Travel the World (when you can't travel the world) with Shifu Orbit!

Super-Awesome-Check-Out-Able-Makerspaces at the LIBRARY!

by Maddie Anderson

"The Good Old Globe with a fun twist of Augmented Reality" -Shifu Orbit

Seriously. This is the coolest learning tool for "around the world" I have ever seen.

Okay. So. As a parent, I am skeptical of  things that may glue my child to a screen (my child already steals my phone and knows how to work it better than I do some days), and of things that require bluetooth settings, because I find they only work half the time and I spend all my time fighting with the bluetooth with my child staring at me impatiently.

I had thought this would be something that would connect with bluetooth and need a bunch of batteries and be not super user friendly. 

I WAS WRONG!

I downloaded the app, and it did an automatic install of all globe features. The user sets up a profile, and then hovers over a part of the globe with the CAMERA, and the app pulls up a variety of categories like animals, monuments, inventions, cultures, maps, cuisine, mysteries, and more! The little explorer can travel all around the world filling out their passport. There are games to play, and open exploration.

It is unbelievably easy to navigate. For example. 

I spun the globe and landed on a spot in the ocean. I selected the category "Animals" and I chose to learn about the Turtle. 

With my turtle selected, I was greeted by a very friendly turtle. I could learn all about the Sea Turtle by reading the pane on the side, and, with my headphones in, had a narrator reading it all to me.

 

I could then click on the yellow light bulb for more information!

 

 

Once I was done learning everything I could go to the skill testing question and answer it! 

 

 

The turtle made some funny comments while eating the fish, and then i was back to spinning the globe and being an all around-explorer!

This is a super fun interactive app for your little ones to explore the world! 

 

This is the link to place the globe on hold and to learn more about it:  https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=1&cn=389311

 

Have fun, Globe-Trotters!  

 

 

Book Reviews for Tired Parents

Board Book Reviews

By: Maddie  Anderson

When a child finds a new favourite book, the parent of said child has the delightful experience of reading this book over and over and over again, for what feels like the rest of forever. Every once in a while, the tiny human will choose a book to love that the parent loves too, and these three are my top picks from my over and over again experience with my oldest child. 

Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You - Nancy Tillman

I discovered Nancy Tillman with her book "On the Night You Were Born" and my tiny human tried to tear the paper to shreds, so, we switched to board books. As I was reading this book to my squirmy toddler I realized how much I loved this story, these words, and how, no matter how old you get, reminding me that a parents love will follow you wherever you go is needed. It is lyrical, powerful, and profound in its ability to bring me to tears.

 

 

 

Supertruck by Steven Savage.

 

This is a book that drove me absolutely crazy when we first got it. It is all about an unsuspecting dump truck who does so much more than collect the trash. Once I had read it about 100 times I had it fully memorized and the story wormed its way into my heart. It is a book about a little garbage truck who, despite what people said about them, saved the day, and no one was the wiser (not the bucket truck, the bus, or the fire truck!). This may be me thinking too profoundly about a children's book, but, it speaks to humility, kindness, and decency, despite ones circumstances.

 

 

 

I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak

This book captured my heart from the moment I first picked it up with my newborn in my arms. I remember trying to learn how to hold a book and a baby at the same time, while turning the pages of this beautiful poem. This is a book we borrowed so many times from the library that we had to buy it because we loved it so much (and we had used up all our renewals several times over). It will always hold a special place in my heart. Now that we have read every board book by this author, I can confidently say that she has a permanent place in the journey of our love of reading. 

Art Attack - Pull String Art

We're switching up the focus of this blog, and moving away from Boredom Busters and into Art Attack projects. Some of these projects we will have done before at the library, some are new to us. We will feature two or three art projects per week for you to try at home. See which ones you can do, and if you get the chance, share the results with us on any of our social media platforms, which will be listed at the bottom of this blog.

Today's project is Pull String Art!

This is a really great project to do with minimal materials. All you need is: 

- Paper
- String/yarn
- Paint (liquid watercolours work great too!)

First you want to cut some long sections of string/yarn. You want them long enough that you can create some curls/swirls on the paper, and have enough hanging off the paper to pull through. 

Next, choose your colours. If you have black paper/cardstock, try using some bright colours that will really pop! Coat your string in paint (except for the part at the end you'll be holding on to), then remove the excess paint by pinching the string between your fingers and sliding them down to the end. This can be a very messy project!

Once you have the excess paint off, lay your string out on the paper in whichever design you like. Check out this rainbow pull string art, or this one done with liquid watercolours! You can fold your paper in half to have your design on both sides, or grab a second piece of paper to press down over top of it - then you'll have two designs that are the mirror image of each other! 

