Welcome to our Online Newsletter and Virtual Bulletin Board!

Question or Suggestion? Contact cslevin59 (at) gmail.org.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

“Stone Soup” Event in Bridgewater this Saturday

image

image

FROM: Chris O. Poulsen

               Director of Human Services

               Bridgewater Township

               (908) 725-5750 – Telephone

health@bridgewaternj.gov – Email

DATE:   September 18, 2017

BRIDGEWATER MAYOR HAYES RECOGNIZES SEPTEMBER AS

FRUIT AND VEGGIES - MORE MATTERS MONTH

Kid Street Park Event to Support National Nutrition Campaign

A well balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps ensure the continued health and well being of everyone. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and daily physical activity makes a difference in the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and can reduce the risk of many diseases. It was these simple guidelines that prompted the Produce for Better Health Foundation to designate September as National Fruit and Veggies Awareness Month. The campaign, Fruits and Veggies – More Matters, has been recognized by the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and further serves to support the Jersey Fresh Program. Now, Bridgewater Mayor Dan Hayes, through Township Proclamation, takes the program local in support of the Bridgewater Mayors Wellness Campaign.

In recognition of the Fruits and Veggies – More Matters Campaign the Township plans to host an innovative, family-oriented event called “Stone Soup-Bridgewater.” The purpose of the interactive program is to encourage children to become more familiar with the great taste and nutritional value of fresh fruits and vegetables. The event will take place on Saturday, September 23, 2017, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Kid Street Park. The park is located behind the Bridgewater Municipal Complex, 100 Commons Way, Bridgewater. The program will include a presentation of the children’s book  “Stone Soup,” by   Mayor Hayes with the support of the Bridgewater Library. Girl Scout Heart of New Jersey Troop 60802 will assist with the preparation of a fresh vegetable soup plus offer fresh fruit and vegetable samples for all children that attend. Healthy nutrition displays will be offered by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital – Somerset and Healthier Somerset. The Bridgewater Creative Arts Committee will provide free children’s’ crafts. Live music will be featured by Bridgewater’s own Green Planet Band       

For more information on “Stone Soup – Bridgewater” please contact the Health Department by email at health@bridgewaternj.gov or by telephone at (908) 725-5750. 

Monday, September 18, 2017

Meet Your Favorite Children’s Authors in Princeton this Saturday–or Visit a Museum for Free at Museum Day Live!

You can also meet your favorite authors at the FREE Princeton Children’s Book Festival this weekend:
image

Details:  www.princetonlibrary.org/childrens-book-festival/


image

The Museum Day Live! ticket provides free admission for two people.

Museum Day Live! is an annual celebration of boundless curiosity hosted by Smithsonian magazine. Participating museums and cultural institutions across the country provide entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket.

Where will your curiosity lead you on Museum Day Live!? Details & Participating Museums: www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-live-2017/

THE NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM IS ONE PARTIPICANT


Guests can enjoy free Planetarium programs, a printmaking activity and more. Visit the Museum's website http://www.state.nj.us/state/museum/or click here to download your FREE ticket.



Story Fun continues this week @ the Bridgewater Library – but there will be no storytimes the week of Sept. 25-29.

Family Storytime (ages 3-6 plus siblings) Tuesday at 10 a.m., Toddler Times (ages 18mo-36 mo) are Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m.  Baby Times on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.  PJ TimeWednesday nights at 7 p.m.

Starting Sept. 5th, we will also be doing a weekly STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, ART, and Math) Tuesdays at 4:30. Geared to K-4th graders but open to all ages.No registration required for any of these programs.

Upcoming special programs:

imageimage

imageimage

imageFor full details on these and other programs, see the Bridgewater Library Online Calendar.



Looking for other thingimages to do? Hulafrog has many ideas for  activities around our community at:



 

 

And save the date for  the FREE Morristown Book Festival on Saturday Oct. 14th!

image

Details: morristownbooks.org

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Storytelling Fun at the Free 25th Annual Storytelling Festival–now at Howell Living History Farm, Give away & get new stuff at the 4H Rummage Sale, “Stuff the Bus” for hurricane victims

Lots of Story Fun Every Week @ the Bridgewater Library

Family Storytime (ages 3-6 plus siblings) Tuesday at 10 a.m., Toddler Times (ages 18mo-36 mo) are Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m.  Baby Times on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.  PJ Time is Wednesday nights at 7 p.m.

We also have  a weekly STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, ART, and Math) Tuesdays at 4:30. Geared to K-4th graders but open to all ages.

