Come join us in celebrating the reopening of Woodbourne Library this Sunday, September 23. We’ll start at 12:30 with a flag dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The rest of the grand-opening festivities will be from 1:00-3:00 and will include giveaways, local magician Mike Hemmelgarn, Elephant & Piggie, and more! It’ll be a fun time for the whole family. Check out our website for more information about the event: https://www.wclibrary.info/grandopening/.

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When we’re reading to a baby who is unfamiliar with most of the words and pictures in books, we tend to naturally stray from the text, pointing out the objects that we see on the pages. As kids get a little older and already know the names of everything in the illustrations, it’s easy for us to just stick to the words on the page. Adding your own commentary and discussion, however, can be really helpful in developing vocabulary and narrative skills, both of which are extremely important in getting your child ready to read.

When you’re reading, talk about the pictures and describe what’s going on. If you can, relate it to something familiar to your child. For example, if it’s a zoo book, talk about a time you and your child were at the zoo together. Give your child time to respond and add his commentary. Ask him to make predictions about what will happen next in the book.

To boost vocabulary, talk about any new words you may come across in the book and define each new word, rather than replace it with one that your child already knows. This is also a great opportunity to use new vocabulary words to describe objects or events in the book.

No matter what age your child is, spending a little extra time with a book–reading more than just the words on the page–can have a huge impact!

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Do newborn babies really benefit from being read to? Even though you probably hear all of the time that reading to newborn babies is crucial to their development, it does seem a little counterintuitive. I mean, c’mon, brand new babies are barely ever awake, and even when they are, they don’t really seem like the most interested audience for a book. Combine that with the fact that newborns’ eyes aren’t even fully developed, and it seems even crazier to assume that reading would have any type of lasting effect.

I’ve been reading a book, by Judith A. Schickedanz and Molly F. Collins, called So Much More Than the ABCs: The Early Phases of Reading and Writing, and it gives some really good ideas about what and how to read to your newborn baby to make it really worthwhile.

According to the book, babies this young (birth to three months) “do not yet have fully developed visual acuity, and therefore prefer images with high contrast and large shapes and patterns.” In addition, they tend to prefer pictures of human faces over other objects. So, books like Tana Hoban’s black and white books and Margaret Miller’s baby-faces books are perfect for the tiniest of tots. Another great idea the book suggested is making your own book of faces at home using a binder with plastic sleeves or a photo album and putting in your own photographs. If your baby is going to be looking at books of people’s faces, why not make them faces of familiar people?

In addition, most books for young babies don’t typically have many words to read. That’s okay; adding your own words to go along with the book “promotes language development, because it connects the sounds of our language with the objects, actions, or attributes to which the language refers.” Plus, since newborn babies don’t yet see pictures well or understand the meanings of words, it doesn’t matter what is read as much as that they are read to. Even just reciting nursery rhymes or singing songs is really effective for babies of this age.

Finally, take cues from your baby to decide when to move on to something else. It’s important to make your child’s first interactions with books positive ones!

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Children are little question factories. Their conveyor belt of whys and hows moves at a delirious pace. As we hasten to answer this deluge of quandaries sometimes a lie slips through. You see, we parents don’t know everything, like what makes a firefly glow, how many Earths can fit in the Sun and the difference between a turtle and a tortoise. (Really, can someone please explain the difference?) Surely this is why children’s museums were created.

My son doesn’t ask questions yet. He hasn’t learned the words “how” and “why” but I know the day will come. So I take him and his grandparents to the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery.
For parents who don’t have all the answers, this museum is your salvation.

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is more than a museum of science and natural history, it’s also a zoo, aquarium and planetarium. At the admissions desk we pick up a schedule of programs and a map, which are good things to have because there’s a full day of programs and every inch of this museum is packed with exhibits.

Most of the displays are interactive so kids can explore with their hands, pulling levers, turning cranks, building, climbing and digging. Dorian takes a crack at a giant tuning fork. Then we step into a glass case to feel what it’s like to be in a hurricane. Dorian smiles long enough for a photo before squirming for the exit.