Experiment with different colours and different designs, until you have your masterpiece (or many of them!). Grab a canvas, paint a background, and experiment with some different techniques. The only limit is your imagination!

Hopefully this project helps break up the day, and gets your family engaged in Pull String Art!

If your kids love these art projects, feel free to send us feedback or pictures on any of our social media platforms, linked below.

Library staff are available by phone (403-887-2130) or email Monday-Friday, 9:00 am 5:00 pm.

You can access all of our digital materials (eBooks, eAudiobooks, and more) through our website
 
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Art Attack - Bubble Art

We're switching up the focus of this blog, and moving away from Boredom Busters and into Art Attack projects. Some of these projects we will have done before at the library, some are new to us. We will feature two or three art projects per week for you to try at home. See which ones you can do, and if you get the chance, share the results with us on any of our social media platforms, which will be listed at the bottom of this blog.

Today's project: Bubble Art!

This is a project we've done for Art Attack and in Story Time. While we normally use food colouring to add colour to our bubbles, we recently discovered that liquid watercolours work phenomenally well in making the colour really POP! off the canvas. 

What you'll need: 

- Bubbles (store-bought works fine, or you can try one of these homemade recipes)
- Bubble wands (you can make your own with a pipe cleaner too!)
- Liquid watercolours (food colouring will work as well, you'll just need to use a lot of it)
- Paper/canvas

Whether you're using food colouring or liquid water colours, you'll want to separate cups or small containers to mix your different colours of bubbles. You can use a stirring stick to mix the bubbles (gently, if you agitate the bubbles too much they're difficult to blow) or just whichever bubble wand you want to use for each colour. A little bit of bubble mix goes a long way, you can always create more. But once you've mixed the colour in, you're pretty much stuck with it unless you want to mix some of them together to create a new colour. Be careful not to over-mix, or you'll end up with brown (unless that was your goal).

This is a perfect project to do outside when the weather in nice. If you don't have table space outdoors, just lay out a mat or a blanket (make sure it's one you don't mind getting messy). 

 

There are a couple different ways to create your bubble art. You can blow the bubbles directly onto the paper and allow them to POP!, creating random and unique patterns. This would be a great project for a banner, which could be placed on the ground or hung on a fence to catch the bubbles in the wind.

You can also try stamping with your bubble wand to create fun shapes! Just load up the wand with bubbles and then gently press them onto your paper/canvas.

 

Another great way to paint with bubbles is the splatter effect! Dip your bubble wand in the colour of your choice, then flick, shake, or whip the bubble wand at the paper/canvas to create a great splatter pattern! You'll definitely get messy for this one, so make sure you're wearing paint clothes and watch out for those around you.  

Hopefully this project helps break up the day, and gets your family engaged in Bubble Art!

If your kids love these art projects, feel free to send us feedback or pictures on any of our social media platforms, linked below.

Library staff are available by phone (403-887-2130) or email Monday-Friday, 9:00 am 5:00 pm.

You can access all of our digital materials (eBooks, eAudiobooks, and more) through our website
 
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Boredom Busters: Summer Poetry

We are temporarily reviving our Children's Blog to provide some resources for families who are stuck at home during this period of social distancing due to COVID-19. We will put together a variety of activities for you and your families - see which ones you can do, and if you get the chance, share the results with us on any of our social media platforms, which will be listed at the bottom of this blog.

Today's theme is Summer Poetry!

River of Words: http://madebyjoel.com/2011/07/poetry-river-craft.html

Get inspired to create your own poetry river craft with this example by Made By Joel. Have the kids set the scene with some found items and some crafted ones. Draw from your own outdoor experiences and tweak this poetry project however you like!

Craft Poetry Monster: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/2017/crafts-poetry-monster/

This is a super cute poetry project! Follow the instructions linked above to create your own Monster Poetry Box, and see what creativity it inspires! Let your imagination run loose, and see if you can create your own unique "Sylvan Lake Monster" craft box/poems.

Poem Petals: https://blog.readingeggs.com/2016/04/15/3-fun-craft-ideas-to-celebrate-poetry-with-your-kids/

This is a fun and easy project for kids of any age. Help your kids come up with words following a specific theme (like Summer or Sylvan Lake), or let them freestyle their own words for this fun petal poem. Make it even more unique by using found objects for the base of the craft!

Poetry Books for Kids: https://imaginationsoup.net/reading-poetry-with-kids-new-and-favorite-books/

Getting into poetry can be a hard sell for some kids. Check out some of these titles linked above, then check out some of the titles in our collection. Shel Silverstein is a tried and true classic, and Martin Rising: Requiem for a King is one of my personal favourite poetry collections.

