Curious about where the phrase “The Dog Days of Summer” comes from? Check out this explanation on Wonderopolis. If you are interested in how this summer’s temps compare to historic measures, check out: http://weather-warehouse.com/WeatherHistoryListing/monthlyWeatherDataStart.html and http://www.wunderground.com/history/ - choose a date and then you can switch to monthly, weekly, or custom views. The monthly view includes a very nice calendar presentation.@ The Library: Programs
Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Travel the World (grades 1-5) registration required. Wednesday, Aug 3: Destination : Latin America. Come explore the glorious plant and animal life of a rainforest and make colorful flowers and animals for our very own fiesta!
Wednesdays from 1:30-3:30 through August 3rd. Book Buddies (ages 3-8, especially siblings of our World Travellers), no registration required. Drop in between 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm Come meet up with a buddy…a Book Buddy!Our teen volunteers can’t wait to meet and sit down with our early and pre-readers and together read a story. Children can choose a picture book to have read to them or they can read to the buddy. This is a fun way to have a shared reading experience outside the family routine which helps support and encourage reading as a life long activity.
Thursdays at 10 and 11 a.m. through August 4th. Toddler Time (18 mo.-3) no registration required. Clapping and singing, rhymes and books….introduce your toddler to the beginnings of story time!
Thursday afternoons/evenings Performers for the Whole Family (ages vary) no registration required. Thursday July 21 at 7:00PM: Safari Mark! (For families with children ages 4 and up) Everyday is Earth Day with Safari Mark! Join him and learn how to live in harmony with the earth and co-exist with Mother Earth’s animal friends! Hear about conservation, recycling and how to pick the right pet! Thursday August 4, 2011 2:00 to 2:45 PM: Daria World Music Bring the family and join the global celebration with Daria as she plays world music with instruments found around the globe.
Fridays at 9:30 and 10:30 through August 5th. Baby Book Time (birth to 18 months) no registration required. Clap your hands and stamp your feet and let you baby feel the beat of stories, songs and rhymes.
Girls Can Do Anything - Story and Craft Saturday August 6, 2011 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM -- Presented by I Am That Girl (RVCC) The program will include a story time, craft, snacks and refreshments. The program is open to anyone grades 1-8. Registration is required. I Am That Girl is a socially conscious empowerment company for girls and women founded by CBS Survivor Micronesia star, Alexis Jones. The mission of I Am That Girl is to inspire authentic confidence in girls and women everywhere so that they in turn, can positively and significantly impact the world around them.
Casey Randazzo, Chapter President, Ailyn Robles, Chapter Vice President and the members of I Am That Girl at Raritan Valley Community College will be running the girl empowerment program at Bridgewater Township Library. “Our mission is to inspire young girls to dream big,” said Chapter founder and President Casey Randazzo, “We want anything to be possible when it comes to young girls imagining different career paths.”
For more information please contact Casey Randazzo at caseyrandazzo@yahoo.com.
Lunch Bunch For Students Entering Grades 3 – 4 Monday August 8, 2011 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Registration Required. Bring your brown bag lunch to our book discussion. Stories around the Campfire Get ready to listen to great campfire stories—all with an element of surprise. Don’t forget to bring your brown bag lunch and a small flashlight (optional)
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Love's Labour's Lost Wednesday August 10, 2011 1:00 to 2:00 PM This program is free and adults and young adults (and older children) are welcome to attend, but registration is required. (See description in Teen section.)
Wednesday August 10th- Friday 12th – Join us at the Somerset County Tent at the Somerset County 4H Fair. In addition to the library table, there are lots of tents featuring various 4H clubs – everything from animals to astronomy, bee-keeping to baton-twirling, magic to model-airplanes! It is a great place to help your kids discover new interests!
Swinging Summer Sing Along (For all ages) No Registration Required Tuesday August 16, 2011 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Clap your hands and stomp your feet and come for a tuneful summer jamboree before that school bell rings! Summer Reading Club CARNIVAL!!! Fun and games for children of all ages! No Registration Required! Thursday August 18, 2011 -- drop in anytime between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Participants in our Summer Reading Clubs are invited to celebrate “One World Many Stories” at this afternoon filled with games, prizes and activities. Bring your family and friends for a fun-filled summer afternoon!
