Kids

This year has been different to say the least.  Most people have not traveled anywhere or at least have stayed close to home. 

So, we decided to give everyone a little taste of adventure this holiday season by transforming the top of the bookshelves in the Children’s Department into a trip around the world.

Christmas is celebrated by a lot of people in the United States and a lot of European countries, but you can’t forget about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa too. 

I have learned so many cool facts about different countries, like how Ukraine uses a spider web on their trees due to an old folk tale.  In Thailand most people are Buddhist, but those that celebrate Christmas like to use the fish, which is a Christian symbol, to make special ornaments for the tree. 

Kwanzaa came into existence in 1966 to celebrate African American heritage. 

Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 nights because the Maccabees were able to survive with a day’s worth of oil that lasted 8 days.

Of course, the Christmas season in the United States is a religious holiday for many representing the birth of Christ, and homes and churches decorate with manger sets, trees and hold family gatherings.

It is also welcomed by many celebrating the arrival of Santa, gift giving and the reading of the ever popular The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore.  Did you know that it was first published as an anonymous poem in 1823, and in 1837 was found to be authored by Moore. 

Stop in and find out more about this joyous holiday season! 

This display starts November 16 and will continue until the end of December.  It is for kids of all ages.

-Jen Gardner, Children’s Department Manager

Stuck at home this Halloween? Make the most of it with these five fun activities you can do without leaving the house!

1. Interactive Movies: Watch your favorite movie with a new twist. Come up with actions to do during key moments in the movie to turn movie night into a game. Need some ideas? Check out YALSA’s post on Interactive Movies for scripts and more.
2. Ghost Hunt: Hide paper ghosts or other ghost props around your house and have the kids race to find them all! Search for free clipart to use on Pixabay or draw your own!
3. Halloween Egg Hunt: Have the Easter Bunny help you out for this one! Hide candy and toy-filled plastic eggs around the house. Bonus craft: decorate your plastic eggs with puffy paint to turn them into pumpkins, ghosts, monsters, and more. Not crafty? There’s always these pumpkin eggs from Amazon.
4. Scavenger Hunts & Escape Rooms: Feeling a bit more ambitious? Try your hand at making a custom Scavenger Hunt or go a step further with an Escape Room! Check out Escape Room puzzle ideas and downloadable kits at Lock, Paper, Scissors and Instructables.
5. Minute to Win It: Play a series of challenging mini-games to win the title of Halloween Champion. Come up with your own games or do classic Halloween games like bobbing for apples. Need some ideas? Check out 30 Easy & Fun Minute-to-Win-It Games for Kids from Red Tricycle.

Happy Halloween!

-the DPL Staff