The Bridgewater Library has lots of programs and activities planned this summer for children and teens but we need your help to ensure that everyone gets to enjoy them. Recently many of our programs requiring registration have “filled” very quickly but many of the registrants are not actually showing up. Other kids who would have loved to attend never get to come because the program appears “full.” If you have registered for a program and realize that you won’t be able to come, please call (908 526-4016x126) or email us (bwljuv@sclibnj.org) as early as possible so we can make someone on the waitlist very happy. Next time that waitlisted participant might be your child!
ALL our libraries are air-conditioned…we are a great go-to place in this hot weather!
Our summer reading clubs are fun – they are also vitally important for maintaining and improving children’s literacy skills – here’s the research:
10 Ways to Get Kids Reading Over the Summer By Melissa Taylor
Motivate your reluctant readers without forcing them to read this summer. Try one or all of these ideas.- Choice is essential - let your child choose what she reads, even if it's magazines.
- Time to read. Do you have a chunk of time in you day to read?
- Read aloud to your child -- even older kids. Read at a meal or bedtime.
- "Read" audiobooks - they count as reading for a variety of reasons. Try Playaways (available through our library) or Tales2Go .
- Read comic books - they count, too.
- Read with a headlamp and stay up late. Breaking the rules is fun!
- Get help. Ask a librarian or bookstore employee for suggestions.
- Start a parent-child book club. Let your child pick the book. Socialization can be very motivating.
- Get him a library card to use voraciously. (Hint: don't limit the amount of books!)
- Use bookstore money (or join the library Summer Reading Club and get books and other prizes) as a reward.
Reading Rockets website
Scholastic - ideas for reading over the summer
Reading is Fundamental website
PBS Kids reading games
Here's one more secret to motivate your kids to read.
It's really easy. Be a reader.
You know that old adage, "Practice what you preach"? It's a good rule, don't you think? So, if we want our kids to read, we need to read, too.
The Reading Is Fundamental website agrees saying, “As much as they may deny it, most children want to be like their parents. Their lifelong habits start to form at the earliest ages, often by mimicking older members of the family. If they see you reading daily—both for function and for pleasure—they will more likely become avid readers themselves.”
Registering for our Adult Reading Club shows your kids that you too value the importance of reading!
Programs at the Bridgewater Library:
Movie Magic: 'The Phantom Tollbooth' (All Ages) Friday, June 22nd From 2-3:30pm Registration required Kick off the summer with this delightful film and introduce your children to this clever children’s book celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Butch Patrick stars as a bored kid who thinks most things are a waste of time until he drives through a turnpike tollbooth in a toy car and finds himself in a land full of amazing adventures and clever wordplay! Adapted from Norman Juster’s award-winning children’s book, this wonderful live-action/animated musical film features the vocals talents of Warner Brothers cartoon great Mel Blanc, and the cartoon magic of some of the world’s finest animators.
Toddler Dance Party (Ages 2-6) Monday, June 25th from 4:30-5:30pm Registration required Read, rock and roll at the library! Toddlers, ages 2-6, and their caregivers are invited to get their groove on at the library. Shimmy and shake to your favorite toddler tunes! 
Penguin Pajama Picnic (Ages 3+) Thursday, June 28th From Noon-2pm Registration required. Bring a sack lunch to our PENGUIN PAJAMA PICNIC! Get in your PJs or wear black and white as we have a special storytime, eat lunch, and watch 'Happy Feet Two' (Rated PG). Drinks will be provided. 
*Summer Reading Club Kick-Off* Howlin' with the Wolf (Ages 4+) Friday, June 29th from 1-2pm Additional Program added Wednesday June 27th from 1-2 p.m . Registration required. Join Vinnie Reo and his trusty lupine sidekick Saffire the Wolf, as they help dispel the myth of the 'Big Bad Wolf.' Children and their families will learn about pack life, communication, and the future of the wolf in the Yellowstone area. Children will then have the opportunity to meet Saffire, and learn how she was raised. Don't worry! Saffire is extremely gentle and will be on a leash for the entire program. Questions and answers with be taken. 
Craftacular: 3, 2, 1...Blast Off! (Ages 3-6) Tuesday, July 3rd, 10am (repeats at 11:30) Registration required. Make your very own rocket ship! Let's see how high they can fly! 
Storytimes will resume July 3rd (along with lots of other summer programs in our “Dream Big – READ” Summer Reading Club!) Toddler Times will be on Thursdays at 10 & 11, Baby Times on Fridays at 9:30 & 10:30. (No registration required.) Storytime Craftaculars (which do require registration) will be on Tuesdays at 10:00 & 11:30. Our summer calendar is now available on the website or you can pick up a paper copy at 
the library. Looking for an evening storytime? Bound Brook Library is offering a Pajama Storytime (Ages 3 - 6) Wednesdays at 7:00 pm on June 27. Register here for this program. Relax and listen to some stories before bedtime. 
