By Debby Woodin
dwoodin@joplinglobe.com
Parents wondering what to do with kids during spring break will find several activities to keep them busy at the Joplin Public Library.
Families can watch a PG-rated movie at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the library’s large meeting room.
Children’s librarian Jeana Gockley said the library staff aren’t allowed to advertise the name of movies it shows under its licensing agreement, but it’s a movie about a tiny island where food falls from the sky. There is a movie like that called “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.”
Teens will be lucky people on Wednesday when they are invited to attend a St. Patrick’s Day party. The party, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., will offer snacks, games and prizes for kids from sixth through 12th grades.
Little ones learning to read can practice by reading a book to a certified therapy dog at 4 p.m. Thursday. Gockley said there are several dogs, including poodles, an American terrier pit bull, golden retrievers and “a Great Dane that is enormous” who come to have a good tail, er, tale, read to them. “It’s for beginning readers,” Gockley said. “It is supposed to encourage the kids to read.”
A new activity, Lego Club, will start at 3 p.m. Friday.
“We’ve been thinking of offering the Lego club for several months and spring break seemed like the perfect time to kick it off,” Gockley said.
The club is open to children up to fifth grade. “We’ll have different size Legos for different age categories,” Gockley said.
There will be a theme for each meeting of the club and the first one will be skyscrapers. The club will meet again at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 11, and others will be scheduled if there is enough participation. “We’re hoping to offer it (more), but it depends on how the turnout is,” Gockley said.
Anyone who has sets of the building blocks they don’t want anymore can help by bringing them to the children’s desk. “If anyone has Lego donations, we’ll be glad to take them.”
Additionally, the library has its regularly scheduled story times.
Mondays at 6:00 p.m. & Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.
“Family Storytimes” for children up to 5 years old and their parents are held at 6 p.m. Monday and 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
“Baby Bookworms” is offered for infants up to 23 months old at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“Tales for 2s & 3s” for children ages 2 to 3 is held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“Fun for 4s and 5s” for children ages 4 and 5 and their parents is at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.
There is a “Spanish/English Story Hour” at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
Details: 417-623-2184 or www.joplinpubliclibrary.org.
