Summer programs at Friench Simpson Memorial Library

The Friench Simpson Memorial Library is encouraging all students to participate in its ongoing summer reading program.

“Our summer programs that we have to offer are basically something that we put together for the children Tuesdays through Fridays,” Library Youth Services Coordinator Shay Davenport said. “Tuesdays are our days where we have fun family programs. Everyone can come to those. Wednesdays are the days we have for kids nine and under. Thursdays, we have more hands-on programs for our ten and up group. On those days, we may have something that has to do with science or something where kids can build things. We try to make it where their hands are busy and also their minds as well. On Fridays we have our Lego Club. Those are for any age.”

Every Tuesday, there will be programs that all kids can participate in. Starting next Tuesday, there will be a Magic Show from Bobby Cordell beginning at 10 a.m.

“The kids will learn some magic and Cordell may call the kids up and do tricks with them,” Davenport said.

On the first Tuesday in July, there will be a sloth encounter from Zoo Imagination. “We’ll have this inside,” Davenport said. “It’s really cool. Zoo Imagination will bring the sloths in here on little branches. It will be a come-and-go show where people can come through and pet the sloths. They will also give you information on the sloths. We had a sloth show two years ago and the program was so big, so this year we’ll have two shows. One from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the other from 11 a.m. to noon.”

On July 8, Daren Peterson from Austin will be presenting the Circus Chicken Dog show. This will also begin at 10 a.m. “Peterson does circus tricks, but he does this with dogs,” Davenport said. “He will also bring a parrot, so it will be very cool.”

The next show on July 15 will be a Mad Science Show. “This show is more stem-based,” Davenport said. “The kids will basically learn different things about science and there will be cool experiments that ties in with that.”

The final event scheduled for July 22 at 10 a.m. will be a “Touch a Truck.” The county will come in and bring big John Deere truck equipment and the Hallettsville EMS will also provide a truck. Kids will be able to get in the truck and experience how they work.

Davenport said she encourages all children to participate in the programs.

“It gives them something to do over the summer,” Davenport said. “This also ties into our reading program. We have all these shows, and our reading program is separate. The kids are in school all year and when summertime hits, we want to make sure they’re still learning so that when they go back to school, their minds are sharp. We want them to come in and be reading but also make it fun. The more they come in and visit the programs, they’ll be encouraged to check out a book and read. It keeps the kids interested in learning.”

For the summer reading program, the goal for the kids is to get to 300 pages. Once they get to 300 pages, they will be eligible to sign up for a raffle and win a potential prize.

“We have a lot of cool prizes that the community has helped so much sponsoring,” Davenport said. “This includes Nintendo Switches, iPads, Oculus, Lego sets and art kits. The community has been so helpful in donating this year. Our biggest sponsor is the Dickson Allen Foundation and none of this would be possible without them and other sponsors.”