Northeast Regional Library Blog

Start the new year by becoming more organized.  Some great places to start include: Organize your pantry or kitchen shelves to make mealtime preparation go faster. Have each family member organize their clothes so that getting dressed in the morning and getting ready for bed at night go more smoothly. Encourage everyone to lay out the things they will need for the following day.  Think about things like backpacks, bags, lunches, clothes, shoes, etc.

Looking for some creative ways to entertain kids on New Year’s Eve?  Have a balloon stomp!  Blow up some small balloons and have fun watching as your kids jump, sit on, and stomp the balloons to pop them!  Not only does it make a loud popping noise that children love, but it can be a good way to burn off energy.  You could also hide small prizes, like quarters, inside the balloons. A fun alternative Read more

It’s very easy to make a candy cane ornament with a skein each of red and white embroidery floss and a pipe cleaner.  (You could also use yarn or cord in those colors – the thicker materials would also be easier for little fingers to grasp.)  Take the paper wrapping off the skeins of floss and snip each looped end to make two bunches (but you’ll only be using one bunch of each color).  Tie Read more

To make a beautiful natural ornament for your tree, just pick up a pinecone on your next walk.  First, tie a piece of string or yarn to the top to be the hanger.  Next, paint the tips of the pinecone with craft glue and sprinkle glitter on the glue while it is wet.  After the glue has dried, the ornament is ready to hang!  For a more colorful ornament, you could substitute acrylic paint (thinned Read more

Make decorative leaf prints today using just paint and paper.  Head outside and look for a fallen leaf that has a pretty shape.  Since you might get messy with this project, have fun working on it outside, such as on a sidewalk, porch, or other flat outdoor surface.  Cover the area with newspapers, an old sheet, or plastic tablecloth to help with accidental spills and to make clean-up go faster.  Start by using a paintbrush Read more