Happy Birthday Ben Franklin

Bensalem’s favorite founding father celebrated his 306th birthday on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

In honor of Benjamin Franklin’s birthday, the held a special story time event for local preschoolers.

Why hold a party for Franklin at the Bensalem library?

It is believed that he conducted his famous kite/electricity experiment on the grounds of Growden Mansion, which is located in the township. The library was a fitting place for this event since Franklin founded the country’s first public lending library.

About a dozen preschool children attended the event.

The program was presented by Librarian Pat Stephenson and Bensalem Historical Society President Kathy Leighton, who dressed in Colonial garb portraying local historical figure Grace Growden.

Leighton read two books about Franklin to the children – Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta and Ben Franklin & His First Kite by Stephen Krensky.

Stephenson and Leighton then led the children through two craft projects with a Franklin theme – one was a coffee-can coin bank, which was done for Stephenson’s Franklin-ism, “A penny saved is a penny earned,” and the other was a construction paper kite building station in honor of Franklin’s famous experiment.

Keeping with the Franklin/electricity theme, Stephenson also led the children in a special "Electric Slide" line dance.

Stephenson said this program was the first in a series of free preschool story time events that will be held on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. through February.