Library a busy place during spring break
Hopefully by the time you’re reading this article, most of the snow will have melted (except on local ski hills, of course), the birds will be chirping, and the Àrst green buds of the season will be sprouting — spring will have sprung.
It sure has felt like a long winter in the Okanagan. For students in our city, spring also means spring break ñ two glorious weeks to relax and have fun.
If you are planning a staycation, be sure to include a stop at Westbank Library. We have plenty of great programs going on this month, as well as some fun reads for your school-aged child. Read on for some suggestions.
Pirates! We will kick off our spring break programming with a special family Pirate Storytime on Saturday, March 18 from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m.
If you’re interested in reading more about pirates, we have pirate storybooks, chapter books, DVDs and even Lego books featuring pirates.
The Usborne Official Pirate’s Handbook
By Captain Indigo Stormface (aka Sam Taplin)
Illustrated by Neddy “Fingers” Sharktooth (aka Ian McNee)
Young landlubbers can become the Àercest of pirates by Ànding out how to keep their ship in tip-top shape, the best way to settle an argument with a shipmate, and how to survive a storm at sea. This book reveals the true nature of piracy to be more fascinating than the myths of peg-legs, eye patches, and parrots.
Did you know that there is an annual International Talk like a Pirate Day on Sept. 19? Come to our storytime to get started.
Older kids can perfect their duct tape skills at Westbank Library’s Duct Tape Pencil Case program on Monday, March 20, from 3 to 4 p.m. Registration is required as supplies are limited.
If you’re feeling inspired to try duct tape crafting on your own, we have several books to get you started.
Our duct tape “expert” Rhonda Evans recommends Sticky Fingers: DIY Duct Tape Projects by Sophie Maletsky. It includes step-by-step instructions from easy to more difÀcult projects: make wallets, bookmarks, a bag ñ the possibilities are endless.
Keep your mind active this spring break with chess — the perfect game for developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Our Learn to Play Chess program for kids will run on Wednesday, March 22 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
To get inspired, your family may consider watching the new PGrated Àlm Disney’s The Queen of Katwe, based on the book by the same title in our adult biography section. It tells the story of 15year-old PMutesi, born and raised in a Ugandan slum. She sleeps in a mud hut with her mother and four siblings and struggles to Ànd a single meal each day. Phiona has been in and out of school her whole life because her mother cannot afford to send her, so she is only now learning to read and write. Phiona Mutesi is also one of the top chess players in the world. Suitable for older kids and teens, the DVD is a new release, so be sure to put your name down on our hold list.
If you like structures and building with Lego, youíll enjoy our Build with Keva Planks program on Wednesday, March 29, from 3 to 4 p.m. Keva planks are simple wooden building blocks that come with contraptions to make bridges and other structures.
The library has plenty of Lego and structure books for you to get ideas. Why not try downloading an eBook to your eReader or tablet?
A search for “Lego” in our eBook collection brings up 24 titles, including The Lego Adventure Book: Cars, Castles, Dinosaurs and More by Megan Rothrock; Extreme Bricks: Spectacular, Record-Breaking and Astounding Lego Projects from Around the World by Sarah Herman; as well as easy readers for your child who is learning to read.
EBooks are great for road trips, as you can download up to Àve titles on a device and there are no overdue charges.
And Ànally, for the budding gardener, we have a Spring into Gardening program on the last day of spring break, Friday, March 31, from 3 to 4 p.m. Decorate a small pot and plant a few seeds to welcome spring.
There are many great children’s gardening books available to borrow. Gardening Projects for Kids by Jenny Hendy includes ideas for cultivating Áowers, growing fruit and vegetables, making crafty projects, and attracting insects, birds and animals.
If you are going to be away for spring break, be sure to stock up on reading material. Audiobooks are great for car trips.
Happy spring from all of us at Westbank Library.