Because of the COVID-19 social-distancing recommendations, Fort Bend County Libraries’ (FBCL) Cinco Ranch Branch Library is continuing to offer children’s programming virtually this winter and spring, so that families can participate from the comfort and safety of home!
Videos of Mother Goose Time, Toddler Time, Preschool Story Time, After-School Breaks, and Middle School Programs will be posted on the online Virtual calendar on FBCL’s website each week.
Several special online Family Programs, for children of all ages, will also be featured in January.
Age-appropriate stories, songs, and puppet shows are featured in the Mother Goose Time, Toddler Time, and Preschool Story Time videos. The schedule is as follows:
- Tuesdays – Mother Goose Time (infants 1-12 months of age)
- Wednesdays – Toddler Time (1-3 years of age)
- Thursdays – Preschool Story Time (3-6 years of age)
Families of toddlers and preschoolers may pick up to-go activity packets from the library for the month. These packets contain fun craft activities that can be done at home. Call the libraries to request to pick up the packets through the Curbside Pick-Up service.
The After-School Breaks – which take place on the second and fourth Mondays – include crafts, stories, and more for school-aged children in grades K through 5. The schedule for January is as follows:
- January 11 – Paper Weaving. Learn how to “weave paper” to create cards, hearts, and balls.
- January 25 – Dream Catchers. Hold on to good dreams and let go of the bad ones with these easy-to-make dream catchers. In this kid-friendly DIY project, use everyday items to create your own dream catcher.
The Middle School Programs – which take place on the first and third Mondays — include activities specially designed for kids in grades 6 through 8. The schedule for January is as follows:
- January 4 – “Hot-Chocolate Bomb”
Learn how to make cocoa bombs, filled with chocolatey goodness, for a delicious cup of hot chocolate to brighten up a wintery day. Supplies needed include: 1 silicone mold, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of chocolate chips, 3 tbsp. hot-cocoa mix, 3 tbsp. marshmallows.
- January 18 – NO PROGRAM
SPECIAL FAMILY VIRTUAL EVENTS
- January 2 – “First Day, Nueva Escuela” (pre-recorded video)
Presented by Brave Little Company, in conjunction with Young Audiences of Houston, this bilingual (English/Spanish) performance portrays the story of a girl named Xiomara who overcomes her fear of starting class at a new school by writing herself into stories.
- January 9 – “Party with Pete” (pre-recorded video)
This special Story Time, for families with children of all ages, features stories, songs, finger plays, and a puppet show. It will also include a STEAM segment in which families will learn how to make a guitar out of recycled materials, including a cereal box, rubber bands, and a cardboard tube.
- January 16 – “Wish You Were Here: Creating a Sensory Box for an Instant Imaginary Journey” (pre-recorded video)
Presented by Brave Little Company, in conjunction with Young Audiences of Houston, this creative-theater event includes sensory-based storytelling elements, such as sound, smells, and sensations, to evoke a trip to a beach, the woods, the moon, and more. Kids of all abilities will concentrate on using their senses and imagination to create a story and then make a sensory box of their own that can send a friend on an instant imaginary journey.
For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), or call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).