If I had the time, I would LOVE to start a whole new blog devoted only to serving tweens in the library. Instead I will work towards presenting at a conference on the topic (!!!), and in the meantime I will continue writing about it here. Tween Club, for grades 5 – 8, is all… Read More Tween Club: Zombie Barbies
Let me tell you about my new favourite thing: Tween Club. I’ve been running a free weekly program for grades 5 – 8 for five weeks now. Some weeks it’s all glitter and paint and giggles. Some weeks it’s intense, ridiculous challenges. And other weeks it’s the Taste Test Challenge. I will post later about… Read More Tween Club: Taste Test Challenge
While planning summer programs, I became super excited about the idea of throwing an over-the-top adorable Teddy Bear Picnic. We have a beautiful big park and pond behind the library. I pictured doily bunting on stakes, hanging around plaid picnic blankets. “Toss the cupcake” lawn game. Cookies on faux china plates, and lemonade in tea… Read More An Indoor Teddy Bear Picnic
Creative writing in libraries is a no-brainer. I will always have a special fondness for creative writing programs: when I was a kid I would spend hours filling notebooks with my “novels,” and was encouraged to continue after winning a children’s creative writing contest put on by my local library. Now I have the opportunity… Read More Creative Writing for Tweens: 9 weeks of program outlines
https://youtu.be/LMXmQ-_6tMU Cool craft alert! Out of all the many many summer programs I’m running this year, the Galaxy Jars registration filled the fastest by far. I personally love the craft – it’s imaginative, beautiful, fun, and just the right amount of messy. When I brought my galaxy jar examples during my class visit blitz,… Read More Galaxy Jar Workshop in the Library – Program Outline
What’s better than your favourite book? A tiny version of your favourite book! This fun step-by-step workshop is a great way to get teens excited about books, and excited to engage with the library. The turnout wasn’t huge, but the few who came had a great time! I had many adults of all ages ask… Read More Tiny Book Workshop – Program Outline
I guess you could say, this blog is kind of obsessed with Bad Art Night. Only kind of. Last year I planned TWO Bad Art Night programs: one for teens and tweens at one library, and one for 20 and 30somethings at my other library. And right before both Bad Art Night programs happened, I… Read More Bad Art Night 2.0
We do a big, all ages, pop-culture themed party once every 2 months, and March Break seemed like the perfect time to try a Superhero Party! This station based party was even zanier than the previous ones. Over 100 people trekked through a blizzard – most of them in little superhero costumes! Here’s how we… Read More Superhero Party in the Library – Program Outline
Superheroes and supervillians are having a moment in the world of kids pop culture…and I couldn’t be happier! I modelled this scavenger hunt after the popular Pokemon Hunt that we ran in the summer. Kids can pick up the hunt sheet from the desk with the silhouettes and “secret identity” of each hero. They follow… Read More Superhero Scavenger Hunt in the Library
In my mind, makerspace has two sides: the tangible creation and the design work. Tangible creations draw from DIY/mechanical skills, and design work draws from digital skills. Most makerspace activities are a combination of both: in 3D printing you use digital skills to design a 3D model. Then you use mechanical skills to load the… Read More How to Run a Robot Club in your Library
Ontarian Librarian 