Tag Archive for: Games

Alisha

Introducing…Tonies and Yotos!

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We’re excited to announce the addition of two new audio player formats to the library’s collection!

Tonies are toy-like figurines that activate songs and stories when placed on a Toniebox audio player. Kids can easily adjust volume, fast forward, rewind and change stories on their own. Our four Tonie Kits each come with a Toniebox and approximately five Tonies.

Similarly, Yoto Players are an easy-to-use audio player that plays children’s stories. The audiobook is activated simply by inserting a Yoto Card into the player. Each kit comes with a Yoto Player and approximately five story cards.

All Tonies and Yoto Cards have been pre-loaded onto the Tonieboxes and Yoto Players, respectively, making them available to play with or without a Wi-Fi signal. Both the Tonie kits and Yoto Kits are located in the Library of Things collection.

Katie H

Supa Dupa Dog Man Party

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Does your family love Dog Man?

So do we!

Visit the library to celebrate everyone’s favorite half-dog half-human police officer at the Supa Dupa Dog Man Party!

The party will take place on Friday, February 28, at 1:00-2:30pm in the 3rd floor Riverview Room. We will have Dog Man crafts, activities and challenges. Make a flip-o-rama, play pin the mask on Petey, and snack on dog food (for humans)!

We are excited to share that special guest K9 Murphy will be reporting for duty at this event. Murphy is a supa dupa therapy dog with the Eau Claire Police Department who loves to make new friends everywhere he goes!

This is a drop-in event with no registration required.

Alisha

Summer Fun – We’ve Got You Covered!

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Not only do we have summer programs galore at the library to keep you busy and entertained, we also have a plethora of kits in our Library of Things collection that are perfect summer activities.

Are you looking for an acoustic guitar or ukulele to play around a campfire?  We have those!  Need a tent or camp stove for a camping trip?  We’ve got those, too.  Want to take the family to visit a park?  Check out our Wisconsin State Parks kit that includes a one day pass for one vehicle and its occupants, the Eau Claire County Parks kit, or the Beaver Creek Reserve kit.  Maybe you’d prefer checking out one of our many yard games, a stargazing kit, a karaoke machine for your next family picnic, or a microscope kit to take a closer look at the specimens found in your backyard.  Plan an outdoor movie night using our projector.

See what I mean?!  We’ve got you covered for summer activities!  Peruse the list below for summer activity kits to check out or view the entire Library of Things collection on the MORE catalog or app.

  • Beep Baseball
  • Birdwatching
  • Bocce Ball set
  • Bugs Play Kit
  • Camp Stove
  • Canning Kit
  • Connect 4 Yard Game
  • Cornhole Toss Game
  • Croquet
  • Disc Golf set
  • Eau Claire County Parks kit
  • Explore Beaver Creek Reserve kit
  • Garden Stories Play Kit
  • Giant Jenga
  • GoPro camera
  • Hiking Kit
  • Horseshoes Game Set
  • Kan Jam Disc Toss Game
  • Karaoke Machine
  • Kubb
  • Ladder Toss Yard Game
  • Lawn Darts
  • Metal Detector
  • Microscope Activity Backpack
  • Ninja Obstacle Course
  • Outdoor Adventures Activity Backpack for kids
  • Pickleball
  • Scatter Yard Game
  • Slammo
  • Stargazing
  • Tennis
  • Tent
  • Travel Kit
  • Wisconsin State Parks Kit
  • Wifi Bluetooth Projector kit for outdoor movie night
  • Yard Dice

 

 

March 17–22: Spring Break Week Activities
Alisha

Spend Spring Break at the Library!

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The week of March 25th marks Spring Break Week for many of the schools in the Eau Claire community and the library’s Youth Services staff has all the fun things planned!  In addition to storytimes and Dabble Box Open Labs we’ll have special programs scheduled daily.  Can’t make it in for a scheduled program?  Come in to complete a scavenger hunt, play a game, or check out a great read, movie, video game, or activity from the Library of Things to take home.  Reservations can also be made for our Escape Room which will be available at specific times throughout the week.

Special programs for 6th grade and under include a Wings of Fire Celebration, Perler Beads craft program, Family BINGO, and Pokemon Club.  Teens in grades 7th-12th grades are invited to a Teen Switch Tournament, a Taylor Swift Eras Party, and the Teen Late Night.

Check out the full list with more details here!

Shannon

Winter Break Week!

