Sunday, August 9, 2020

Take-and-make Crafts and Summer Reading Prize Pickup

Update: These crafts have already been distributed. Check back for the next set of crafts which will be available to request beginning on August 17 and to pick up the week of August 24.

If you have any questions about this set or future sets, please let us know at youth@milanlibrary.org.

Additional information about this set:

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

This activity contains a booklet of the story that you can color and the pieces you'll need to retell the story.

See a video of Ms. Jennifer reading The Three Billy Goats Gruff here and see a video explaining how to make the project here.  

The password to view the videos is the first 5 digits of your Milan library card followed by -goats
(#####-goats). If you do not have a Milan library card (or don't know where it is), email us at youth@milanlibrary.org for the password.


All About Me

This activity will tie into the theme for Storytime on 8/14 and Adventurers on 8/19.  If you would like to attend either and haven't registered, please email us at youth@milanlibrary.org and we'll send you the Zoom information.

This activity includes an outline of a person.  We will complete these to look like ourselves in Adventurers.  If you attend Adventurers, please have that page and markers, crayons, or colored pencils with you. If your child wants to make theirs early, that's OK!  They can bring them to the event to show us - or not - their choice!  I'll mention them in Storytime, but we won't make them during our Zoom event.. Storytime children can make them after the event.  

If you're creating on your own, your child can decorate the person to represent themselves.  You can talk about hair color and length, eye color, things they like to wear, and other characteristics that can be seen - and add these features to the outline.  You can also talk about how who we are is more than just what can be seen.  What do they like to do?  What is their personality like? What other characteristics do they have (compassionate, quiet, loud, funny,  etc.)  How can you represent those characteristics in their image (add sports equipment, a heart, etc.).  Your conversations and their drawings can be as simple or as complex as is best for your child.  

You can then cut it out and use it as a bookmark or hang it on the refrigerator or a bulletin board - or leave it as a full page if you've added more details around the person.  

There is also an All About Me booklet for your child to fill in.

Tangrams

A tangram is a traditional Chinese puzzle made of seven pieces (one parallelogram, one square and five triangles) that can be arranged to match particular designs.

You'll cut out the pieces you received and can color them, if you'd like.  

Can you use your seven pieces to create the images in the pictures that were included with your tangram?  You can rotate and turn over each shape. If it's not working one way, try other positions for the shapes. 

Younger children received images to create that had each shape visible.  Older children received mages with the outline of an object, so they will determine which shape needs to go where. If you'd like the other set, let us know and we'll get them to you.

Younger children:

Youngest children or anyone just starting can lay their tangram pieces directly on the shapes in the images.

Ready for a little more of a challenge? Try to create the image right next to the paper instead of on top of the image. 

Older children:

You'll have outlines of images.  Try to create the images with your shapes.  Remember you can turn each shape around and turn them over.  If they don't fit one way, try other ways.  

Ready for more of a challenge?  Can you create the letters in your name?  Remember you should use all seven shapes to make an image.  Can you find a way to create each letter using all seven?

Dragons 

You had two options for dragons: a cardboard tube dragon and a pipe cleaner dragon.  Both were part of our Weekly Challenge this week, which was to create a dragon and a dragon's lair.  You can see more about the Weekly Challenge here

Dragon Option #1 (cardboard tube dragon)

Here's a video showing how you can help your dragon fly on the yarn.

If you’re using a paper towel tube to make your dragon, cut it so one piece is 4 inches long. If you requested a tube, it's in your bag.

To make your dragon:

1. Cut out the head, wings, and tail.  

2. Draw a face on the head.

3. The rectangle will be the body.  You can decorate it if you want to. 

4. Put glue on the back of the rectangular paper.  Make sure you get glue on the edges.  

5. Wrap the paper around the cardboard tube.  Hold it on and count to 30.  

6. Glue on the head, wings, and tail.

7. Give your dragon a little time to dry.

8. Put both pieces of yarn through the inside of the tube.  Someone else can hold one end or you can tie one end to something that won’t move.

9. Move the dragon to your end of the yarn.  Hold one piece of yarn in each hand and hold both hands close together.  Then quickly move your hands away from each other to spread out the yarn and then bring your hands back together.  This will send your dragon flying across the yarn.