Talk-It Up Book Discussion Group Tuesday, August 23 from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. For students entering grades 5 – 8 Registration Required. If you love to read and talk about books, you are cordially invited to an hour of book talk and friendly company. Parents and parent substitutes are welcome to join in the discussion.
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Miranda's disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stock piled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove. Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda's struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world. For full details and to register for any of these programs, click on the program in the August Bridgewater Library Online Calendar.
Teens:
Movie and a Sundae: 'I Am Number 4' Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for language. Monday August 1, 2011 from 6 pm - 8:30 pm. For students entering grades 6-12. Registration Required. Come enjoy a movie and some ice cream! We will supply the ice cream and toppings as well as popcorn and soda. Come alone or bring a friend. All movies will be rated PG-13 or PG and you must be entering grades 6-12 to attend. Girls Can Do Anything - Story and Craft Saturday August 6, 2011 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM -- Presented by I Am That Girl (RVCC) The program will include a story time, craft, snacks and refreshments. The program is open to anyone grades 1-8. Registration is required. I Am That Girl is a socially conscious empowerment company for girls and women founded by CBS Survivor Micronesia star, Alexis Jones. (see description above.) 
Teen Family Feud Monday, August 8 from 6:30 pm - 8 pm For students entering grades 6-12 Registration Required. Survey says... come to the library and play a game of Teen Family Feud! Teens throughout Somerset County have answered the surveys we're going to use in our game--see how well you know your peers! There will be prizes for the winning team and snacks will be served! Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Love's Labour's Lost Wednesday August 10, 2011 1:00 to 2:00 PM This program is free and adults and young adults are welcome to attend, but registration is required. Shakespeare’s delightful coming-of-age comedy is a witty and hilarious ode to youthful aspirations, infatuations and follies. The young King of Navarre, along with three of his 
loyal friends, decide to dedicate themselves to the “noble pursuit of knowledge” for three full years, locking themselves away from all distractions…especially women. Their ambitious “ivory tower” is soon shaken, with the arrival of the lovely Princess of France and her three gamesome ladies-in-waiting. Filled with dazzling wordplay, strong comic characters and a few unexpected twists, LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST not only charms, but also touches the heartstrings of young and old alike. Director Abigail Isaac (“As You Like It” tour, 2010) returns with an exciting new one hour version of this delicious Shakespeare confection. Talk-It Up Book Discussion Group Tuesday, August 23 from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. For students entering grades 5 – 8 Registration Required. If you love to read and talk about books, you are cordially invited to an hour of book talk and friendly company. Parents and parent substitutes are welcome to join in the discussion. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. (See full description above.)@ the Library: Displays & Resources:
Did you know that the library has children’s books in more than a dozen languages? Check out our Foreign Language Display next to the Story well and the AV room. We also have CD, CD-ROM and DVD resources as well as the online computer program Mango Languages.Around the Community:
Wednesday, July 27 - Outdoor Movie Night: Bee Movie
Bring your picnics, blankets and chairs to see "Bee Movie," rated G. As a special treat before the movie, a beekeeper will be on hand to talk about beekeeping! Where: Wagner Farm Arboretum Children's Garden, 195 Mountain Road, Warren. (Rain place is the Warren Court Room.) When: 7:00 PM Who: All ages. How: Just come on down! Cost: Free. For more info: Go to www.warrennj.org/wtrec. 
MUSIC IS MAGIC! Music for Special Needs Kids at Watchung Library Registration Required for each session. Thursday July 28, 2011 and Thursday August 18, 2011 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM ages: Birth through age 5 with CaregiverThis program is designed to provide an accepting and stimulating musical environment for special needs children and their families. Using guitar, song, movement, shaky eggs, scarves and drums, Ann Wild creates a musical environment that is meant to be a safe haven where children and their parents/teachers can sit back and enjoy music-making. Music is a powerful tool that can be used to:-comfort a child, help teach new skills, smooth over stressful situations, aid in speech development, help a child transition between activities, help a child self-soothe AND IT'S JUST PLAIN FUN!
Thursday, July 28 - SciFi Fact or Fiction?
