Youngsters Enjoy Turkey Time at the Library

With nearly less than a week to go before Thanksgiving arrives, toddlers from 18 to 36 months enjoyed festive fun at the East Meadow Public Library on Wednesday.

The children, many of whom were celebrating their first Thanksgiving, gathered in the library's downstairs meeting room with their parents and caregivers to create their very own Too Much Turkey Puppet with instructor Miss Jeannie.

"This is his first Thanksgiving, so it's nice that we'll have this turkey to always remember it," said East Meadow resident Ling Ling Xiu, attending with her son Lake.

Jeannie Hall, affectionately known as Miss Jeannie, led the class and instructed the children on how they could create their turkey puppets out of various colored construction papers. Glittery stickers were provided so each turkey could have its own unique flair.

The children also had the opportunity to learn while making their Too Much Turkey Puppets, using different shapes like circles, squares, rectangles and triangles in different ways to create their turkeys. They also began to learn about different colors.

Miss Jeannie hosts similar programs at about 50 other libraries stretching between Long Beach and East Hampton, and she has quite the following.

Jessica Alexanderakis, a Salisbury resident, attended with her young son. She's been to about five other events hosted by Miss Jeannie and enjoys the balance between learning and playing that her classes provide.

"I like that he can listen to Miss Jeannie, and of course, that he can play with other children," said Alexanderakis.

East Meadow resident Yolima Palacio said she has been attending classes with Miss Jeannie since her son was 6 months old.

"It's a lot of fun for the children," Palacio said.

After creating the turkeys, the children had circle time with their caregivers and sang different songs; then Miss Jeannie read them a story called, "Five Silly Turkeys." After the short story, the kids enjoyed singing and dancing to the "Turkey Trot."

"It's the hokey pokey, except with turkey parts," said Miss Jeannie. "They just love it."