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Winter Break is almost upon us, which means it’s time to head to the library for tons of extra fun! Kids, Teens, and their families are invited to join us during Winter Break Week  (December 26-30) for a flurry of seasonal activities.  

When you visit the library, you’ll find scavenger hunts, craft activities, and games all week long–just stop by the Youth Services desk (Level 1) for details. While you are there, ask about our Winter Library Programs (December 26–February 29)! Sign up for our Family or Teen program to earn a prize! Click here for full info. 

Of course, we also have some special events happening throughout the week. On Tuesday, December 26, join us for a Color Bash! Together, we’ll brighten up the shortest days of the year with some color. Explore light experiments, prisms, and colorful crafts, no registration required. Details here! 

Or if you prefer icy experiments and snowy crafts, visit us on Wednesday, December 27 for the Ice Bowl! Youth Pre-k through grade 6 will enjoy a cool afternoon excavating objects from ice, testing whether salt melts ice faster than vinegar, designing a snowflake, and more. Click here for all the details. 

Teens will also have a chance to get creative during Winter Break Week. Youth in grades 7-12 are invited to join us for a cozy afternoon of macrame and hot cocoa at Knotty & Nice on Wednesday, December 27. Projects are beginner friendly, and registration is required. For information and to register, click here. 

On Thursday, December 28, kids of all ages (and their grown-ups) are invited to stop in and play Family BINGO for fun and small prizes. This event is so popular, it’s offered twice in one day! No registration is required, please click here for times and details. 

Finally, on Friday, December 29, teens in Grades 7-12 will have an opportunity to make art they can eat at Teen Cookie Decorating! Using icing and sprinkles, teens will create a cookie masterpiece in the library’s cozy kitchen. Registration is required by clicking here. 

And, of course, we always offer books, movies, video games, maker kits, and so much more, so stock-up for chilly weather and family time. Be sure to stop down – we’re always happy to see you! 

Kelly K

Lovevery @ the Library!

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When I first heard about the toy-based subscription service, Lovevery, I was dubious. My children had piles of toys, many of which were collecting dust. We do not need more toys! When does “so many toys” become “too many toys”?

It all changed for me when my brother started regularly receiving the developmentally appropriate Lovevery kits of toys for their growing family. As their children grew the kits were regifted to my children, allowing us to experience the toy-based subscription service first hand. The kits quickly became favorites for my little ones, giving me the freedom to donate unused toys in favor of a less cluttered house filled with developmentally appropriate play.

What is Lovevery?

Lovevery, a toy-based subscription service, was founded using research on the neurodevelopment of babies and intended to help foster development through play and experiences. These stage-based kits were designed to support brain development using toys, books and a play guide for parents.

Lovevery at the Library

Interested in experiencing these kits first hand with your child? Check out one of the six new Library of Things Play Kits featuring Lovevery! Click the links below to learn more, check availability, or place a hold today!

The Helper Play Kit ➜

Activities for children ages 25-27 months.  Your child may be eager for independence and to step into the world of “big kids.” This Play Kit responds to your two-year-old’s natural curiosity with Montessori-practical life activities and tools to develop security in their routines.

The Investigator Play Kit ➜

Activities for children ages 31-33 months.  Your toddler is working on their emerging executive function skills, which are important for everything from controlling one’s behavior to planning a future task, and even creativity. This Play Kit will support their natural curiosity.  Practice jumping, balancing, and tossing.  Build concentration, language, and memory skills.  Strengthen gross motor skills.  Learn lessons in liquid conservation.

The Free Spirit Play Kit ➜

Activities for children ages 34-36 months.  Your child is almost three years-old! Age three is sometimes called “the magic year,” a time when language blossoms, independence and curiosity grow, and social-emotional skills start to sharpen. Embark on this special stage together with play essentials to support their growing skillset.  Fit shapes and contrasting colors together.  Early exposure to numeracy.  Practice problem-solving and balancing skills.  Engage in imaginative play.  Build real-life skills.

The Observer Play Kit ➜

Activities for children ages 37-39 months.  Welcome your new three-year-old to the “Year of the Self” as they take ownership of their routines, build emotional intelligence, and make sense of their world through open-ended play.  Explore routines with pretend play.  Practice nesting with early exposure to architecture concepts.  Set expectations by planning their day. Encourage independence and self care.

The Analyst Play Kit ➜

Activities for children ages 46-48 months.  Challenge your (almost) four-year-old to use precise fine motor skills, solve new sensory and STEM puzzles, and cook with fractions—all with fun, hands-on play.  Practice matching objects through sensory play.  Build descriptive language skills.  Solve a color puzzle using different shades.  Put fine motor skills to practical use.  Translate 2D pictures into 3D objects.  Visualize parts of a whole.

