Fire it up

Eighteen children crafted volcanoes by molding paper around bottles at the Riverdale Library’s weekly Science Fun at Riverdale program on Jan. 4. 

The kids poured a mixture of warm water, food coloring, soap, baking soda and vinegar into the volcano pits. A frothy liquid bubbled up and down the paper slopes.

Dontai Nottingham, an information assistant at the Riverdale Library, develops experiments to help 5 through 12-year-olds learn about the scientific process every Friday afternoon. He said the program has been a big hit since its September debut.

“They just love it,” Mr. Nottingham said. “We do everything from volcanoes to electricity experiments.”

Children will make lava lamps using plastic bottles, food coloring, oil, water and Alka-Seltzer at next week’s Science Fun at Riverdale session on Friday, Jan. 11, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Kindergarten registration

PS 24 and Robert J. Christen School, PS 81, will begin registering students for kindergarten this month.

PS 81, located at 5550 Riverdale Ave., will hold kindergarten pre-registration for its September 2013 class from Tuesday, Jan. 22 through Friday, March 1, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Registration is only open to zoned families and is not done on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who do not arrive between registration hours will be asked to come back another day. 

Families are required to bring the following: the child they wish to register; their own photo identification; the child’s original birth certificate or passport; the child’s immunization records; and the child’s Individual Education Program and/or 540 Accommodation Plan (if applicable and available).