Most kids are comfortable using computers, but can they confidently type? The ability to type with ease and accuracy will be essential as they move forward in school, and it's not a skill kids learn by just using the computer for everyday activities. Kids need targeted training in where to place their fingers, along with lots of practice before they can type quickly and comfortably.
To help with this, we've installed Type to Learn software on the PCs here in the library! This program is geared toward children in grades K-5 and has over 100 lessons to teach children typing skills. Each lesson follows a cycle where they review, view a demonstration, do a practice activity, and then take a quick assessment. The lessons and practice activities focus on skills like left/right hand coordination, speed, accuracy, and typing cadence. And the activities are designed to be fun and engaging to keep children interested. This software is aligned to the National Education Technology Standards for Students, and it's the same program that the Watertown Public Schools use.
If your child has already created an account at school, they can use that same one to track their progress. If you'd like to create an account, see a librarian and we can help you do so. Or if you just want to try out the program without keeping track of the activities your child's completed, we've got logins you can use for each grade level. These are posted on little signs attached to the computer screens here in the Children's Department.
Want to find out more? You can check out a demo video about Type to Learn and learn all about the program on the company's website.
So come on in and give it a try! It's a fun way for children to learn a skill that will prove essential for them in their education and throughout the rest of their lives.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Happy Children's Book Day! Celebrate El día de los niños with us!
Every year, libraries and schools across the country celebrate El dia de los niños, or Children's Day. The event is also known as El dia de los libros, or Book Day. Officially it's celebrated on April 30, but celebrations span the end of April and much of May. It's a day to highlight the beauty and excitement of literacy for children and families of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
This year, we're celebrating Dia de los niños during our usual Toddler Story Time hour. On Tuesday, April 29, at 10:15 a.m. we will have a multicultural story time for one- and two-year-olds. The program is geared toward the little ones, but kids who are a little bit older (maybe 3 or 4) would enjoy it too and are welcome to come. We'll sing songs in multiple languages and we'll read stories from cultures all over the world!
Happy Children's Day! ¡Feliz dia de los niños!
Thursday, April 17, 2014
April Vacation Fun!
April Vacation Week is so close we can taste it! And we've got a packed schedule, full of tons of fun for kids of all ages. Don't worry about what you'll do while the kids are out of school. Just come to the library!
Monday - Closed
Happy Patriot's Day!
Tuesday
Nursery Rhyme Time - 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Songs, rhymes, stories, and play for pre-walking babies. No need to register.
Matt Heaton Music - 10:15 a.m.
Classic, folk, and surf-inspired songs for ages 5 and under. No need to register.
Planting Party - 3:30 p.m.
Kids in grades K-5 can celebrate Earth Day by making their own terrariums. Call or stop in to register.
Wednesday
French Story Time - 10:15 a.m.
Stories, songs, and a craft in French, for ages 2-5. Fluency in French is not required, and no need to register.
Artful Adventures - 2:00 p.m.
An artist from the Museum of Fine Arts will show kids in grades 1 to 5 how to make artwork work of their own! Call to register.
Thursday
Toddler Sing-Along - 3:30 p.m.
One- and two-year-olds will enjoy music and movement activities. No need to register.
Friday
Lego Club - 3:30 p.m.
Kids in grades K-5 can create to their heart's content with tons of Legos! No need to register.
Saturday
Digital Story Time - 10:15 a.m.
Preschoolers will enjoy a story time with traditional and e-books, then get a chance to explore apps on our iPads. No need to register.
Want to know more? Ask any librarian, give us a call at 617-972-6435, or check out our online calendar of events. We'll see you on Spring Break!
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Happy Library Snapshot Day!
Help us celebrate Library Snapshot Day by taking your picture in our DIY Photobooth! It'll be set up all day today, so pop in and pose with some silly props!
Library Snapshot Day is a nation-wide initiative aimed at getting pictures of all the awesome things going on in libraries everywhere. Here in Massachusetts, libraries are all picking dates throughout this week to get pictures of patrons enjoying the library.
Here at the Watertown Free Public Library, we've decided to do this by letting YOU take the photos! We've set up a banner where we'd love it if you write something about why you love the library. Then pose with a silly hat or funny prop and snap your photo.