This week we did The “Wright” Stuff – sharing a wonderful picture book about the ground-breaking architect Frank Lloyd Wright and then designing our own structures.  You can see pictures here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2017/09/steam-storytimethe-wright-stuff.html

 

No registration required for any of these programs. For full details on these and other programs, see the Bridgewater Library Online Calendar.



COME TO A FREE STORYTELLING FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY. “Miss Carol” will be there performing “Farm Frolics” alongside real cows, chickens, horses, and goats!

image

image

image

 

image

Monday, September 4, 2017

Just in Time for Back to School–Conquering bullies. A math teacher who noticed. The importance of underwear. Wise Words (and Drawing Lessons) from Some of Our Favorite Authors & Illustrators–Including the Creators of Captain Underpants & Dork Diaries

 

image
From The New York Times -- Back-to-School Wisdom From the Creators of Your Favorite Children’s Books

By MARIA RUSSO and JOSEPHINE SEDGWICK AUG. 30, 2017

Conquering bullies. A math teacher who noticed. The importance of underwear. Some of our most beloved children’s book authors and illustrators have shared with us their advice for heading back to school, and their own tales of how drawing helped them through difficult times.

Drawing and Dyslexia

Dav Pilkey is the creator of Captain Underpants, the unlikely superhero who has helped a generation of children jump — irreverently — into the world of reading.

Dav Pilkey: Captain Underpants really started when I was a kid. I was in second grade and I had just started at a new school and I wasn’t doing so well. I have dyslexia, and I had A.D.H.D. They didn’t even have a term for it at the time, but I definitely had it. Plus, I had a teacher who was not very understanding.

She would criticize me and say: “We don’t write like babies in our classroom. I’m going to send you back to kindergarten.” And then she’d get upset with my behavior — I was misbehaving for some strange reason — so she started sending me out into the hallway. She’d get all mad, and she’d say, “Mr. Pilkey, OUT!”

That’s where my creativity took off.

I’d go out in the hallway, and all I really had to do to occupy myself out there was draw and make up stories. I was separated from my classmates so much, but I still wanted to be relevant and I wanted them to know who I was. I’d show them my drawings, and they’d say, “Aah, that’s funny!” That’s where a lot of creativity started in my life, and the Captain came out of that time.

Click to read more & see video on how Dav Pilkey and others create their wonderful characters!



LOVE STORIES?  NOT ALL STORIES REQUIRE ILLUSTRATIONS – OR EVEN WORDS ON A PAGE!  MORE THAN TWO DOZEN STORYTELLERS WILL BE TELLING STORIES AT HOWELL LIVING HISTORY FARM ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16TH – AND BEST OF ALL, THE EVENT IS TOTALLY FREE!

image

www.njstorynet.org

You can also meet your favorite authors at the FREE Princeton Children’s Book Festival the following weekend:
image

Details:  www.princetonlibrary.org/childrens-book-festival/

And at  the FREE Morristown Book Festival on Saturday Oct. 14th!

image

Details: morristownbooks.org



Lots of Story Fun Every Week @ the Bridgewater Library –
Weekly library story programs resume on Tuesday Sept. 5th. 

Family Storytime (ages 3-6 plus siblings) Tuesday at 10 a.m., Toddler Times (ages 18mo-36 mo) are Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m.  Baby Times on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.  PJ Time Wednesday nights at 7 p.m.

Starting Sept. 5th, we will also be doing a weekly STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, ART, and Math) Tuesdays at 4:30. Geared to K-4th graders but open to all ages.

No registration required for any of these programs. For full details on these and other programs, see the Bridgewater Library Online Calendar.


MORE INTERESTING STEAM PROGRAMS AT THE NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM….


www.statemuseum.nj.gov

Exhibition News: 

New Jersey's 9/11 Collection

September 9 & 10, Auditorium Galleries

In honor of the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the New Jersey State Museum exhibition "Our Story: New Jersey's 9/11 Collection" will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10. The Auditorium Galleries are in the building directly in front of the Museum.

See artifacts recovered from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, photographs of the relief and recovery efforts, and personal tributes to the nearly 700 New Jerseyans who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Planetarium News:

New Weekend Schedule

September 9 - October 15

It's back to school time, and time for the Planetarium to return to its weekend-only public showings. We're also implementing a new, earlier start time for presentations. Visit the website for show descriptions and to download a coupon good for $1 off admission.

Weekend Schedule (through Oct. 15):

11 am     One World, One Sky

12 noon  Magic Tree House: Space Mission

1 pm       Laser Space Chase

2 pm       Wildest Weather in the Solar System (NEW!)

