Summer has arrived at last. Take advantage of this time to trigger your child's imagination. This summer can be a summer of wonder with a little help from your local librarian.
Enjoy a morning blowing bubbles. You could simply enjoy the incredibly fragile, microscopically thin soap film as it swirls, shimmers and pops or you might get curious and want to know more. One good book to read is
The Nature and Science of Bubbles by Jane Burton and Kim Taylor but just type the word
bubbles into the library catalog and marvel at what you find. Using simple books written for children, you could explore light, color, chemistry, electricity and buoyancy.
Suppose it rains the next day, you could spend the whole day in the kitchen cooking. There is a great book called
Science experiments You Can Eat by Vicki Cobb. You could learn how to make rock candy, grape jelly, cupcakes and popcorn and demonstrate scientific principles as you go. Eating a delicious science experiment is truly an awesome thing to do on a summer day.
Backyard camping can also be fun. Just putting up a tent can begin a day of adventure and
let's pretend. Later as it gets dark you might gather the children on a warm blanket and delight in the spectacle of the stars in the night sky. If questions arise about the constellations, you could watch a great DVD,
Exploring Stars created by The Learning Channel. The library also has numerous books on stars. Once you settle in for the night you might read Dan Asfar's
Ghost Stories of Colorado which will guarantee that your children will stay close, as you enjoy the rest of the night nestled together.
One of the best summer survival books is the
Penny Whistle Any Day Is a Holiday Book by Meredith Brokaw. This book transformed many ordinary summer days into days to remember. Inside this book, you will find detailed tips on how to throw a "Simply Summer" party, a "Harvest Moon" party, a party to celebrate getting your braces off or a party to welcome home a new baby. This book is filled with party ideas complete with recipes, activities and detailed instructions. Borrow this book from the library; for it is loaded with ideas to keep your children's attention and jump start the imagination!
Ralph Waldo Emerson observed, "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year". Come to the library and let us help you transform each day into a wondrous day.