ARLINGTON The Arlington Library bid farewell to the holiday season with a series of programs for children on winter break, but branch manager Kathy Bullene explained that January still holds plenty of programs for kids and adults alike.
Jan. 2 and 3 marked the librarys Winter Extravaganza Readers Theater, during which children aged 9-12 had a chance to perform winter stories for audiences of younger children, and on Jan. 3, the library said Let It Snow! with a winter-themed session of arts and crafts for children.
Childrens librarian Jennifer Fenton assisted sisters Mika and Sydnie LaSalata as they acted out The Princess and the Mouse, while child liaison Helen Taubeneck supervised children as they made Frosty the Snowman door hangers out of colored construction paper and sparkles, did soap snow finger-painting and learned about science by growing sugar crystals.
The LaSalatas mother Kari, grandmother Rosemary and aunt Lisa were in the audience and appreciated the librarys willingness to entertain and enlighten their girls.
This is the first winter program weve attended here and its great, Kari said. Its nice to give hem something during vacations to stimulate their minds, thats not video games.
Itd be nice if more kids were involved, Rosemary said.
Id like to see a few more things for little kids like mine, as well, Lisa said. But its great to see all these kids interacting.
Bullene noted that the library hosts baby and toddler story times every Tuesday morning. The baby story time starts at 9:30 a.m. and is geared toward children up to 18 months, while the toddler story time starts at 10:30 a.m. and is tailored for children between 18-36 months. For children aged 3-5, Thursdays offer preschool story times starting at 10:30 a.m.
Research has shown that children, even as young as babies, really improve when theyre read to, Bullene said. Reading and talking to them, right from the start, helps develop their brains.
While this months book group for teens and adults at the library already met Jan. 8, to discuss Madeline LEngles A Wrinkle in Time, Bullene added that this book group meets the second Tuesday of every month, and new members are always welcome.
The librarys teen advisory board will be meeting Jan. 22, at 3:30 p.m., to brainstorm ideas for teen programming at the library, and the manga book group will meet Jan. 28 at 3:30 p.m.