Put cabin fever in its place this winter! Try these offerings at The Library to keep everyone happy and learning while they play!
Check out toys! Do the kids need something new to play with at home? The Springfield-Greene County Libraries have a wide variety of children’s toys to check out and take home, just like books. The collection of 100 toys perfect for infants through age 6 include sturdy, colorful interactives that invite action and pretend play, music and movement, and help kids learn while having fun.
Many of the toys are available in the children’s areas of select library branches, or families can browse the entire collection online and put one on hold by going to thelibrary.org/kids/toys. Select items by clicking on the picture of the toy and selecting the “Request this toy” option below the picture to reserve it. All toys are sanitized upon return, and check out for three weeks.
Here are some of the toys in the collection: magnetic letter board, forest animals and dinosaurs, farm mix-and-match puzzle, Braille sign language blocks, wooden lace and dress Teddy, shape-sorting clock, jigsaw puzzles, teaching globe and baby piano. For details about the collection, ask a librarian, or visit thelibrary.org/kids/toys.
Adventure Backpacks! Make it more than a walk in the woods! The Library has filled 20 backpacks with all the tools you need to explore the great outdoors, or just a nearby city park. They’re at the Republic Branch Library, or available by requesting one through thelibrary.org/catalog and search Nature Exploration, Birdwatching, or Adventure Backpack.
There are two kinds of backpacks that families with elementary-age children can enjoy for a three-week checkout.
Adventure Backpack: Nature Exploration: “Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail” book; binoculars; “Daniel Finds a Poem” book; a Dip Net; Field Guides, 3; “Flow, Spin, Grow: Looking for Patterns in Nature” book; Leave No Trace Ethics Card; “Let’s Go Outside!” book; magnifying glass; and a Port-O-Bug container.
Adventure Backpack: Birdwatching: “Backpack Explorer: Bird Watch” book; binoculars; “Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook” book; “How to Find a Bird” book; Leave No Trace Ethics Card; Missouri Birds Field Guide; and “National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: Birds” book.
The Adventure Backpacks were funded by Gregory S. Beard and the Republic Walmart and developed by the staff of the Springfield Greene County Library District.
Outdoor StoryWalks
Bundle Up for Our Winter StoryWalks for infants-age 9. Don’t let winter keep you inside! Enjoy books and nature at one of our Winter StoryWalks. You'll find StoryWalks listed on the Macaroni KID event calendar!
December StoryWalk® December 7-20 at Pershing Elementary School, 2120 S. Ventura Ave. “Our Little Kitchen” by Jillian Tamaki.
December StoryWalk® December 21-January 3 at Ash Grove City Park, 300 W. Parkway St., Ash Grove. “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner.
January StoryWalk® January 11-31 at Jackson Street Park, 222 W. Jackson St., Willard. “All You Need for a Snowman” by Alice Schertle.
February StoryWalk® February 1-28 at J.R. Martin Park, 300 E. Hines St., Republic.
- February 1-14: “A Big Mooncake for Little Star” by Grace Lin.
- February 15-28: “Have You Heard the Nesting Bird” by Lita Judge.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ferguson.
Visit the Play & Learn Center at the Library Station!
The Play & Learn Center inside the Library Station expands the way kids from birth through age 12 can learn at a library, with interactive toys, a giant light board and a kiosk that goes from being a puppet theater, to a food truck, to a vet clinic, and more with a little imagination. The center is in the Children’s Department of the library branch, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway.
The Play and Learn Center incorporates durable and interactive furnishings, installations and toys paired with the Library’s children’s collection and programs. The area will emphasize the significant role of play while promoting interaction and movement.
Here’s what kids and families will find:
- The Imagination Station. This is a large, flexible play space that can be whatever a child imagines. This heavy, wooden structure can be turned into different play themes that include signage and special toys. The six themes will be switched out periodically: Theater with puppets for pretend play; Food Truck with food, pots and pans and dishes; Vet Clinic with animals, medical equipment and X-rays; Farmer’s Market with produce and gardening supplies; and Hardware Store with tools and building items. More themes can be added later.
All the individual toys and the overall themes were chosen specifically to encourage early literacy skills, social-emotional development and family engagement.
- The Everbright. This interactive art station has the appeal of a giant Lite-brite but without the removable parts. The illuminated dials twist to allow kids of all ages to explore colors, patterns and geometry. This device encourages creativity, problem solving and thinking skills with a blend of technology and hands-on learning. The Everbright comes pre-programmed with a series of challenges and a tablet that allows us to customize challenges and activities. Babies through big kids (and even adults) are drawn to this bright installation.
- The Tot Spot. Babies and young toddlers need soft, comfortable spaces to lie down, crawl, pull up and cruise. The new-baby area has attractive benches with places for all of these things along with interactive play panels to explore. There are two comfortable chairs set for caregivers to relax and share stories with their little ones.
- The Tire. Long-time visitors to the Library Station may remember the large tire in the Children’s Department. The original tire eventually wore out, and the design company Kidzibits recreated this piece. Now babies can pull themselves up and cruise around the edges, caregivers can sit and children can recline on top and play with toys or read.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
