Click here to access their website and find out more about this great resource!

Museum without Walls - A fun educational activity for families
 
"Become a Tree Detective!"

Begin your detective work in your yard, neighborhood or local park. Encourage your child to choose several different kinds of trees to investigate (don't forget about the evergreens). Create a folder or small notebook for each tree. Borrow a tree identification book from your local library and then begin the investigation!
Observe the shape or silhouette of the tree from far away - is it round, oval, large or small? Draw a picture of the tree in your notebook.
Take a bark rubbing from the tree and add it to your evidence. Notice the different colors and textures of the different types of bark.
Gather "specimens" from the tree in a bag; these could be leaves, twigs and seeds your tree may have dropped on the ground (never pull anything off a tree).
Observe the color and shape of the different leaves. Are the edges smooth or jagged? How would you describe the shape of the leaf? Does it look like a star, a hand, an oval? Are the leaves on one tree all the same or does it have different types of leaves?
Gather all your evidence and head back home. Use your tree identification book to find out the name of your tree. Wait a few months and visit your tree again, and then again in spring. Make some more observations in your notebook and you may become a Tree Expert!
 
Parents: So many children are taught that the leaves fall off the trees in fall, but what about our evergreens? Do they have leaves? If so, why are they shaped that way? Why don't they fall off in winter? Do some investigating of your own!
 
This article is adapted from the "Learn by Doing" column by the Westchester Children's Museum found monthly in Westchester Family magazine, a media sponsor of the museum's Explore-A-Thon 2008.

Did You Know...?
 
More than 30 million individuals around the world visit children's museums annually.
Children's museums are the fastest growing type of museum in North America.
Child Magazine lists children's museums as "the hottest spots for learning and fun."

Developed by Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D. and colleagues
 
To download materials go to http://www.walearning.com and click on the purple button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts" on the home page.
 
These materials include activities for adults and young children that encourage early language and literacy development from birth through preschool.  They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.
 
The preschool materials are specifically designed to address the three key skills of 1) language development, 2) phonological awareness, and 3) general print awareness.
 
The files are in PDF format to allow easy and secure downloading.  Five files for each language (Spanish and English) include:
 
·        Table of contents listing the 46 activities
 
·        Level 1 activities (activities designed for developmentally younger children)
 
·        Level 2 activities (activities that include a stronger focus on print)
 
·        Level 3 activities (activities that focus on more complex language use)
 
·        A brief activity self-evaluation form
 
The Infant-Toddler materials include twenty home and community activities for adults and children birth to three that encourage early language and literacy development.  They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.
 
Each of the activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate.  In addition to the activities, you can download an activity checklist that helps parents and caregivers notice their children’s skills, and also cues adults to examine and grow their own interactions with children.
 
The materials are specifically designed to address the three key skills of 1) language development, 2) sounds and rhythms, and 3) general book and print awareness.
 
·        A brief introduction to the materials
 
·        Activities and hints for adapting them to the child’s specific needs
 
·        Activity checklists for self-evaluation by the adult
 
The materials are made available by Angela Notari-Syverson and colleagues, and may be copied and distributed as long as they are not sold.
 
To download materials go to http://www.walearning.com and click on the purple button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts" on the home page.
 
You can also preview the Language is the Key videos for early literacy facilitation on the website.  These videos are for sale, and we allow you to make copies, as long as they are not sold.  They are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog (Filipino), Mandarin, and Korean.

The ANNE IZARD STORYTELLERS’ CHOICE AWARD was established in 1990 to honor Anne Izard, noted storyteller, librarian and children’s Services Consultant in Westchester County, New York. The award highlights distinguished titles in the field of storytelling published for children and adults, and promotes the riches of storytelling to even wider audiences.
Click here for a list of the most recent winners:
http://www.westchesterlibraries.org/node/106

This website contains over 1,700 other parenting-related articles, a calendar with hundreds of family-friendly activities, and a comprehensive directory of businesses and services. ( http://www.NYMetroParents.com )

This award is given annually by the Mystery Writers of America for the best mysteries in various categories.

This is a link to their nominees for best children’s mysteries of the year:
http://www.theedgars.com/nominees2.html#juv
 
Click here for a list of all previous winners of the children’s award:
http://www.hcpl.lib.tx.us/kidsite/kidsread/edgaraward.htm

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
Click here for a list of winners.

The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
Click here for a list of winners.