Kindergarten Party at the Library

It was anything but quiet in the West Roxbury library on Wednesday, but librarian Gwen Fletcher, of Jamaica Plain, wasn't upset.

"Today went wonderfully," she said. "We had no idea to expect so many people!"

Over 120 attendees filled the back room of the library for Boston Public School's "Countdown to Kindergarten" party. 

Youngsters enrolled to begin kindergarten worked on crafts, stretched into minature yoga poses, shared a snack, and listened at story time, all a part of BPS's "Countdown to Kindergarten" readiness programs.

"We've done 17 parties so far," said Rosa Inniss, with "Countdown to Kindergarten," "This year we've had about 2,000 kids. The rest of the year, we offer our "Play to Learn" groups, which are free play groups for 1-3 year olds. The parent comes with the child once a week for two hours, and it kind of mocks a typical kindergarten day so they can get used to the classroom setting."

Decked out in a lemon-yellow "I'm Going to Kindergarten" t-shirt, Kassandra, age 4, attended the party, and is thrilled about the thought of school. "I like coloring and reading books," she said. Her older sister Dilinia, 8, has high hopes for what Kassandra will learn this year. "I think she needs to know the ABCs, how to learn, and how to, um, do math, like maybe multiplication, and maybe some addition and subtraction."

Two "Countdown to Kindergarten" parties, in Roslindale and East Boston, remain before school begins on September 12th. Librarian Fletcher is glad libraries can be part of the preparation process. "[Today is] certainly a highlight. It’s a wonderful connection with the schools and the library."