Dragon option #2 - (pipe cleaner dragon)

First, I'm sorry I neglected to include glue dots in your kit. A glue gun, craft glue, or Elmer's-type glue (and holding or propping the piece in place until it dries a little) will all work.  The eyes are peel-and-stick, but may need reinforcement on the fuzzy pipe cleaner.  If you'd like to pick up glue dots from the library, let me know and I'll leave some for you to pick up.

 Here is an example and some suggestions for making a dragon with pipe cleaners.  You can make your dragon however you would like!

You can make the head by forming the pipe cleaner in a circle and using part of that pipe cleaner as the neck to attach to the body.

You can use a craft stick to give the body shape and wrap another pipe cleaner around the neck and the craft stick for the body.

You can make wings, feet, and anything else your dragon needs out of the foam. 


Paper Plate Maze

Use the paper strips to make a maze for your marble or pom-pom.  Make sure there’s enough room under the arch of the paper for your marble or pom-pom to roll under.  You can make the arches smaller to make your maze more challenging and put them in any design you choose.


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We are offering take-and-make crafts for you to pick up from the library and take home to make.

Choices this week are:
- 3 Billy Goats Gruff craft and story booklet
- All About Me project
- Tangrams
 - Dragon craft - 2 options, one for younger, one for older children. You can request either or both.
- Paper plate maze

Please fill out the form here. We will make just enough kits to fill the requests on that form, so make sure you fill out the form if you want to pick up crafts.

Links to videos and additional information about the projects will be available here beginning on Thursday.

When:

You can pick up crafts and Summer Reading Prizes on:

Thursday, August 13: 2:00 - 3:00
Thursday, August 13: 5:00-6:00
During those times, we will be outside the library with the crafts and prizes. Stop by any time during those two hours to pick up your items.

If you cannot come during either of those times, you may come by:
Thursday, August 13: 3:00 - 5:00 and 6:00 - 6:30
Call when you arrive and we will bring your items out to you.


If you cannot come during any of those times, please let us know on the form (here) or by email (youth@milanlibrary.org) and we'll work out a time for you to pick them up.

Summer Reading Prizes:

If you are only picking up Summer Reading prizes, make sure you have told us your choice on this form and then stop by during any of the times listed above.

Crafts:

If you would like to pick up craft kits to take home and make, p
lease fill out the form here.

Additional Information:

More information about our Summer Reading Program is here:
Children's Summer Reading Program

TNT Summer Reading Program

If you have any questions, please email us at youth@milanlibrary.org.

Monday, August 3, 2020

Weekly Challenge 8: Recreate a book cover

Your challenge this week is to use items you have at your house to recreate the image on a book cover. 


You can recreate the cover of a book you have at your house, a book you've checked out from the library, or a book you've seen anywhere else. You can dress up like a character on the cover, recruit your pet or stuffed animal if an animal is on the cover, or recreate any other image from the cover with supplies you have around your house.


Thank you, Franklin, for the example!


We'd like to see your recreations. If you'd like to share yours, you will get an entry in our Summer Reading Program prize drawing. You can email it to youth@milanlibrary.org or post it as a comment here.  We manually approve comments to prevent spam, so it won't show up on the page right away, but will be posted when we approve it.











Monday, July 27, 2020

Weekly Challenge 7: Fairy Tale Fitness


Thank you, Huron Public Library, for allowing us to share your Fairy Tale Fitness activity!

Watch the video below to see fun Fairy Tale Fitness activities: roll like a carriage, climb up a beanstalk, and more! You can download the cards to print at home or request a copy to pick up from the library tomorrow afternoon. Choose a card, do the activity, and repeat!

See the video here:



Download and print the cards here
To request a copy of the cards to pick up from the library, fill out this form.




MI Library Quest (for 6th - 12th graders) continues from last week. Find clues on library websites, save the kingdom from the bronze dragon, and be entered to win prizes! Enter by July 30; winners will be announced on July 31. See details here

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Take-and-make Crafts and Summer Reading Prize Pickup

We are offering take-and-make crafts for you to pick up from the library and take home to make.

UPDATE: See information about our second Craft and Prize Pickup on August 13 here.

UPDATE: The Little Red Hen videos are here:
The Red Hen by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley
Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza retold by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Amy Walrod
The password to view them is the first 5 digits of your Milan library card followed by -redhen
(#####-redhen)
If you do not have a Milan library card (or don't know where it is!), email us at youth@milanlibrary.org for the password.
Both books were intended to be in one video, but they ended up in two. If you watch both of them you'll get the intro in the first one and the wrap-up at the end of the second one.