Hopefully these activities help break up the day, and get your family engaged in creating summer poetry!

If your kids loved these activities, feel free to send us feedback or pictures on any of our social media platforms, linked below.

Library staff are available by phone (403-887-2130) or email Monday-Friday, 9:00 am 5:00 pm.

You can access all of our digital materials (eBooks, eAudiobooks, and more) through our website
 
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Bored Busters: Garden Meals

We are temporarily reviving our Children's Blog to provide some resources for families who are stuck at home during this period of social distancing due to COVID-19. We will put together a variety of activities for you and your families - see which ones you can do, and if you get the chance, share the results with us on any of our social media platforms, which will be listed at the bottom of this blog.

Today's theme is Garden Meals!

Garden Chicken Wrap: https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/chicken-wrap.html

We have carrots and spinach in our garden, so this one is perfect for us. Throw in some of your other favourite garden goodies, like peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers. Drizzle on some dressing and wrap it up tight! You can also mix it all together like a salad before tossing it into your wrap! Delicious!

Italian Roasted Snap Peas: https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/italian-roasted-snap-peas/

If your peas are doing well in your garden this year, check out this delicious summer recipe for roasted snap peas. Throw in some tomatoes from the garden, maybe even some peppers. Season and serve! If you like those, check out these Crunchy Parmesan Sugar Snap Peas or these delicious Roasted Carrots!

Tomato and Cheese Tart: https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/vegetables/heirloom-tomato-and-goat-cheese-tart/

I love tomatoes. I love cheese. I love tarts. Perfection! This recipe has some great seasoning, but feel free to experiment with some of your other favourite spices. If you don't have goat cheese, cream cheese will work great!

Lemon Pesto Garden Salad: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/crunchy-lemon-pesto-garden-salad/

This is a great recipe to throw in whatever you have in your garden; lettuce, peas, cucumbers, onions, squash, peppers, tomatoes ... throw the whole garden in there! Pesto is such a wonderful addition to literally everything, so if you've been growing an herb garden, add in some of that deliciousness! Lemon gives this salad that extra zing it needs to be truly fantastic!

Hopefully these activities help break up the day, and get your family engaged in making some delicious garden meals!

If your kids loved these activities, feel free to send us feedback or pictures on any of our social media platforms, linked below.

Library staff are available by phone (403-887-2130) or email Monday-Friday, 9:00 am 5:00 pm.

You can access all of our digital materials (eBooks, eAudiobooks, and more) through our website
 
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Boredom Busters: Rainbow Reads

We are temporarily reviving our Children's Blog to provide some resources for families who are stuck at home during this period of social distancing due to COVID-19. We will put together a variety of activities for you and your families - see which ones you can do, and if you get the chance, share the results with us on any of our social media platforms, which will be listed at the bottom of this blog.

Today's theme is Rainbow Reads!

In celebration of the recent proclamation of Pride Week in Sylvan Lake, today's Boredom Busters are all about celebrating the rainbow!

Reading helps develop empathy and understanding. It broadens our scope of the world, and helps us see perspectives other than our own, and celebrate all kinds of voices, families, and people. Check out some of these books in our collection, as well as those available digitally through cloudLibrary.

Pride: the Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag, by Rob Sanders

Celebrating Difference, by Shaun Dellenty

Rainbow: a First Book of Pride, by Michael Genhart

A Family is a Family is a Family, by Sara O'Leary

Sparkle Boy, by Lesléa Newman

Jamie is Jamie: a Book About Being Yourself and Playing Your Way, by Afsaneh Moradian

Birdie and Me, by J.M.M. Nuanez

Celebrate the Rainbow with Crafts: crafts are a great way to engage children and discussion and have fun with expression and creativity. Check out some of these fantastic, rainbow-themed crafts that you can do at home, and afterwards you can pair them up with a storytime from one of the books listed above.

Balloon Rainbow Wreath: https://hoosierhomemade.com/birthday-wreath/

Rainbow Shaving Cream Marbled Art: https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/rainbow-shaving-cream-marbled-art/

Dancing Rainbow Ribbon Rings: https://buggyandbuddy.com/make-dancing-ribbon-rings/

Handprint Rainbow Painting: https://kidscraftroom.com/handprint-rainbow-painting/

Hopefully these activities help break up the day, and get your family engaged in celebrating rainbow reads!

If your kids loved these activities, feel free to send us feedback or pictures on any of our social media platforms, linked below.

Library staff are available by phone (403-887-2130) or email Monday-Friday, 9:00 am 5:00 pm.

You can access all of our digital materials (eBooks, eAudiobooks, and more) through our website
 
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