Activities on the Floor!

Don’t have a lot of space in your branch for elaborate
language rich activities? Don’t fret… use the floor! Many libraries have
created simple language rich spaces on the floor that provide ways for kids to
learn and practice the alphabet, counting and more!

At the branch where I work, there is a hallway that connects
the Children’s section to the meeting room that is used for Storytime. This
hallway is used each week by hundreds of kids so we transformed that functional
space into a learning spot by adding frog decals with the numbers 1-10 on them.
Now when kids walk the hallway to Storytime, they count the frogs as they hop
from one to the next.

Be careful to pick places that are low traffic so that kids can
be engaged in the activity without holding up or causing a disruption to other
customers.

Other Ideas to use the floor for meaningful activities:

• If you have stairs put the alphabet on the steps
  for kids to recite as they climb.
• Hopscotch on the sidewalk outside the library or
  in the lobby.
• Themed interactive rugs with the alphabet or
  colors and matching rug squares.
• Right and left footprints on the floor leading
  to the Children’s section.

Be creative and remember you don’t have to take up much
space or spend a lot of money to have great language rich library environments!