we need for registration? The names of the children participating, their school and grade, phone number, and an email address. Books will be available for check-out beginning Sunday, March 11 as well.

If your children have participated in previous years, you'll know that these events are always guaranteed to be lots of fun -- for participants and observers. We've selected some great titles this year, and for the first time many of the books are available to be downloaded to your e-reader through the library's catalog. In addition, we have two Kindle e-readers loaded with all eight of the 6th - 8th grade titles. They may be checked out for four weeks.

For more information or to see a list of this year's titles, please click here.

Get Ready, Get Set--National Gaming Day is Nearly Here!

The library will be THE place to be tomorrow, Saturday November 12. Why? It's National Gaming Day! Last year was the first year the library participated in National Gaming Day and this year is bigger and better. We'll have lots of gaming action for every age. Love Bingo? We'll have that! Your child interested in the Xbox Kinect? We've got that too! We'll also have Wii gaming, our popular Pokemon League, as well as lots of board games.

This will be the 4th annual National Gaming Day, which was developed by the American Library Association to bring communities together through their libraries via the social, educational, and fun medium of all different kinds of games. Over 1,800 libraries will be participating. Gaming is a great way for kids to challenge themselves, have fun with their family, and meet new friends! Please check out more information about National Gaming Day here.The library is excited to once again be participating in this annual event. We're also grateful for the financial support of our Friends of the Library who are funding this event.

The program will run from 10-3. Here is the breakdown of the schedule:
Bingo from 10-11:30 and 1:30-3 in Room A on 1st floor
Pokemon League from 10-12 in Program Room on 2nd floor
Wii from 10-1 (Wii Bowling) and 1:45-3 (Sports Resort) in Room B/C on 1st floor
Xbox Kinect from 10-12 (Kinect Joy Ride) and 12:45-3 (Kinect Adventures) in Room B/C on 1st floor
Board Games 10-3 on 2nd floor (check out at 2nd floor information desk)

Hope to see you there!

Are your children getting excited?!?

With the release of the newest and final Harry Potter movie, and its British premiere yesterday, your children are probably getting excited.  You may have sat with your children as your family read the first Harry Potter books aloud, or listened to them on a long car trip to a family vacation, or you may just know them through the movies.  Whatever the way you became familiar with Mr. Potter, there is no denying it... there is something about that kid.

If your family is getting as excited about movie 7.2, bring them in to the library on Tuesday, July 12th.  From 5:30 to 8:30 in the evening, we are having our Harry Potter Party where they can decorate their own wand, finger knit a house scarf, play in our Quidditch cup relay races, and enter the raffle to win one of our awesome wand making books.  During the party, the program Hidden Harry Potter will be going on in Friends rooms B and C on the first floor for adults and families with children 10 and up.  Movie expert Steven Frenzel will take you through the movies of Harry Potter to show you the hidden meaning behind the sets, lines, and what you can't see 'behind the scenes'.

While you are in, check out one of the books or Tony Award winning Audiobooks and share them with your family.  Start your own Harry Potter family tradition if it hasn't already been started.

Getting Closer!

Yesterday started the first day that kids could start coming in for Summer Reading Club prizes! It's been wonderful watching them get so excited about reading.  In case you haven't signed up yet, stop in to register your child or children.  

As your child reads, they can get a medieval scroll filled with all kinds of coupons for: Mexico Restaurant, Auntie Annie's Pretzels, Game Works, Kane County Cougars, and many more (for kids over 3), or a rubber ducky dressed as a knight, princess, dragon, or king (for kids under 3).

Stop in and join in on the fun - and grab our program guide so you can plan out your summer filled with Medieval Fun!

A Midsummer Knight's Read: Summer Reading Club 2011

Lords! Ladies!

Welcome the dawn of a new Summer Reading Club!

Registration begins June 4, 2011.

What a great opportunity to exercise your brain. During a time of year when we take for granted the physical activity we give our bodies...biking, swimming, all kinds of outdoor play...sometimes we neglect to exercise the most important part of our body - our BRAIN! Bring your children to sign up beginning June 4th to participate.  They can read by themselves or be read to and earn great prizes along the way.

The Summer Reading Club comes in two parts. Reading is it's own reward, but there are also tons of fun programs happening at the library this summer. This year's theme, A Midsummer Knight's Read, will explore both the facts and the fantasy of the medieval world. We will learn about kings, queens, princes, and princesses. We will make catapults and fairy wings. We will talk and dress like they did in the days of Shakespeare. It's going to be a summer of Medieval Madness!

We will be kicking off the Summer Reading Club on June 4th with a Marvelous Medieval Faire. Join us for this open house between 1-4 p.m. where there will be crafts, entertainment, treats, music, and more. After the fun is done here at the library, head over to Potbelly in Metropolitan Square for dinner to take part in our fundraiser! The library will receive a portion of the proceeds from all purchases made between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m.

National Poetry Month and Contest

Have you been in the library lately?  If so, you may have noticed colorful 81/2x11 sheets of paper adorning the walls of the 2nd floor.  It is our 2nd annual Poetry Scavenger Hunt funded by the Friends of the Library. 

This two part scavenger hunt asks children to find 24 poems scattered throughout the floor, followed by finding 12 poems specifically about subjects listed on the scavenger hunt list.  After finishing the first part, children are given a pen (with which to write their own poems) made out of 100% biodegradable materials, and they are given a matching notebook (with which to write their own poems) after finishing the second part.

Bring your kids in to participate today, and while you are here, check out the great poetry books we have in our poetry corner (you know... near the Poet Tree...).  They have all month to finish, so if they don't finish while you are here, come back anytime before the end of the month to find all of the poems!

