Looking for some fun, creative games for kids to play? PBS Kids offers tons of fun games, many with an educational twist, to help inspire kids to use their imagination. Here are a few of our favorites, but be sure to check out all the games they offer to help little learners bust boredom and stay creative!

Pinkalicious Story Maker

For young storytellers, PBS offers a loosely-guided Story Maker based on the popular Pinkalicious book and TV series. Kids can choose their own characters and settings, select props and set pieces, and follow loosely-guided prompts to create a story of their own right on screen. The frame-by-frame format allows for a well-rounded storyboard and lots of opportunities for kids to exercise their imagination. Find it here.

Animal Home Builder

Build a home for lost animals! Kids are prompted to follow the blue prints, select materials, even "use" some hefty tools to craft virtual homes for lost dogs, cats, and more. They're guided by the characters (and an art style) they love from Arthur. Check it out here.

Hero Maker

Based on the wonderful Ordinary People Change the World book series by Brad Meltzer, the Hero Maker is like Bitmoji for kids--with the added benefit of inspiring kids to consider what makes a hero to them. Users can scroll through customization options, create their characters, and pair them with real-life heroes from history. Find it here.

Andy's Art Studio 

This little art studio game, based on Let's Go, Luna, featuress simple, easy online coloring for kids. It even explores different art forms from different cultures, including painting, quilting, dollmaking, and more. It's quick to get through, but kids will love seeing their artwork hung all over Andy's studio! Find it here.

Monster Music

Make music with Sesame Street's best monster band! Kids can play Oscar's drum set, strum along with Abby, sing with Cookie Monster's veggie chorus, and more! This is just one of PBS's music-maker games, but we always love anything featuring Sesame Street. You can find this one here. 

And many more!

PBS Kids also offers tons of other word games, adventure games, and games based on all your favorite book and TV characters. Though of course, our favorites are the Story Games, many of which can be found here!

Resource Spotlight: HOOPLA

Did you know? Among our other BCCLS-friendly online resources, Wallington's public library offers a subscription to Hoopla, a digital streaming service filled with fantastic ebooks, comics, movies, music, audiobooks, and more. The coolest thing about Hoopla is the very wide range of collections it offers! New and old movies, comics for adults and for kids (we know they love them!), and music ranging from classic to contemporary, with a wide range of genres and pre-made playlists you can stream right from your phone, tablet, Kindle, or computer.

For kids growing restless at home, the entertainment factor on Hoopla is nearly limitless. There's educational books and movies (like an in-depth look at Fiona the Hippo, who stole everyone's hearts not too long ago), and a few throw-back classics you may want to introduce them to (anybody else remember falling in love with It Takes Two, featuring the Olsen twins?). There's even audiobook readings of some of their favorite story time books (like Dragons Love Tacos, one of Miss Marlene's top picks). 

You can access the entire Hoopla digital collection via Hoopladigital.com 

We're pleased to say that Hoopla is offering "Bonus Borrows" to help out all their subscribers (like our patrons!) while the libraries remain closed. There's a TON of new, free resources and selections available for the time being, including free access to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in ebook and audiobook. 

How To Get Started

You can access Hoopla on any of your phone, tablet, Kindle, laptop, or other home devices, but you will need your valid Wallington library card number to create an account. If you're a Wallington resident and don't have a library card yet, apply for a free digital card at BCCLS.org.

We know that navigating new subscriptions can be tough, so we made these tutorials to help you get started. You wilIf you need additional help, don't hesitate to contact us via our library's email or ask your questions in the comments below. 

Remembering Tomie dePaola

A note from Marlene, Wallington's youth services library lady

For Story Time Tuesdays this week, I wanted to highlight one of my favorite kid-lit authors: Tomie dePaola.

I very fondly remember reading Tomie dePaola's books when I was a kid! I loved both their folksy storytelling and their interesting, unique art style. He wrote often of his own life and childhood, of Irish and Italian folktales, and of becoming an artist -- all of which intrigued me, and which I hope continue to intrigue young readers today. Now that I work in a library, I'm always happy to find patrons still searching for (or accidentally discovering!) his many works, often drawn to them for the same reasons I was. Sadly, Tomie dePaola passed away this week at the age of eighty-five, but he's leaving behind a large body of work I hope will be read and enjoyed for generations to come.

Some of My Favorites

Strega Nona's Magic Lessons (1982): The "Grandma Witch" of Calabria, Strega Nona, has starred in a whole, wonderful series of dePaola's books, but this one is my favorite! Silly ol' Big Anthony dons a disguise in order to take magic lessons with Strega Nona, but his mistakes have very silly, pasta-infused consequences. 

The Art Lesson (1989): My most highly recommended of dePaola's books, The Art Lesson tells Tomie's own story of learning about art in school. It celebrates children's love for drawing, their misconceptions about becoming "real artists," and how to foster creativity as one grows up. I love that it's a brilliantly encouraging story from a professional artist, encouraging kids to keep up the good work. 

Tom (1993): dePaola often writes with love about his Irish and Italian grandparents and the huge impact they had on his life. In Tom, he focuses on his Irish namesake, a grandfather with whom he shared many "silly jokes and special moments." It's a heartwarming story with hi-jinks, lessons, and affection within a lovely, caring family. 

Jamie O'Rourke & the Big Potato (1992): One of my favorite folktales about the lazy farmer Jamie O'Rourke, this one features a mischievous leprechaun and the uncertain blessing of a giant potato! dePaola has added a fun twist to many, many Irish stories and tales, all of which are worth a read and definitely a top choice of mine for story time.

What do you think?

Tomie dePaola's books always tell a wonderful story, and his artwork should also be praised. According to his website, he worked from an old barn in New Hampshire, writing, painting, drawing works for kids, bringing to life original stories, folk tales, Bible stories, and autobiographical anecdotes for young readers for many years. Check out his extensive list of over 270 books and illustrations here.

Have you read any of Tomie dePaola's books and have you introduced them to your young readers at home? We hope that you'll check a few out, and let us know what you think! 

Check It Out: Mo Willems Lunch Doodles

via Kennedy Center

The sometimes silly, always wonderful, and incredibly prolific children's book author and illustrator Mo Willems is offering a series of "Lunch Doodles" for kids on YouTube! We know so many of our young patrons love art, specifically drawing, and we encourage them to take a look at Mr. Willems's lessons!


The best part of the Lunch Doodle series is a first-hand, inside peak at the author's process. He talks about piecing together his collages, crafting his best-loved characters, and finding inspiration in unlikely places. And, of course, he doodles -- Knuffle Bunny, Gerald, Pigeon, and some new, surprise guests! He takes kids through the writing, drawing, and construction of his most loved stories and, of course, encourages them to make up their own!

We'd love to know if your kids have tried following some of Mo Willems's lessons and what they thought. We tried it out, too, as you can see here on the left!

If drawing isn't your thing, Mo Willems offers other activities, games, videos, etc, on his very fun website, Pigeon Presents.