Kids
As always, the Caldwell Public Library was very busy this summer providing many fun and exciting programs and activities for our patrons. And, true to form with us, we took the summer reading program theme of “Make a Splash” and added our own touch by encouraging readers to not only “Make a Splash” through reading, but also to “Make a Difference” in the community as well.
To successfully complete the reading program, children kept a book/time log and tallied the amount of books or minutes they read throughout the summer. A new feature of our program this summer allowed the participants to keep track of their reading progress online. They were also able to write their own book reviews, which were then posted on the website and available for viewing. Overall, we had 236 children registered for our program who read 1191 books and 25,520 minutes!
The participants and their families also took part in many great activities like seascape painting with everyday objects and science programs which involved making tools and bubble solution from scratch in order to create their own bubbles. Our most exciting event was when the 501st Star Wars group arrived in costume and spent an evening with fans of all ages on the Caldwell town green. Watching hundreds of patrons eager to interact with the characters was quite a sight to see!
At each program, we tried to stress that giving back to the community is something that everyone can get involved in. Therefore, our service projects included making knotted fleece blankets for Project Linus (an organization that aims to provide handmade blankets for children in need), collecting food for the local food pantry, and gathering beanie babies for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to share with local children via "Operation Gratitude."
During the summer we truly get to see what a positive effect a visit to the library has on a child. Unfortunately many children in the district don’t have a public library card. September is National Library Card Sign Up Month, and we hope that you will help us get the word out about the benefits of having a library card!
Little Director Children create animated movies from their drawings online
PBSKids Offers games and activities based on popular PBS television series
Funbrain Offers a collection of online math and grammer-based activites and games
General
Provides a comprehensive set of facts, definitions and statistics for a variety of categories, including sports, science, math, government and the world for ages 6 to 14.
Organizes 16,000 education resources, including the top 5 percent for teachers, students, parents, and librarians. Includes a search engine.
"The Official Kids Portal to the U.S. Government" - Provides a gateway to hundreds of Federal and other websites for use by kids. Each homework category is divided into Government, Organizations, Education, and Commercial sub-categories.
Practice drills in math, language, social studies, and science.
Provides tutorials on all areas of math, arts, science, technology and more
Provides math help for all levels of study, including elementary, middle, high school and college.
Topics range from arithmetic to algebra to geometry and more.
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Provides more than 100 instant-answer, self-help, math solvers, that provide with instant help on math problems from addition to calculus.
Science
Provides information on space-related topics, as well as games, Web quests, and even chats with NASA experts.
Facts about living and working in space, human spaceflight program resources, and biographies of current astronauts.
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Each day a different image or photograph is featured.
Big Bear Solar Observatory
Images of the sun from a telescope in
NASA Human Space Flight
This is the place to find details on Space Shuttle missions and the International Space Station.
A collection of science questions, answers and tutorials for grades 4 through college, including zoology, earth science and physics.
The Yuckiest Site on the Internet
Features information and games on a variety of “gross” science topics, including roaches, worms and mad science.
Exploratorium: The Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception
Online exhibits on fun topics like chocolate, astronomy, and sport science.
United States Patents Office Page for Kids
Provides information on inventions through an interactive site filled with games, lessons, and contests.
Volcano World
Virtual field trips, games and fun stuff (including ideas for school projects) - all related to volcanos!
"The science behind the news."
Chemistry
An online interactive Periodic Table of the Elements.
CHEM4KIDS!
Gives an overview of many chemistry related topics. Also has links to
physics, biology, and geography.
Health
Details the various aspects of oral health, including cavity prevention, braces, and teeth and gums.
Explores all genres of health issues that affect children, including everyday illnesses and injuries, growing up, and staying healthy.
Provides games, contests and books, homework help and more.
100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know
A list of 100 top picture books with special thanks to the
KidReads
Features Booker T. Worm and great books for kids 6-12 plus author bios, interviews, games, and cool stuff.
World of Reading
Enables kids to submit and read book reviews written by kids - special thanks to the Ann Arbor District Library for bringing us all this service!
Offers an online collection of animated, talking picture books for young children. (REQUIRES PAID