Live Angry Birds! (For Grades 2-5) Thursday, July 5from 3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Registration begins June 21.Join us for an angry birds party! Make your own angry birds and watch them fly as we create a real life version of this popular app.
Lunch Bunch: 'Runny Babbit: a Billy Sook' by Shel Silverstein (For students entering grades 3-4) Monday, July 9th from Noon-1pmRegistration begins June 26th. Runny Babbit's topsy-turvy world is brought to life through wordplay and drawings. 
Craftacular: Dream On! (Ages 3-6) Tuesday, July 10th 10am (repeats at 11:30) Registration begins June 26th. Sleepy stories and crafts - wear your pjs! 
Daydreaming: Daytime Nightmares - The Zombies are Coming (Grades 1-5) From 2-3pm Registration begins June 27th.Perfect your Zombie walk for this afternoon of Zombie stories, activities, and crafts! 
Book Buddies (For ages 3-8) Wednesdays July 11, 2012 –August 1st. From 1:30-3:30pm No registration required Come met up with a buddy…a Book Buddy! Our teen volunteers can’t wait to meet and sit down with your early and pre-readers! Children can choose a picture book to have read to them or they can read with their Buddy. This is a fun way to have a shared reading experience outside the family routine which helps support and encourage reading as a lifelong activity. 
Magic of Brian Richards (For ages 4+) Saturday, July 14th from 10:30-11:30am Registration begins June 29th. Abracadabra, it's magic in the library! Join magician Brian Richards for fun and excitement as he performs amazing magic tricks, hilarious comedy, and brilliant storytelling. And be ready to participate - a good magic trick is nothing without volunteers from the audience! 
Retro Game Day (All Ages) (For all ages - families welcome!) Saturday, July 14th from 1:30-4:30pm No registration required It's a blast from the past! Come to our Retro Game Day and play video games from the past 30 years!
There are also LOTS OF PROGRAMS at other system libraries for children & teens…find their online calendars under the “events/programs” tab on our home page.
@ Bridgewater Library for Teens:
The Teen Summer Reading Program kicks off on Monday June 18th. Stop by anytime this week (or later if you aren’t around this week) to register. There will be lots of great programs and prizes!
Teen Kick-Off: Marc Sky's Amazing Psychic Powers *Teen Summer Reading Kick-Off!!*(For students entering grades 6-12) Wednesday, June 27th From 7-8:30 Registration required Want to know what someone is thinking? Or move objects with your mind? Wonder what the future has in store for you?
Join Marc Sky and find out how to develop your psychic powers. In this fun, informative, and entertaining program, you will discover how to send and receive thoughts, move objects with your mind, get answers to questions about your future, astonish your friends, and much more. You won't believe how much fun you'll have. We predict you'll have an amazing time!
Movie and a Sundae (Grades 6-12) (For students entering grades 6-12) from 6-8:30pm Registration required Come cool off at the library by making your own ice cream sundae and watching a good movie! Movie titles have yet to be determined, but will have a rating no higher than PG-13. Check our website for more information as the programs dates get closer! Have a suggestion for a movie? Email Lynn at lmazur@sclibnj.org. 
Movie Fighting Magic with Stephen Davis (for students entering grades 6+) Monday, July 9th from 7-8pm Registration begins June 18th. Join Professor Stephen Davis and learn the secrets behind a believable stage fight. Come develop the tools you need to make a stage fight look realistic. Street brawls, hair pulling, and punches are choreographed with the precision of ballet and the safety of the participants always in mind. Of course, once you learn how to fake a slap/choke/hair pull/punch, you will need to have the bruises to show for it! In the second part of this program, you will learn how to apply trauma simulation makeup - and even get a chance to look like you just stepped out of an action movie! This is a hands on, physical activity, so be dressed comfortably and ready to move. Stephen Davis is the Professor of Theatre Arts at Centenary College.
5th & 6th Grade Volunteers (For students in grades 5-6) Wednesday July 11th From 7-8pm Registration required. STUDENTS IN GRADES 5 AND 6: Here is your chance to make a difference by volunteering at the library! Repeats most Wednesdays through August 1st (separate registrations required).
Open Mic Cafe Night (Ages 13+)Thursday, July 12th & 26th. From 7:00pm – 8:30pm Registration Required to perform. Repeats Think you’ve got what it takes to get up on stage in front of your peers with nothing but your voice and guitar? Want to share your poetry, comedy, or original music? Then this is your night! Join us for this one of a kind experience, and help local musicians and writers get their voices heard.
