Toddlers and pre-schoolers have journeyed through Africa in search of elephants and lions and searched mythical lands for dragons, knights and princesses at the One World, Many Stories summer reading program at the Iola Public Library under the direction of Leah Oswald, children’s librarian.
Next week youngsters will learn about the bush and koala bears as they travel to Australia. The final two weeks of the program will take children to Asia and the Americas.
Toddlers and pre-schoolers meet from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. each Wednesday throughout June at the Flewharty-Powell Annex of the Iola Public Library.
On Thursday, youths in kindergarten through second grade will meet from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and those in grades third through fifth from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the annex.
The globe-trotting theme continues with One World, Many Flavors for children in the fifth grade and middle school.
Cooking camp meets from 9:30 a.m. to noon in the Flewharty Annex. On June 24 those attending the cooking camp will prepare foods with an Asian flair, food from the Americas will be highlighted on July 1 and Australian fare will be the main focus on July 15.
The cooking camp is a cooperative effort between the Iola Public Library and the K-State Extension service.
On June 20, the library will sponsor a free family concert at 4 p.m. in the Flewharty Annex featuring Thad Beach of Salina.
Beach is a full-time entertainer, musician, songwriter, storyteller and teaching artist.
Beach will thrill his audience with musical selections on the ukulele, guitar, fiddle, jaw harp and harmonica.
A free picnic will follow the entertainment.
The Iola Public Library has partnered with the Bowlus Fine Arts Center’s Heritage Arts and Pastimes Project to provide summer day camps July 5-14.
Classes for kindergarten through sixth grades at the Bowlus will include basic sewing, soap making, folk dancing, quilting, ceramics and African American Gospel music. Classes for preschoolers will be in the Flewharty Annex and include learning about Kansas’ history and music.
Registration for the day camps should be made at the Bowlus by calling 365-4765.
Mini-art camps are scheduled July 25. Kindergarten through fifth grade will meet from 9:30 to 11:30 and sixth grade through middle school from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
The theme of the art camps is “No Place Like . . .” Youths will create projects they can enter in the Allen County Fair.
For additional information about the art camps call the library at 365-3262 or Bowlus at 365-4765.
The adult summer reading theme is “Novel Destinations.” Readers will be given a passport to log in their destinations each week.
Participants must check out a minimum of three times having to do with the current week’s destination. A list of books checked out must be recorded in the spaces provided in the passport.
At the end of the week, readers turn in “travel stubs” which will enter them in a drawing. At the end of the journey on July 22 there will be a drawing for prizes. Call the library for additional information.
The summer programs will conclude with a Tons of Fun pool party from 8 to 10 p.m. July 29 at the Iola Municipal Pool. The party is for children who have participated in the library summer reading program.
Library offers summer fun
