Welcome Spring at the Bridgewater Library --Celebrate National Poetry Month with a Treasure Hunt, Create Fantastical Alphabetical Creatures, and Celebrate Earth Day by Creating New Inventions out of Recycled Materials at the Library. In the community: Flight and Astronomy Programs at the Children’s Museum, Ecology ideas from the Environmental Center, and more! Teens, summer volunteer forms must be returned by April 30th.

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Programs for Children @ the Bridgewater Library:

April is National Poetry Month
Celebrate at the Bridgewater Library with our Poetry Treasure Hunt…. starting April 1st.  Get the clue sheet, look for the poems, solve the puzzle, and win a prize!   More information is available at the Youth Services Desk!


Celebrate Poetry! (Grades 1-5) Monday, April 7  4:30-5:30 pm
Registration required and begins March 24Write a Poem!  Share a Story!  Celebrate poetry in more ways than you can guess!  Songs!  Dance!  Crafts!  Surprises!

Spring Story and Craft (for Ages 3+)  Monday, April 14  10:00 - 10:45 am Registration required and begins on March 31.  Spring into the season with a story and garden craft to take home.



Toddler Dance Party (For ages 2 - 6)  Monday, April 14  from 2:00 - 3:00 pm. Read, rock and roll at the library!  Toddler, ages 2-6, and their caregivers are invited to get their groove on at the library.  Shimmy and shake to your favorite toddler tunes!



Picture This: ALPHABATICS (For ages 3-10)  Wednesday, April 16 at 4:30 pm Registration required and begins April 2.Join us for a romp through some amazingly original alphabet books in which picture book illustrators have transformed ordinary ABC's (and D's & Z's!) into wonderful shapes and magical creatures, - - then turn ABC's into some fantastic creations of your own!  To get an idea what it is all about, click to see Bembo’s amazingly clever alphabet Zoo.


Lego Club (Grades K-6)  Thursday,  April 17  4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Registration is required and begins April 3  Hey LEGO fans, here's a club just for you! Get together with other LEGO-maniacs, share  ideas and tips on building, and have a great time!Library LEGOS will be available for building, so you do not need to bring your own.  Please Note: Parents are welcome to stay; however, younger siblings cannot be permitted to join this program.



Saturday Morning Movie - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (PG) (For families with children ages 3+) Saturday, April 19 at 9:30 am  No Registration Required. Inventor Flint Lockwood thought he saved the world when he destroyed his most infamous invention - a machine that turned water into food causing cheeseburger rain and spaghetti tornadoes.  But Flint soon learns that his invention survived and is now creating food animals - 'foodimals'!




Earth Day - Invention Convention! (For ages 5-11) Monday, April 21  from 4:30 - 5:30 pm  Registration required and begins on April 7
REDUCE**REUSE**RECYCLE! Join us as we celebrate Earth Day by making new things out of old materials...our only limit is our imagination (and the materials we have on hand)!  Please bring in (clean) cardboard food boxes, bottle caps, yogurt containers, paper towel rolls, old cds, egg cartons - - and anything else you can think of to share with the group as our building materials - - then we'll see what we create!



Advocacy: Theater, Music, and Self-Regulation: How the Arts Can Help Kids and Teens with Special Needs Come Out of Their Shells! Thursday, April 24  From 7:00 -8:30 pm  Registration required. This presentation will focus on autism and the Stanley Greenspan's DIR/Floortime Therapy Model.  The presenter will share techniques for creating original music and theater in your own home or classroom!  It will also focus on theater techniques that can be used to engage children with special needs.
Presented by Matthew Mazur, Director of Turtle Dance Music, LLC.  Matthew devises and performs interactive theater and music shows for all kids including kids on the Autism Spectrum.   Matthew has a post-baccalaureate degree in Autism Intervention/Early Childhood Development and a certification in Stanley Greenspan's Developmental, Individual-Differences, Relationship-based model (DIR/Floortime) from Montclair State University.  He also teaches students how to adapt books into plays with 'Making Books Sing' in Manhattan.




Tween Hippie Party After Hours (For students in grades 4-6) Friday, April 25  from 6:00 - 8:00 pm  Registration required and begins April 4  Tweens, grades 4-6, get locked in the library after hours!  Break out your bell bottoms and Birkenstocks - this month our party is hippie-themed!  We'll have hippie inspired crafts, games, snacks and more!  Don't worry, we'll still put out our video games!  No admittance after 6:15 pm.  Advance notice required if tween must leave the program early.




