All posts by Children's Staff
Baby Storytime, Friday, September 30
Baby storytime began again today. Some familiar babies joined together with some new babies and their caregivers. It was a great time singing and moving and getting to know each other a bit.
During baby storytime, each family gets their own book to read along with as we all read chorally. Today’s book was a favorite of mine and of many babies! Together we “moo-ed with the cow” and “quacked with the duck” to one of Sandra Boynton’s many books.
Feel free to stop by the library at anytime to borrow some board books to take home to read with your baby!
Preschool Storytime, Wednesday, September 29
Welcome back to storytimes! Wednesday morning at 10:00am offers a storytime for preschoolers, complete with books and songs.
Today we read four different books that brought lots of smiles and laughs to the group. Several of the books had parts in which the whole group could help to read together. We talked a bit about when the print in the book is REALLY BIG that the author often wants those words to be read very loudly! The group did a great job helping with this.
Here are the books that we read. Feel free to come to the library to borrow these or any other books to enjoy together at home!
Sing With Your Child!
Expose your child to nursery rhymes and other traditional children’s songs and finger plays.
Books for 4-6 year olds on Tuesday, September 27
Welcome back to storytime! This first day had us seeing spots– we read several stories about dots, and realized that dots are EVERYWHERE. They’re on our clothes and toys, on our faces, on our pets, and in our cars. We can count them, color them, and make patterns with them. Try these dotty stories and you’ll soon be seeing lots of dots!
Write With Your Child!
Have plastic or wooden alphabet letters available for your child to explore.
Beginnings and Endings
Fall programs for children begin the week of September 26. We have a storytime for babies and their caregivers on Friday mornings at 10am. Please spread the word that this is a great way to meet other first time parents. 
We have many storytimes for toddlers and preschoolers as well. Detailed information is in the Events Calendar of the website.
Stay and Play on Tuesdays includes a story and craft and then lots of time for children ages 1 and up to play with each other and adults to get to know each other.
PlaySpace on Thursdays has activities designed to bring classic children’s stories to life.
After school programs include STEM activities in our Library Lab, a lego club, Terrific Tales, and seasonal crafts.
Don’t miss our Spooky Story contest. School age children are encouraged to write a spooky story. It must be original and have a beginning, middle and end. Prizes will be awarded for the scariest stories in each age group. Start Writing! The Dead Line for these stories is Saturday, October 15 at 5:00. Winners will be announced at the Spooky Story Celebration on Saturday, October 29 from 4:00-5:00.
I have a scary story…. I’ll be retiring on Friday, September 23! What will I do without all of you in my life? I’ll be leaving the best job in the world – and one reason that is true is because I spend my days surrounding by families doing great things together who are deeply appreciative of the work the children’s staff does. I will miss you – until I see you around town.
But my story does not have a scary end…. The staff will continue to love your children and to listen to your thoughts and ideas. I am very peaceful knowing that great things will continue to happen at the Chelmsford Library. I just need to say Goodnight Room….
~Maureen
Read With Your Child!
Try to read one on one
with 
your child
every day.
Talk With Your Child!
Take time to engage in a
conversation with a child.
Take turns asking and answering
each other’s questions.
What is that thing?
There is a Stage 5 Sierpinski Tetrahedron on display in the Main Library! We hope you enjoy its beauty. We hope you notice the symmetry, and the immense empty space. We hope you notice that it is a wonderful fractal. 
Then we want you to look deeper and get a greater appreciation of exponents. This structure is called a Stage 5 Sierpinski Tetrahedron, because it graphically represents 4 to the 5th power.
We have one tetrahedron on display. Next to it is a group of 4. Notice that this basic building block has 3 on the base and 1 that sits on top. Those 4 create a Stage 1 structure, because 4 times 1 is 4. (4 to the 1st power) Build 4 such structures, put 3 on the base and 1 on top and you get a Stage 2 structure. That is 4 to the 2nd power, or 16. There will be 16 tetrahedra in that unit. (We made a one that is color coded to help you see the parts of a Stage 3 Sierpinski Tetrahedron.) We kept building until we reached 4 to the 5th power. How many tetrahedra did we use? (Or you can call them tetrahedrons if that’s easier for you.)
The children entering grades 4-7 who gathered for book discussions this summer were inspired to make all these tetrahedrons after reading the book All of the Above by Shelley Pearsall. Based on a true story, the book tells the story of a group of students who create a Sierpinski Tetrahedron.
We built a very similar structure 8 years ago. Enjoy this video explanation by Jenn Mann, who was a junior at CHS at the time, and then come see the real thing.
~Maureen
Play With Your Child!
Find a way to bring a book “to life.”
