parents Archives – Spokane County Library District

Celebrating & learning during Money Smart Week

Posted in Explore and Discover on March 31, 2021 at 7:00 am

BY CRYSTAL MILLER April is a month that brings the hope of warmer weather and a time to take stock of our surroundings to see how they’ve weathered through the winter. Lots of us are inspired to spring clean our homes, clear out the garage, and look with fresh eyes at our finances. April is […]

Wiggle worms and bouncing kangaroos: How do you read to active toddlers?

Posted in Parents and Teachers on March 3, 2021 at 6:00 am

BY RACHEL EDMONDSON After cold winter weather has kept us inside along with months of extra pandemic confinement, many of us are feeling pretty antsy. For young kids who have a high need to be active, sitting still is probably harder than ever, even for those young kids who normally are happy to crawl into […]

New STEM Explorer Kits offer hands-on activities for students in grades K–5

Posted in News on February 22, 2021 at 6:00 am

BY GWENDOLYN HALEY You may have already checked out the Ready for School with STEM kits for younger children (ages 3–5) from the library. Or perhaps you’ve borrowed our Snap Circuits set for elementary school students. We have heard positive reviews from library customers for both of these kits. In response, we are pleased to […]

Gale Courses for lifelong learning, personal growth & creative pursuits

Posted in Explore and Discover, News on February 9, 2021 at 6:00 am

By Alison Johnson As many of us are settling into our new normal, you may find that there are still many new things to learn and explore. Many households with children are schooling from home. Everyone I know is still figuring out their busy virtual lives. Finding an enjoyable focus and taking a time-out from […]

Nurturing creativity & imagination with picture books

Posted in Parents and Teachers on January 28, 2021 at 6:00 am

BY MELISSA RHOADES Children are naturally creative and tend to display expansive imaginations. It’s even a stereotype that our imaginations blossom when we’re young and get socialized out of us as we grow into adulthood. Pablo Picasso is famously quoted as saying: “Every child is an artist. The problem is staying an artist when you […]

What to say to & read with kids when the news is scary

Posted in Parents and Teachers on January 21, 2021 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs NPR recently re-ran a podcast from last year on what to say to kids when the news is scary. Given how 2020 went, this piece is remarkably even more pertinent now, and the tips offered are still helpful: limit kids’ exposure to the news, give them time to talk about what they’ve […]

Tags: crises, crisis, kids, news, parents, scary news

Kids share their favorite books: Winter break edition

Posted in kids on December 22, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson When I was in school, one of my favorite things about winter break was that I didn’t have to read books assigned for class because that meant I had time to read books I picked myself! Studies have shown that kids are more motivated to read when they are allowed to pick […]

Let’s go outside! Wintertime play & activities for everyone

Posted in Explore and Discover on December 17, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Abra Cole Winter officially starts next week on December 21. This fall, we’ve already had below freezing temperatures and snow. And in the months ahead, we can expect even more snowy days and below freezing cold. I propose the following idea: there is no reason to shelter inside until spring! As the Norwegians say: […]

Project ELLO: Everyday Language & Learning Opportunities

Posted in News, Parents and Teachers on December 15, 2020 at 6:00 am

Guest blog by Dr. Allison Wilson Community spaces and familiar routines offer rich opportunities for meaningful interactions and learning with young children. Everyday Language and Learning Opportunities (Project ELLO) focuses on increasing the number of quality, language-rich interactions between caregivers and young children. ELLO resources encou […]

Exploring memoir writing with children

Posted in Parents and Teachers on December 10, 2020 at 6:00 am

BY CAITLIN WHEELER MEMOIR, A MOMENT IN A LIFE Unlike biography, which is the story of a life, memoir is a story within a life—a moment or a thread of moments that shed light on a larger truth. Everyone has stories like these: little moments in our lives that illustrate something bigger about how we […]

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