I recently had the pleasure of speaking on Middle Ground Book Fest‘s panel on Engaging Reluctant Readers. One of the questions was about strategies for reaching reluctant readers in the library. I went into detail about my one-on-one approach with readers, but I wanted to shed some light on another approach that I use: high… Read More Engaging Reluctant Readers During Book Talks
I have run tons of trivia events for tweens and teens: Star Wars, Pokemon, Stranger Things, NHL, Harry Potter, Superheros, and now: The Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ideally, I run trivia events shortly before or after a major movie release. That’s pretty much all the time when it comes to Marvel movies (and every December when… Read More Marvel Trivia for Tweens and Teens
This program was a huge draw (sorry I had to!) Kids come together and learn how to draw cute animals step by step. They also learn how to develop their own personal style, and how to infuse their drawings with characterization. It’s about drawing skills, yes. But it’s also about characterization skills. Storytelling. Humor. Artistic… Read More Draw Cute Animals – Tween Program Outline
A sewing program might seem a little traditional for a library, but let me assure you: that’s part of its charm! I was surprised when the kids in an afterschool program kept requesting needles, thread, and fabric. To make what? Anything! Pouches for knick knacks, pencil cases, and the most exciting of them all: stuffies.… Read More DIY Donut Stuffies for Kids
Painting + Emojis + Galaxy?! It’s a kid’s dream come true! It’s my dream come true! I think most libraries could run this program once a month and it would fill up every time with new kids. It is incredibly appealing, plus it’s a skill-based challenge that both parents and kids love. I run this… Read More Emoji Paint Workshop
Looking for a fun, simple program to draw in a crowd of tweens? Look no further than this amazing program that my creative coworker Cathy Terefenko dreamed up! Tweens are presented with real Guinness World Records, and attempt to break them during the event. She was generous enough to share her information with me so… Read More Tween Program Outline: Break a Record
Adult and Teen Summer Reading challenges can be tough. How can you inject some fun into the reading experience without seeming too childish or dictator-y? Everyone has a child within, but not everyone is willing to unleash that side of themselves in a public setting with no warning. This is why Book Bingo is a… Read More Book Bingo: Dos, Don’ts, and … What Even?
One day, a tween asked me if we could make Pop Sockets for Tween Club. I said I’d look into it. He squealed in delight. The next day I asked three 5th graders if they’d be excited to hear that we were making Pop Sockets at Tween Club. Their eyes widened and they nodded enthusiastically.… Read More DIY Pop Sockets
Hack That Painting is the slightly more refined cousin of Bad Art Night. Kids are given pre-painted canvases, and get to add whatever they’d like to the image. Do they imagine a dinosaur stomping down the mountain? A monkey climbing in the tree? Or a kraken-demogorgon hybrid erupting out of the water and eating a shark?!… Read More Hack That Painting – Program Outline
You stumble across a new idea for a children’s program! Your screen glows with the promise of good things to come. To dive into the idea and learn more, keep reading. To ignore your instincts and abort the mission, hit ctrl + w. Choose Your Own Adventure is not affiliated with this program or blog… Read More Write Your Own Adventure – A CYOA Creative Writing Program for Kids
Ontarian Librarian 