Library Time

Tired of library late fees? Sign up for email reminders.
Whether you’re an avid library user or just the occasional reader, the Kent District Library’s Email notification service makes it easier than ever to track your library materials. Simply complete the online form and you’ll receive emails regarding item holds, approaching due dates, overdues, and more! You can opt out at any time. Additionally, you can rest assured that your email address will remain confidential and will not be distributed to parties outside the library system.

Early literacy resources & activities
Research shows that birth through age five is the most important time for children to develop their brains and attitudes towards reading and learning. PLAY-GROW-READ! gives parents fun ideas and information to help prepare children for school and encourage a lifelong love of reading. From tips and teaching aids for parents to developmental activities for children, PLAY-GROW-READ is your early literacy resource, so visit KDL’s PLAY-GROW-READ link.

Michigan Week Barbeque
Wednesday, May 21
5:00 - 7:00 PM at the Grandville KDL Branch
Join city and library staff at the library’s outdoor amphitheatre for a community celebration. There will be food, entertainment, music and more! Sponsored by the City of Grandville. For all ages.

Things To Do In April…

Farm Fun

Family Fun Days at Dairy Discovery in Alto
Saturdays in April
11:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
Tours are $5 per person (infants 1 year or younger are free) or $20 for a family of 5
www.dairydiscovery.com

Discovery Days at the Critter Barn in Holland
Saturdays in April & May
Adults & children over 3 are $5, maximum charge for immediate families is $20
www.critterbarn.org

Spring petting zoo at the Coopersville Farm Museum
Saturdays in April
10:00 am - 2:00 pm (please call to verify).
Local residents & 4H members bring in their small or baby animals to teach visitors about them!
www.coopersvillefarmmuseum.org

Small Animals Day at Michigan State University
Saturday, April 19
Bring the family and learn all about baby animals at the annual spring Small Animals Day, located on MSU’s campus. You will see MSU dairy and beef cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, and chickens. There are special exhibits of minor livestock breeds such as miniature donkeys, alpacas, llamas, pygmy goats, and unusual cattle. MSU buses run a continuous circuit around the MSU Pavilion, Poultry Research and Teaching Center, and Horse Teaching and Research Center, so you can stop and stay as long as you’d like. All ages are invited and buses are wheelchair accessible.

Small Animals Day will be held, Saturday, April 19, 2008 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Admission is $2 per person. Arrive by 11 a.m. if you want to see all of the exhibits–the last bus leaves for the farms at noon. Park at the corner of Mt. Hope and Farm Lane (see on map). Dress for the weather.

Celebrate Earth Day in Grand Rapids

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
April 19 – 20
Join in the fun at the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, one of the Midwest’s largest. Kids can take part in a Recycle Relay and Worm Hunt or create sand sculptures to learn how sand reduces waste as a natural filter. Take some of the environmentally-friendly fun home by planting a seed in a recycled newspaper pot to transplant in the backyard and watch it grow into a plant that attracts butterflies.
www.meijergardens.org

Party for the Planet at John Ball Zoo
April 19
John Ball Zoo’s second annual Earth Day celebration, Party for the Planet, brings together conservation-minded agencies and companies to showcase the multitude of green practices taking place in West Michigan. Plenty of games and give-aways make this a fun, educational event.
www.johnballzoosociety.org

15 Fun Things to do with Your Kids in the Spring:

-Plant a garden or a few plants in containers if you don’t have garden space.
-Play in the rain.
-Go on a picnic.
-Look at the stars.
-Take a walk in the evening.
-Have a campout in the living room, if it is too cold outside.
-Fly a kite.
-Take a nap together in a hammock.
-Take a walk to see if you can spot any spring flowers.
-Put string, etc. outside for the birds to use in nests.
-Take a walk and say “hello” to neighbors you might not have seen all winter.
-Spring clean together.
-No matter what their age, get out the hoola hoops, sidewalk chalk, and bubbles.
-Talk about what fun things you might want to do in the summer.
-Walk to church on Sunday morning, if it is close-by.

~ from the Hearts at Home e-mail newsletter

March 28 Meeting Announcements

Due to spring break, our next MOPS meeting is Friday, April 25. MOPS Mom Jen Wolf, who is also a Certified Parent Coach, will be talking to us about “Parenting with Strength and Stamina” and how we can incorporate our parenting strengths into our relationships with our children.

“MOPPORTUNITY”
We need 2 moms willing to watch the children of the steering team in the church nursery during our planning meeting on Wednesday, April 16, from 9:15-11:15 a.m. Your children are welcome, so think of it as a playdate with an additional purpose. Let Becky Dykhuis (531-1343) know asap if you’re available to help.

Our next Ladies Night Out will be Tuesday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Panera Bread located at the corner of 44th & Kenowa Ave. in Grandville. Join us for dinner and conversation with your fellow MOPS moms. Sign up at the food table today or at our April meeting and mark your calendars!

Thank you to all our MOPS moms for your generous donations at each meeting. We appreciate your support as it helps us stay on budget and enables us to provide quality speakers, delicious food, and crafts & snack for your children each meeting!