tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post2708823151888071901..comments2023-07-21T05:34:52.730-05:00Comments on The Show Me Librarian: How to Host a Lego ClubAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-25100446433197986062017-10-03T14:28:19.405-05:002017-10-03T14:28:19.405-05:00Hello Amy, how much money do I need to start a leg...Hello Amy, how much money do I need to start a lego club? <br />I need to provide the amount of money for funding.<br />Thank you!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-37267666123268113822017-04-04T18:07:20.417-05:002017-04-04T18:07:20.417-05:00Hi, Charlotte. It's now been several years sin...Hi, Charlotte. It's now been several years since I've worked at the library where I ran this Lego club, and I no longer have any of the original materials that went with the program.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-2531514849186937832017-04-04T14:25:47.688-05:002017-04-04T14:25:47.688-05:00Thanks for all the information. Would you be will...Thanks for all the information. Would you be willing to share your newsletter to parents/club information letter? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-48218381921831013992016-09-07T13:09:17.503-05:002016-09-07T13:09:17.503-05:00thank you for all the useful tips!thank you for all the useful tips!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-70664516733654900382016-08-16T18:17:27.557-05:002016-08-16T18:17:27.557-05:00Thank you for sharing. I am new to starting a club...Thank you for sharing. I am new to starting a club in our library. Thanks again for the advice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-47306123209622582702016-06-13T14:54:25.525-05:002016-06-13T14:54:25.525-05:00Some popular themes included ancient Egypt, robots...Some popular themes included ancient Egypt, robots, pirates, symmetry, desert island, dinosaurs, breakfast (the kids chose it and ran with it!), and mad scientist.<br /><br />The LEGO Quest Kids page (http://legoquestkids.blogspot.ca/2012/10/final-challenge-quest-52.html) also has great theme and building challenge ideas.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-36097586825300586912016-06-12T22:06:33.973-05:002016-06-12T22:06:33.973-05:00I would love to hear more of the themes you have g...I would love to hear more of the themes you have given. I have been running our Lego club since November of 2015. I host it every other week. I have loved your suggestions and have worked to improve our Lego club.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-7710997737988603462016-03-26T20:44:36.818-05:002016-03-26T20:44:36.818-05:00Your blog is spot on as I have been running a club...Your blog is spot on as I have been running a club for three years, once a month with subs when I cannot attend. The librarians are awesome and love the program. We use dollar store shoe boxes during each session so each participant has their own portable bucket they can use to select or return LEGO to the large containers. We also use project trays at each chair at the table for the builders to work from so their workspace is well defined. The kids are great and we're especially proud of the special needs kids who participate with their aides (who also love the program)Mr. Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05228571152281622788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-80107863992904311392016-03-17T10:27:19.568-05:002016-03-17T10:27:19.568-05:00Our kids don't get to take the LEGOs home, as ...Our kids don't get to take the LEGOs home, as they belong to the library. That's why we created a space to display kids' creations between meetings--they can come back and see their creations after they've been created.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-3159396679976920202016-03-17T10:19:44.614-05:002016-03-17T10:19:44.614-05:00Do you ever have the children take their creations...Do you ever have the children take their creations home? Trying to start something here in my community as there is nothing like this going on and my son and his friends would love an outlet like this. Thinking of renting a space and holding on there weekly. Just trying to figure out the logistics of it all. :) thanks,<br />Sarahsarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09413327441548431124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-38077266533392536052016-02-27T12:52:22.762-06:002016-02-27T12:52:22.762-06:00Great questions! I would usually just have mixed t...Great questions! I would usually just have mixed tubs of materials on each of the tables, and they'd be set out there when the program opened--that is, the LEGOs were available from the moment kids entered the room. We had lots of repeat attendees, so grabbing wasn't typically a problem once kids got the hang of our format. If grabbing is an issue, though, I recommend having a few weeks where the challenge is "what can you build with a single cup of LEGOs?" That way you can distribute a set amount to each child until they get the hang of browsing the bins rather than grabbing. I hope that helps!Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-18273719746948413352016-02-27T12:41:36.102-06:002016-02-27T12:41:36.102-06:00Amy, the information here is so helpful as I begin...Amy, the information here is so helpful as I begin a library lego club in Chicago. My question to you is about logistics with the lego pieces. Can you describe how you store/put out the legos for the kids during the club? Do you just have several bins of mixed up pieces that the kids can grab from? Do you sort them in any particular way? (I'm sure that is somewhat unrealistic to maintain). In short, how do you prevent a grabbing pieces free-for-all when you first put the legos out and ask kids to start building? Thanks!Jessie in Chicagonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-26686994749459573712015-12-08T17:34:52.803-06:002015-12-08T17:34:52.803-06:00I've never run a Lego Club in the format that ...I've never run a Lego Club in the format that a school library would necessitate, but my best guesses at modifications would be to have a visible spot to post a building theme or challenge; have an obvious container for storing unused pieces; and have a method for capturing students' creations (like taking a photo at the end of every day) so that you have a record of what's been created and can more freely take creations down.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-77548524448241583062015-12-08T16:13:12.357-06:002015-12-08T16:13:12.357-06:00I am a school librarian. We are creating a Lego wa...I am a school librarian. We are creating a Lego wall in our PK-5 library. Any tips for how to manage this in a school library where students will be coming in during their school day?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-4510435161300507902015-11-30T08:54:06.169-06:002015-11-30T08:54:06.169-06:00Amy, just a suggestion - you can buy sets on e-bay...Amy, just a suggestion - you can buy sets on e-bay or craigslist for considerably less than new prices, so you can get more for your money.<br />PollyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-62594036823180249512015-10-07T17:50:54.298-05:002015-10-07T17:50:54.298-05:00Bridget, I know a ton of libraries (and other loca...Bridget, I know a ton of libraries (and other locations) that use the brand name LEGO in their publicity materials, and they do so comfortably because a) they have purchased the LEGOs and consider discussion of their property fair use, and b) they do not charge for participation in the programs and so are not using the LEGO brand for financial gain. That said, I do not know what the finer points of this topic are. My library recently started calling our weekly event Builders Club so that we can remain open to building with all sorts of materials, not exclusively LEGOs.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-21030348407562416382015-10-07T16:43:10.014-05:002015-10-07T16:43:10.014-05:00Hi, Amy!
Thanks for sharing information about you...Hi, Amy! <br />Thanks for sharing information about your Lego club. I follow your blog, and I love your ideas :-) I'm planning to start a county-wide STEM Lego club at all eight libraries in our system, so this post was very helpful.<br />Quick question: How did you go about marketing your club to avoid copyright infringement issues? I've been on the Lego website and read their Fair Play statement. It seems like they're pretty protective of their brand name and logo, understandably so. Do you have any pointers on how to market the program, or do you know of other resources that might be helpful?<br />Thanks! <br />-Bridget M.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-52166422251084934452015-10-03T10:39:31.556-05:002015-10-03T10:39:31.556-05:00While I'm sure there are plenty of libraries t...While I'm sure there are plenty of libraries that leave regular LEGOs out a lot of the time, I know many who only do so with Duplos so as to reduce risk of choking hazards in mixed-age spaces.<br /><br />I've also seen libraries create LEGO walls and endcaps by affixing baseplates to a flat surface upon which kids can build, a la the photos in this article (not a library, but the same concept): http://www.news.com.au/travel/world-travel/new-york-hotel-introduces-awesome-lego-wall/story-e6frfqc9-1226809181667Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-43132093448470346582015-10-02T14:18:00.441-05:002015-10-02T14:18:00.441-05:00Hi Amy,
