Breakfast-to-Books program to teach children about food
The program will run for three weeks.
HUBBARD — Youngsters coming to the Hubbard Public Library on Saturdays over the next three weeks will be getting a little something more than the stories between the covers of their favorite books.
The library will begin a Breakfast-to-Books program Saturday. Parents must pre-register their children. The program, where children in kindergarten through fourth grade listen to stories about various foods then eat those same foods for breakfast, will take place every Saturday at 9 a.m. for the next three weeks.
Nancy Grapevine, assistant children’s librarian, said a program such as the Breakfast-to-Books program was highly requested.
“What this is is a program for older children. We have baby time for our kids from birth to 24 months, toddler-parent storytime for the kids between 2 and 3 years old and 4- and 5-year-old storytime, but we just didn’t have anything for kids starting school, and people were asking,” Grapevine said.
Kids and their parents will come to the library at 9:30 a.m. The youngsters disappear into the designated story room — a place set aside for the kids and storytellers — while parents check out the rest of the library.
The story room is a large, open space with one soft chair at the head of the room, sitting next to a small table with two drawers. Grapevine said the rest of the space is open for picnic-style eating.
On the wall of the story room is “the biggest book in Hubbard” as described by Grapevine — a large “book” that opens up into a storyboard, then opens up further into a puppet stage.
The first week children attending the event will learn about apples through a pre-selected set of fiction and nonfiction books. Apples, apple cider and Apple Jacks cereal will be on the menu.
In the second week, the youngsters will hear stories about breads from around the world with french toast, croissants and bagels on the menu. The last week will take a look at eggs, and egg dishes will be available.
Grapevine said the program is crucial to the development of kids in the younger years.
“This is very important to keep kids liking books and loving the library,” she said. “They are learning and having fun.”
The program, Grapevine said, also helps children see the importance of breakfast and adds a little fun to that meal as well.
“You can eat Apple Jacks or toast at home, but when you do it as a group after someone has explained all about it, it just seems to taste better that way,” she said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com