Teens, join us once a month for Dungeons & Dragons! In this spin-off of our monthly Teen Program, a volunteer will DM in the library’s meeting room on the first Tuesday of the month from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Children’s Librarian Jennifer will supervise.
For ages 11-18. Free to attend; no need to sign up.
Dates are as follows:
February 4
March 4
April 1
May 6
The Litchfield Library has a new program for crafters: Crafter Dark! Bring your art or craft project to the library’s meeting room on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 6:30-7:30 p.m., and enjoy the company of other creative people while you create.
You could draw, watercolor, papercraft, knit, crochet, embroider, make jewelry… No messy projects, please.
For those who don’t have a current project to bring, coloring sheets, colored pencils, and origami paper will be available. Otherwise the library will not be providing the supplies, and no formal instruction will be provided.
For adults and teens ages 16+. Younger teens can attend with an adult. No children, please.
No need to sign up. Dates are as follows:
February 12
March 12
April 9
May 14
Kids, join us for some creative crafting! We provide a variety of fun and colorful supplies, and kids can create whatever they are inspired to make. Kids in kindergarten through 6th grade are welcome, along with siblings. Children under 8 need to have an adult or teen with them. Free to attend – no need to sign up. We gather in the library’s meeting room.
Kids, come build with LEGOs at the library! Litchfield Library will hold LEGO Night on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from January through May, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the meeting room. For ages 4-14; children under age 8 should be accompanied by a teen or adult caregiver. No need to sign up. Free to attend. The library provides the LEGOs.
Drop in for Litchfield Library’s Knitting Club on the 3rd Thursday of the month, January through May. The program is held in the meeting room from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. No formal instruction is provided; it’s a time for people of all ages to sit together while they knit or crochet, and to share ideas and get advice from an expert knitter on the library staff. No need to sign up.
Dates are January 16, February 20, March 20, April 17, and May 15.
Take a look at Pioneerland Library System’s top checkouts of 2024:
Top adult fiction
Top adult nonfiction
Top young adult fiction
Top easy fiction
Top juvenile fiction
Some beautiful yarn pumpkins from October’s Adult Arts & Crafts program!
Take a look at the beautiful resin bookmarks created this month by participants in our Adult Arts & Crafts program!
by Miss Rachel
7/17/24
What are you likely to find in every toy box, diaper bag, children’s play area, and childhood bedroom? Stuffed animals! Now more commonly referred to as “stuffies,” these classic toys are great companions for kids of all ages. Like I mentioned in my last column, Bruce the bear is a very popular stuffie that kids enjoy seeking out in the children’s section. Stuffies are a fun component at the library!
We recently hosted a stuffie sleepover here at the library. If you’ve never heard of such an event, it’s probably what you are imagining. Kids bring in a stuffie of their choice on a Friday, and the stuffies stay overnight, getting into all kinds of crazy shenanigans. Look on our Facebook page or our website to see the pictures of the wild things the stuffed animals did: like play bingo, make music, play dodgeball, and read stories together before they went to sleep. The next day, the owners come back to the library to pick up their stuffies along with a packet of pictures and a certificate for participating in the stuffie sleepover.
But we also have quite the collection for our baby/toddler storytime on Wednesdays. While I initially had used a stuffed teddy bear in my lap to show how to do the lap bounces and songs with actions, the kids all decided to mirror me and put stuffies into their own laps. As long as the kids are having fun, we love using the stuffies at storytime!
In an article from the International Collegiate Journal of Science, studies have shown a number of benefits for kids who have their own stuffed animal companions. For example, stuffies can serve as transitional objects, providing comfort in unfamiliar or stressful situations. Stuffies can also aid children in developing and maintaining good sleep habits, as they provide physical and emotional comfort and support at bedtime. Logically, they can also help encourage kids to read – they serve as a captive audience. Stuffies aren’t just good for kids though. This article covers benefits of stuffed animals for adults as well, so you need not throw any of your cuddly companions out!
We also have a new picture book about a stuffed animal: “The Imposter” written by Laura Bower and illustrated by Kerisa Greene. In this story, a girl named Olive treasures her stuffie, Mr. Snuggles. When he goes missing one day, she is devastated. After many attempts to find and even recreate Mr. Snuggles, he miraculously reappears, and Olive rejoices! But when Olive sees that Mr. Snuggles has reappeared, she notices he’s not quite the same. Check out this book to see what happens next!
Stuffies, or stuffed animals, hold a special place in childhoods everywhere. Whether they’re participating in adventurous sleepovers at the library or joining toddlers in interactive storytimes, stuffies enrich lives with comfort, creativity, and companionship.
Lai, Vincent. “The Positives of Plushies: Stuffed Animals Have Benefits for Children and Adults – Icjs – International Collegiate Journal of Science.” ICJS, 21 Aug. 2021, icjs.us/the-positives-of-plushies-stuffed-animals-have-benefits-for-children-and-adults/.