Getting Good Deals

How money-savvy are your kids? I remember my father telling a story he heard from a colleague. The man's son had gone off to college with a checkbook in hand. The young student assumed that as long as there were checks left in the checkbook, there was still money in the account. You can imagine how that turned out. Teens make up an enormous chunk of the consuming public these days. Advertisers bombard teens with products and services clearly designed for their tastes and interests, and sometimes pushing them in directions they didn't even know they wanted to go. Help your teen be a conscientious consumer. The Des Plaines Public Library is once again a partner with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for Money Smart Week 2011, April 2-9. The library is hosting three Money Smart programs in April, one of which is Getting a Good Buy: A Money Smart Week Program for Teens. Professor Helen Roberts of the University of Illinois at Chicago Center for Economic Education will present a workshop of educational games and information for students in grades 7-12. Participants will take an active part in learning why the items we want to buy sometimes cost so much more at one store than they do at another, why buying things like smartphone plans and computers makes you feel like you're comparing apples and oranges. In this workshop we will work on taking the frustration and mystery out of getting the best deal.

Grandparents are VIPs

Our grandparents are one of a kind! Celebrate them by registering your child (ages 4 - 8 years old) and their grandpa, grandma, or both for the upcoming program, Grandpa, Grandma & Me Time on Saturday, March 26th from 10:30 a.m. - noon.  If you are a grandparent, we'd love to see you there with your grandchildren!  Register at the Youth Services Desk, 847-376-2839 or register online at www.dppl.org. Click on Events and follow directions.

It'll be a "grand" time for all with stories, refreshments, activities and a special photo craft to take home.

Get your children thinking about how special their grandparents are by reading books from the library's collection. Laura Numeroff's book, What Grandpas do Best : What Grandmas do Best is a tribute to the everyday things our grandparents do. Start with Grandpa and when you read halfway, flip the book upside down to start reading about Grandma!

Let's honor and recognize our loving grandparents for who they are to our families!

Friends of the Library Book Sale

It may not feel like spring, but the change of season is definitely on its way. Get a head start on some of your spring cleaning ambitions by donating your used books and other media to the Friends of the Library Book Sale, coming this April 1-3. Half the battle of cleaning house is knowing there is a place to deposit the items you discard. Most organizing experts say that it's best to start with three piles: 1) items that may be recycled, 2)items that may be for the trash, and 3) items that may be of use to others and so donated to a place that can redistribute your belongings. The Friends are happy to redistribute your items that were once loved, but are now just taking up space that could work harder for you than acting as receptacle for your read-once books and now uploaded CD's.

The Friends are a generous provider of funds that allow our Youth Services department to bring great entertainers to the library, to offer support for our programs such as Winter Reading Club and Summer Reading Club, and to assist us in providing ease of use to services like our Book Bags for Teachers.

April 1 is a members only chance to get first crack at the great deals the sale has to offer on used books and other materials. You can become a member at the door: $5 for individuals, $10 for families. The sale is open to the general public on Saturday April 2 and Sunday April 3.

See you there! I'm still enjoying the several cookbooks and exercise dvd's I picked up at last fall's event. You never know what kind of gems you might find...

Missed the Preschool Fair?

If you weren't one of the 45 families that made it out to our annual Preschool Fair, have no fear.  Each year, we compile one copy of the information each preschool and child care facility gives out and keep it in a binder at the Youth Services Desk. 

You can stop by the desk to see a list of the schools that participated in the fair, browse through the book, and copy any materials that might be helpful.  If you don't have time to stop in, you can always check out the website for the library to look at the list of preschools in Des Plaines here.

Let us know how we can help you, and make sure to come to next year's fair, January 14, 2012.

Free Preschool Fair for Parents

Finding the right preschool fit for your child can be a daunting task, especially with so many options available these days.  Parents are invited to learn more about area preschools at the Des Plaines Public Library's Annual Preschool Fair, Saturday January 22 from 11am to 12:30pm.  This fair is free and the first 40 families to attend will receive a DPPL tote bag and a copy of the 2010 Monarch Illinois Readers' Choice Award winning picture book, Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt, compliments of the Friends of the Library. 

Representatives from 26 schools located in Des Plaines and the surrounding area will be on hand to answer your questions, including:

Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School (Wheeling)

Brentwood Christian Academy (Des Plaines)

Bright Beginnings, Niles Park District (Niles)

Bright Horizons (Mount Prospect)

Children's Choice at Holy Family (Des Plaines)

Embers Elementary (Park Ridge)

First Congregational Preschool (Des Plaines)

Guardian Angel Day School (Des Plaines)

Illinois Action for Children (Chicago)

Immanuel Lutheran Preschool (Des Plaines)

Lattof YMCA (Des Plaines)

Little Lamb Preschool (Des Plaines)

Mary, Seat of Wisdom (Park Ridge)

Montessori Academy of Illinois (Park Ridge)

Mount Prospect Child Care, Inc. (Mount Prospect)

Oakton College Early Childhood Center (Des Plaines)

One Hope United Child Development Center (Des Plaines)

Our Lady of Destiny Preschool (Des Plaines)

Safari Daycare (Mount Prospect)

Saint John Brebeuf Preschool (Niles)

Saint Mark Preschool and Child Care (Mount Prospect)

Saint Zachary Catholic School (Des Plaines)

Science and Arts Academy (Des Plaines)

SPARK Preschool at Terrace School (Des Plaines)

STAR Preschool in District 62 (Des Plaines)

Trinity Preschool (Mount Prospect)

Stop in and explore your options!