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Programming

Page history last edited by leah.picker@gmail.com 12 years, 7 months ago

Programming Ideas 

Be sure to check out our Massive Programs/Performers Blog!

Programming Kits to Borrow from ACLA 

 

Programs and Resources for Parents

 

Storytimes

 

Babies

 

Toddler/Preschool

 

Grades K-2

  • Bookmaking @ your library!  Check out this brochure in color or black and white for ideas and resources to plan a bookmaking program.
  • The Felt Book: Easy to Make Projects for All Ages by Clare Beaton seems like it will have simple (i.e. only glue & felt needed) crafts suitable for all types of storytimes!
  • List of picture books that exemplify literary elements  bks_literary_elements1.doc
  • retrievr  "retrievr is an experimental service which lets you search and explore in a selection of flickr images by drawing a rough sketch."  It'd be really interesting to have one child draw and see what the others think the image is.  Then see if flickr returns images that match any of these suggestions.  It could be neat to pair this with a specific book, whether it's to have your program participants draw picture from the book, or use it another  way!
  • Searchable Programs for K-2 
  • Thanksgiving crafts Galore!
  • Fancy Nancy Party! 

 

Grades 3-5

Tweens

  • Life-Size Clue
  • Kids and their Camera-Phones!  So many teens and tweens have camera-phones these days, why not engage the tweens and their phones with some photography games!
  • Spa Day! So maybe this one's just for the girls, but bring on the nail polish, hand cream, even go crazy with facials and cucumbers! To save money, have the girls bring some of their own beauty supplies. Slip the books in by booktalking some fun books with rocking female characters and a positive portrayal of girl togetherness.
  • Yuck in the Library  Everyone loves the gross stuff! This program can include doing your own yucky science experiments--make your own slime, vampire soap, and even fake snot. If you're really brave, try making your own gross-yet-edible snack! Pair the program with some fun books like Hands-on Grossology by Sylvia Branzei and Oh Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty by Joy Masoff.
  • Host a Mystery Party With a mystery party, the children will play act from a script or character clues, gather other clues, and attempt to solve a mystery.  This page from about.com lists resources for kits and offers suggestions for pulling off a great party.  Alternatively, you could have the tweens write and act out their own mystery game for an audience, the audience having to solve the case!
  • High Tech recycling Here are a few craft ideas that reuse computer and other electronics to create something new, saving them from the trash!  MP3s are now in so use your old CDs to create a CD Clock , use up the last of your 3 1/2" diskettes and floppy disks to create mini-notebooks (using recylced paper of course!)  Not so high tech, but pretty inexpensive to make (everyone gets junk mail) are these paper stars made from junk mail and catalogs
  • Operation Facelift (Bookcover Rejuvenation) From the Mid-Hudson Library System: Children adopt a book which the library wishes to keep that has no cover. Children read the book, then illustrate a new cover. Hold special artists' reception where children receive Certificates of Appreciation and gift.  This idea can be tweaked in all sorts of ways.  Don't want to sacrifice library books?  Have the kids bring one from home!
  • T-Shirt Surgery  Using inspiriation from DIY fashion sites or books, help tweens transform a boring t-shirt into a wearable work of art.  Some ideas include using Clorox bleach pens to draw and write on the shirts, freezer paper stencils,  Check out some of these titles for ideas and have them on hand:
    • Generation T: 108 ways to transform a T-shirt
    • 99 ways to cut, sew, trim & tie your t-shirt into something special
    • Rip it! : how to deconstruct and reconstruct the clothes of your dreams
    • Tips to make it boy friendly: Buy a bunch of iron-on transfers and just print out images from the Internet--like skull and crossbones, sports memorabilia, etc. They can also add big safety pins, chains, anything tough looking.
  • A book swap and mini-party
  • Teens and Tweens programs
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Event Kit for planning your party!
  • Claymation!
  • Smoothie Challenge
  • Book Spine Poems
  • reading cooking program ideas (taken from Spring 2010 Issue of Children and Libraries):
    • Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech and Get-Over-Homework Chocolate Cookies
    • Holes by Louis Sachar and Giant Fried Onion Flowers
    • Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech and Minestrone Soup
    • The Conch Bearer by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and Puris (deep fried Indian bread)
    • Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park and Korean Lettuce Wraps with Beef and Tofu
    • The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis and Turkish Delight
    • A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky and Cheesy Veggie Pizza
  • Technology Class for Tweens
  • How to run a Tween Book Club: Part 1 and Part 2 
  • Matchbox Shrines (craft) for tweens AND teens 
  • BoomBoom Cards (consider offering an incentive everytime a tween/teen picks up a card and registers their kindness on the website) 

 

All Ages

  • All about Shadow Puppets 
  • Banks, Carrie.  "All Kinds of Flowers Grow Here: The Child's Place for Children with Special Needs at Brooklyn Public Library." Children & Libraries, vol. 2, No. 1, Spring 2004, pp. 5-10.  This article provides suggestions on ways to include children with special needs in your programming, whether it's by passing around representations of the book's characters or doing crafts. There are also plenty of recommended additional resources.
  • Check out Scholastic's Celebrate Hispanic Heritage site to "Meet Famous Latinos" and get inspired.  Or look at the Mexico for Kids site.
  • Crayola has a super site with lots of craft ideas
  • Dave Crawley can visit your library!  davecrawley.pdf

  • Culture Crossing. This program, which was listed on the Chicago Public Library's Children's Page  Calendar of Events, is an opportunity for patrons to learn about their neighbors and people around the world. Attendees are  encouraged to bring an item that represents their cultural heritage to share with others. This brief description allows you the freedom to modify the program to best suit your neighborhood. 

  • Harry Potter Program Ideas
  • Try Readers' Theatre
  • Shadow Puppets
  • Life-Size Candyland!
  • Earth Day activities!
    • Book suggestions: 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World and We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow
    • Recycling Relay! Teams have to sort items into their proper bins (don't be fooled by the yogurt containers!) while Go Green Hangman involved guessing green phrases such as "Take shorter showers" or "Bring your own bags to the grocery store."
    • Have kids write out an environmentally friendly pledge, written on construction paper cut in the shape of a leaf and posted on a tree.
  • Try a Spelling Bee!  Here are some tips on how to do it.  
  • Great website for program ideas: Thinkfinity.org
  • Try an Open Art Studio! 
  • Looking for intergenerational ideas?  The Legacy Project has a slew of ideas! 
  • Gnome Program fun! Gnome_party.docx
  • Passive programming around books:
    •  Promote books using just their first lines.  The presenter’s suggestion was to type each line onto a sticker (or write them on a post-it) and put it on the front of the book whether in a book display or on the shelf.
    • Or, put up a poster with several first lines on it.  The poster could be part of a book display so folks could match the lines to the books immediately or you could just include the book title on the poster.
    • Print out the first line or two of a book, attach it to the back of the book, and then pass the books out at a school visit.  use Jolly Ranchers to encourage kids to capture the mood of the passage in their reading.  That way they're doing mini booktalks for each other instead of me doing all the talking.
  • A Harry Potter-Palooza (complete with displays, crafts, and a Jeopardy trivia template!) 
  • Throw a Super Hero Party! 
  • Cupcakes for everyone!
  • Halloween Pumpkin Carving program How-To 
  • Boredom Busters (or better known as Passive Programs) 
  • School Assembly Ideas 
  • Death by Chocolate and Chocolate Olympics 
  • Recycled Costume Show 

 

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