List of fun things to do with your child before they enter kindergarten.

Make your own adventures by checking things off your bucket list! Does your bucket list include visiting a museum, restaurant, or park? Or maybe visiting someplace new? Share the top five things on your bucket list that you hope to accomplish this summer below. Go forward and adventure!

Investigative journalists dig deep to work to expose the world of crimes, corruption, and more. Use your investigative skills to determine whether these facts are true or false. Dig deep and see what you can uncover!

Build your own fairy or gnome home! Go to the Mohawk Valley Library System's Fairies and gnomes: Fun for families webpage for directions about building your own fairy and gnome homes with natural materials.

When you're done, you can take a photo of it and share it on #518fairyhomes or on the 518fairyhomes Facebook page!

Encourage your children to expand their horizons. This can be accomplished by trying something new or seeing things in a different light. Teach them that you don’t have to travel far to explore new things—wonderment can be found everywhere!

Create your own detective kit using the "Judy Drewdy Detective Kit" checklist created by Judy Moody series author Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. The books are published by Candlewick Press.

FOR MORE FUN and at your leisure... Scroll down through the remaining pages (2-6) to test your observation skills, figure out the puzzles and codes, and be a detective in your own home!

Your mission is to complete at least two of the escape rooms or murder mysteries. These are fun riddle and puzzle-based games. Some are easier than others.

Have fun and watch for more to be added as the month progresses.

Your mission is to complete at least two of the escape rooms or murder mysteries. Some of these riddle and puzzle-based games are easier  to solve than others.

Have fun and watch for more to be added as the month progresses!

Your mission is to complete at least two of the escape rooms or mysteries. These are fun puzzle and riddle-based games. Some are easier than others.

Have fun, and watch for more to be added during the month!

Investigative journalists dig deep to work to expose the world of crimes, corruption, and more. Use your investigative skills to determine whether these facts are true or false. Dig deep and see what you can uncover!

Go for a walk and look for letters of the alphabet all around you! For example, two branches on the ground might form the letter T. The goal is to find the letters without having to move items around to create the letter. Take a picture of each letter and upload below.

Go for a walk and look for letters of the alphabet all around you! For example, two branches on the ground might form the letter T. The goal is to find the letters without having to move items around to create the letter. Take a picture of each letter and upload below.

Listen to Harry Hoag Elementary Principal Lauren Crisman as she reads "Judy Moody and the Mystery of the Missing Mood Ring" (pp. 99-112) from Megan McDonald's "Judy Moody's Mini-Mysteries and Other Sneaky Stuff for Super-Sleuths."

The book was illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds and published by Candlewick Press. It is used with the permisson of the publisher and was read during the Fort Plain Free Library's "Page Turners: Stories with Mrs. Crisman" series.

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads William Steig’s picture book, “Doctor De Soto."

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is the second of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! June 12, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:"Doctor De Soto," by William Steig

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads William Steig’s picture book, “Doctor De Soto."

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is the second of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! June 12, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:"Doctor De Soto," by William Steig

Listen to Jane Yolen's picture book, "How Do Dinosaurs Learns Their Colors?" which was videotaped for the Fort Plain Free Library's virtual Toddler/Preschool Story Time program. The book was illustrated by Mark Teague and published by The Blue Sky Press, an imprint of Scholastic and used with permission.

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy's story, "Martina the Beautiful Cockroach," in this read-along by the author.

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is one of the first of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! April 28, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

"Martina the Beautiful Cockroach"

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy's story, "Martina the Beautiful Cockroach," in this read-along by the author.

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is one of the first of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! April 28, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

"Martina the Beautiful Cockroach"

Listen as the Fort Plain Free Library presents Audrey Wood's picture book, Ten Little Fish, during virtual Toddler/Preschool Story Time.

Today's featured story — a counting book told with rhymes — was illustrated by the author's son, Bruce Wood, and published by The Blue Sky Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc. It's used with the permission of the publisher.

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads Don Freeman’s picture book, “Corduroy."

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is the fourth of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! June 26, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

"Corduroy" by Don Freeman

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads Julie Paschkis’ picture book, “P. Zonka Lays an Egg."

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This was recorded on Facebook Live!.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

P. Zonka Lays an Egg

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads Julie Paschkis’ picture book, “P. Zonka Lays an Egg."

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This was recorded on Facebook Live!.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

P. Zonka Lays an Egg

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads Bernard Waber’s picture book, “The House on East 88th Street” about Lyle the Crocodile.

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is the fifth of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! July 3, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

"The House on East 88th Street" by Bernard Waber

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads Bernard Waber’s picture book, “The House on East 88th Street” about Lyle the Crocodile.