Do you know of libraries that leave their...Hi Amy,<br /><br />Do you know of libraries that leave their legos / tables out all the time? i.e. in between lego club meetings?<br /><br />Thank youhttp://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/logout?d=https://www.blogger.com/logout-redirect.g?blogID%3D3124163029230555324%26postID%3D2708823151888071901Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-66906641745980117162015-08-31T15:34:46.259-05:002015-08-31T15:34:46.259-05:00Jennifer, we used display cases intended to displa...Jennifer, we used display cases intended to display a basketball: http://www.displays2go.com/P-16164/Helmet-Display-Case-That-Is-For-Countertop-Use?st=Search&sid=basketballAmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-52503489608999329142015-07-18T16:32:01.916-05:002015-07-18T16:32:01.916-05:00We were just in your shoes and we spent about $300...We were just in your shoes and we spent about $300 on 5 of the LEGO® Large Creative Brick Box and then 4 of the Lego Creative Supplements totaling $80 altogether. I also ordered a few 4 packs of generic baseplates from Amazon and a pack of the LEGO Education Community Minifigures Set 4598355 (256 Pieces) for $50. We're not starting our program until the fall so I'm not sure if I made the best choices, but I just thought I'd share. <br /><br />I didn't get any Duplo because we have some generic larger blocks that we have from Lakeshore Learning, so I'm hoping those keep the siblings that tag along occupied.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-69017234000679461122015-06-16T20:01:23.629-05:002015-06-16T20:01:23.629-05:00Okay, I see where you're going with this. Thi...Okay, I see where you're going with this. This helps a lot. I think I was just overwhelmed with the number of different LEGO items available that I wasn't sure what to get. I'll go for the basics first. Thanks again for the advice. Much appreciated!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00311738610809234089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-80817307991913914752015-06-16T18:18:10.026-05:002015-06-16T18:18:10.026-05:00Heather, we didn't purchase minifigs separatel...Heather, we didn't purchase minifigs separately; we got them with sets. I would focus on getting more pieces before you spend money on minifigs. If you've got a 405 piece set for a 30-person program, that means each kid would only have about 13 pieces to build with. You want to at least double that if at all possible. Look for really basic sets--they don't have to have instructions to be able to build anything, because kids will build using their imaginations. The most important thing to start out with is making sure there are plenty of block for kids to use to build.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822088574795909869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-11559012565364494532015-06-16T09:04:39.007-05:002015-06-16T09:04:39.007-05:00Hi Amy, I hope you don't mind another inquiry!...Hi Amy, I hope you don't mind another inquiry! After doing some research, I'm finding that I have more questions about what to purchase. This is my first time requesting funds from our Friends group, so I want to be sure I make good choices. I am looking at LEGOs for use in storytime, as well as for school-aged. From what I'm reading, it looks like the DUPLOs are best for the little ones as they are geared for 1 & 1/2 to 5 years. So far, I've found a Lego Ultimate Building Set - 405 pieces, minifigure, windows, doors, wheels, with 5 suggested models to build, for $135 approximately. I also found a LEGO DUPLO My First Deluxe Box of Fun, containing 95 pieces - a turtle, rabbit, wagon, and 2 minifigures. Do you think these two items would be good for this basic purchase? I'll have about $100 left, and am looking at minifigures for both age groups. Since I'm billing this as an educational program, do you think it would be best to lean towards community workers for both age groups? I'm looking at 30 spots for the school-age, and 15-20 spots for storytime. There are so many minifigures to choose from, and I'm wondering what you purchased for your initial purchase. Thanks in advance, again, for your help! <br />HeatherAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171243816958052549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124163029230555324.post-50157774324333816902015-06-14T16:32:03.295-05:002015-06-14T16:32:03.295-05:00Okay. Thanks so much for the suggestions. Your b...Okay. Thanks so much for the suggestions. Your blog is terrific and it's very helpful, especially for those of us who are new to STEM/STEAM programming. Hope you're having a nice Sunday!<br />HeatherAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171243816958052549noreply@blogger.com