Depending on registration, artists will receive 10-15 minute slots to play music or recite poetry. Sign ups will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Please check back for more registration information. **You only need to register if you are interested in performing.**
TAB (Teen Advisory Board) Meeting (Grades 6-8) Tuesday, July 17th From 5:30-6:30pm Registration required. TAB Meeting (Grades 9-12) (For students entering grades 9-12)Tuesday, July 17th From 6:30-7:30pm Registration required
Do you want to make a difference at your library? Do you have suggestions for programs, new books, movies, or video games? Then come to one of our upcoming T.A.B. meetings!
Community service hours will be awarded for attendance and snacks will be served.
We have lots more great teen programs at the library this summer, check out our July and August teen calendars here.
Teens, looking for college-prep reading suggestions? Take a look at this:
Summer Reading Flowchart: What Should You Read On Your Break? - Teach.com
Around the Community:
Check out the June Programs at the Environmental Education Center. Programs include A HUMMINGBIRD'S LIFE, WOODLAND MONSTERS! EVENING EXPLORATION and more!
Join Duke Farms for a Day of Discovery on Sunday, June 24! See teams of researchers in action as they survey the plants and wildlife found at Duke Farms. Special walks and activities throughout the day - free, no registration required.
at The Villagers Theater in Franklin. Final weekend to see this well-reviewed production! THE MUSIC MAN follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band he vows to organize – this despite the fact he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall. Reserved seating - $18 Adult, $16 Senior/Student
Fridays and Saturday at 8:00PM, Sundays at 2:00PM.
Reservations can be made via this web site under 'Tickets',
e-mail boxoffice@villagerstheatre.com or call 732-873-2710
STNJ PRESENTS COMEDY UNDER THE STARS FOR WHOLE FAMILY
Continuing the celebration of its 50th Anniversary Season, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will present a hilarious slapstick comedy on its Outdoor Stage – the Theatre’s enormously popular annual summer venue for family theatre-going under-the-stars.
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jason King Jones
WHEN: June 20-July 29, Tuesdays through Sundays at 8:15 PM with additional twilight shows on Sundays at 4:30 PM
WHERE: The amphitheatre on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road (off Madison Avenue/Rt. 124) in Morris Township. This replica of an ancient Greek theatre nestled into the hillside of the bucolic campus offers a theatrical event unique on the East Coast.
TICKETS: range from $27 - $33 for adults; tickets for ages 17 and under are $15. Children under 5 go free. Seating is general admission
For tickets or more information, call 973.408.5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.
The large lawn surrounding the Theatre is ideal for picnicking. Audience members may bring their own food and beverages, or purchase snacks and soft drinks on-site. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets or low beach chairs into the amphitheatre. Stadium seats are available for rental for $3.00 while supplies last. Complimentary hand-held fans will be provided courtesy of Air Group Heating and Air Conditioning Co., while supplies last.
The Comedy of Errors, a family-friendly, 95-minute version of the Bard’s hilarious comedy is directed by Jason King Jones who also directed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) and The Servant of Two Masters on the Outdoor Stage. Two sets of identical twins, mistaken identities, outrageous characters and a madcap chase sequence (to rival all chase sequences!) conspire to make this caper a thrill for children and adults of all ages.
“We want to guarantee that people of all ages can help us celebrate our 50th Anniversary Season” said The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Artistic Director, Bonnie J. Monte. “What better way than to invite family audiences to the incredibly beautiful setting of our Outdoor Stage for a delightful evening of class comedy? We are so grateful to the College of St. Elizabeth, our gracious host, for making it possible for this wonderful, 6-week event to occur each year.”
CIVIL WAR ARMY INVADES MORRISTOWN AT HISTORIC SPEEDWELL
CIVIL WAR ENCAMPMENT WEEKEND WHEN: 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and 10 AM to 4 PM on Sunday, June 23 and 24
WHERE: Historic Speedwell, 333 Speedwell Ave., Morristown
ADMISSION: $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 4 – 16, and children under 4 FREE
Step onto the battlefields of the American Civil War, the struggle that altered the political, social, and economic landscape of the nation, and into the lives of those involved. The Second New Jersey Brigade is stationed at Historic Speedwell in Morristown for a unique two-day event that presents the lives of Civil War soldiers more vividly than dull text books.
The re-enactors lead activities throughout the eight-acre site, presenting the daily lives of soldiers and culminating with a staged skirmish. Soldiers’ camps are a recreation of daily life with authentic cooking, dress, and general setup. Most amazing is the massive period cannon! Watch musket, and artillery drills and firings. Marching drills include period instruments as soldiers proudly go into battle. A Civil War era Signal Corps group authentically demonstrates how important messages were sent between units using colorful flags to signal.
