Five Reasons to Take Your Children to the Library

As the weather gets warmer and summer vacation draws closer, a fair many parents are likely wondering what they will do to keep their children busy over the break from school.

And while the inclination may be to head outside or travel (both great ideas!), a trip inside– to a local library- may be the best option to help children find a love of reading this summer break.

Boston is full of great libraries, from the city’s main branch in Copley Square, to its smaller branches in the surrounding neighborhoods. Brookline, Newton and Dedham all have great public libraries, too, and all host a variety of family activities throughout the year, especially during the summer months. At the city’s main branch, visitors can even take a guided tour of the building, learning about its art, architecture and history.

But simply exploring the children’s section of the libraries, and encouraging your children to pick out books to read over the vacation may do the most good when it comes to cultivating a love of reading.

According to the author of a recent Huffington Post Education article, it was frequent childhood trips to the local library that she believes turned her into a lifelong reader, and helped inspire her career in children’s literature editing. Below, read her “Five Reasons to Take Your Child to the Library:”

• Regular library visits inevitably lead to more reading.And reading is incredibly important fora growing brain!Research shows that reading actually aids in brain development, especially in a child’s first five years of life. When kids are read to, their brain cells turn on. Existing links among brain cells are strengthened and new cell links are formed.Reading is also important to help strengthen a child’s literacy and language skills- especially important for our international families!

• When you visit the library, you can expose your children to more books and magazines than you can afford to buy.A book store is a great place to explore reading, but there is always some limit to the number of books you can bring home. At a library, that limit ceases to exist! You can haul out as much as you can carry, turn your books back in as soon as they’re read, and take home a whole new pile.

• Your local children’s librarian can recommend books that you may not know of or think to suggest, broadening their tastes and expanding their minds and vocabularies.Your children may already have very set interests- whether construction vehicles, dinosaurs, princesses and ballerinas. And as such, many of the books in your home may focus on those favorites subjects. But a trip to the library could open your child’s eyes to a whole new world of reading! A librarian can help introduce your young readers to a new genre or topic that they will grow to love just as much as their current interest.

• Library time is active, not passive.Maybe in your mind the library is an eerily quiet place with lots of shushing. But today’s youngest library patrons engage — with books and magazines, with librarians, and with other kids. Most libraries offer regular children’s programs like puppet shows, costume days and storytellers that help their favorite books come to life.  Check out your local library’s website to find out what programs are offered near you!

• Owning a library card teaches kids responsibility.As card-carrying library patrons, kids learn about treating with care things that belong to others. When children check out books in their own name, they feels trustworthy. They feels responsible, and like an important member of their community. A child’s first library card is an early rite of passage. Turn your child’s first library card into a celebration! Take a photo, go get some ice cream, and bring home a big stack of books to read as a family.

Parents: do your kids have library cards? How have you seen trips to the library positively impact your children?

Share your thoughts!

 

10 Things to Do With Your Kids in Boston

Staying in the city over the break and worried you won’t find enough to entertain your kids? Check out this list of some unique kid-friendly activities in Boston and make this a holiday to remember!

1. Missing the taste of home, or simply looking for a way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Boston is one of the best places to do just that!

While there are many great Irish pubs in Boston, Somerville’s “The Burren,” is known for its live Irish music and great food. It was even named one of the top 10 Irish pubs in the United States!

Stop by on Saturdays for live local music, or on Monday for a 5K run, followed by St. Patrick’s Day festivities!

2. Make some decorations for your home at Brookline’s The Clayroom.

Visit The Clayroom and paint your own pottery, from plates, mugs and glasses to decorative pieces. After the pieces are painted, The Clayroom will fire them for you. And while it takes about five days to get your items, it is well worth the wait!

The Clayroom is open daily from 12 pm- 10 pm. Reservations are not required, but are recommended. Feel like getting away from the kids for a night? Stop by the shop on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and enjoy a wine and cheese night!

3. Learn some cooking skills, and teach your kids about healthy eating!

Visit “Create a Cook” in Newton and become a better cook alongside your child. The cooking school offers weekly classes and drop-in workshops throughout the week. From knife skills to nutrition lessons, the school offers a wide variety of classes for families.

Over the break, stop by on March 22 for a “Pie in the Sky” class for parents and children 5 years old and up, learning how to make everything from pizza pie to sweet cream pie! YUM!

4. Visit the Larz Anderson Auto Museum! 

It should be a familiar sight for our families: the tall brick structure, looking like a castle coming up out of the grounds of Larz Anderson Park across the street from BSB. What you’ve been passing on your way to school is actually the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, and it’s a great place for adults and kids.

The museum is home to “America’s Oldest Car Collection,” with at least one car dating back to 1899! For over 85 years the Larz Anderson Auto Museum has been supporting the community through a variety of educational programs, exhibits, and lectures. It is open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

5. Bring your little ones out to make some music!

Head over to Jamaica Plain’s community arts headquarters, Spontaneous Celebrations, for Saturday morning drumming sessions from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Stop by to learn some drumming techniques and celebrate the break with music! This is a great way to experience the local culture and help your kids get some energy out!

6. Visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

You’ve likely visited the Museum of Fine Arts already (if not, check that out over break, too!), but you may not have visited this other great local art museum.

Founded by and named for one of the foremost female patrons of the arts, the museum features pieces from around the world, which Gardner collected throughout her life.

The museum is also famous for a 1990 heist of 13 works of art, in which a pair of thieves disguised as Boston police officers entered the museum and roamed its galleries before making off with the art.

The investigation is still open, and the empty frames left behind by the theist are still hanging.

7. Learn more about some of the city’s heroes.

Take a trip to the Boston Fire Museum, and learn more about the history of fire fighting in the city, and the heroes who keep us safe. This is a great outing for parents who love history, and for kids of any age.

The museum features antique fire apparatus, fire alarm displays and artifacts, and photographs from some of the city’s famous fires.

8. Visit the Boston Children’s Museum.

Visit the construction room and reptile room and dance across the light-up floor! Take a stroll down Sesame Street or visit the toddler room for an area overflowing with toys and activities!

This is a great way to spend the day, and has activities for kids of all ages that even parents will enjoy!

Find out more about the Boston Children’s Museum on the Mommy Poppins website, another great resource for finding family fun in the Boston area.

9. Head north of the city for a real “Beantown” experience.

Drive north to Reading, Massachusetts and you’ll find a world of jellybeans inside the Jordan’s Furniture store. It sounds like an unlikely place for a fun family day, but Jordan’s Beantown features a replica of the State House, a giant ice cream sundae and the Red Sox mascot, Wally the Green Monster- all made out of millions of jellybeans. That’s right, walk right into a candy shop, located in the State House replica, made of candy!

Other activities include a trapeze experience, duck boat racing and “liquid fireworks,” a water and light show that will really impress! This is truly a unique trip for families!

10. Visit the world’s only store dedicated to Curious George!

Do your kids love the curious monkey and his adventures with the Man in the Yellow Hat? Then head on over to Cambridge’s Harvard Square for a visit to the Curious George Store, dedicated to helping children and parents stay curious.

Stop by for an amazing selection of Curious George books, movies, toys and other items, and learn more about the store’s parties and celebrations of curiosity. This is a great addition to any day in Cambridge!

We hope this blog will get you started on your holiday adventures! Please share your pictures!