pg-13-hj_november_2016There will be plenty of chances in Lexington to celebrate the holidays with the kids.

Tuesday, Nov. 1

Baby Jam, a lapsit storytime aimed at developing pre-reading skills with books, songs, and activities, social skills and child-caregiver interaction, is held every Tuesday and Thursday in November (except Thanksgiving) at the Eastside Branch of the Lexington Public Library from 10:15 to 10:45 or 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The activities are aimed at children aged 0-24 months. For more information, call 859.231.5500.

Author Jan Brett will present Gingerbread Christmas Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers.  Brett is one of America’s most beloved children’s author/artists, with over 40 million books in print. Her illustrations are loved for their classic beauty and life-like images and she is coming to your area! Her latest book is Gingerbread Christmas and she is a fantastic baker, He also collects antique gingerbread molds. In this book, Gingerbread Baby takes his gingerbread band to the Christmas festival where they are a hit until their yummy aroma reaches the children. Suddenly, it is time to make an escape or get devoured. The Gingerbread Baby leads the audience on a chase through a Swiss village to the smartest hiding place ever.

Thursday, Nov. 3

The Teen Howl Poetry Series, an open mic opportunity for the under 21 crowd, meets the first Thursday of every month at the Morris Book Shop. In November, the event will be held Thursday, Nov. 3 from 6 until 8 p.m. This month’s edition is particularly special, as the series celebrates five years. For more information, go to www.morrisbookshop.com

Saturday, Nov. 12

SAT vs. ACT National Practice Test Day will be held Saturday, Nov. 12,  from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.  at the Eastside Branch of the Lexington Public Library. Both the ACT and the SAT are nationally administered standardized tests that help colleges evaluate candidates. All schools accept either test interchangeably.

To help decide which test college applicants should use, take the KAPLAN ACT/SAT COMBO test to answer that question. Register to take the exam by going to kaptest.com/class/SKKU160088. Registration is required. For more information, call 859.231.5500.

The Bluegrass Baby Expo will be held Saturday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. a Lexington Center.  The Bluegrass Baby Expo will be a one stop shop to learn and experience products and services from preconception to preschool in one place. There will be exhibition vendors, a nursing area, something special for the dads, a massage center, delicious refreshments, presenters on various topics and giveaways.

Sunday, Nov. 13

Elf The Musical will be presented Sunday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Eastern Kentucky University Center for the Arts.  ELF The Musical is the tale of Buddy, a young orphan who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Saturday, Nov. 19

The Junior Naturalist program at McConnell Springs will focus on mammals during a special event Saturday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. Take an up close look at the fuzzy critters that call the park home. The program is targeted for elementary-age visitors (youth K through fifth grade. Please call the park to register at  859.225.4073.

Saturday, Nov. 26

The Lexington Children’s Theatre will present The Snow Queen at the Lexington Opera House on Nov. 26 with shows running through Dec. 4. The schedule will be Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 4 at  2 p.m. Based on the classic story by Hans Christian Anderson, it has become a holiday classic. For more information, go to www.lctonstage.org or call 859.254.4546

Tuesday, Nov. 29

The Eastside Branch of the Lexington Public Library will host Teen Craft: Ugly Holiday Sweater Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Bring your own sweater or shirt to decorate, or choose from one of the provided items. The event will for kids grades 7 through 12. For more information, call 859.231.5500.