Free STEAM Kits at Cathlamet Public Library

Librarian Carol Blix announced that the Washington State Library (WSL) has awarded a series of Take & Make STEAM Kits to Cathlamet Public Library. The purpose of this program is to support STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) literacy in smaller communities with the kits and books made available for checkout through the Anytime library. These have been made available to public libraries that serve communities under 10,000 inhabitants, as well as tribal libraries (regardless of population). These kits provide children and their families the resources to participate in at-home activities, suitable for children ages three to eight years old.

Here are some of the eight subjects for free kits (15 of each) that will be available on a first come, first serve basis on consecutive weeks starting Tuesday, March 1:

Collage -- Practice scissors skills while you design and create beautiful paper art. Take inspiration from artist and author Eric Carle and try creating your own collage papers.

Bugs -- What makes a bug a bug? Learn some basic bug science and then make your own bug out of oversized buttons and pipe cleaners.

Puppets -- Put on a show! Let your imagination roam and create silly spoon and spork characters.

Beads! -- String some beads on pipe cleaners and along the way, you can practice early math skills like counting, sorting, measuring and making sets and patterns.

Kites & Fliers – Soar in the sky! Learn about physics in the flying world and create your own flying machines.

Parents are asked to fill out a short online survey to say what their children learned from the kit, or fill out and return a paper survey from the library.

For more information call the library, (360) 795-3254, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 2-5 p.m., or send an email to carol@townofcathlamet.com.