28 May 2021
Have fun staying in when school’s out! The National Library Board (NLB) has lined up a slew of online activities and resources during the June school holidays (29 May to 27 June 2021) for the whole family. There is something for everyone, from storytelling sessions to cybersecurity workshops, and even an eco-parenting talk. Check these out especially while the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) is ongoing till 13 June 2021.
1. Online storytelling sessions for children in English and mother tongue languages on Facebook
To entice children to read during the school holidays, we will be offering online storytelling sessions in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The sessions, which last between 5 and 15 minutes, will be hosted by librarians, volunteers, corporate partners and local authors. These pre-recorded sessions will be available on the respective Facebook pages below and our YouTube channel.
Follow us on Facebook and stay tuned for more updates on Storytime.
2. School holiday programmes specially for the June term break
Through short, fun videos, the School Holiday Special with Librarians programme will guide children to make various objects or glean tips inspired by books on different themes and topics such as S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). For example, Stay Curious with Your Child features bite-sized activities and reading resources that parents can explore with young children, while Teen·Things offers popular activities to challenge teens and inspire creativity. Follow our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/publiclibrarysg) to be notified when the sessions go live.
3. Book Bugs: Explorers of Stories Past
Book Bugs: Explorers of Stories Past, the third edition of NLB’s popular bug-themed collectible card game, promises another slate of exciting activities this June.
Book Bugs aims to cultivate a love for reading and an appreciation for local and regional folktales through play. Children can look forward to new content based on local and regional stories in English and mother tongue languages.
Besides a series of curated printable activities on the dedicated microsite that families can work on at home, there are also story comics, WhatsApp and Telegram sticker packs, wallpapers and other bonus items that enable children to fully experience the Book Bugs programme. These are uploaded every second Monday of the month.
Find out more at go.gov.sg/BookBugs, and stay tuned for more trivia, card releases, do-it-yourself activities and programmes on NLB’s social media channels.
4. Digital making programmes
MakeIT at Libraries offers library users a dedicated space with tools, equipment, and hardware kits that enable individuals to Learn, Tinker and Create, in both digital and traditional mediums.
For safety, we have restricted the physical programmes available. Do join our free online live-streamed workshops on the topics of coding, robotics, 3D printing and other forms of digital fabrication and making. No prior expertise or experience is required. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Browse the available sessions on NLB’s event portal here: https://go.gov.sg/nlb-makeit-events or follow our Facebook page https://go.gov.sg/makeit.
5. D.I.Y. Resources
Take your pick from fun D.I.Y. printables, discussion worksheets, inspiring S.T.E.A.M. activities, literary quizzes and reading resources that engage children, teens, families and educators in reading and learning. Find out more at: https://childrenandteens.nlb.gov.sg.
6. Teen eReads
Check out curated ebooks in new and exciting themes that teens can enjoy anytime, anywhere. Available on the NLB mobile app, OverDrive and Libby.
7. NLB’s talks, programmes and activities now available online
Please register for the below online programmes on NLB’s GoLibrary website (https://nlb-golibrary.eventbrite.sg). The programmes will be conducted on the Zoom platform.