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is the fifth of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! July 3, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

"The House on East 88th Street" by Bernard Waber

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads Cori Doerrfeld’s picture book, “The Rabbit Listened."

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is the third of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! June 19, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

"The Rabbit Listened," by Cori Doerrfeld

Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy as she reads Cori Doerrfeld’s picture book, “The Rabbit Listened."

Each Friday at noon, Agra Deedy — the Collaborative Summer Library Program reading champion — conducts a children's picture book read-along. This is the third of her summer reading videos and was recorded on Facebook Live! June 19, 2020.

You can watch the video by clicking this link:

"The Rabbit Listened," by Cori Doerrfeld

Read along as Harry Hoag Elementary School Principal Lauren Crisman reads David Adler’s "Bones and the Clown Mix-Up Mystery" for the Fort Plain Free Library's virtual summer reading program, “Imagine Your Story.” Adler’s story was illustrated by Barbara Johansen Newman. It was published by Viking, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group and used with permission.Bones and the Clown Mix-Up Mystery

Listen to Mrs. Crisman read "Judy Moody and the Mystery of the MIssing Mood Ring" from Megan McDonald's Judy Moody's Mini-Mysteries and Other Sneaky Stuff for Super-Sleuths during the Fort Plain Free Library's July 28th "Page Turners! Stories with Mrs. Crisman."

The book is illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds and published by Candlewick Press. It is used here with the permission of the publisher.

Listen to Harry Hoag Elementary School Principal L. Crisman as she reads the third of a series of "Page Turners!" Today's story is "The Very Lonely Firefly," by Eric Carle. This story is from The Very Eric Carle Treasury.

Click on the link to watch the video: "The Very Lonely Firefly"

This is the third of a series of "Page Turners!" for children up to fifth grade. 

The Very Eric Carle Treasury by Eric Carle, is  published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. It is used with permission.

Listen to special guest, Harry Hoag Elementary School Principal L. Crisman, as she reads "The Very Lonely Firefly," by Eric Carle during the Fort Plain Free Library's Toddler/Preschool Story Time program. This story is from The Very Eric Carle Treasury.

Click on the link to watch the video: "The Very Lonely Firefly"

The Very Eric Carle Treasury by Eric Carle, is published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. It is used with permission.

Listen to Harry Hoag Elementary School Principal L. Crisman as she reads the first of a series of "Page Turners!" Today's story is "The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone," by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

Click on the link to watch the video: Mrs. Crisman reads "The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone!

This is the first of a series of "Page Turners!" for children up to fifth grade. 

"The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone," by Stan and Jan Berenstain, is published by Random House and used with permission. 

Listen to Harry Hoag Elementary School Principal L. Crisman as she reads the first of a series of "Page Turners!" Today's story is "The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone," by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

Click on the link to watch the video: Mrs. Crisman reads "The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone!

This is the first of a series of "Page Turners!" for children up to fifth grade. 

"The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone," by Stan and Jan Berenstain, is published by Random House and used with permission. 

Get your little ones to expand their horizons. This can be accomplished by trying something new or seeing things in a different light. Teach your little ones that you don’t have to travel far to explore new things—wonderment can be found everywhere!

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected each of us in different ways, and New York State Library staff in Manuscripts and Special Collections are encouraging New York state residents to create journals to record for posterity what their daily lives are like during the pandemic. What challenges are you facing? What obstacles have you had to overcome? What creative solutions have you found to connect with family and friends and members of your community?

To learn more about the project, go to http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/mssc/covid19/

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected each of us in different ways, and NYS Library staff are encouraging people to create journals or other ways of recording what their daily lives are like during the pandemic. What challenges are you facing? What obstacles have you had to overcome? What creative solutions have you found to connect with family and friends? How has your life changed? State Library staff are hoping people will share their personal stories so that future generations can study and learn from them.

Want to learn more about the project? Go to http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/mssc/covid19/

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected each of us in different ways, and NYS Library staff are encouraging people to create journals or other ways of recording what their daily lives are like during the pandemic. What challenges are you facing? What obstacles have you had to overcome? What creative solutions have you found to connect with family and friends? How has your life changed? State Library staff are hoping people will share their personal stories so that future generations can study and learn from them.

Want to learn more about the project? Go to http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/mssc/covid19/

Books can take you around the world and back, even if you're only in your backyard! Show us all the fun and exciting places you read by taking a picture everywhere you take your book. Get out and read! 

*Please note your pictures will only visible to library staff

Your mission is to complete at least one of the virtual "escape rooms." These are fun puzzle and riddle-based games. Some are easier than others.

Have fun, and watch for more to be added during the month!