Exhibition News:

Embattled Emblems: Posters and Flags of the First World War

Opening September 16, East Gallery

2017 commemorates the 100th anniversary of American intervention into World War I. This new exhibition showcases two important collections rarely seen by the public - the posters and flags used to stir patriotism and support the cause of war. It also explores unknown stories of New Jersey's role in the "War to End All Wars." The exhibition is supported in part by the New Jersey State Museum Foundation through the Lucille M. Paris Fund.

The exhibit features 40 visually-striking posters created by American artists in support of the war. Many were designed by well-known artists and illustrators of the day. 

Like posters, military flags stimulated patriotism, pride and support for the war. These never-before-exhibited flags, decorated with streamers commemorating famous battles, reflect the military history of two Army divisions in which many New Jersey soldiers served - the 29th "Blue and Gray" Division and the 78th "Lightning" Division. Also included are rare flags of the 111th Machine Gun Battalion and the First Ambulance Company of Red Bank.

The exhibition will be on view through August 19, 2018.

Special Event:

Small Explorers Series

September 16, 10 am

Discovery Den, 2nd floor

Join us this month on an art exploration as we explore color through stories, crafts and play. Our story is "I Don't Draw, I Color!" by Adam Lehrhaupt, followed by a visit to the American Perspectives exhibition to discover some colorful abstract works. We finish up with some hands-on color activities. The program is 30 to 45 minutes long and begins promptly at 10:00 am. Please plan to arrive early. Small Explorers is for children 6 months to 5 years and their caregivers. Space is limited, so advance registration is encouraged. For more information or to register contact Kerry.Scott@sos.nj.gov.

Special Event: 

Museum Day Live!

September 23, 9:00 am - 4:45 pm

The Museum is proud to be participating in Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day Live on Saturday, September 23. Guests can enjoy free Planetarium programs, a printmaking activity and more. Visit the Museum's website or click here to download your FREE ticket.

Exhibition News: 

New Exhibition Coming Soon!

Opening October 7

Riverside Gallery, 2nd floor

"Hearth & Home" is a new, family-friendly exhibition that will feature a rare collection of house models made in the 1930s during the Works Progress Administration (WPA), along with actual artifacts used in native dwellings. The exhibition will offer visitors the opportunity to learn about the homes and home life of Native Americans in the Eastern Woodlands and other environments across North America with an emphasis on how each culture had to work with, adjust, respond and adapt to the environment in which they lived.

Note:  Programs may be subject to change.  Please check the Museum's Facebook page for changes or cancellations.

Follow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookView on Instagram

Friday, September 1, 2017

September Fun at Bridgewater Library and Around the Community

Looking for things to do? Hulafrog has ideas for Labor Day activities around our community at: imagehulafrog.com/bridgewater-nj/the-weekend-guide-it-s-labor-day-weekend-562012

hulafrog.com/bridgewater-nj/hula-hot-list-15-fun-outdoor-family-activities-in-september-near-bridgewater355911


@ the Library – Programs:

Weekly library story programs resume on Tuesday Sept. 5th. 

Family Storytime (ages 3-6 plus siblings) Tuesday at 10 a.m., Toddler Times (ages 18mo-36 mo) are Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m.  Baby Times on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.  PJ Time Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. 

Starting Sept. 5th, we will also be doing a weekly STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, ART, and Math) Tuesdays at 4:30. Geared to K-4th graders but open to all ages.

No registration required for any of these programs. For full details on these and other programs, see the Bridgewater Library Online Calendar.


Just in time for “Back to School,” check out these great tips for encouraging reading enjoyment and success for everyone in your family:

image
FIRST, REACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH READING

If you’ve let reading slide to the margins of your life, now is the time to bring it back. Make the space, and time, for books you read for yourself, and books you read with your child. If you want to raise a reader, be a reader.

Read more: www.nytimes.com/guides/books/how-to-raise-a-reader

Wondering about finding the right “level” book for your child? Read the latest research here: www.slj.com/2017/08/feature-articles/thinking-outside-the-bin-why-labeling-books-by-reading-level-disempowers-young-readers/#_

Looking for great booklists?  Check out over 200+ at:www.whatdowedoallday.com/books-for-kids/


MORE FUN WITH STORIES & BOOKS:

 

SAVE THE DATES – STORIES AND BOOKS AND MORE – OH MY!  FREE Storytelling Festival Saturday Sept. 16th.

image

www.njstorynet.org

Meet your favorite authors at the Princeton Children’s Book Festival:
image

Details:  www.princetonlibrary.org/childrens-book-festival/

While you are saving dates, Newbery award-winning author Kate DiCamillo will be coming to the FREE Morristown Book Festival on Saturday Oct. 14th!

image

Details: morristownbooks.org