Parenting
Welcome to the Parenting Page! The library aims to provide helpful and resources for all youth and those that care for them and to connect caregivers with community resources to further assist them.
Parenting Collection
As part of the library’s mission to inform, inspire and improve the library‘s community, there is a separate Parenting Collection which is an important part of the general library collection.
These parenting resources, books and other materials focus on the specific needs of parents seeking information and resources on many different child care issues. The Parenting Collection includes the areas of social, emotional and educational development for children from birth to high school. The Parenting Collection is found within the Youth Services area where children can browse while the adults view the Parenting collection. This collection reflects the current needs and requests of parents, grandparents, and all caregivers.
If there is any area in which you find a lack of information, please use the Contact the Youth Services Librarian section information on this website to let us know.
Parent Resources
See our parenting collection brochure for more information or check out our
lib guide on Early Literacy for information, books, play ideas, crafts, and more.
Here are some interesting links to websites that will have worthwhile information for parents and caregivers.
NYS Home School and Educational Resources – This subject guide contains many resources “to help adults support youth learning and help young scholars support themselves” in the 2020 school year and beyond.
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Stuck at home and need to look at the world with fresh eyes? Try the (COVID safe) activities in…
The Kid Editor’s Field Guide to Exploring Where You Live
Micro Schooling – “What Does My Child Need to Know, Grade by Grade?” – A collection of links and resources for parents/cargivers of children in grades K-12.
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YOUR LIBRARY at HOME! – During this time of the COVID-19 crisis, the Newburgh Free Library wants to support all our patrons, but especially our youngest ones. Here are some resources you may find helpful for keeping little ones both learning and having fun when they are at home. Check back here for more links as they are added…Don’t forget to try our digital ebooks for kids. Try our Children’s Books Online LibGuide for even more titles. Stay safe and well.
“First Aid for Feelings” – A downloadable workbook to help children cope with their emotions during the pandemic. Brought to you by The Yale Child Study Center & Scholastic Collaborative for Child and Family Resilience. (Available in English or Spanish.)
Toddler handwashing demo video [Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles] and a handwashing song from Jbrary.
Zero to Thrive
Helping Children and Families through COVID19…includes a guide for pregnant women and mothers of newborns (including breastfeeing instrutions) – from Michigan Medicine, Regents of the University of Michigan.
HOMESCHOOLING – 123Homeschool4Me – 1 million printables for grades K-8
Core Knowledge – Free and complete dowloadable curricula
See below for more homeschooling links
FUN AT HOME – 101 Things to do in isolation
Maker? Crafter? Just Bored? – Check out “Ideas for Making at Home Resources” on the bottom of this page for making, crafting, and boredom-busting sites. Find something that fits your interest.
Set up your own “town” at home; play pretend grocery store with food boxes, set up a family post office (see How Wee Learn), and even play librarian.
Try lots of fun activities at Becky’s Dragon’s Page. These games were orginally complied for Girl Guides, but are fun for any boys and girls.
Here are “Bookish Ways to Keep Your Kids Entertained” from Brightly.
Kids Activities blog invites children to make a Quarantine Time Capsule and a “Bucket List for when the Quaratine is Over.” In the meantime, they can take some Virtual Field Trips.
A Mapping Scavenger Hunt – use the fact that we are stuck inside to teach mapping skills. From How Wee Learn.
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS and VIDEOS
Do you have story books at home that you’ve read so many times they’ve grown stale? Try these videos with tips:
10 More Ways to Read Picture Books
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ADOPTION
Provides access to a comprehensive adoption information source.
Information for adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents or for pregnant women who are considering putting a baby up for adoption. Also lists other adoption related sites.
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Provides current information on medical, scientific, educational, and advocacy issues from CHADD.
An on-line community for families with diabetic children.
Support network for families with children with developmental disabilities and special healthcare needs.
News articles, Internet links, and info for parents of children with Downs Syndrome.
Online resources for learning that avoid sensory stressors, including lesson plans, activities, and life skill resources.
An index of top resources for parents of children with autism
Article: “5 Tips to Raise More Inclusive Kids”
DENTISTRY
Websites on keeping children’s teeth healthy, first dental visits, and more from The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD).
A good overview of the types of dentistry, problems, treatments, and more.
A printable chart for kids to keep track of their tooth brushing success.
EARLY LITERACY
EDUCATION
Education resources, information and services for families with children under the age of 18.