He finds his comfort zone at the large Water Table where he gets to work splashing around with toy boats, buckets and water wheels. While parents try to stay dry kids can fully immerse themselves in experiments on buoyancy, water pressure and how to manipulate a current.

Now, getting back to those burning questions. We enter the Science Theater where staff members in white lab coats stand behind protective glass. During Science Theater Shows they crank up the Bunsen burners and start some fires. Dorian sits with his grandparents in rapt anticipation. We see how different metals react to fire; copper turns the flame green.

Then we have to partially cover our ears as a flame causes a balloon full of methane to explode in a ball of fire. So if your kids ever ask what happens if they light their farts (sorry parents) there’s your answer, only much louder!

A Science Theater Show will make your kids want one of those white lab coats so they can try some experiments of their own. So you can step right next door to the Do Lab where a member of the Education Department will lead you through a hands-­on activity. You may go home with a bag of slime or handmade snow.

In the Hall of the Universe children will feel like they’re at the helm of their own spaceship exploring the galaxy. Discover the secrets of the Big Bang, and join the Kepler Mission searching for other Earth­like planets or reach outside our solar system in search of exoplanets. Then you can step into the Space Theater where images of the stars and planets wrap all the way around the planetarium dome. Some of the Planetarium shows are even in 3D.

The biggest attraction at Boonshoft is probably the animals. The museum is crawling with meerkats, river otters, birds, fish and Rajeev, a 16 1⁄2 foot Burmese Python. In the Tidal Pool kids peer into a small slice of ocean crawling with sea crustaceans. Dorian got to pet a tortoise, play peek­a­boo with a playful meerkat and watch patiently as a very shy possum crept out for visitors. More than a hundred animals call Boonshoft home.

I may give children all the credit for the ceaseless questions but in truth adults are just as curious.
Now I know how many Earths can fill the Sun and I can finally tell the difference between a turtle
and a tortoise. Plus, getting to push buttons and turn cranks isn’t just fun for kids. I got to pull a
rope to feel how much an average family’s entire week’s worth of trash weighs (it definitely takes both arms).

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is worth the drive for all of the inquiring young and older minds in your family — even if you have to listen to a barrage of whys and hows on the car ride there.

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is located at 2600 DeWeese Pkwy, Dayton, OH 45414. The museum is open Monday-­Saturday, 9 a.m. ­ 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon – 5 p.m. For more unique children’s museums in the tristate, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Children’s Museums Within 2 Hours of Cincinnati!

About Selena:

Selena Reder is a mother, writer and part-time video producer living in Cincinnati, Ohio with her son Dorian and husband Tim. Dorian loves chasing Selena and Tim’s tailless cat, making messes for dad to clean up, squealing loud enough for the neighbors to hear and staring at strangers until it’s uncomfortable. Tim loves Dungeons and Dragons, Margaret Atwood and writing meticulous grocery lists.

Selena loves washing cloth diapers, binging on British TV (Top Gear, Only Fools and Horses, Doc Martin, etc) painting and knitting super fancy baby sweaters. She also loves working part-time with her video editor husband (special shout out to her parents and in-laws for being great babysitters!).

If Selena were stranded on a desert island with only one thing to do for the rest of her life, she would nurse her son in their favorite chair. It’s the best thing in the world right now.

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Teaching letters to a child isn’t always the easiest of parental endeavors. In fact, it can be nearly impossible at times. Since kids learn differently, there’s no one, foolproof way to teach them. Hopefully, though, some of these tips will make your job a little easier:

– As you begin teaching letters, start with the first letter of your child’s name and then continue with the first letters of other meaningful words—mom, dad, your last name, siblings’ names, etc. Kids learn best when what they are learning relates to them.

-Rather than quizzing your child on letters in a book, point out different letters as you’re reading. Kids can pick up a lot through this method, and it’s far less stressful for them.

-As you go through the day, point out different letters you see (on road signs, at the store, on food labels, in books, etc.). Encourage your child to participate in finding letters, too. This is a great way to pass the time in the car.

-Feel free to skip around when reading alphabet books. They are great resources to help teach letters, but you don’t need to read them as you would a typical book. Try letting your child pick out which pages to read and discuss.