You are here on Earth...but what else do you know about space, aliens and your home in the universe? Watchung Library, 12 Stirling Road, Watchung. 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Who: For students entering grades 5 - 12. Registration required. Register in person or online at www.somerset.lib.nj.us on the Watchung calendar of events page or call 908-561-0117. Free. Thursday, July 28 - Battle of the Bands Teen Concert
Up and Away!
Wouldn't you love to take a ride in that beautiful balloon? This coming weekend is the 29th Annual Quick Chek Festival of Ballooning, and there will be tons of family entertainment, food, rides, and yes, beautiful balloons. The Festival takes place at Solberg Airport in Readington, and balloon lift-offs are at 6:30am and 6:30pm each day, July 29 - 31. For more info, go to www.balloonfestival.com.
Family Fun at Duke Island Park
July 29 FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIES at Duke Island Park. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief - PGA teenager discovers he's the descendant of a Greek god and sets out on an adventure to settle an on-going battle between the gods.
Come to Duke Island Park in Bridgewater for a "Drive-In" Movie! Put your kids in their pjs, pack a picnic basket and pile into the car. Take the family back in time with drive-in movies just like in the 50's, complete with large screen and popcorn. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy a movie under the stars.
Where: Duke Island Park, Old York Road, Bridgewater.
When: 8:30 PM Who: Families.
How: Come to the park. Movies will be presented on the large screen inside the band shell, so bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. Cost: Free.
For more info: Go to www.somersetcountyparks.org. Call 908-722-1200 ext. 351 for weather updates prior to the show.
JULY 31 14th Annual Bayou Fest at Duke Island Park featuringZYDECO-A-GO-GO 5:30pm- 6:30pm Dance band Zydeco-A-Go-Go loves what they do, bringing partygoers and revelers the music that they can’t resist…zydeco with a blend of Cajun two-steps, New Orleans rhythm & blues, and swinging Louisiana rock & roll. Hailing from Philadelphia, Zydeco-A-G-Go will get the party started and keep it going! CJ CHENIER & THE RED HOT LOUISANA BAND 7pm - 8:30pm Son of the legendary zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier, C.J.’s music not only embraces traditional zydeco, but stretches the genre to include elements of funk, Southern Soul, R&B, rock, and jazz. Labeled “the best living zydeco singer and accordionist” by Living Blues magazine, when “The Crown Prince of Zydeco” straps on his accordion and applies the big squeeze you’ll be moved from deep within your soul to the soles of your dancing shoes. Get ready for a good time!
Where: Duke Island Park, Old York Road, Bridgewater.THE SOMERSET COUNTY HILLS HOST THE BARD @ PLEASANT VALLEY PARK—AND IT’S FREE!
When: 5:30-8:30 PM Who: Families. Cost: Free.
For more info: Go to www.somersetcountyparks.org. Call 908-722-1200 ext. 351 for weather updates prior to the show.
Grab your chair/blanket, a picnic, the kids and the whole family and head out to Pleasant Valley Park on Valley Road in Basking Ridge for Trilogy Rep’s production of
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
WHEN: July 29-30, August 4-6, 8 PM
NASA / USA Today Art Contest! In commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Program students, ages 9-17, are invited to participate in the NASA Space Shuttle Art Competition by creating an original artwork that reflects the impact of the Space Shuttle program on our planet and in our lives. Students are asked to submit their artwork with a 250-word essay explaining their artistic entries. The submissions will be reviewed by an expert panel of artists and the top six entries will receive a cash prize, a private tutoring session with an accomplished USA TODAY graphic artist, and a certificate of accomplishment. The deadline for submission is August 5, 2011. For more information: http://usatodayeducate.com/wordpress/index.php/because-it-flew-competition Saturday Stories at the Somerville Library
Saturday July 30, 2011 (and other Saturdays) 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM Stories, rhymes, and a craft. Ages 3 to 5 years. Registration Required.FAMILY DAY TO RAISE MONEY FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES
Hayley’s Heroes FUNdraiser a day of music, arts, crafts, food and fun to raise money for The Comet Fund for Hayley Filippini.
