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Kids learn all about worms at library
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Landon Wilson (middle) and his dad, Ken (right), volunteered to turn pages while librarian Hayley McEwing read "Round Like a Ball."
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Participants had a chance to see live earthworms at the Earth Science program at the Austintown library July 22.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Aidan (front left) and Carter May (front center) made playdough models of the Earth with librarian Hayley McEwing (right), while their mom, Laurie, watched July 22.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Children at the Earth Science program at the Austintown library watched worms burrow in a habitat made for them at the event July 22.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Landon Shina of Canfield burrowed through a tunnel like a worm at Earth Science program at the Austintown library.
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
School-age children learned about worms at an Earth Science program at the Austintown library July 22.
Librarians Hayley McEwing and Kathe Orr started the program by reading “Round Like a Ball” to the children in attendance. They also showed pictures of worms from other parts of the world, including a blue worm that is native to Sri Lanka.
“I like the blue one,” said Aidan May of Boardman. He has never seen a worm like that, May said. But he also likes the brown earthworms that live in the United States.
Live earthworms were part of the program. The children divided into two groups and watched several worms wiggle across tables. They followed this up with a worm race – each group chose their fastest worm and watched them race.
Carter May was no stranger to worms.
“I catch them all the time,” Carter said. He has a worm habitat where he keeps the worms he catches.
Orr provided a homemade glass-sided worm habitat and, following the worm race, the children watched the worms burrow down into it.
The program “was very nice,” Laurie May said. “The kids learned a lot and they enjoyed seeing the real worms.”
Payton and Landon Wilson of Austintown also enjoyed the program. Both said they like worms and had fun at the program.
Landon, with his dad Ken Wilson, volunteered to turn the pages when McEwing read “Round Like a Ball.” Landon said it was fun.
Children crawled through tunnels to experience what it’s like for worms burrowing into the ground, created models of the Earth out of playdough, and made a worm craft using construction paper and stickers. They also had a snack of gummi worms.