Parents and Teachers

Q&A with Magician Jeff Evans: magic and the Secrets of Wizards

Posted on May 25, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Erin Dodge Summer is a fantastical time at the library—a time to build reading muscles with imaginative and real life stories found on the bookshelves. Summer is also the time when kids and families can see, hear, and interact with magicians, musicians, puppets, and more. These summer programs are geared towards kids entering kindergarten […]

Books to help kids with the idea of a new sibling

Posted on May 16, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Melanie Boerner After six years with our only child, my husband and I are expecting another in August. My son approached me the other day and asked, “Are you going to love the baby and stop loving me?” This, of course, broke my heart and had me, already a ball of hormones, in tears. […]

Another world: Picture books about refugee and immigrant experiences

Posted on February 28, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs Imagine your home—the furniture, the walls, the books, the art, the smells, the landscape where you live. Imagine what it would be like if war came and things got so bad you had to leave. Imagine leaving your belongings and your pets, your friends and your neighborhood. Imagine traveling day and night, […]

Reluctant readers, the right books, and Minecraft

Posted on January 3, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley Do you have a kid who is a reluctant reader? When kids complain that reading is boring, they are probably just reading the wrong book. . . for them. Reluctant readers often will try books about things that they already love. If you have a Minecrafter in your house, you may have checked […]

Talking about preschool STEM

Posted on November 1, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley STEM is a hot topic right now. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields are the fastest growing sector of the economy, and businesses in Washington state are among the leading employers in these fields. As a parent, I want to make sure that my daughters are aware of all the opportunities […]

The Tooth Fairy Project

Posted on August 17, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Jill Johnson You might not expect to a get lesson in good oral health at the library, but that’s just what happened at all ten libraries of the Spokane County Library District. The Tooth Fairy Project was launched in February 2016. The idea was to teach little ones (and their parents) the importance of […]

Prime Time Family Reading: discovering ideas together

Posted on August 16, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley Something magical happens when families read books together and then talk about the big ideas they encounter. Reading is always fun, but talking about books and ideas helps us learn about the world and one another in a whole new way. Prime Time Family Reading from Humanities Washington taps into that magic […]

Kids music for road trips

Posted on June 23, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson Summer has arrived, and with it comes more time spent in the car. At least, that’s the case for my family. Whether it’s driving to swim lessons or taking a road trip, music can be a great way to make time in the car more fun. Of course, if you have the […]

Tags: family, hoopla, kids, music, road trip, travel

Serious fun for K-3 readers

Posted on May 26, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs If you’re a parent or teacher of a grade schooler, you’ve probably heard the term “summer slide,” sometimes also called “summer learning loss.” Summer slide refers to what happens to student brains when they are inactive over the three months of summer vacation. Although kids are getting a much needed break, they […]

The dirt on gardening with kids

Posted on May 19, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson I feel the need to start with a disclaimer: I do not have a green thumb. Nowhere close to it. That said, we have a small, raised garden bed in our backyard, and each year we’ve attempted to grow a few vegetables with varying success. Before our kids came into our life, […]