- How to Make and Use Flashcards – an article, then links to many different flashcard makers and pre-made flashcards on hundreds of subjects
- Flash Card Creator
Help for those who wants to easily make flash cards for a child.
Help in all homework subject areas. Includes: 1) Kahn Academy, 2) Study Geek, 3) Fact Monster, 4) BJ Pinchbeck’s Homework Helper, 5) Parent Toolkit, 6) Common Core Works, 7)Hippo Campus (with videos), 8) Scholastic Parent & Child, 9) Wonderopolis, and 10) Ask Dr. Math
A service provided by Swarthmore College math students for students in grades K-12. Done in a question and answer format, and has other math links to help parents and children do that math homework right!
Many resources and images for helping with homework, including an online encyclopedia
Educating the parent for the wondrous years from 0 to 3 yrs.
A “guide to every private school choice program in America” Updated annually.
A site to “learn about private schools, their benefits, and the application process” Includes The Boarding School Review as well.
A guide to public schools and their surrounding communities by locality
FINANCIAL LITERACY
HEALTH
This site offers families an understanding of emotional and mental disorders affecting children and adolescents.
A variety of health topics of concern to families.
Current books and videos on pediatric topics, with pediatric topic/subject research screen available.
Focuses on lung disease and preventative medicine to ensure lung health.
New York State’s health insurance plan for kids whose families meet the criteria.
Click on “Health Information”, scroll down to “Specific Population”, and choose between “Adolescent and School Health” and “Infants’ and Children’s Health”.
Website creation of the pediatricians at the duPont Hospital for Children and the Nemours Children’s Clinics.
Health topics for the entire family in English and Spanish with full-text articles.
Websites to help keep children off drugs.
HOMESCHOOLING
Variety of information for homeschooling parents. Their vision statement is “providing information and tools for those who homeschool, shared from a Christian perspective.”
A large site with many articles, help by subject, curriculum reviews, and downloads among other things.
A large list of full and supplemental curriculum resources for homeschoolers or other interested students
Started by a home school parent, this site is well organized and frequently updated. Lists many homeschooling resources.
An association that takes no position on religion, partisan politics, and non-homeschooling issues and helps parents educate their children at home.
Informal and inclusive group that offers activities for members and their children.
Read professional reviews and reviews from parents on their experiences with online schools.
INFANTS
General information about infants; good site for baby names.
KIDS & COMPUTERS
Reviews of children’s computer software and CD-Roms for preschool to high school age users.
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
A site for parents and kids to keep kids safe from abduction, information theft, and other dangers. Maintained by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Also on this site is a printable child ID kit to maintain important information all in one place as children grow.
A national resource for those seeking information on child abuse issues.
From the American Psychological Association – “These scientifically supported sites, programs and books are among psychology’s best for helping parents raise their kids.”
“Dr. Toy” will answer parent questions on-line about baby products. Evaluations are useful but appear to be subjective according to Dr. Toy’s criteria.
A website covering a wide range of parenting topics.
A site founded by the Kaiser Family Foundation to promote communication within families.
Website on keeping children safe from abuse and disciplining them in positive ways.
SLEEP
SPANISH RESOURCES
Information in Spanish or English for parents on ways to support children’s early literacy development.
Homework Help
Helping students reach their academic potential is one of the many ways the Newburgh Free Library supports life-long learning in the community. Whether a student needs help to complete a homework assignment, is beginning to research a topic or is just curious about the world around them, we’re here to help!
The Library offers a drop-in Homework Help program for students in grades 1-6.
Students who are eligible for a Newburgh Free Library Card or who have a Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) Card can also access the library’s catalog and many of our electronic resources from home or school—anyplace with an internet connection—using their library card number and PIN (by default, the last 4 digits of their phone number.)
Once logged in, students can search the RCLS catalog and reserve and request items from our library, or any other member library. When the items arrive at the Newburgh Free Library, students will be notified to come in to pick up their material within 5 days.
Location Information
There are some excellent and supportive organizations for parents, caregivers and children in Orange County. The web links below have been chosen for their valuable services and important parental information to the community in which the Library resides. This list will be added to on an as needed basis in the future. Any new suggestions for local Newburgh community organizations can be sent to the website section
Child Care Council of Orange County, Inc.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County, NY
Hudson Valley Stay-at-Home Moms
Orange County Homeschoolers
Informal/inclusive group offering outings/activities for members and their homeschooled children.