Trees Are Terrific (Ages 3 and up) Saturday, April 26  at 10:00 am
Registration required and begins on April 11  Arbor Day is a special day to recognize the importance of trees and the difference they make in our lives. The Bridgewater Shade Tree Board will help us celebrate all that's terrific about trees with stories and activities.



Music and Movement (Birth to 3 Years) Monday April 28, 2014 10:00 AM & 11:00 AM (Ages Birth - 3 years)  No registration required. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and feel the beat of a fun, lively music class! Led by Beth Stone of Kids’ MusicRound.

Pete the Cat Party (For ages 3-8)  Monday, April 28  4:30 - 5:30 pm  Registration required and begins on April 14.  Rock out in your cool shoes and groovy buttons!  We will have games, crafts, stories and a special visit from our friend Pete!



STORYTIMES RESUME THE WEEK OF APRIL 29TH:

Storytime (For Ages 3-6, siblings welcome) No Registration Required.  Tuesdays  10:00 a.m. Second session at 1:30pm.  Join us for stories and songs for the whole family!  This program is aimed at families and is designed for children 3 and up (younger siblings welcome.)

Toddler Time (For Ages 18 months-36 months) No Registration Required.  Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m., repeats at 11:00 a.m.  Also Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.    Clapping and singing and listening to books... introduce your toddler to the beginnings of storytime!

Baby Time (For ages birth - 18 months) No Registration Required.
Thursdays  9:30 a.m. An interactive lap-sit program of songs, rhymes and a story designed to introduce your baby to language and promote early literacy.

Rocket Readers: 'Iris and Walter and the Field Trip' (Grades 1-2 Tuesday, April 29th 4:30-5:30pm  Registration required.  An exciting program for brand new readers!  At each program we will discuss a book, play some games, or create a story related craft.  This month's book: 'Iris and Walter and the Field Trip' By: Elissa Haden Guest When best friends Iris and Walter go on a field trip to an aquarium, Walter gets lost and a worried Iris helps Miss Cherry look for him. **Students should read the book prior to the program.  Copies of the book will be available at the Youth Services Reference Desk.**


@ Bridgewater Library for Tweens and Teens:
Make It, Take It - Journal Making & Blackout Poetry (For students in grades 6-12)  Monday, April 14  from 7:00 - 8:00 pm Registration required.  It's National Poetry Month!  Come celebrate by making a unique journal and creating some blackout poetry (artistic poems created out of recycled book pages by selecting certain words and covering unwanted text with colorful sharpie markers).
 


Open Mic Cafe Night (Ages 13+) on Thursday April 17th  from 6:45-8:45pm.  Registration required.   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? Not an artist, but would like to witness some of the most inspiring artists Somerset County has to offer? Then join us for this one of a kind experience, and help local musicians and writers have their voices heard.
Depending on registration, artists will receive ~ 10 minute slots to play music or recite poetry. Sign ups will be on a first-come, first-served basis. *Note: As ages of audience members range from children to adults, please consider the content of your performance. You will be asked to leave should your set contain indecent speech.

TAB Meeting (Grades 6-8)  Tuesday April 22nd , 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. TAB Meeting (Grades 9-12) 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM  Story Well. 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!   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!


Make a Difference @ the Library! (Volunteer Opportunities for Grades 5 - 6) Monday, May 5th 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm  Registration required .  ATTENTION STUDENTS IN GRADES 5 AND 6: Here is your chance to make a difference by volunteering at the library! You can help the library with special projects including creating bookmarks for young children, organizing and tidying up the Children’s Room, and much more!

Want more info about upcoming programs? Check out the  May teen calendar here.



Around the Community:

FLIGHT AND ASTRONOMY FUN AT THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM IN BRIDGEWATER THIS SATURDAY:
The Children’s Museum’s next program, Flight and Astronomy, will be held this coming Saturday April 12^th from 10AM to 3PM at The PeopleCare Center, 120 Finderne Ave. Bridgewater 08807. Planned activities include paper airplane and paper rocket construction, balloon rockets, a telescope, a tour of our planets, and our Martian Lander construction station. Weather permitting, we are also expecting a visit in the afternoon by world-class Boomerang expert Peter Hansch, who will give a nice demonstration.
The suggested donation is $3 per child, and the suggested age range is 3 to 8.  The robotics program has small batteries and other small parts, so it is not recommended for children less than 3 years old.

Fun for Kids -- Volunteer Opportunity for Teens.  Teens, if you are interested in volunteering, please email somersetcminfo@gmail.com with the dates you are interested in.

For more info:  http://childrensmuseumnj.org/
http://childrensmuseumnj.org/CMNJschedule.pdf




From NJ Kids:   what's going on...

