Youth library programs play an important role in enriching young minds by providing a wide range of inclusive activities that promote learning and fun. Key components of these programs are the crafts and activities as they help children explore new ideas and express their creativity all in a warm, welcoming environment. Let’s take a look at some tips that will help you choose engaging crafts and activities for youth library programs. Consider the Age Range* When planning a program, one of the first steps is to identify your audience. Considering the age range of your audience will help inform the rest of your program planning. Programs for preschoolers (3-5) will look very different from programs for tweens (10-12). Taking into account your audience’s age will make the activity both fun and safe for all participants. Link the Craft with Learning Objectives The key to a great craft activity is to…
Tag: program planning
Technology with Intention
Children and technology. When these two topics are put together mixed opinions abound. Unfortunately, research on this topic has yet to come up with a consensus about benefits and detriments. (1) In the future, I’m sure we will have a better handle on how digital interfaces affect people and society. Right now, the answers about children and technology all seem to start with ‘it depends.’ As a youth services librarian in a public library, I didn’t get a lot of training on how to effectively incorporate technology into programming. One of my first big programming failures was an evening bring-your-own-device (BYOD) storytime that got zero attendance. (It turned out that an evening storytime wasn’t a good fit for the area’s demographics, so I failed forward, repurposing the activities to be used in my regular storytimes instead.) Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabaySince then, I’ve done what librarians do best and searched out…
Post-Summer Reading Club Blues
I know that Summer Reading Club has just been replaced by Back to School. But I still have not given my final report, still have not sent in my final statistics. And already, I am planning for next year’s SRC. Is it that I can’t let go of summer? Am I clinging to those last sunny days before the trees turn, and the evening chill becomes a day-long thing? And am I just punishing myself by thinking about SRC all year long?
Dreaming of Spring
The weather outside is frightful. In southern North Carolina, we have dealt this week with an ice storm and power outages. While this winter weather in no way compares to the months and months of freezing temperatures and blizzards in the Northeast and Midwest, it is safe to say that many of us all over the country are sick and tired of winter by this time of year. We long for warmer temperatures and blooming flowers. We long for spring. At work we are also anticipating the change in seasons as we prepare for all of the special programs we offer during the next few months. What special events or services are rolled out during the springtime at your libraries? Spring in many ways allows us the time to finish our last minute plans for our busy summer reading program. We promote our summer reading schedule to the schools in…