Staff from NYC’s three library systems and Science Baby presented about holding playdates at your library. Brooklyn Public Library hosts an annual Big Brooklyn Playdate, full of curated activities for ages 0-3. Their playdate activities or “play recipes” are open ended activities and use a lot of materials that parents and caregivers have at home so they can easily be recreated. Play recipes are designed to:
- Support development across domains
- Use simple, accessible, “everyday” materials (ex. pom poms, cardboard tubes, big boxes, etc.)
- Be easily replicated at home
- Adapt to different ages, spaces, and program sizes
Make and Takes
Additionally, they host an annual staff make and take training where supplies are put out and each staff can make ten items for their location. Doesn’t this sound fabulous? For instance, one such example is below.
Scalability
While the idea of a big playdate may sound intimidating, what I appreciate about the presenters is that they provided scalable ideas for all sizes.
- After a program-provide 2-3 play recipes
- Branch playdate-provide 8-10 play recipes
- Big playdate-provide 20-40 play recipes
- Grab & Go-kits that families could create and play with at home.
Are you interested in exploring more? Links for the presentation slides, play recipes, and much more are included on the presenters’ Innovative Play for Babies and Toddlers Wiki. I am ready to start collecting supplies!
Conference Blogger Lisa Mulvenna (she/her/hers) is the Head of Children’s and Teen Services at Clinton-Macomb Public Library. She is looking forward to networking with colleagues and the ability to share ideas. This is her 5th ALSC Institute.
Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.
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