Bubble Summer

I could not think of a better way for a university English major to spend the summer than encouraging the Valley’s youth population to get out in the sun and read! It’s easy to fall into a rut of the “dog days of summer”, doing the same thing every day, staying inside where the air conditioning relieves the beads of sweat on everyone’s foreheads. I was tasked with coming up with four different programs for each age group of the Summer Reading Club.  My favourite activity is Giant Bubble Making, and it has proved itself to be fun for any age! The fun-in-the-sun aspect is what I enjoy most about it. But this activity would reach its full potential with a few kids at a beach where swimming off all that slimy bubble solution is a great way to end the activity. Everything needed for the bubbles is found easily around the house, and can easily be thrown together while at a campground:

12 cups of water

1 cup of Dish detergent (Ivory, Dawn or Cascade worked best for me)

1 cup of cornstarch

2 tbsp of Baking powder

Mix all of this together in a big bucket!

To make the big bubble maker you need:

Four straws of any kind

String (yarn does not work very well)

Scissors

       * If the straws have a bendy end, take scissors and cut off the bendy part.

        * Take two straws and thread the string through them. The string should be about a foot and a half long (the length determines the size of the bubbles). The best way to get the string through the straw is to put the end of the string into the straw and suck on the other end to draw it through. It comes through very quickly! So make sure there is no choking.

 *     Once two straws are on the string, tie the string together with a knot. 

 * Take the remaining two straws, cut a slit in one end so the straw will fold in on itself. Fit the cut straw into the straw with the string.

  

You now have a perfect big bubble maker and the best bubble solution possible!

Some of my fondest memories of my childhood involved outdoor games, exploring forests, crafts, and campfires. I hope every child gets to create some of these memories this summer. Exciting play time is always balanced with quiet reading relaxation at any time of the day. Long car rides make filling the Summer Reading booklets easy, especially with an audiobook along for the ride. I feel great knowing that my job involves encouraging kids to develop healthy brains and bodies.  And the only downside? My own hours of reading aren’t going towards an Upper Clements FastPass!

Erin Jardine

Summer Reading Club Assistant

Summer Reading - Life's a Beach

Ahh summertime...it's finally here.  Your vacation is coming up and yes, you might have time to read a book!

While some of us will actually head to the beach or cottage as our retreat, others may visit relatives, travel, or enjoy a staycation in their own backyard.  Picture digging your toes into the ocean sand, morning swims at the lake, getting to be a kid again by visiting your parents, or the ultimate hammock nap at home.

Whatever you choose to do try to fit in some reading.  In this age of pressure and stress the simple act of reading is sure to bring down the blood pressure.  While summer might not be the best time to tackle War and Peace there are plenty of good reads out there waiting for you.

Paperbacks abound, a lightweight choice that can be taken anywhere.  Alternatively, load up your e-reader or mp3 player as an even more portable option.  For the vacationer that has to have a project in the works the library can offer "how to" books on everything from a water feature for your yard or building a new deck, to updating the kitchen or bathroom.

So what makes a good summer read?  The classic definition seems to be something light, preferably funny and won't keep you up at night pondering the state of the world.   Some others feel like this is a chance to get into something a little more substantial because you have the time to become immersed in a book . Whatever your preference come and visit your library branch or website.  I am sure we can find something that will fit in with your vacation plans.

I think my pick for this summer is going to be Just After Sunset by Stephen King.  This has been on my 'to read' list for awhile now so it's time it moved over to the 'read' side.

Need some suggestions?  Check out this link.




--Patricia Milner, Head of Reference Services