Your Libraries
Now that you have lost that one precious hour of sleep because of daylight-saving time, hopefully you are not too tired to go out after dinner and run around the yard with your children.
Mud season has arrived in all its glory from the rain of this past weekend. The children have their mud boots on and are making their mud pies already. Now if we can keep the snow away for the rest of this month, we should be golden.
Why not take your children outside for some fresh air and quality family time? With video games, television, cell phones and computers vying for their attention, it is not surprising that kids spend a lot of their free time inside. Children must become "unplugged" and discover nature at an early age so they will become future protectors of the environment. There are several new books out which will help our children discover nature.
"The Green Hour: A Daily Dose of Nature for Happier, Healthier, Smarter Kids" by Todd Christopher is a field guide to outdoor adventures. It offers activities, fun facts, science lessons and advice for engaging children in outdoor nature play.
Each activity is adaptable for children of all ages, abilities and learning styles. Try to schedule daily outdoor time with your child. Set an example and step away from the computer or cell phone, and go outside. Time spent outside together helps families connect.
"Let's Go Outside: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Child Closer to Nature" by Jennifer Ward is geared for families with children ages 8 to 12. As children get older and more socially active, it becomes harder to come up with fun things to do outside that will appeal to them and allow them to connect with the whole family.
This publication has 52 old and new activities and ideas for families, whether you live in the city or out in the country. This book will get the whole family outside and have them running, dancing, hiking or camping, and having fun. Through a series of activities designed to engage young minds and all five senses, this book reminds us of the magic that can be found outdoors in nature.
Whether you read these books or have your favorites, why not make this spring a time of family enjoyment and discovery in the outdoors? The exercise and fresh air they are getting will certainly be good for them and the whole family.
Why not stop by the library and see what other books are available for this spring? Spring books have arrived already on the main floor of the library.
Upcoming events
April 12: 7 p.m., adult book group
April 14: 10 a.m., preschool story hour registration. We offer five story hours per week for ages 2-6. Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays, 10 a.m., 2- and 3-year-olds; Mondays or Wednesdays, 1 p.m.; ages 3-6. We will mix and match ages to accommodate families whose ages overlap.
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Linda Merrill is the director of Taylor Library, 49 East Derry Road in Derry. For more information on library events, call 432-7186 or visit the library's Web site at www.taylorlibrary.org. You can access the card catalog or an e-mail from this site.
