Numerous March break kits are prepared by the Quinte West Public Library for children to take home and enjoy. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Pritchard.
BELLEVILLE – The Brighton Public Library [2] and the Quinte West Public Library [3] are offering take-home activity kits and virtual events for children spending another school break in lockdown.
Children’s librarian Penny Kingyens with the Brighton Public Library says that the kits contain a number of fun things to keep children entertained while staying home.
Children’s librarian Kingyens says that every week the library creates new kits with a variety of crafts and experiments. Photo courtesy of Penny Kingyens.
The kits include “… everything you would need to complete a specific craft. We include a picture of the finished product, the instructions and (some materials) including paper and pom poms if needed.”
Kingyens reflected on past events that would typically run during the March break.
“We would have in-person craft times on Saturday mornings but that’s not happening… and we normally would have a song and story hour on Thursday mornings. What we have reverted to is craft kits for children to come and take home.”
While the stay at home order tightens COVID restrictions, Kingyens says she is happy the library is still able to entertain children through the take-home kits.
Along with the kits, Kingyens says the Brighton Public Library is offering online events and shows for children every week.
“We have science experiments that are going on online. Parents come and pick up their science kits (at the library) and they take their bag home. Then kids can click on the Zoom link and do a science experiment on Mondays,” Kingyens says as she talks about the library’s break initiatives. “We have a magic show, an author chat (and) music videos. Everything is all online.”
She says the lockdown restrictions have also affected the usual flow of traffic in the library.
“We don’t see as many children as we used to.”
Vanessa Pritchard is the children’s services coordinator at the Quinte West Public Library. She agrees that pre-pandemic, the library is typically a lot busier during a normal March break.
In an email exchange with QNet News, Pritchard discussed break events that have been cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our March break programming is typically one the busiest times of the year for us and often includes numerous in person activities, which obviously couldn’t happen this year. By making take-home activity kits we have tried to replicate those fun programs for children to enjoy in the safety of their own home.”
She says the kits include a number of fun activities that will appeal to a variety of children.
“The school break kits include materials for four different activities. They include popsicle stick launchers, perler beads [4], colour wheel painting, and a doughnut sewing activity.”
“We still want children to experience the excitement that we normally provide throughout March break.”
Quinte West Public Library take-home kits and Brighton Public Library kits and Zoom events are offered free of charge.
“Quinte West Public Library is here to serve the needs of our community. COVID has been difficult for a lot of people and we want to provide entertainment and education to our community without any financial burden,” says Pritchard.