-Play a game in which you have your child think of words that start with a certain letter. Start with words that begin with the first sound in your child’s name, and go from there. Research indicates that it’s best to teach the name and sound of a letter together.

-Come in and check out our adorable alphabet table in the children’s room at our library! Kids love singing the alphabet while walking around the table, pointing out the different letters (and we love watching it!).

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Fall is here, and it’s full steam ahead. Our weeks are a juggle of school, preschool and work — and our weekends are jam-packed with fall festivals, family events and errands. I’m not complaining. We’re having so much fun — but I’m definitely missing the long, lazy days of summer. So, when the Athens County Visitors Bureau reached out to me about featuring a “unique small town in Ohio” rife with fun, family friendly activities, I immediately jumped on the opportunity.

From Dayton, the drive to Athens clocks in at just over two hours, making it the perfect weekend getaway. For families who enjoy being active and outdoors, Athens is perfect, featuring more than one dozen state parks and trails, a national park, three covered bridges, a bike trail, zip lines, horseback riding and more! Families with younger kids will especially appreciate the many kid friendly hiking trails, passenger train, mini golf and pony rides.

Last weekend, we packed up the car for an adventure in Athens. Here are the highlights from our weekend in Athens County:

Hiking

We’ve just gotten into hiking as a family, so it was fun to check out some of Athens’ trails.

The Ridges

First up: The Ridges. This place was so cool! The site of the former Athens Asylum, today The Ridges is now property of Ohio University. There are several OU buildings on the grounds, an art museum, mini golf course, and, of course, lots of hiking trails.

There are four separate hiking trails on The Ridges: the Ridges Trail, the Athens Trail, the River Valley Nature Walk and The Ridges Cemetery Nature Walk. Having just arrived from a 2.5 hour car ride, the kids were happy to wander and stretch their legs. There was even a Parcours course along the way, and we took turns on the balance beam, standing see-saw and box jumping crates. We brought along the Ergo just in case, but these trails were very kid friendly — even for our littlest munchkin!

Stroud’s Run

For a longer walk, Stroud’s Run State Park is a great choice! There are over 40 miles of trails just waiting to be hiked, making it a perfect choice for older kids or more serious hikers.

Kid Friendly Attractions

Mini Golf

My kids had never gone mini golfing, and this was a blast! We went to Putt People First on Saturday afternoon. It was at The Ridges, and was such a special place. Each of the 18 holes are sponsored by a different Athens business, and my kids loved looking at the different decor (mini signs, a propane tank, windmill, tiny house — it was the most unique mini golf course I’ve ever been to!).

What makes Putt People First truly special, though, is its employees. The course is run by HAVAR, an Athens nonprofit that provides vocational training and support to people with developmental disabilities. The staff at Putt People were so kind to my kids, making friendly conversation with us as we ventured through the course. It was basically chaos watching my kids tackle the course — but so much fun!

The Bike Trail

Hockhocking Adena Bikeway is a 21-mile bike trail that takes you through some of the most stunning views in Eastern Ohio. As the weather turns cooler, the views are only going to get better! If you’re looking to rent bikes or buggies, definitely go with Black Diamond Rental, which was I’d highly recommend for their professionalism and reasonable rates.

Pony Rides

Uncle Buck’s Riding Stable is THE place to go for pony rides in Athens. And having a horse-obsessed preschooler, we knew this was something we had to do.

This was, by far, the highlight of our trip. We had such a great time. We were immediately welcomed by a few of the horse trainers, who let my kids pet the friendly foals while telling us all about their training. There were horses everywhere, and my kids were encouraged to pet and love on them. Harvey immediately took to Walrus the friendly farm cat, who was seriously the nicest kitty I’ve ever met.

While we were in horse heaven, a bearded hippie walked out toward us — it was none other than Uncle Buck himself! He welcomed us to the stables, making friendly conversation with my family. I’ve never felt more welcome anywhere. Uncle Buck hand-picked a horse just for my kids to ride, and Josh took Mary and Julian for 10 minute pony rides across the farm. Like Uncle Buck, Josh was warm and welcoming, treating each of my kids like one of his own.

Afterwards, we stayed and explored the stable (there was a mini horse!) and pet each and every one of the horses inside. It was a gorgeous afternoon, and my kids seriously had the best time. I can’t say enough about how great this experience was — if you go to Athens, you have to plan a trip to Uncle Buck’s! Many thanks to Uncle Buck, Josh and all the trainers there who made my family feel so loved.

Hocking Scenic Valley Railway

With just 48 hours to spend in Athens (and beautiful, 80 degree weather), we opted to spend our time outdoors — but we will definitely be back for this attraction! Little train lovers will go crazy for this passenger train, and it would make a great, low-key activity after a morning of hiking.

Kennedy Museum of Art

This museum is also at The Ridges, and admission is free, so we made a point of checking it out! There was a really cool photography exhibit in the entryway, and it was a nice, quiet break from a busy afternoon of hiking and mini golf. The main exhibition area had a variety of art hand-picked by OU students, and my kids each connected with different pieces; highlights included a turtle shell, a large fossil, gas mask and wall of graffiti art.

The museum is currently undergoing some renovations (you’ll use the side entrance), but remains open and we were told there’d be some new exhibitions going up in the next few weeks!

Kid Friendly Food

When you have little kids, the whole “where to eat on vacation” question can be tricky. (And, we have certain dietary restrictions: our family is vegan.) Luckily, since Athens is a college town, there are lots of casual, kid friendly places to eat (because basically toddlers and college students like the same foods!). (Note: Saturday was an OU football game, so Downtown Athens was bustling! Definitely check the schedule and maybe venture to a more off-the-beaten path restaurant. Avalanche Pizza was a few minutes’ drive from the Downtown area, so it was a lot less busy!)

Highlights included: Brenen’s Coffee Cafe & Deli, Fluff Bakery, Court Street Diner, Avalanche Pizza and Bagel Street Deli.

Where to Stay

There are five of us, and we have two kids who need: a sound machine, night lights and basically their own beds in order to sleep well. So, traveling is tricky, to say the least. Generally, we prefer to stay in a larger condo or cabin with separate rooms to accommodate our kids’ sleep schedules. There are definitely cabins in Athens, but we opted to stay at the more centrally located Holiday Inn Express. In the spirit of vacation, we decided to forgo our regular routine and embrace a big family sleep suite.

The hotel was very nice — clean and friendly, featuring a pool and free breakfast bar (major kid win!). Our room was a suite, so there was a little more space, plus a mini fridge (great for the kids’ drinks!), microwave and a large desk with Internet access (great for this working mama!).

Our little family getaway was just what we needed. With two of my kids in school now, there’s a high premium on family time. Visiting Athens, you’ll get lots of uninterrupted, high-quality family time — without spending a lot of money. Many of the activities we did were free (hiking, playgrounds), while “special” activities like pony rides and mini golf were very reasonable — so you could easily do a weekend in Athens County on a budget.

As the weather turns cooler and leaves start to change, this Eastern Ohio county will be at its best and most beautiful, so definitely plan a little family getaway to Athens!

The post A Weekend in Athens County appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

Picture walks are a great way to introduce a new book to your child and at the same time, improve his language and literacy skills. Picture walks are basically just a conversation between you and your child about the book. Here are some key components of a successful picture walk:

-Look at the cover and talk about the author/illustrator and what those words mean. Ask your child to guess what the book will be about.

-Ask your child to look at the pictures and to describe what’s happening. Have him predict what will happen next.

-Rephrase your child’s answer to each of your questions, adding more words to it.

-Point out any new vocabulary words and explain what they mean. Use them in a sentence to reinforce the new knowledge.

-Encourage your child to make real-world connections between the book and experiences that he’s had.

The post Take a Walk…A Picture Walk! appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

At the library, I hear lots of parents of little ones lamenting about the fact that their kids will not sit still for stories—not even just one. Though this must be frustrating for parents who are eager to pass along a love of books to their kids, it does not mean that their kids are wild, disinterested, destined to be reading failures, or any of the million other conclusions that discouraged parents might consider. The truth is that kids, especially babies and toddlers, have really short attention spans. That’s just how they’re wired. It’s completely normal for them to want to be up and dancing around, rather than nestled sweetly into our laps for a story.

If you’ve ever joined us for one of our Baby or Toddler Storytimes, you’re a firsthand witness to the fact that these little humans are not able to sit for a long period of time. That’s why we do all of the songs, fingerplays, and dancing that we do; it’s a necessity! We also understand that when we’re reading, kids are going to be walking/crawling around and not seeming to be paying a bit of attention to us. And that’s perfectly acceptable!

If you happen to have one of those normal kids who doesn’t want to sit still for a book, read one anyway. You’ll be surprised at how much your children will get from the book, even when they’re playing across the room and appear to be completely tuning you out. Another great way to develop an affinity for books is to just keep them everywhere—in the toy box, on the bookshelf (The best is one that’s accessible to little hands and where you keep some books face-out, so kids are drawn to the pictures on the covers.), in the diaper bag, in their car seat, etc.

Finally, don’t worry! I know it’s easier said than done, but if you’re exposing your children to books often, you’re doing them a world of good. You may not be seeing the fruits of your labor now, but you will…eventually!

The post You’re Not Alone appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

10. Where else can you go where everything you get is FREE?! We’ve got free books, free movies, free video games, free magazines, free music, free eBooks, free Wi-Fi, and much, much more!

9. Did I mention free music? Have you heard of Freegal? With your library card, you can download five songs every week from Freegal, which has millions of great songs from which to choose. And the best part? They’re yours forever!

8. Great programs! From baby storytimes to adult computer classes, the library has programs for every member of your family. Check out our calendar of events to find one that’s perfectly suited for you.

7. We’ve got TONS of information. With thousands of books (and access to millions more), a wide selection of research databases, and reference librarians here to assist you, the library is THE place to come to start your research.

6. With so many online resources, you can enjoy lots of the benefits of the library from the comfort of your own home. Checking out eBooks, downloading music, using TumbleBook Library, and renewing the items you’ve checked out, are just a few of the things you can do online, without having to leave the house!

5. Bonus services! Did you know that our library has passport services and notaries on hand? We’re like a one-stop shop!

4. If you’re having a hectic day and need to regain your sanity, you can stop in, find a comfy chair, and drown out your troubles with a great book.

3. Our booklists! If you’ve run out of books by your favorite author, finished the last book in a series, or just plain don’t know what to read next, we have booklists for kids, teens, and adults to help. Check them out for some great reading recommendations!

2. Need computer access or a place to print, copy, or fax? We’ve got you covered!

1. The librarians! You didn’t think I’d write a whole post about the library being awesome without giving myself a little shout-out, did you?  Seriously, though, as librarians our most important job is to help you. Whether it’s suggesting a great book to read, locating books you can’t find, or assisting you with just about anything else (we’ve heard it all!), we’re happiest when you’re happy.

The post Top Ten Reasons Why I’m Thankful for My Library appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

In order to understand what they read, it’s critical for children to possess narrative skills, the ability to retell stories. Developing these narrative skills is something that can start at a very young age, even before children learn to talk! Besides reading to your child, here are a few ideas of ways you can help your little one develop strong narrative skills:

-Narrate your day—talk to your child about what you’re doing as you’re doing it. If your child is old enough to talk, encourage him to do the same.

-Talk to your baby when she babbles or coos and add some more words to it. It’s okay that you don’t know exactly what she’s saying!

-Give your child extra time to answer questions. Hearing a question and formulating a response involves at least three different parts of the brain. Plus, kids tend to be slower, since they haven’t had as much practice answering questions as we have!

-Use household items as props for your child to retell a story.

-Encourage your child to draw pictures and then tell you about what is in the picture.

-Tell your child stories about when you were a kid.

-Practice dialogic reading by prompting your child with questions and engaging him in discussions while reading.

-Have your child retell a favorite story or one you’ve recently read together.

-Talk about what is happening in the pictures when you’re reading with your child.

-Ask your child to predict what might come next in a story.

-Summarize stories after you’ve finished reading them.

Giving your child these powerful skills early on will dramatically impact in her future reading success!

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