LBCC: Homemade Baby Food Class Saturday

Oh Baby! Homemade Baby Food

Saturday, October 1

9:30 am-3:20 pm

Corvallis High School room H3

Instructor: Ashley Nyman Lockhart

Tuition $39, Lab fee $12

 

Discover the why, when, and what of making baby food at home. Whether a new parent or expecting, find out how homemade is economical, better for baby, and so easy! Learn when to introduce which foods at what age and have hands-on practice preparing baby's food. Also cover the important aspects of food safety and nutrition. Instructor is an OSU nutrition major graduate and a new mom. For infants to 1 year olds. Register by Thursday afternoon for this Saturday's class.

 

Register online at www.linnbenton.edu, at any LBCC Center or call Shirley at 541-757-8944 ext. 5126.

 

This event is not sponsored, nor necessarily endorsed, by the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library.

Parenting Workshop: Fun Ways to Help My Child Learn

WOrksHOP:

Fun Ways To Help My Child Learn

For parents of children ages 3 to 8, learn what you can do at home to help your child grow and develop. Help your child learn skills that will make it easier to do well in school, such as how to stick to a task, get along with peers or handle disappointment.  Learn the best ways to support reading and study skills. 

Free workshop. Free child care available. No pre-registration necessary. 

Workshop co-sponsored by LBCC Parenting Education and Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, members of the Linn-Benton Parenting Success Network. 

Date: Saturday, October 15

Time: 1 to 3 PM

Where: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Meeting Room

For more information: 541-917-4899.

http://www.parentingsuccessnetwork.org/

Pick of the Week: A is for Autumn

I can't believe autumn is already here! The sunshine and warm weather we've had lately might make us think we're still in the heart of summer, but the signs of seasonal change are beginning to pop up all around us.

A is for Autumn by Robert Maass

Every autumn many parents, teachers, and childcare providers head to the library to select books on the seasonal topics of apples, leaves, pumpkins, and autumn. This new book by Robert Maass is likely to become a favorite annual pick. This book works as an alphabet book, as well as an introduction to the season. The photographs depict scenes that children will recognize and help them make connections to what the season is all about.

Squishitivities! Parent-Child Fun at the Farmers' Market

Image credit: Moving Smart blog
http://movingsmartblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/respect-mess.html

Parent-Child Fun at the Corvallis Farmers' Market!

Spend quality time with your child AND do you Farmers' Market shopping. Join us for "Squishitivities" - an exciting adventure in play created especially for parents and young children using games, arts and crafts, music and "messy" play.

These free activities will be at the Market four Wednesdays:

Dates: September 21, September 28, October 5, October 12
Time: 9 am - 1 pm. Drop in any time and stay as long as you like!
Where: Corvallis Farmers' Market on 1st Street
For more information, call 541-758-8292.

 
"Squishitivities" provides a positive, pleasurable and developmentally appropriate parent/child experience that promotes your relationship and results in growth in creativity, individuality, cooperative play, problem solving, music and movement, and social skills.

Co-sponsored by Parent Enhancement Program and LBCC Parenting Education, members of the Linn-Benton Parenting Success Network.

Pick of the Week: The Falling Raindrop

The Falling Raindrop by Neil Johnson & Joel Chin

A colleague of mine introduced me to this unique book this week. Here the journey of a raindrop - depicted with minimalist art and spare text - expresses the experience of life so many of us find ourselves caught up in. Like the raindrop, who initially delights in his flight towards the Earth (the speed! the thrill of being alive!) until he realizes the risk and impending down waiting for him, we often go through life worried about "the end" and lose sight of the beauty around us and joy of the journey we're on. In addition to the metaphor in this book, readers are also introduced to the basics of the water cycle.

Grateful for...Our Hands!

Young children learn using their senses - they are very much "hands on" people! We take advantage of this at storytime by sharing many fingerplays and action rhymes. It not only keeps the momentum going (and attentions focused), but it's also a great interactive way to learn all kinds of things. We share fingerplays about colors, counting, seasons, animals...and just about every theme imaginable! This morning at Infant Storytime, Youth Services Librarian Heidi shared part of the following action rhyme with the babies and parents in attendance. Try it out with your little one:

My Hands Wave Hello/Goodbye
My hands wave hello,
My hands wave hello,
Every time I see my friends.
My hands wave hello!

My face gives a smile,
My face gives a smile,
Every time I see my friends.
My face gives a smile!

My fingers blow a kiss,
My fingers blow a kiss,
Every time I see my friends.
My fingers blow a kiss!

My hands wave goodbye,
My hands wave goodbye,
Every time I leave my friends.
My hands wave goodbye!

My face gives a smile...
My fingers blow a kiss...

You could also pair this rhyme with a book or two about hands:

Here Are My Hands! by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

The owner of a human body celebrates it by pointing out various parts and mentioning their functions, from "hands for catching and throwing" to the "skin that bundles me in." (summary courtesy of Syndetics, Inc.)

Hands Can by Cheryl Willis Hudson

Photographs and simple, rhyming text present different things that hands can do, such as hold things, mix things, and wave goodbye.

Silly Storytime

We had a fun, active group of preschoolers for our silly-themed storytime this morning. Several of my favorite giggle-inducing stories were shared:

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean

 Pete the Cat is back - and still singing along, wearing his feel-good shoes. This time he visits school and experiences the library, the lunchroom, playground, and all of the various activities of a typical school day.

Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

Silly Mrs. McNosh hangs up her wash - and pretty much everything else, including a lamp and the dog - on Mondays.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas

Ed, Ted, Ned, and Bob are dust bunnies that like to rhyme all the time. The problem is, Bob's not rhyming today...but is he trying to tell the others something important??

Silly Sally by Audrey Wood

Silly Sally is walking to town...backwards and upside down.

No, David! by David Shannon

Poor David, he hears the word "no" a lot. He may have a tendency to do things he's not supposed to and to get in trouble; but don't worry, this story ends with a hug and reassurance that his mom still loves him.

Back to School

Many area schools started today and others will begin tomorrow. So how have you prepared your children for heading back to school? Is this your daughter's first experience with school? Will she be heading to preschool or kindergarten this year? Maybe the transition is from half-day to full-day. Is the transition met with excitement, nervousness...or both? Sometimes just knowing ahead of time what to expect can greatly reduce the back-to-school jitters. Here are a few of my favorite back-to-school stories:

My Preschool by Anne Rockwell

Follows a little boy during his day at preschool, from cheerful hellos in circle time, to painting colorful pictures and playing at the water table, to passing out paper cups for snack.

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama experiences separation anxiety on his first day of nursery school.

Jake Starts School by Michael Wright

No one can pry a frightened Jake away from his parents on the first day of school, and so the three must watch as his classmates have fun until, at the end of the day, his teacher finally gets him to let go.

Go Home, Mrs. Beekman! by Ann Redisch Stampler

Emily Beekman is so nervous about starting school that she makes her mother promise to stay with her forever, but after Emily makes friends and settles in, she and her teacher must convince Mrs. Beekman to break her promise and stay home.