By Shannon Myers
Correspondent

Saturday, the Stewart C Meyer Harker Heights Public Library continued their fun and family engaging events for the summer with a new day, Enormous Game Day.
“We haven’t tried everything, but so far, I really like the giant Frisbee and giant volleyballs. The planetarium was cool,” said Brigham Piekarski, 9, of Harker Heights.
The Harker Heights library was filled with several life-size games such as Connect Four, Shoots and Ladders, Bowling, giant Frisbees and volleyballs, Zorb Balls (human size hamster balls), bouncy house, giant building blocks, and others.
“It gets them out of the house during the summer. Something else to do. So you know, they aren’t watching TV all summer long or on the computer,” said Ellen Piekarski, mother of Brigham and his brother, Robert.

Photo by Shannon Myers
Party -N-Jump Staff help kids walk around in the Zorb Ball at the Harker Heights Public Library’s Enormous Game Day.

Besides being the play piece, attendees had the opportunity to learn more about the stars in the night sky in the STARLAB Planetarium. There were also coloring activities to map out and make your own constellations.
“We do about 15 minute shows where I tell them a fable or two of different constellations and pick them out…It’s a really a fun thing to do ‘cause a lot of kids don’t think about the stories that went into creating these constellations, so that’s a fun thing from them to learn,” said Amanada Hairstorm, children’s librarian.
“I think it’s great, very educational,” said Ella Walker of Copperas Cove, who brought her granddaughter Cadence Walker for something new to do on a Saturday.
“My favorite part about it was the Big and Little Dippers. I learned a story about them,” said Cadence Walker, 7.
Families can make their own game night as well. The Heights library provides a collection of over 25 games for library members to check out. The library also provides Playaway Launchpads. The launch pads are preloaded with several games and do not require internet access.
“We are really trying to work on social skills. Each time you play a game, you have to learn how to work together, taking turns, but we’re also using those upper level thinking skills and in this case, it’s even adding the physicality of the games as well,” said Lisa Youngblood, library director.
Also a part of the play experience for enormous game day was Harker Heights Animal Services Officer Musgrove with two of their kittens for children and families to interact with.
“It gives kids a chance to interact and see them,” said officer Musgrove.
“We come a couple of Saturdays a month. It’s great a love it. It’s a great library. They have neat stuff that they do. It’s something for families to do, it’s something for kids to do. It gets them out and it’s good for the community,” said Mark Williams of Harker Heights.