Kids Blog

Play Builds Brain AND Body Muscles!

Children should play like it’s their job, because it is! It’s how they learn about the world in a controlled manner. Giving children time to play outside yields big benefits for developing brains and bodies in the following ways including, but not limited to:

Sing Your Reading! The Musical Human Brain

Once upon a time, humans did not speak. They sung. At least, that is one fascinating theory that some evolutionary scientists believe. Before we needed separate, distinct words to communicate with each other, humans got by with using melodic sounds and gestures to convey emotions and concepts. I love this! 

Pump Up the Volume! Why “Volume of Reading” Will Make Your Child a SUPER Reader

Did you know that the Antarctic Blue Whale is the largest animal in the world? It weighs up to 400,000 pounds (the equivalent of 30 elephants, give or take a few Dumbos) and can be as long as two and a half school buses. Most whales prefer living in the “twilight zone” (yes, that’s a real thing!) level of the ocean, though they can sometimes dive into deeper zones.

Feelings...They're Just SO BIG!

Have you ever been around a child who tried to tie their shoes and had a meltdown? Many times, a parent will step in and say something like: “Oh my, it looks like you are pretty frustrated today!” This brilliant bit of parenting not only helps defuse the situation, but it also helps the child identify the big feelings they are having and it’s only one of the many tools adults can use to help their child identify what they are feeling.

Verb: It's an Action! Moving with Your Books

What is more fun than reading a book? Reading a book and working on building other skills at the same time! Reading books aloud is a crucial early literacy activity that stimulates the brain of both the reader and the listener. (Yes, you are working your brain too, grown person!) Reading is what libraries across the world promote to help build literacy skills. But what if I told you, you could super charge and cross train your mind to build multiple skills at one time?

Learning & Celebrating Black History!

Goldilocks Isn’t Always Right: Pleasure, Positive Attitudes, & Why You Should Sometimes Ignore Reading Levels

Schools often put books into different levels to help kids find “just right” books that aren’t too hard or too easy for students’ reading abilities. If a child checks out a book from their school, chances are that the book will have some sort of color or letter (A-Z), to help find appropriate books.

Singing, Singing Little Stars!

“It’s the same song!” a family member says to the room as she starts singing the ageless lullaby Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star much to the joy of the only 2-year-old in the room. “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” they sing together. “H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P” my family member finishes to prove her point. (Go ahead, try it yourself!)

Forget the Flashcards! Try Homework Help Now

Flashcards are a tried and true method for learning facts. Flipping over cards to confirm your knowledge is great study tool, but how much more engaging and fun would learning be if you could practice the facts you’ve learned with interactive games? The Homework Help Now database offers the opportunity to memorize what you’ve learned with fun activities:  

Graphic Novels ARE "Real" Books!

I see it nearly every day at my branch. A child approaches me to request the latest Big Nate or Zelda and their grownup says “No, I want you to read a real book.” Cue disappointed wah wah sound effect and sometimes tears.  Despite what might have been presented in the past to parents, studies repeatedly demonstrate that Comics (or Graphic Novels if you prefer) have great benefits to children, including but not limited to the following: