Museum offers weekly activity for young kids including books, crafts

Books and Brags, a 90-minute event every Tuesday at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada, is so popular with young children that their parents and care-givers bring them back for more whenever they can.

Take 2-year-olds Griffin Bailey and Rachael Juby, who know each other from past visits. Tuesday, they painted pumpkins as Books and Brags started. And when Griffin left the museum, Rachael wasn't far behind, making sure he heard her say "Bye, Griffin."

At each Books and Brags, a museum volunteer reads several books to young children, usually ages 2-4, and then leads a related craft project. After children finished painting their pumpkins Tuesday morning, volunteer Penny Holbrook read them two books: "Clifford's Thanksgiving Visit" and "The Old Lady Who Swallowed the Fly."

During the reading of "The Old Lady," she used a hand puppet to let children put one cutout item into the puppet mouth.

"I love doing (this program)," she said. "It's fun. I like this better than anything else."

After, children traced their hands on colored construction paper and with assistance cut them out to make turkey tails. They taped them to a can along with a head and wattle to make a Thanksgiving Turkey can.

"They can put in anything they're thankful for," Holbrook said. "At Thanksgiving, they can pass it around and say what they're thankful for."

Usually, between five to 10 children attend Books and Brags which begins at 10 a.m. There is no charge for the event with paid admission to the museum, which is free for children 1 and under, $3 for children ages 3-13 and $5 for those older.

Books and Brags is the brainchild of board member Michelle Bellard, who wanted children to have something to take home and brag about after a storytime.

"When I did it two weeks ago, we read a book called "Beneath the Ghost Moon" by Jane Yolen, and we all made crazy hats because the mice in the book dance under the moon," she said. "The kids took the hats home with them."

If children enjoy the museum, their parents can purchase a year's membership at $50.

"We've just moved here a few months ago," said Jean Bailey, Griffin's mother. "And we've been here a lot."

She brings Griffin to the museum once or twice a week and has been to Books and Brags three or four times.

"The nice thing about (Books and Brags) is (Penny) is so nice and enthusiastic with the kids," she said. "You can tell she really enjoys it."

n Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.

If you go

What: Books and Brags storytime and craft event

When: 10-11:30 a.m. every Tuesday

Where: Children's Museum of Northern Nevada, 813 N.

Carson St.

Cost: Free with paid admission to the museum; free for children under 2; $3 for those 3-13; and $5 for those older.

Call: The museum at 884-2226