Wednesday, April 9 - Sunday, April 13

Annual Cherry Blossom Festival

Newark, NJ 
Celebrate spring under an awning of pink petals with music, activities, a crafters' market, a children's 1-mile fun run/walk, and more.

Saturday, April 12

SpEGGtacular Hunt

Paramus, NJ Bring your basket to the zoo for an egg hunt alongside the animals. After, meet the Easter Bunny, listen to a story, and make a craft. 
Click here for more places to meet the Easter Bunny!

Solar System Odyssey

Branchburg, NJ 
Take a futuristic journey through our solar system with Jack, a hero on a mission to discover new planets to call home.

 

Egg Family Festival
Morristown, NJ
Create a clothespin chick, design an egg, and craft egg animals at this festival that's sure to be an egg-citing day for the whole family.

Easter Chocolate Workshop

Montclair, NJ
Create delicious chocolate treats, like chocolate-covered Peeps, cake pops, and bunnies, during this fun, dessert-making workshop.

Find Some Frogs!

Cranbury, NJ
In spring, ponds fill up and amphibians come out. See what kind you can find, and plan to get wet and muddy feet! 
Check out more nature fun at these upcoming events!

Saturday, April 12 - Sunday, April 13

Easter Bunny Express

Whippany, NJ 
Join the Easter Bunny on this 45-minute round-trip ride along the Morristown and Erie Railway's historic Whippanong Trail.

Sunday, April 13

New Jersey Snakes
Basking Ridge, NJ   
Learn to identify 22 snake species, dispel myths about these reptiles, and discover what to do when you encounter a snake in the wild.
Find more free events here!












Big theatre weekend ahead here at RVCCArts.

Guru of Chai
Indian Ink Theatre Company
Saturday, April 12 at 8PM
Tickets: $20 & $30
more

The Fantasticks
Nebraska Theatre Caravan
Sunday, April 13 at 2PM
Tickets: $25 & $35
more
performance tickets

For more info, email: cspringer@scparks.org. (above link won’t work)

SPRING BREAK ART CLASSES, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES @ HUNTERDON ART MUSEUM

Spring Break Mini-Camp Starts Soon

Give your kids—and yourself!—a break with our spring break mini-camp on April 22 and 23. Classes are filling up quickly, but we still have a few open spots. You can enroll your six- to 10-year-old children in one session or let them enjoy a day at the Museum with a supervised lunch.
Here's what's on tap:
Nature's Gallery: Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to let your children discover the art and design possibilities in nature. Painting, clay sculpting, printmaking and more! Taught by Nan Krotcha. Tuesday, April 22, from 9 AM to noon.
Webs, Wings and Watercolors: From turtle shells to spider webs and ripe red apples, children will observe the wonders of nature through art with watercolors, pastels and more. Taught  by Lisa Grasso-Earl. Tuesday, April 22, 1 to 4 PM
My Pet Project: Pet-themed projects bring art and animals together. Kids can spend the morning sculpting and painting. Taught by Amanda Esposito.Wednesday, April 23, 9 AM to noon.
Sculpture Sampler: Explore the world of 3D art with clay, felt, fabrics and more. Taught by Nancy Miller. Wednesday, April 23, 1 to 4 PM.
Don't miss out! Visit our website to learn more about our mini-camp.

BEE HAPPENINGS AT MORRIS MUSEUM
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown   http://www.morrismuseum.org/

MORRIS MUSEUM PRESENTS 3 EDUCATIONALWORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES

The Honey and the Hive: The Sweet Story of Honeybees
These programs are being offered in preparation for the Morris Museum’s upcoming exhibition, The Honey and the Hive: The Sweet Story of Honeybees.
Bee Installation
WHEN: Saturday, April 12, 11:00 AM
TICKETS: This program is FREE with Museum admission.
Visit the Museum for an incredible demonstration by beekeepers on starting a bee hive.  Watch as workers and the queen are moved into their new home and begin to prepare for the honey making process. Families from the community will be building the beehives on March 8 and the New Jersey Beekeepers Association will move a brand new colony of bees into the hive on Museum grounds.
Bee Box Inspection
WHEN: Saturday, May 3, 1:00 PM
TICKETS: This program is FREE with Museum admission.
Do the bees like their new home?  Watch as beekeepers check up on the hive.  Learn more about the hive and the honey making processes.  After the bees are installed, beekeepers will be at the Morris Museum to check on the hive every Saturday at 1:00pm.  Watch as the hive grows and the bees make honey all spring and summer and ask the beekeepers any questions you might have about honeybees and beekeeping. 
About The Honey and the Hive
This spring, the Morris Museum will present an engaging new exhibition for family audiences all about bees.  The Honey and the Hive: The Sweet Story of Honeybees will be on view in our galleries from May 5 through August 15, 2014.