Choices are:
- Little Red Hen paper bag puppet
- Shakers (We'll use in Storytime on Zoom. Anyone can make.)
- Crowns (Our project for the next Adventurers. Anyone can make.)
 - Minute to Win It activities (Our activity for the next Explorers.)
- Fairy Tale Fitness cards (Weekly Challenge 7/27 - for anyone!)
- Dragon craft (Weekly Challenge 8/3 - for anyone!) Update: Dragons will not be available at this pickup. They will be available next time.

Please fill out the form here. We will make just enough kits to fill the requests on that form, so make sure you fill out the form if you want to pick up crafts.

You can pick up crafts and Summer Reading Prizes (book for reading for 20 days) on:

Tuesday, July 28: 2:00 - 3:00
Tuesday, July 28: 5:30 - 6:30
During those times, we will be outside the library with the crafts and prizes. Stop by any time during those two hours to pick up your items.

If you cannot come during either of those times, you may come by:
Tuesday, July 28: 3:00 - 5:30
Thursday, July 30: 4:00 - 6:30
Call when you arrive and we will bring your items out to you.


If you cannot come during any of those times, please email us at youth@milanlibrary.org and we'll work out a time for you to pick them up.

If you are only picking up your prize book (for reading for 20 days), make sure you have told us your choice on this form and then stop by during any of the times listed above.

If you would like to pick up craft kits to take home and make, p
lease fill out the form here.

More information about our Summer Reading Program is here:
Children's Summer Reading Program

TNT Summer Reading Program

If you have any questions, please email us at youth@milanlibrary.org.


Monday, July 20, 2020

Weekly Challenge 6: Scavenger Hunt



This week's challenge is to go on a scavenger hunt. You can try one of these or create your own.  

Scavenger hunts can be fun for the entire family. Choose one that interests your family and enjoy finding things together. Older children and teens may want to incorporate photography and take pictures of what they find.  

Teens (6th - 12th grade), can also participate in MI Library Quest, a virtual scavenger hunt happening this month.  See details here.  

Outdoor scavenger hunt
source: South Brunswick Public Library


source: funathomewithkids.com


Indoor scavenger hunt

source: South Brunswick Public Library

Alphabet scavenger hunt

Write each letter of the alphabet on a piece of paper - or on your phone, tablet, or other device.  Find something that starts with each letter

Color scavenger hunt

Write the names of colors on a piece of paper - or on your phone, tablet, or other device.  Find something that is each color.

Make your own scavenger hunt

Everyone in the family can add a few things to look for.  Write or draw them and see what you can find!




Monday, July 6, 2020

Weekly Challenge 4: Names in Nature


This week's challenge is Names in Nature.

Take a walk outside and either:

  • find the letters of your name in what you see around you.  Perhaps tree branches look like the letter A or a water puddle looks like an O.  Take a picture of each letter of your name.
  • collect things from your nature walk - twigs or leaves that are on the ground. When you get home, write your name on a piece of paper and put the items you collected on top of the letters to create your name.  
Photo source: https://www.poudrelibraries.org/

Sunday, July 5, 2020

How do I find books when I can't see them in the library?

Curbside Pickup is available for you to check out books, DVDs, and other items from the library.  We know it can be challenging to find what you're looking for without being in the library to browse through our shelves.  Here are some ways you can find items.

  1. If you know exactly what you're looking for, you can search for and reserve it in our catalog here

    If you don't remember your password, you should be able to send a password reminder or reset to your email address. If that doesn't work or you'd like us to reset it for you, please email youth@milanlibrary.org.

  2. You can also search our catalog for a topic you're interested in.  You can narrow down the results by area of the library (children, teen, adult) and other criteria (fiction or nonfiction, books or audiobooks, etc.)  

    This video will provide tips for searching our catalog for children's items:

      

    And this video provides tips for searching by Guided Reading Level.  We have a lot of books in our library that don't have a level assigned in our catalog, but could be great books for your child.  This search will give you some ideas. Please let us know if you'd like other suggestions.




  3. You can fill out a Book Bundle request letting us know what children or teens would like to read and we will choose books for you to check out.  See more information and fill out the form here

  4. We periodically include pictures and videos of new items on our social media accounts and in our youth newsletters.  You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram and sign up for our children's newsletter and TNT (Teen & Tween) newsletter to see those updates. 
    Update: A Facebook album with new book images is here and we have started a playlist for videos of new books here.

  5. You can email us with any questions: youth@milanlibrary.org.