The Connector Play Kit ➜

Activities for children ages 49-51 months.  Support flexible thinking with playthings that help your child think differently and make new connections as they learn to investigate, solve problems, and adapt to change.  Practice flexible thinking.  Investigate objects from different perspectives.  Build independence and routines.  Strengthen precise fine motor skills.  Create, adapt, and act out new stories.

Library of Things kits can be checked out for 21 days using your library card. Kits must be checked out and returned to the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library Customer Services desk. Library of Things kits accrue fines of $1 a day if returned after the checkout period.

Julia

Celebrate International Games Month with Youth Services

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What types of games do you like to play? Are you a board gamer? Video gamer? Yard game master? We invite gamers of all stripes to celebrate International Games Month this November with Youth Services!

International Games Month started as National Games Day in 2007 as an attempt to set a world record for number of people playing games in libraries at once. Over the years, that special day grew into a week and then a month, and expanded to include people from all over the world.

Youth Services will have a special Candyland-inspired scavenger hunt up all month, as well as new board games to play in The Lookout. Plus, join us during Thanksgiving week for Nintendo Switch gaming for kids and teens on Monday, BINGO on Wednesday, and drop-in games all week!

Keep the fun going at home by checking out a gaming activity backpack, jumbo Connect 4 yard game, and more from the Library of Things!

 

 

Jill

Hunt for fun @ the library!

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Does your kid love scavenger hunts? Come to the library! There is always a scavenger hunt in Youth Services which rotates every couple of months. All hunts are designed for both pre-readers and kids that read. These hunts are a fun family activity, and the prize at the end is usually a high five from the Youth Librarian. Come to the library anytime we are open and try a scavenger hunt today!

Bonus at-home scavenger hunt activity…

Find:

  • Something blue
  • Letter S
  • An animal (or photo of an animal)
  • Something outside that is growing
  • A new place to read a book

 

Shannon

Hang Out in The Lookout!

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Have you been to The Lookout? It’s a space here at the Eau Claire Library meant just for our school age visitors! We were excited to add this area to Youth Services during our renovation, and we immediately filled it with all sorts of fun things to discover and do.
In The Lookout, you will find iPads loaded with tons of games, computers for kids and their grown-ups to use, a weekly Try-It Tray activity, art supplies, board games, a scavenger hunt, and various other special activities. And, since we are constantly thinking of new fun things to do, many of the activities change weekly—so you should find something new just about every time you are here. Make sure to check out The Lookout during your next visit to the library. It just might become your new favorite place to hang out!
Alex

Staff Picks for Family Video Game Night

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Growing up, my brother and I spent a lot of time bonding over our shared love of video games. Our parents mostly appreciated our hobby from a distance, but the times that they did join in were always tons of fun, and memories I treasure to this day. Playing video games as a family can be a great way to build stronger connections and to understand the media your children consume. It also gives you opportunities to model empathy and problem-solving skills, and learning to cope with losing in games can help kids build emotional resilience.

With that in mind, why not host a family video game night? Here are some video game suggestions to get the ball rolling:

Nintendo – King of family games

  • Mario Party offers a board game-like experience, dice and all.
  • Mario Kart has been a multiplayer kart-racing staple for decades.

Chaotic fun

  • In Overcooked! 1 or 2, four people can run a restaurant together (and put out kitchen fires in the process).

Minecraft fans

  • In Minecraft Dungeons your party can explore dungeons, slay monsters, and find loot, all set in the Minecraft world.

LEGO Fans

  • LEGO has many 2 player games, including crossovers with Harry Potter, Batman, Jurassic World, and many more.

Outside the box

  • In Untitled Goose Game you play as mischievous geese who solve puzzles and play pranks on unsuspecting humans.

Get your bodies moving

  • Check out the Just Dance series and dance along to a selection of popular music.

And many more!

The library has video games available for a variety of different consoles, including several generations of PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems. Video games in our children’s collection have a green sticker on the spine to make finding them easy, but if you ever have questions about whether a video game is appropriate for your child just check the ESRB rating on the back. Visit the ESRB website for more information on what these ratings mean: https://www.esrb.org/ratings-guide/

Most importantly, remember to have fun! Playing video games together can offer a window into your child’s world, and you may even find yourself feeling like a kid again.