S’Mores Anyone?

Camping is one of the best things to do in the summer. We’re lucky because there are many places to camp right in our backyard. The East bay Regional Parks offer camping at:
Dell Valle in Livermore
Lake Chabot in Castro Valley
Sunol Regional in Pleasanton

State Parks include:
Mount Diablo in Danville
Big Basins Redwoods in Boulder Creek
Butano State Park in San Mateo County

But even if you just camp in your own backyard, you can enjoy the “going to camp” experience by enjoying these books:

And then sing a camp song:
Flea, Fly!
Flea
Flea, fly
Flea, fly mosquito
Calamine, calamine, calamine lotion
Oh, no more calamine lotion
Itchy, itchy, scratchy, scratchy, got one on my backy, backy

Eck goes the bug when you hit it with the bug spray
Ready?? SSSSHHHH!!

Can you read the flags?

This game from the National Park Service involves decoding flag messages, which allows people to represent letters by holding the flags in different positions. To get started, click on the image below. The game will open in a new window.

Here’s another game that involves decoding messages, this time with signal flags. So instead of position, you’re looking for which letter each flag represents. Click on the image to go to the game, which will open in a new window.

Friday Craft

I found this craft at www.familyfun.go.com (the direct link is listed below). This is a Disney website that has lots of great ideas for fun things to do with the family. These penguins are super easy to make and so cute! And, they’re the perfect animal to “Make a Splash!”

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-type/animal-bug-crafts/animal-themed-crafts/sea-crafts/pipe-cleaner-penguins-671668/

Pipe Cleaner Penguins

Create your own march of the penguins by crafting a group of these adorable cold-climate creatures. You can make adults with the directions below or cut the pipe cleaners in half to make baby birds.

Materials

• 1 (12-inch) black pipe cleaner
• 1 (2 1/2-inch) white pipe cleaner
• 2 (4-inch) black pipe cleaners
• Pencil

• Scissors
• Orange craft foam
• Craft glue
• Googly eyes.

Total Time Needed: 1-2 Hours

Instructions

1. Make a body by coiling a 12-inch black pipe cleaner around a pencil. Hook a 2 1/2-inch piece of white pipe cleaner between the top third and fourth coils and around the bottom coil.
2. For each wing, fold a 4-inch piece of black pipe cleaner in half and bend the ends. Attach it by tucking the bent ends between the top third and fourth coils.
3. Cut a beak and feet from orange craft foam. Stick the beak between the coils and secure it with a dot of craft glue. Then glue on the feet and a pair of googly eyes.

If you make any of these crafts, let us know in the comments section how they turned out! We’d love to hear from you.

Did you know?

We have a fairly large collection of graphic novels and comics available for check out at any of the Alameda County Library branches. Here are some of the titles we carry in our system:

1. Geronimo Stilton graphic novels

2. Avatar; the Last Airbender

3. Yu-Gi-Oh!

4. Cardcaptor Sakura

5. Dragon Ball Z

6. Babymouse

7. Garfield

8. Getrude Warner’s Boxcar Children

9. Peanuts

10. Warriors: the graphic novels

11. Adventures of Tin Tin

12. Rapunzel’s Revenge

13. Sticky Burr

14. Little Vampire

15. Call Me Princess

16. Sailor Moon

17. Batman

18. Pendragon

19. Little Lulu

20. Calvin and Hobbes

Soap Bubbles Competition

Wow!

Everything you ought to know about otters

Sea otters are some pretty amazing creatures. This interactive page from the Monterey Bay Aquarium lets you learn as you like. Click the picture below and the activity will open in a new window. Have fun!

Friday Craft … or Saturday Craft =)

Here’s a fun and easy craft for kids of all ages.

Supplies: white glue, water, small container (resealable), paintbruch, tissue paper cut into small squares, heavy paper (cardstock), a marker to draw your fish outline.

Draw out a plain fish body template. Nothing fancy. Just a basic outline. (You can also find a fish online. Try a google search for fish template and click on Images. You should be able to find an outline that you like).

You’ll nedd to make a 50/50 mix of white glue and water. Measure out about 1/2 cup of white glue into a container (make sure it can be sealed – you’ll probably have leftover glue). Add in 1/2 cup of water and mix together. The mix should be be watery, but will still be sticky.

Cover about half of your fish with the glue mixture.

Add pieces of colorful tissue paper and overlap the pieces a little. Cover the tissue with another thin layer of the glue mixture.

Keep adding tissue and glue until the entire fish is covered.

Let it sit to dry. When the fish is dry, cut out the fish shape, punch a small hole at the top and add a string so you can hang it in the house.

A Trip to the Library

A visit to the library is a wonderful way to send your imagination on new journeys of discovery. Where else can you travel to the solar system, go to the time of dinosaurs, or meet people from past times and distant places? The biography section in the library is filled with a host of interesting personalities. One of these people is the founder of the Mongol Nation, Genghis Khan. Often known as a cruel conqueror, there is much more to his rule.

He established a written language for his people, created a stable government for the Mongols, and encouraged freedom of religion. He helped to open up trade along what would become the Silk Road, and thereby encouraged an exchange of ideas and goods. There is so much more to this intriguing and complicated ruler. You can discover the world of Genghis Khan through some interesting books such as Genghis Khan Invincible Ruler of the Mongol Empire by Zachary Kent, Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire by Miriam Greenblatt, or the beautiful picture book by Demi, Chingis Khan.

For a look at life in Mongol society today, the lovely picture book, My Little Round House by Bolormaa Baasansuren, tells of the first year of baby Jilu, who is part of a nomadic Mongolian community.

If you ‘d like to see some of Genghis Khans actual items and items from his time period, the San Jose Tech Museum is hosting Genghis Khan the Exhibition. If you order tickets on line we have been lucky to receive a discount code from the Museum. When creating My Tech Account in the promotion code box enter dubkhan to receive a $5.00 discount on tickets.

The Rainbow Fish

One of the best children’s stories!

How’s your ‘Memory’?

Today, give this concentration challenge a whirl. It’s from Kids Planet, a site put together by Defenders of Wildlife. Click on the image below to get started. A new window will open with the game.