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The Explorer
Your library's blog for kids and their grown-ups!
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| Holiday closings
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The Library is closed on the following holidays:
New Year's Day
Easter
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
The Library closes at 5:00pm
on New Year's Eve
The Library will be closed
on December 11, 2009
for Staff Training Day
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| Don't miss out!
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Find out what's happening @your Library before it happens!
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Greetings!
Cold weather is here, winter holidays are coming up, and the Preschool and Child Care Fair is right around the corner. If you would like to promote your school or child care facility to the public on Tuesday, January 26 from 6:30 to 8:30pm, please be sure to register online by January 22. |
| Library Closed. Books Open.
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The Library will be closed on Friday, December 11, 2009 for staff training. On that day, Library materials may still be returned to the outside book drops on the south side of the Library.
Even though the physical Library will be closed, the digital library will still be open! You may download eBooks and eAudiobooks with your Skokie Public Library Card through the North Suburban Digital Consortium on any day at any time. Other digital media also available from the Library's website includes Music Online and TumbleBooks.
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| Holiday Programs
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Join us for these holiday celebrations throughout December! Programs marked with * require advance registration. Sign up online or call the Youth Services Desk at 847.324.3149.
- Pajama Storytime: Gingerbread Tales *
Wednesday, December 9 at 7:00pm
Join us for gingerbread stories and other cookie tales. Who knows, we might even have a gingerbread cookie treat! Don't forget to wear your pajamas. For ages 2 to 7.
- Nut Tapper
Saturday, December 12 at 4:00pm
The Nut Tapper is an annual holiday production directed by Reggio "The Hoofer" McLaughlin. The show includes both students and professional dancers in a unique spirited, exhilarating, multicultural percussive variation of the classic ballet from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. Free tickets will be available at 3:30pm.
- Family Fun @ Your Library...
Holidays around the World
Monday, December 21 at 3:30pm
Come participate in our hands-on holiday journey around the world with Kidworks Touring Theatre Company! Play a role in the first Christmas tree story from Germany, spin the Chanukah Dreidel, act out an African-American Kwanzaa ceremony, parade under the Chinese Dragon and sing Feliz Navidad. Free tickets will be available at 3:00.
Let's Build a Gingerbread Train
Tuesday, December 22 at 10:00am
Drop in during winter break and help us build a gingerbread train.
New Year's Eve Extravaganza *
Thursday, December 31 at 11:00am
Join
us for games and other family fun events. We will ring in the new year a bit early at 12:00noon. Please bring a snack to share with everyone who attends our New Year's Eve Party.
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| Family Winter Reading Club
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 January 2 through February 15, 2010
On those cold winter nights that soon will be upon us there is nothing better than families warming up with a good book. Encourage families to visit the Library beginning January 2 to join our Family Winter Reading Club. Families that successfully complete the reading club will receive a special invitation to an after-hours event featuring family bingo, dessert, and a magical performance by Dennis DeBondt, the Sears Tower of Magic. This event is only open to families that complete the winter reading program.
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Learning Basket Parenting Series
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 The Niles Township Schools' ELL Parent Center is offering free parent training for residents of Skokie, Morton Grove, Niles, and Lincolnwood. The Learning Basket, a program of The Institute of Cultural Affairs, is a 22-week series of group discussions and instructional time that focuses on the importance of parents as teachers. Parents of children from birth to age 3 will learn about child growth and development and experience the benefit of interactive playtime with simple toys. Participants will receive a Play to Learn activity book and each of the 18 toys used during the group discussions. The Learning Basket series will be held at the ELL Center at 9440 N. Kenton Avenue in Skokie on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 11:00am beginning December 2, 2009. To register, call 847.568.7611. English language learners are encouraged to join.
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| Teacher's Toolbox
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Web links...
Reading Rockets
is a national multimedia project offering information and resources on how
young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.
The Reading Rockets website has a wealth of
early literacy articles, handouts, videos, and webcasts for teachers and child
care providers. Take a look at the the Early Literacy videos and podcasts, and the Reading Tips for Parents sheet, which is available in English and 10 other
languages!
 Book Links...
Winter holiday books will begin flying off the shelves
this month! Please call the Youth Services Department at 847.324.3149 if you
would like books on winter, Hanukkah, Christmas,
Kwanzaa, or New Year's Eve set aside for check out.
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| Holly's Helpful Hints
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 Research shows that children are better able to retell oral stories than they are able to retell picture book readings. When told a story without the use of visuals, they use more vocabulary words and retell the story for a greater length of time than they do if they hear the story as a read-aloud. That's why I continue to share Mr. Wiggle and Mr. Waggle during my preschool visits. Children love to move their hands to the story (great for kinesthetic learners) and suggest activities for Mr. Wiggle and Mr. Waggle to play (beginnings of narrative skills)!
Holly Jin
Preschool Services Coordinator
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