The sound of music fills the Newton Public Library

Miss Carole and Clarence from Macaroni Soup filled the Newton Public Library with the sounds of children’s songs on Thursday.

Miss Carole, or Carole Stephens, is an early childhood music specialist who teaches the importance of music on the development of young brains.

According to her website, she has been teaching music to children ages 1 to 6 since 1989 and has seven award-winning CDs, which were offered during the event in the library.

The program featured some of children’s favorite songs from Stephens along with dancing and throwing “snowballs,” which were actually shower loofahs, but nonetheless it got children on their feet and moving along with the music.

“I think it’s fun. It’s nice to be able to see (the kids) get to interact with so many different things here at the library, and I know they have a good time every time we come,” Marianne Decker, of rural Newton, said.

The concert was a part of the summer youth reading program “A Universe of Stories” where the library hosts events throughout the summer to keep children engaged.

“More interaction and less screen time. Anytime we can help kids with that is a good thing, it fits in with the libraries mission of encouraging learning,” Phyllis Peter, youth services librarian, at the NPL said.

Stephens added, “Giving kids a musical experience, especially a live musical experience, is so important because it helps with literacy skills, it helps with vocabulary, it helps with so many things.”

To check for the storytime schedule and more information on the events being held throughout the summer go to newtongov.org/90/Library.

Contact Dustin Teays at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or dteays@newtondailynews.com