Readapalooza [grades 2–5]
Grab some carpet and let us entertain you with stories that will leave you wanting more.
Parents & Teachers
Get connected to everything you need to raise a better reader and grow your child’s imagination. Homework help and other resources for parents and educators. Links to helpful websites – both practical and entertaining.
Recent Parents & Teachers Blog Posts
Zoo Animals Live
Dennis Dinwiddie brought a variety of snakes to the Zoo Animals Live program for June. All of the snakes reside at the Topeka Zoo and are used in educational programs. Therefore, they are all accustomed to being held and are nonpoisonous. Many snakes benefit people. There are several different kinds of king snakes. The picture on the left shows [...]
Brain Brawlers’ Board Gaming
Is your mind sharp and your strategy cunning enough for these board games?
Being Daddy – In Love With a Baby
Join Nate as he offers anecdotes and insight from the viewpoint of a brand new Dad. In this installment he talks about the incredible love a parent feels for their new baby.
Zoo Animals Live
The topic for May, Zoo Animals Live, was birds of prey. Jeff, who is now working at the Topeka Zoo with Dennis, was the presenter. Merlin represented all the Great Horned Owls that are widely distributed in the Americas. There are almost no predators of these adult owls. Their heads can turn 270′ and their [...]
The Kids Menu: the challenge of planning healthy menus for your children
If only making “good choices” for your child’s nutrition was as easy as ordering the selections off the kids menu in a restaurant.
Transforming the Walls in the Kids Library
A popular community hangout for families has a new look. Come into the library and see for yourself the recent improvements to our Kids Library. A book, a movie or one of our children’s programs is a great excuse to visit your library. We are painting the walls – and look for 3D attractions like [...]
Earn. Save. Spend. Share. (and teach your kids!)
From the New York Times recent article “Too Young for Finance? Think Again” comes practical advice on teaching children the basics of saving and spending. While other groups have offered free financial advice for children in the past, a very influential spokesperson has now added his voice to the refrain. Elmo, the preschool darling of [...]
Zoo Animals Live
Turtles and tortoises were the animals on display at the April, Zoo Animals Live program. Dennis, from the Topeka Zoo, points out that turtles live in the water and tortoises live on land. So the Box Turtle that you see in Kansas is actually a tortoise and lives on land. The Indian Star Tortoise is [...]
Great Books for Children
Click here for reading recommendations from your library. Amazing stories await you. Check out one of these books – most appropriate for children ages birth to 10 years.
Naming Your Baby: an interesting task with unlimited options!
It’s no surprise that Jacob is at the top of the list of popular American baby names for 2009 (it’s been the #1 name for baby boys ever since it bumped Michael out of the top stop in 1999). For girls, the top names have been changing lately — 2009′s top name was Isabella, 2008′s was Emma, but [...]