WHEN: July 30, 12-4 PM
WHERE: Pickell Park, Mountain Road off Rt. 523 (behind the Municipal Building), Whitehouse Station, NJ
TICKETS: $5 donation minimum
Planned activities include
- a magician
- a caricature artist
- face painting
- sand art
- fun family games
- hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, snow cones and cotton candy
- live music by Eytan from Eytan & the Embassy
AMERICAN CLASSIC COMES TO LIFE ONSTAGE @ SOMERSET VALLEY PLAYERS
TOM SAWYER WHEN: July 22–August 7 Fridays at 8 PM, and matinees on both Saturdays and Sundays at 2 PM, WHERE: Somerset Valley Players Theatre, 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough TICKETS: $12 for all seats For your convenience, tickets can be purchased through the SVP website at www.svptheatre.org. For more information, or to make reservations by phone, please call 908.369.SHOW (7469)
Mark Twain's classic American story comes to musical life as rascally Tom, ragamuffin Huck, beautiful Becky and all their familiar friends happily play out their hijinks of youth and rebellion along the banks of the old Mississippi while searching for buried treasure and high adventure.
The Somerset Valley Players Theatre has decided to help a local family in need. Wyatt Fleming is a 2-year old Branchburg resident who was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 Hepatoblastoma (liver cancer). In an effort to help his family with medical and other costs, The Wyatt J. Fleming Health & Home Fund was established earlier this year. In support of this effort, SVP will be donating $3 of every Tom Sawyer ticket sold to Wyatt's Fund. For this to be reflected, the coupon code "Wyatt" must be used in the coupon field when patrons purchase their tickets through Ticket Turtle, or patrons can mention the code when purchasing tickets at the box office window.
Kids Knit at Bound Brook Library Mondays August 1-22, 2011 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Ages 8+) Please register for this program.
Do you know how to knit or would like to learn? Whether you are an experienced knitter or just a beginner then this program is for you! Each week, Miss Karen will introduce you to a different technique and a simple project will be done. Please note - When you register your child, he or she will be registered for all sessions. Teens Can Improve their Chess Game at the Watchung Library Tuesday August 2, 2011 & August 9, 2011 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
Ages: 13 and up Registration Required. Sharpen your chess skills in a series of lessons designed for beginner through intermediate players who are serious about improving their game!
After a quick rules review we will practice chess tactics, develop strategy, discover history, and analyze amazing games.
Please Note: Most class time will be spent learning new material, analyzing boards, and solving puzzles, with (non-instructional) game play kept to a minimum.
Mango Tango! at the Watchung Library Tuesday August 2, 2011 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM Registration Required.
Presented by: Seema Moondra, Founder, Enjoy-Explore India
Ages: 7 to 10
In this workshop, children will learn why the mango is considered the king of fruits by Indians. You will learn to make the popular cool drink mango, lassi, served in many restaurants. Through this national fruit of India, you will discover the mango tree, climate and the geography of India. Through the game Mango Connection,the famous Jataka story that revolves around this juicy and delicious fruit and the most common Indian motifkeri seen in many Indian arts and crafts, we will learn about this exotic fruit's contribution to the culture of India and the world.
Evening Stories at the Somerville Public Library
Strega Nona at the Watchung Library Ages: 7 to 9 Wednesday August 3, 2011 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM Registration Required.
Youth Stages presents: Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola 'Grandma Witch' is respected by everyone in town for her headache cures and love potions. When Big Anthony comes to work for her, he learns an important lesson in following directions. Fun to act out! Creative drama is an improvisational, non-exhibitional form of drama, where participants are guided by a leader to imagine, enact, and reflect on experiences real and imagined. Creative drama takes children's natural world, creative play, and develops it further, using theatre techniques, to create learning experiences which are for the participants.
Family Event: Sciencetellers presents Wizards! at Hillsborough Library - Ages 5-12 Thursday August 4, 2011 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Registration Required.
'There's no time to waste, we have to leave now!' And with that, the race begins, as two unlikely heroes have to travel the world searching for the clues that will stop a terrible evil. With each step forward, they are drawn dangerously deeper into a world of magic and surprises! Join us as we learn about the science of illusions as we tell the tale of 'WIZARDS - THE RACE AROUND THE WORLD'. With visual experiments and exciting audience participation, you can help our two heroes before all is lost! Thursday, August 4 - Outdoor Movie Night: Big Red
Bring your blankets, chairs and picnic dinner to see this week's movie, Big Red, rated PG. Where: Warren Library Field, Warren. When: 7:00 PM No registration, just show up! Cost: Free. For more info: Go to www.warrennj.org/wtrec.
