Looking for great read-aloud suggestions or homeschooling advice? Check out the Read-Aloud Revival blog and podcast. Sarah Mackenzie has a passion for reading and books for all ages. She is a homeschool mom of five children. Check out the Read-Aloud website here: https://readaloudrevival.com/

Take the 1000 Hours Challenge! 1000 Hours Outside is an organization that encourages parents and kids to engage in more outdoor play and nature learning. Ginny, the organization’s founder, is also a homeschooling mom who is always happy to share resources and tips with parents considering homeschooling for their families.

Follow them on Instagram and Facebook @1000hoursoutside!

Here is the video tutorial for today’s craft project!

In case you missed Early Readers Book Club tonight, below is a video tutorial on how to make the cat art project that went along with the book we read: How to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps.

If you would like to read the book at home, we have a copy available at the library for checkout. It is also available on Overdrive.

The next Early Learners Book Club will be live online on Monday, September 21st at 5:00 PM.

On Tuesday, August 18, we will create penguins during storytime. The supplies you will need are scissors, glue, black pen or marker, black and white paper, orange paper -OR- an orange crayon, marker or colored pencil, and something round for tracing (I used an old coffee can lid.)

Beginning in August, we will be adding an Early Reader’s Book Club to our regularly scheduled programming. This will be a program for children in grades K-2 who are learning to read independently. We will read an award winning or nominated story and create a book related project.

Our first meeting is this coming Monday, August 17th at 5:00 PM. We will meet on Facebook Live, and we will create a fun cat art project. For the project, the participants will need a sheet of construction paper (it can be whichever color they would like their cat to be) and a blank sheet of paper to make a background (preferably a different color than the first sheet of construction paper.) They will also need scissors and a variety of crayons, colored pencils or markers.

Tomorrow during storytime, we will be making a paper clam shell. The template is below. For this project you will need: an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper (any color you choose) a pair of scissor and glue. Also, crayons or markers, if you’d like to color your clam shell.

If you’re looking for some screen free fun this summer, check out these activities from Demco.

Download the printable versions below!

Hello, everybody! We’ll be making a fun giraffe project during virtual storytime on Tuesday. Above is the PDF, so you can print it out, if you’d like to follow along. You will need two pieces of paper, (one for the giraffe and one for the background) scissors and glue. If you only have white paper at home, you could use crayons or markers to color the giraffe.

Hello, Everyone! Our visiting detectives sent a handout for parents about tonight’s presentation. We will leave the file here, so you can download it before the presentation tonight.

Below is the Bee craft we will make during storytime this coming Tuesday (June 30th.) You will need yellow, black and blue (or white) paper, scissor, glue, and a marker (if you’d like to draw a face on your bee.)

Hello, everyone! Welcome to Musical Mayhem! If you would like to complete the Music & Movement Mission in ReadSquared, you can follow along with this video and have a Jim Gill Dance Party at home!

Above is a PDF file for the craft project we will be creating together in Bookworm Buddies on Tuesday, June 23 at 10:30 AM. Print it on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, if you and your child would like to make the craft along with us. You will also need scissors and glue to make this craft. We hope you’ll join us on Tuesday!

The butterflies emerged from their cocoons! They stayed with us in the butterfly tent for a few days as they ate, rested and gained some strength. Then we set them free into the wild. Watch their journey in the video below.

Click the “Download” button to download a copy of the coloring sheet for the Will County Fair coloring contest!

Hello, friends! Our caterpillars are really growing, so I wanted to share a quick video, so you can see their progress too!

As the weather gets nicer, and we’re spending more time outside, it’s the perfect time to print this free weather wheel from Adventure in a Box! This is a great STEAM activity for preschool and kindergarten age children.

Be sure to check out @macbarnett on Instagram, and tune into Mac’s Book Club Show where, “hats are optional but encouraged.” Every afternoon, Mac Barnett posts a new video in which he reads a picture book he has written. And every evening he makes a new Chapter Books After Dark episode in which he reads a chapter from one of his middle grade books. There are plenty of laughs and fun for both children and adults.

And speaking of Instagram, be sure to check out @peotonepubliclibrary! We have opened a new Instagram account! We hope you’ll follow us for library pictures and updates.

Do you love science? Do you ever wonder why we eat or how gravity keeps us stuck to the ground? You’ll get answers to these questions and more on Crash Course Kids.

And if you have even more questions about the world, check out Wonderopolis, where kids can ask questions like, “How are planes safer than cars?” or “What is a Yeti Crab?” and get the answers they are looking for!

You can also do some doodling with Mo Willems! Check out his YouTube Show Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems.

Check out these fun crafting videos with bunnies and chicks just in time for Easter! For most of the crafts, all you need is paper, scissors and glue!

Harry Potter at Home is “bringing Hogwarts to you,” with crafts, quizzes, puzzles and more! Click on this link to join the fun!

Hello, Everyone! If you’re looking for even more online fun for kids, check out KidLit TV! Listen to stories, watch crafting tutorials, learn about upcoming children’s books, and more!

Scholastic has put together free lessons for ages PreK-9th grade! There are activities, stories read aloud, eBooks and magazines to keep kids reading, thinking and growing! Follow this link for more information.

It can be a lonely time for kids, when they are not able to see their friends at school everyday. Here are some fun ideas from Adventure in a Box to get your kids chatting and playing with their friends over FaceTime, Google Hangouts or any other video chatting apps you might have on your phones and devices. Check out the blog post here: Games to Play on Facetime with Friends. Also be sure to check out their Free Printables page for some screen free fun, like games, art projects and more! Adventure in a Box: Free Printables.

We will not be able to meet in person for storytime today, and our hunt for Leprechaun gold will have to be postponed. We are looking out for the safety of everyone, but we will still miss you all until we can meet again. So on the days that we cannot meet in person, I’ll be posting stories and songs, here on the Kids Page, that you can share at home together! Also, be sure to check out Tumblebooks on our resources page for even more stories!

Due to current health concerns, we have decided to cancel all adult, teen and children’s programs through March 31st. Programs may resume in April. Keep checking our website and Facebook page for further updates.

In the meantime, check out our web resources for eBooks, eAudiobooks, and streaming services that you can access with your library card. Go to Tumblebooks on our Resources page for free online picture books and juvenile books.

Did you read the Rebecca Caudill nominees this year? Come to the library to vote on your favorites! This month is the Tournament of Books where books will face off against one another March Madness style!

Just in time for spring, here are a few books that will hopefully inspire us to spend some time outside, especially as the weather gets a little warmer and the sun begins to shine!