We're about to embark on a new year, and even if you're not a New Year's Resolution person, you might view this time of year - and the turning of the calendar - as a chance to evaluate goals for the next 12 months. No matter how large or small your vision may be, the Free Library is here to help! Here are a few ideas to… continue reading What's Your New Year's Resolution for 2023?
By written by Kate C. December 22, 2022
Fresh herbs add flavor and nutrition to meals, they are beautiful when added to dishes, and many of them have unique fragrances. They are like tiny greens ! Maybe fresh herbs will inspire poems, cooking, or preserving like they do for Sunshine, Tonii, and Erik! Or perhaps the idea of fresh herbs invites container gardening, making observations… continue reading Keep it Fresh with Fresh Herbs!
By written by Shayna M. June 9, 2022 1
The bitter cold, short days, and gloomy forecasts of wintertime have got me thinking... how does a person take heart, find courage, and call up the energy to keep going forward? Here are three titles that may provide some answers featuring characters dealing with serious situations and learning how to cope in positive, constructive ways. … continue reading Book Recommendations for Social and Emotional Learning
By written by Jeff B. March 4, 2022 1
The Nourishing Literacy team has been creating a short series of audio shares with a focus on children and youth, highlighting skills and qualities that we practice and encourage in the kitchen. These shares include extended reflections and ideas beyond the kitchen context as well. Our first topic explored is... confidence… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Kitchen Life Skills
By written by Shayna M. February 25, 2022
It can be difficult to get into the holiday spirit in the midst of so much confusion, fear, and grief. Children and adults alike may find ourselves feeling sad at the loss of a loved one, of normalcy and routines, or of beloved traditions that have been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Or maybe those very traditions feel out of place? With… continue reading Giving Back for the Holidays
By written by Emily S. December 23, 2021
Can you believe we’re about to turn the page on another (long, strange, COVID-19 filled...) year? I know I can't! While I've never really been a big New Year's Resolution person, I do appreciate how the turning of the page to a new calendar year can motivate us toward new goals and new expectations for all that… continue reading The Free Library and You: New Year’s Resolutions in 2022!
By written by Kate C. December 20, 2021 2
What art projects can you think of that involve layers? What recipes have you tasted that include layers of ingredients? Leanna and Tonii share two ideas for layering, while creating art and recipes in the following video. These ideas might be ones that you want to try or they might inspire different ideas of your own! Tonii's Layered… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Let's Layer: Art and Cooking!
By written by Shayna M. December 10, 2021
Books and Cooks, a collaboration between the Parkway Central Library Children’s Department and the Culinary Literacy Center’s Nourishing Literacy team, offers an afterschool series of story read-alouds, cooking ideas, wellness prompts, and creative art activities for school-aged youth, inspired by the theme of natural wonders.… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Books and Cooks: Strong Rocks
By written by Shayna M. September 17, 2021
The ongoing pandemic has elevated stress levels, anxiety, uncertainty, depression, and loneliness within our communities. So what if we took a moment to reflect on self-care? Members of the Culinary Literacy Center 's Healthy Communities and Nourishing Literacy programs came together to share best practices of self-care and mindfulness… continue reading Join Us in Joyful Acts of Mindfulness: In Joy, Take Care
By written by Valentín S. August 12, 2021
Thank you to Nourishing Literacy (NL) team member Carolyn for writing this blog post! In addition to sharing her experience and findings, Carolyn has included some of the activities and approaches that we use in NL. The NL team enjoys providing interactive food info and ideas that spark curiosity and are inclusive to all ages and skills. Leafy… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Greens Across Tables
By written by Shayna M. April 13, 2021 4
Today is National Caregivers’ Day, and we’d like to take a moment to honor the essential role that caregivers play in our communities. Whether it is for loved ones or how you earn your living, giving care is work. Caregivers provide care for the young and elderly, the sick and others needing care, and perform other varieties of… continue reading Self-Care for Caregivers | National Caregivers' Day
By written by Emily S. February 19, 2021 1
What can I say about 2020 that hasn’t already been said? The Coronavirus pandemic completely turned the world upside-down and forced many of us to hunker down in our households, work from home, and greatly alter the way we travel and interact with our family, friends, and co-workers. In the beginning of the initial quarantine, it was… continue reading New Year's Resolutions: Moving Forward by Taking a Step Back in 2021
By written by Kamilah C. December 31, 2020
Are you looking for a healthy snack and way to fuel your body as the fall and winter days get shorter? Try some trail mix! Trail mix can be packed with nutrients that fuel the body longer, and depending on the ingredients, it can also improve your mood. Researchers suggest during the end of Daylight Savings Time there is an increase in… continue reading Trail Mix and Hiking Trails Can Cure the Blues
By written by Naquawna L. November 12, 2020 2
This is the final installment in an ongoing series of self-care blog-posts. I’m not a professional healthcare worker. I’m simply someone that practices self-care in his daily life and for whom self-care is an important element. If you need professional help, please get the help you need. Below are some ways of getting help.… continue reading Do-It-Yourself Family Self-Care
By written by Bryan B. June 3, 2020
This is the 5th in an ongoing series of self-care blog-posts. I’m not a professional healthcare worker. I’m simply someone that practices self-care in his daily life and for whom self-care is an important element. If you need professional help, please get the help you need. Below are some ways of getting help. I’ve gotten help… continue reading Family Self-Care and Emotional Vocabulary
By written by Bryan B. May 27, 2020
This is the 4th in an ongoing series of family self-care blog-posts. I’m not a professional healthcare worker. I’m simply someone that practices self-care in his daily life and for whom self-care is an important element. If you need professional help, please get the help you need. Below are some ways of getting help. I’ve… continue reading Family Self-Care and Private / Public Space in the Time of Social Distancing
By written by Bryan B. May 20, 2020 1
It's been 8 weeks since Philadelphia schools closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic , leaving parents and caregivers pivoting back and forth between work schedules and full-time childcare, amongst other concerns. Last week was the first official week of online learning , and homeschooling may be feeling like this excerpt from Dave Eggers'… continue reading Tips and Suggestions for Juggling Work from Home and Homeschooling Duties
By written by Peter SM May 14, 2020
This is the 3rd in an ongoing series of self-care blog-posts. I’m not a professional healthcare worker. I’m simply someone that practices self-care in his daily life and for whom self-care is an important element. If you need professional help, please get the help you need. Below are some ways of getting help. I’ve gotten help… continue reading Family Self-Care and Exercise in the Time of Social Distancing
By written by Bryan B. May 13, 2020 1
This is the 2nd in an ongoing series of self-care blog-posts. I’m not a professional healthcare worker. I’m simply someone that practices self-care in his daily life and for whom self-care is an important element. If you need professional help, please get the help you need. Below are some ways of getting help. I’ve gotten help… continue reading We Don’t Come with Dashboards: Reading Your Internal Gauges
By written by Bryan B. May 6, 2020
Let’s face it—these are crazy times. I’m writing at home at this moment, because my library, McPherson Square , is currently closed. Schools have closed. Many businesses are closed, and those that remain open have been working to adapt. We have all been in a period of social distancing for over a month now. Everyone has been… continue reading Self-Care Resources for Families
By written by Bryan B. April 29, 2020 1