FARMSTEAD ARTS HOSTS ARTsee EXHIBIT, WORKSHOPS, CAMPS
WHEN: July 23 through August 20 WHERE: Farmstead Arts located at 450 King George Road in Basking Ridge.
The ARTsee Sneak Preview Exhibit and Sale will feature 23 local artists from the Somerset Hills area with over 50 works in variety of media. Gallery hours are from 1-4 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.ARTseetour.com.
WORKSHOPS & CAMPS --
On August 1-5 from 1-4 PM Weaving Connections at Farmstead Arts will offer a camp, open to children entering grades 2-5, that will incorporate weaving and nature exploration with other camp activities. Farmstead Arts Artist-in-Residence Michelle L. Marigliano, who works with Young Audiences of New Jersey guiding teachers in the use of creative movement in the classroom, is the camp instructor. To learn more and register, visit http://fasummercamp.eventbrite.com.For more information on upcoming events at the Farmstead Arts, call 1.347.927.8748, e-mail farmsteadartscenter@gmail.com, visit www.farmsteadartscenter.org, or join them on Facebook.
The farmhouse is wheelchair accessible. Anyone anticipating the need for additional accessibility services is requested to make a request by sending an e-mail to the farmsteadartscenter@gmail.com at least three weeks in advance. Funds for these events have been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
SHAKESPEARE OUT OF DOORS FOR ALL AGES
This production is a great way to introduce your kids to Shakespeare! WHEN: through July 31 WHERE: Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s outdoor stage @ The College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station TICKETS & PERFORMANCE DATES: call 973.408.5600 THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE OF NEW JERSEY PRESENTS ANNUAL FREE PICNIC SERIES ON KIRBY THEATRE LAWN
Molière’s Tartuffe The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will present its annual free Picnic Series, featuring performances by The Theatre’s prestigious touring troupe, the Next Stage Ensemble. WHEN: Molière’s Tartuffe will be at 5:30 PM on Saturday, August 6. The performance lasts one hour. WHERE: Picnic Series performances are held on the lawn outside the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. TICKETS: Performances of The Picnic Series are free of charge and patrons are invited to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair. Seating is on a first-come-first-served basis. In the event of rain, the performance will be held in an indoor venue. For more information, visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org or call 973.408.5600. 
The Planetarium at RVCC has many family shows this summer including: Fee: $6 per person Please call us at 908-231-8805.
The Little Star that Could Tuesdays, July 5 - August 23, 2:00 p.m. Join Little Star, an average yellow star, as he meets other colorful stars in our galaxy during his quest for a name and a planet to call his own. Imagine his surprise when he discovers planets already orbiting him. (recommended for ages 6-12 accompanied by an adult)
Attack of the Space Pirates Tuesdays, July 5 - August 23, 3:00 p.m. Hidden somewhere in the vast reaches of space is an alien technology so powerful that it threatens the very galaxy itself. A gang of rogue pirates will stop at nothing to find that technology and unleash its awesome power against the rest of the universe. Now, only one valiant ship stands between the pirates and their total domination of space. It's a race against time for the Starship Intrepid as it seeks to find the alien technology first while defending itself against the attack of the space pirates! (recommended for ages 8-12 accompanied by an adult) 
Rockin' Rocket Ride Wednesdays, July 6 - August 24, 2:00 p.m. Put on your space suit and blast off into outer space! Catchy songs teach us about the planets and moon rocks. We'll also discover what stars are in tonight's sky. (Recommended for ages 3-8 accompanied by an adult)
Sky Lights Wednesdays, July 6 - August 24, 3:00 p.m. A laser and video concert featuring songs by Mr. RAY (Kalien the Alien, ROY G BIV) and Jane Murphy (Moon Rock Rock, Is Anybody Else Out There?) as well as favorites like "ABC" by the Jackson 5 and Disney's "When You Wish Upon a Star." (Recommended for ages 4-8 accompanied by an adult) 
