Winter Fun Handmade Ornaments
R
December 10, 6:30 pm, Washington Square Decorate special shapes with markers and craft items. For ages 3-5 accompanied by an adult. December 16, 6:30 pm, Eastwood Make some cool and festive ornaments. Grades K-4.
Gingerbread Houses
R
December 13, 11 am, Oshtemo December 17, 6:30 pm, Washington Square Holiday time is gingerbread house-making time! Create your own masterpiece using crackers, frosting, and candies. Registration required. Call the branch library to register. Grades 2-6.
Box Decoupage
R
December 17, 6 pm, Powell Make decoupage gift boxes for yourself or to give away as a gift. Grades 1-6.
Make it, Take It Winter and Holiday Crafts December 18, 10 am-6 pm, Eastwood December 19, 12-5 pm, Eastwood December 20, 10 am-5 pm, Eastwood December 22, 12-6 pm, Eastwood Come make a craft or two anytime during our open hours. Grades K-5.
Holiday Cookie Decorating December 23, 3-5 pm, Powell Enjoy good company while sprinkling and frosting cookies for holiday treats. Grades 1-6.
Game Day December 26, 12-4 pm, Powell January 2, 12-4 pm, Powell Bring in friends and family to challenge them to a game of checkers, chess, scramble, or kerplunk. Family program.
Movie and Popcorn Kung Fu Panda, December 27, 2 pm, Powell First-rate movie, first-rate popcorn! Yummy! Family program, young children must be accompanied by an adult or caregiver.
Aerial Angels
December 29, 11 am, Central These high-flying circus artists will perform feats of grace, strength, and beauty suspended between floors of the library rotunda. An awesome sight!
Winter
Storytimes
December 2008 - February 2009
Preschool Storytime, 3½-5 years
December 30, 2 pm, Washington Square Decorate an edible New Year’s Hat. Eat it or keep it until January1! Family program.
Storytimes for children from birth to 5 years. Librarians consider children’s developmental stages when planning stories, fingerplays, and craft activities. Please enroll your child in the appropriate program, and bring only the child who is registered to each session. An adult caregiver must accompany babies and toddlers up to 3½ years. Questions? Talk to your children’s librarian.
December 4, 11, 18, 10:30 am, Eastwood January 5, 12, 19, 26, 10 am, Central February 6, 13, 20, 27, 10:30 am, Washington Square This first “on your own” storytime for preschoolers includes stories, crafts, fingerplays, and other fun activities.
From the Heart
Baby Storytime I, birth-walking
Family Storytime
February 2, 3 & 4, 10 am-8 pm, Central February 2, 2-8 pm, Oshtemo February 3, 12-5 pm, Oshtemo February 7, 2-4 pm, Powell February 9 & 10, 4-6 pm, Powell February 9 & 11, 12-6 pm, Eastwood February 10, 1-8 pm, Eastwood February 9 & 10, 1-5:30 pm, Washington Square February 11, 1-7:30 pm, Washington Square Spread a little joy. Help us make Valentines for residents of local nursing homes.
December 5, 12, 19, 10:15 am, Washington Square January 8, 15, 22, 29, 10:15 am, Oshtemo February 5, 12, 19, 26, 10 am, Eastwood Storytime for the youngest library patron! 15-30 minutes of rhymes, songs, and books followed by a chance to talk and bond with other caregivers.
December 3, 10, 17, 10:30 am, Oshtemo January 7, 14, 21, 28, 10 am, Eastwood February 2, 9, 16, 23, 10 am, Central Storytime for the whole family! If program is at noon, feel free to bring your own brownbag lunch and a beverage, and we will entertain you while you eat!
Baby Storytime II, walking-2 years
Storytime with Mr. Steve & Friends
Yummy New Year’s Hats
R
The Tooth Fairy Has Landed
R
February 4, 6:30 pm, Washington Square Celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month. Enjoy tooth fairy stories and learn about customs around the world. Bring your “toothless smile”! Grades K-2.
Music and Make Believe (M&Ms)
R
February 10 & 11, 9:30 & 10:30 am, Central February 12, 10:30 am, Washington Square Based on Jan Brett’s book Berlioz the Bear, M&Ms features a storytime, a craft, and a child-friendly performance by the KSO’s string quartet. Ages 4-6 years. Groups welcome. Registration required. Call the participating library to register.
R
R
December 5, 12, 19, 11 am, Washington Square January 8, 15, 22, 29, 11 am, Oshtemo February 5, 12, 19, 26, 10:45 am, Eastwood 15-30 minutes of rhymes, songs, and books that give your little one a chance to try the newly learned skills of walking, clapping, jumping, and dancing.
Toddler Storytime, 2-3½ years
R
January 22, 6:30 pm, Central February 25, 6:30 pm, Central A storytime for the whole family, complete with celebrity readers, musical guests, and zany crafts. Expect the unexpected when Mr. Steve gets a little help from his friends.
R
December 1, 8, 15, 22, 10 am, Central January 9, 16, 23, 30, 10:30 am, Washington Square February 4, 11, 18, 25, 10:30 am, Oshtemo Toddlers and caregivers will enjoy this lap-sit of stories, songs, and a simple craft.
The New & Old Like all of Central Library, the Children’s Room sports brand new carpeting. Bright, bold blocks of color echo the service desk and delight the eye. New seating groups encourage children and families to browse the wide variety of magazines. New displays feature the newest books and the growing collection of Libros en Español. Less than 20 years ago, the Children’s Room was a utilitarian space with linoleum floors and beige walls. Early in 1990, KPL received a grant from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation to transform the room. With that gift, the library commissioned several artists to spark our imaginations with original artwork. Author/illustrator David Small painted a pillar with nursery rhyme characters. Artist Dee Durkee sculpted Jack and his beanstalk. Architect Michael Dunn designed the castle entrance to the Story Room. Jamie Rife created three vibrant stained glass windows. Storybook characters surround the pillar painted by Barbara Thiery Buysee.
Locations Central Library Children’s Room 315 S Rose St 553-7804
Alma Powell 1000 W Paterson St 553-7960
Framed artwork hangs throughout the room, from the newest paper painting by Denise Fleming in 2005 to the “picture-letter” created in 1881 by a young Lucy Fitch who later wrote and illustrated 24 very popular books about twins.
Eastwood
Oshtemo
Learn more about the Children’s Room art, including the Alice in Wonderland murals by Conrad Kaufman, at www.kpl.gov/kids.
1112 Gayle Ave 553-7810
7265 W Main St 553-7980
Washington Square 1244 Portage St 553-7970
African Storytellers February 18, 6 pm, Powell WMU student Peter Ruei became a “Lost Boy of Sudan” as a baby when he was separated from his family after war broke out in 1987. Peter and other students from Africa will share stories heard around camp fires about overcoming life’s obstacles and taking advantage of opportunities, like The Kalamazoo Promise.
R
Registration required. Registration begins 30 days before program. Please call the library location to register.
www.kpl.gov