Activities include soldiers preparing for battle, and the basics of battlefield medicine for soldiers who suffered from battle-inflected injuries or disease. Around every corner there is something to discover.
While enjoying your visit to the past, tour Historic Speedwell, known as the “Birthplace of the Telegraph,” including the National Historic Landmark Factory Building. Recently, an interactive, hands-on exhibit on the telegraph opened to the public and received rave reviews. Don’t miss an opportunity to visit this unique and fun exhibit.
Tour the Vail Home, built more than 150 years ago. See exhibits on the Speedwell Ironworks, a Granary full of early farm implements, and watch the enormous 24-foot overshot waterwheel turn in the Wheelhouse.
A trip to Historic Speedwell would not be complete without a visit to the Gift Shop to select a unique souvenir to take home. Light picnic fare is also available for purchase. For more information, please call 973.285.6550. FREE parking and FREE shuttle service available.
The Sky Above RVCC planetarium show for families with children on the Autism Spectrum or with other developmental disabilities. Sunday, July 8, 2012, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Sunday, August 12, 2012, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. All ages are welcome to this one-hour sensory-friendly program. The show will provide a comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming to all families. The doors will remain open so that children will be able to come and go. Lights will be left dim and audio will be lowered and at a consistent level. The sky show will include: music, videos, planets, the Moon, constellations and laser lights. Ticket Price: $5.00 per person Please call 908-231-8805 to make a reservation as we are limiting the number of visitors for each show.
Let Your Fingers Do MORE Walking: (Summer Reading Edition)
In addition to reading, summer is a good time to play with math skills.
Mixing in Math mixinginmath.terc.edu
Quick ways to mix math in to what you already do with children: crafts, story times & playground games 99 years ago the US Postal Service made it illegal to mail children. What size box would you need to mail yourself? Use Building Houses to find out.http://mixinginmath.terc.edu/activities/buildinghouses.php
Snack time -- An apple a day might not keep the doctor away!
Which Baby Foods Contain the Most Pesticide Residue? Every year, Environmental Working Group crunches USDA pesticide-testing data and comes up with its "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" lists of most- and least-contaminated fruits and vegetables. New this year: a troubling report on pesticide traces in several kinds of baby food.
To find out which produce made the hall of shame this year—and which baby foods turned up pesticide-positive—click here. [READ MORE]
Finally, stop reading this blog and get outside -- make a paper airplane fly!
Wonder of the Day #626: How Far Can a Paper Airplane Fly?
Today’s Wonder of the Day will have you soaring on wings of paper! Have you ever wondered…
- How far can a paper airplane fly?
- Are paper airplanes just for fun?
- Can you make your own paper airplane?
No one knows for sure when the first paper airplane was created. Sometimes, historians give credit to Leonardo da Vinci. However, paper folding and kite making were both popular in Asia hundreds of years ago, so it’s likely the first paper airplanes may have been made long, long ago.
In Japan, the art of folding paper is called origami. Some people call the art of making paper airplanes aerogami.
Paper airplanes are obviously lots of fun to play with. But did you realize that they can be more than just toys? It’s true!
Since paper airplanes glide through the air, they can teach scientists and engineers a lot about basic concepts of flight, engineering and aerodynamics. In fact, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) once sent a paper airplane into space on a space shuttle!
If you’re wondering how a paper airplane would fly in outer space, you might be surprised by the answer. According to scientists, paper airplanes won’t actually fly in outer space, because there’s no atmosphere. Instead, paper airplanes would simply float in a straight line and could possibly float forever unless they hit another object!
The Wright Brothers also used paper airplanes to test out their theories about flight before making their first flight. They built a wind tunnel and used paper airplanes to gain a better understanding of how their aircraft would operate in the wind.
So just how far can a paper airplane fly? On February 28, 2012, former college quarterback Joe Ayoob set the world record for the longest paper airplane flight. He threw a paper airplane the entire length of a warehouse, setting the record at 226 feet, 10 inches. That broke the old record by 19 feet, 6 inches!
Try it out!
Ready to make and fly your own paper airplanes? All you need are a few simple supplies and some creativity! Check out the links below for step-by-step directions to make several different types of paper airplanes:
Still wondering?
In Illuminations’ Long Distance Airplanes lesson, children make paper airplanes and explore attributes related to increasing flight distances.
Speaking of Outer Space, check out these photos from last week’s Transit of Venus http://www.sciencefriday.com/blogs/06/11/2012/transit-of-venus-photo-contest.html
— Transit of Venus Photo Contest (2 photos)
And finally -- Imagination Soup shared Acts Of Kindness's photo. Advice From a Tree . . .
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