SETI - The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence Thursdays, July 7 - August 25, 2:00 p.m. The prospect that we may not be alone in the universe is taken as a fact by the movies, writers, and a great many scientists. As yet, we have no hard evidence of another living thing outside Planet Earth. S.E.T.I. - the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence - is a show that explores all sides of this topic, from the planets we are finding around other stars, to the feasibility of travelling to the stars, and what liens might actually be like, to the possibility that UFO's have been visiting, and the various methods that scientists are using to get in touch. Will we make contact in our lifetimes? This stunning immersive show guides you through the myriad of ideas to a surprising conclusion. (recommended for ages 10 and older accompanied by an adult)
Laser Light Thursdays, July 7 - August 25, 3:00 p.m. Music plays while lasers draw pictures on the dome overhead. Features songs like "Fireflies," "OMG," and "Tik Tok." Thanks to www.njartsmaven.com and warren.macaronikid.com for some of these listings. Looking for more ideas? Check out those sites, njkidsonline, njfamilyevents as well as the other “events” listings in the “useful links for families” on the right side of our blog. Let Your Fingers Do (More) Walking:
Harry Potter Fun! from Macaroni Kid
The last Harry Potter movie is in theatres now and Macaroni Kid has a list of crafts, recipes, and activities you can do to celebrate the Potter-verse. There's something for all ages in the crafts, and everyone loves food! Just click on the links to get the full details on how to create some magical fun!
Not sure if the latest Harry Potter will be too intense for your child? Check out the review in Common Sense Media.
Keep an Eye on Eye Safety this Summer and more safety tips from Macaroni Kid.
The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus provides eye safety tips. For every child, summer is the time for playing with friends, spending time outdoors and exploring the world outside of the classroom. Unfortunately, it is also the season children and adults are most likely to suffer injuries to the eyes from trauma and accidents. Each year, 2.5 million people suffer from eye injuries with 1400 of those being caused by fireworks. These injuries can result in permanent loss of vision, even blindness, and many of these injuries ...
Let's Get the Lead Out!...working on it
As of August 14 of this year, makers of products marketed primarily to children under the age of 12 years must comply with the new law that mandates lead levels of no more than 100 parts per million (ppm) on the surface of the product. Though manufacturers had balked at the suggestion which is part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted 3-2 that there was no evidence to suggest that manufacturers could not limit the ...
Check your Home for these Recalled Products!
They're bright, colorful, fun and possibly fatal if your child should happen to choke on one of the knobs from the center of these hollow plastic Mini Stars. Though there have as yet been no injuries reported, the CPSC and Edushape have received reports about the knobs breaking off from the stars. Since this could pose a choking hazard, you should remove these toys from your young child, and contact Edushape at (800) 404-4744 for replacement or credit towards another of the company's products. 
You could catch more than fly-balls with these gloves! The Mizuno Supreme Series and Ballpark Pro baseball and softball gloves were imported from Vietnam and have been found to contain several types of mold that could pose a health risk to your child or those with weakened immune systems. Mold exposure can cause serious respiratory or sinus problems, as well as allergic reactions that can manifest in a number of ways. In short--if your kid is catching with one of these gloves, it's time for a visit to your local sports store. Here is a complete list of affected model numbers, colors and date codes. The gloves were sold at Walmart and Target stores nationwide. Contact Mizuno USA at (800) 451-7913 during normal business hours for information on receiving a full refund.
The latest attempt to control the hands of fate comes in the form of a drawstring ban. If your child is between the ages of 2-12, her clothing may no longer have drawstrings at the neck or waist. This is to protect her from getting caught in a car door, strangled on a playground slide or perhaps hanging herself accidentally when she gets off an elevator. Prohibiting the import of children's clothing products with drawstrings, the CPSC reports that incidents of drawstring strangulations were reduced by 75 percent since 2004. Still, there were over 115 recalls involving drawstrings in children's clothing in the past seven years. So obviously, there are plenty of clothing manufacturing companies who have not complied with the ban. If your child has clothing with drawstrings, the CPSC recommends removing it or replacing the item with a non-draw-string type.
For more recalls and information on consumer product safety, visit the CPSC online.