RVCC Planetarium

Public Star Shows

• Laser Concerts Song Lists
• Astronomy Shows & Laser Concerts
  • Just for Kids
• Special Events
  • Night of Lasers
  • The Sky Above - a program for those with autism or other developmental disabilities.
• Admission / General Policies
• Directions to the Planetarium
• Contact Us

Star Shows and Laser Concerts  All shows run approximately 40 minutes.
Admission: $7 for one show, $12 for two shows on the same day  Call 908-231-8805 for reservations!
Spring into space at the Planetarium! We have shows for kids and adults, and different programs every month! There's always something new to see and learn!

Planetarium Shows on Saturdays


Solar System Odyssey
All Saturdays in April, 3:00 p.m.

Take a futuristic journey through our solar system. With Earth's resources being rapidly depleted, a tycoon sends our hero, Jack Larson, on a mission to discover a new home to colonize.  
Recommended for ages 8-12.
Laser Light Waves
All Saturdays in April, 4:00 p.m.
Features songs by a variety of artists including The Beatles, One Republic, and much more.
Recommended for ages 6 and older.
Spring Skies
All Saturdays in April, 7:00 p.m.
Discover what stars and constellations we can see in tonight's sky.
Recommended for ages 8 to adult.
Laser Led Zeppelin  
Saturday, April 12, 8:00p.m.
"The Evening," "Battle of Evermore," and "Stairway to Heaven" are just some of the classic Led Zeppelin you'll hear tonight.  
Recommended for ages 10 to adult.  
Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon
Saturday, April 27, 8:00 p.m.
Hear hits from the Dark Side of the Moon album include "Speak to Me/Breathe," "Time," and "Money."   
Recommended for ages 10 to adult.

Spring Break in Space

Magic Tree House: Space Mission
Monday, April 14, 2:00 p.m.
Join Jack and Annie as the discover the secrets of the Sun, Moon, planets, space travel, and more. Who can help them answer the questions left for them by the mysterious "M"? This show is based on the same-titled, best-selling series of novels.
(Recommended for ages 5 and older)
Perfect Little Planet
Monday, April 14, 3:00 p.m.
A family from another star system is seeking the perfect vacation spot.  Fly over the surface of Pluto, our best known dwarf planet; sail through the rings of Saturn; avoid Jupiter's lightning storms.  Which destination will they choose?
(Recommended for ages 6-12)
The Little Star that Could
Tuesday, April 15, 2:00 p.m.
Travel with an average yellow star on his quest to get a "name" and a planet to call his own. A "cool" red star, a "hot" blue star, a dying star, double stars, and the Milky Way Galaxy teach the Little Star some important things about being a star. Imagine Little Star's surprise when he discovers planets already going around him! This show is a great introduction to the different kinds of stars in space as well as the planets in our solar system.
(Recommended for ages 6-12)
Laser Kids
Tuesday, April 15, 3:00 p.m.
Songs include "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," and "Yellow Submarine," to name just a few.
(Recommended for ages 6-12)

Just for Kids in April

The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
Sunday, April 27, 2:00 p.m.
Students travel with two adventurous youngsters in their cardboard rocket as they explore the Sun and the planets of the solar system. This show is designed to encourage the use of libraries, enhance language skills and develop individual imagination
(Recommended for ages 6-12)
Magic Tree House: Space Mission
Sunday, April 27, 3:00 p.m.
Join Jack and Annie as the discover the secrets of the Sun, Moon, planets, space travel, and more. Who can help them answer the questions left for them by the mysterious "M"? This show is based on the same-titled, best-selling series of novels.
(Recommended for ages 5 and older)

Observe the Sky through our 3M Observatory

3M Observatory
Open Saturday evenings when weather permits.

All ages are welcome to view the real stars through the observatories 16 - inch Meade telescope.








Registration begins May 7th --  more details here: http://www.somersetcountyparks.org/parksFacilities/eec/EEC.html
PLANNING AHEAD FOR SUMMER…. if you are interested in other  Summer Camp Opportunities, check the lower portion of this blog: http://bwlibys.blogspot.com/2014/03/tonightmarch-20thcelebrate-world-day-of.html

RESERVE YOUR SEATS FOR STUDENT MATINEES @ STNJ

Attention all high school teachers: The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey has student matinees for every one of their productions.  Call now to reserve a spot:

Thanks to Ruth Ross of njartsmaven.com for some of these listings….
 
Check out this fascinating article on parenting here:  http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/03/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/

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