Parma Heights library offers free Take Home Activity Bags for kids - cleveland.com

cicingwos.blogspot.com

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Normally the epicenter of educational activities for children, the Parma Heights branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library isn’t able to offer after-school events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Children’s Services Librarian Patricia Hehir-Brewer said the branch is still finding ways to engage with kids ages 4 to 10 with its popular Take Home Activity Bags.

“Because we couldn’t have in-person programs here at the library, this summer we thought it would be really wonderful to kind of let the kids have a program at home,” Hehir-Brewer said.

Currently available at the Parma Heights library, the Take Home Activity Bags contain an instruction sheet and supplies that can be supplemented with household items. Recent crafts include a magnetic picture frame made out of craft sticks and a clothespin, as well as a fall leaf wreath made out of a paper plate.

“The ones we had over the summer were a little more involved because kids weren’t doing online schooling and they had more time,” Hehir-Brewer said. “They were mostly STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities. For the fall, we wanted to simplify it with fun crafts.”

Hehir-Brewer said the entire Children’s Services department staff -- including Heather Biondi and Laura Smith -- has been working on the Take Home Activity Bags. That includes appointing an unofficial mascot.

Corduroy the bear not only promotes mask wearing, but also features the crafts.

“Corduroy is doing great,” Hehir-Brewer said. "He sits up at our checkout desk right now to say hello to customers.

"We have these little kid-size masks. We tried giving it to a little girl, who didn’t want to wear it. She put it on her stuffed animal. Later, I found it on the floor. I thought, we can’t reuse it, but maybe we could put it on Corduroy.”

Over the summer, the library handed out more than 100 bags. Currently, it’s first-come/first-served with a new Take Home Activity Bag every week.

“The idea is also to let people know we’re still here and we’re still offering activities,” Hehir-Brewer said. "It’s a way people can visit the library. So far, they love it.

“The parents are wonderful. They’re really enjoying it. Grandmas are coming in to get them for their grandkids.”

Read more news from the Parma Sun Post.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

"activity" - Google News
October 01, 2020 at 07:10PM
https://ift.tt/2Gn9LXY

Parma Heights library offers free Take Home Activity Bags for kids - cleveland.com
"activity" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3ddCXMh
https://ift.tt/2WkO13c

Bagikan Berita Ini