Children gobble up parachute fun

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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter

The Walpole Public Library provided a morning of fun on November 17, as Yvette Sammarco from the Walpole Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Programs (Walpole CFCE) welcomed children to listen to a story, play with a massive multicolored parachute, and participate in a Thanksgiving craft.

Yvette has worked with the library to bring interactive and educational programs to the community for over 10 years. Holding regular programs at the library, the parachute playtimes always seem to be very well attended.

Children’s librarian Kara Dean kicked off the morning with a story about turkeys called “Five Flying Turkeys” by Barbara McGrath. Finishing the story just as some of the kids were starting to get extra fidgety, Yvette brought out the parachute and instructed the children to each hold a handle.

With Kara acting as the DJ and playing tracks on the CD player, the children followed Yvette’s entertaining directions to shake the parachute, walk in circles, and freeze as they listened to the music.

With the help of some of the parents in the room, the kids were able to run underneath the parachute as it flew into the air, showing off its brilliant rainbow colors. After the children came out from under the parachute, Yvette offered them the chance to sit in the middle and go for a spinning ride on top of the parachute as the adults pulled it in circles.

After a few more songs while playing with the parachute, Yvette folded it up and brought the craft materials on the table to the children’s attention.

Pieces of brown paper cut into the shape of a turkey and adorned with a googly eyes sat in front of each chair at the tables. With a bowl full of multicolored feathers and a glue stick for each child, Yvette welcomed the preschool-aged children to decorate their turkey.

Some plucked their favorite colored feathers out of the basket, creating monochromatic turkeys, while others decorated the turkeys with any and every color feather. Others simply preferred to smear glue on their paper turkey and not stick any feathers on it at all.

With an array of engaging events for the children, it’s no wonder that the Walpole Public Library’s programs are so well attended by members of the community.