Also throughout the week, we'll have a display where you can submit even more comments about the library.
Stop by today and check it out!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
What To Do on Half Days?
Next week the Watertown Public Schools have three - that's right, THREE - half days! What in the world are you going to do with your cabin-fevered, cooped-up kids on those afternoons? Never fear, we've got tons of fun stuff happening at the library!
Wednesday, March 19
Week 3 of Lego WeDo Robotics at 3:30 p.m.
This program did require registration and is full, but if your third- through fifth-graders have been participating with us, we'll continue our projects!
Thursday, March 20
Family Concert: Bates and Tincknell at 2:00 p.m.
Bates and Tincknell will bring a huge variety of amazing instruments and play all sorts of interactive songs and music in their multicultural program entitled "This Land is Your Land." It'll be great for ages 7 and under, and you don't need to register, just come on in!
Dog B.O.N.E.S. at 3:30 p.m.
There's still space in our program where kids can practice their reading with a certified therapy dog! Registration is required, so stop in or call 617-972-6435 if you're interested.
Friday, March 21
Lego Club at 3:30 p.m.
Do you love Legos? We'll have TONS of them available for you to make whatever you can imagine! It's for kids in grades K-5, and you don't need to register.
Saturday, March 22
(No, it's not a half day, but we've still got fun stuff going on!)
Early Childhood Fair at 9:00 a.m.
Visit our booth at the Early Childhood Fair, taking place at Watertown Middle School. You can also find out about other wonderful resources here in Watertown!
Basic Word Processing for Students at 2:00 p.m.
By popular demand, we're offering a class to help kids in grades 2 and up learn about word processing and creating documents. Registration is required, so stop in or call if you're interested.
And as always, we've got tons of books, DVDs, video games, audio books and more available to check out, along with the fun games and activities that are always available to play with here at the library!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
WFPL Children's Book Awards
Remember our previous post about the WFPL Children's Book Awards? There were so many wonderful books published in 2013 that we had quite the field of contenders! We took suggestions of your favorite books from 2013, and our final winners have been announced!
Picture Book
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
Bored with city life and the proper behavior it requires, Mr. Tiger has a wild idea that leads him to discover his true nature.
Fiction
The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
Seven-year-old Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but by the end of the year he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his little sister, and his parents and learned many important lessons.
Nonfiction
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel
An illustrated account of immigrant Clara Lemlich's pivotal role in the influential 1909 women laborer's strike describes how she worked grueling hours to acquire an education and support her family before organizing a massive walkout to protest the unfair working conditions in New York's garment district.
Check Them Out!
Picture Book
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
Fiction
The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
Nonfiction
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel
Check Them Out!
We've got multiple copies of each of these books, so give them a try! You can click on the title or book cover to find out if the books are currently available and, if someone else has already nabbed them, you can place a hold using our online catalog. Alternatively, you can stop in or call and we can tell you the books' availability and/or place a hold for you.
Thank you for your input, and enjoy these amazing, award-winning books!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Vacation Week Fun!
It's here! It's here! School vacation week is here!
We've got tons of fun activities going on during school vacation week! The library will be busy with lots of children and families, and we've got a ton of stuff going on to make the week special!
Wednesday
Splash 'N' Boots Family Concert at 11:00 a.m.
This amazing music duo will be visiting us all the way from Canada to share their high-energy, interactive music and dancing! It's geared toward families with children ages 7 and under. No registration necessary.
Thursday
Dog B.O.N.E.S. at 3:30 p.m.
Kids who are learning to read have the chance to read to a certified therapy dog. This program does require registration, so stop in or call 617-972-6435 to sign-up for a fifteen-minute time slot.
Friday
Lego Club at 10:15 a.m.
Join up with other Lego enthusiasts to make all sorts of creative feats of engineering skill using our huge collection of Legos! For kids in grades K-5. No registration necessary.
Saturday
Digital Story Time at 10:15 a.m.
We'll share songs and stories using traditional books, then we'll explore digital book on our iPads. This is for children ages 3-5 with a grown-up. Each grown-up/child pair will get to play with an iPad loaded with educational apps! No registration necessary.
And of course, you can always come in to play in our play area and to find tons of books, movies, video games, audio books to check out and take home!
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