Shoe Box Cities: An Adventure in STEAM Crafting

Can you spot the Arch?

I'm always looking for ways in which to engage kids with various learning modalities in my school-age programs. We all know the kids who are all over the Lego Club but would never attend a Valentine craft program; and, on the flip side, there are the kids who get excited about anything involving paint, glitter, and/or feathers but who shy away from anything with "science" in the description. I like to brainstorm ways to engage all types of kids with all types of interests all at once, to incorporate elements of crafty with engineering/problem-solving. I think I found a way.

Shoe Box Cities was a program I offered for the school-age crowd on an evening during our local spring break. The premise: come to the library to think about what goes into planning a city or town, then make one to take home.

I also set out Smarties.

Supplies were simple and free: staff members donated the lids of old shoe boxes, and I was given the go-ahead by our local hardware store to nab stacks of paint samples. The only additional building tools were scissors, tape, and markers.

I opened the program by asking the children what they like about the place they live--in our neck of the woods, that can include St. Louis. From there, we made a list of all the things we would include in a city if we were in charge of planning it. They covered transportation, sporting arenas, stores, restaurants, the library... I was very impressed at the depth of thought these kids gave to what they would want in a city.

Then, for the majority of the program, we built. We had a smaller group--14 people total--and we were all seated in a large square. I joined in the building, but every five minutes or so I would circulate to see the cities-in-progress, asking questions and requisitioning specific colors of paint samples as needed. I loved seeing how willing the kids were to help one another, too; when one figured out a way to make a miniature baseball field, he shared the knowledge with other eager sports fans. We also spent our work time talking about the books we'd been reading; I always love these informal book conversations as a means of quietly championing the joys of reading.

By the time the program ended, we had a myriad of interesting, intricate cities. Several children made their dream cities; one made a replica of the street with her school and the nearby grocery store; and one decided to think outside the box and make a shoe box house, complete with bathroom and attached garage.

What I think works about programs like this: there are no limits, but there is structure. The open-ended, creative possibility appeals to the artsy crafters, and the "how would you accomplish this task?" aspect appeals to the kids who identify themselves as builders and science folks. Everyone enjoys the program content, and, best of all, everyone leaves with a feeling of personal accomplishment. That's a big success, if you ask me.

Star Wars Day: Spring Break 2013

A great Ahsoka costume.

My library just hosted our second annual Star Wars Day during our local school district's spring break. I worked with co-workers and teen volunteers to offer a variation on the Jedi Academy program we had last year, and after small bursts of program prep over the last two weeks, I can say that our program was just as much of a hit this time around. Our final count was 216 attendees, plus 5 teen volunteers and 4 staff helping in shifts. Here's what we did:

1. Costume Crafts -- Kids were encouraged to show up in costume, but I wanted everyone to have the opportunity to dress festively regardless of what they have at home. I drew templates for two costume headbands: Leia buns and Yoda ears. I printed the templates onto construction paper, and kids could cut and staple to create the costume they wanted.

The craft stations

2. Droid Toss -- This game was a repeat from last year--so many kids don't know what Bozo Buckets was, so they're intrigued by this "new" game. Kids tossed soft balls (meant for pool play) into a series of small trash cans decorated like droids; their reward for their effort was a piece of candy.

3. Star Destroyer Navigation -- I put up instructions for a simple paper airplane, which does already resemble a Star Destroyer in shape. Once they had constructed their Star Destroyers, kids tried to navigate their ships through warp speed--hula hoops suspended from the ceiling. Lots of fun, plus kids could take home their Star Destroyers.

4. Lightsaber Station -- I expanded on last year's Lightsaber Practice station, wherein young Jedis tried to keep balloons afloat as long as possible using a lightsaber. This time they made their own lightsabers, using a cut out hilt template on white cardstock and a piece of rolled-up neon cardstock for the blade. After creating their own lightsabers, which they could take home, kids tried to balance the balloons.

5. Destroy the Death Star! -- It takes precision with a laser gun to shoot down the Death Star, as we all learned in Episode IV. I made a posterboard Death Star, affixed it to a cardboard box, and cut a 4"x4" hole in the setup; kids then stood behind a masking tape line with a "laser blaster" (Nerf gun) and attempted to make the Death Star-destroying shot. The reward, aside from blowing-up noises from me, was a piece of candy.

6. Jedi Library -- I put out Star Wars books we had on the premises as well as several copies of everything from the Origami Yoda universe. The Jedi Library also boasted instructions for folding Origami Yoda, a template for making a Fortune Wookiee, a life-size cut-out of Darth Vader, and some great Star Wars READ posters from ALA. Lots of books checked out.

7. Jedi Archives Trivia -- I recycled the trivia questions a volunteer made for us last year. This time our trivia station was located at the reference desk--an attempt to keep people circulating throughout the library during the event. The very accommodating adult reference staff asked the young Jedi questions (easy, medium, or hard), for which they were rewarded with their choice of Star Wars sticker.

Three of the 501st posed with kids in their Yoda ears.

8. Imperial Photo Ops -- I feel lucky to have local members of the 501st Legion who are available to attend my Star Wars programs. Their in-universe costumes are meticulous, and there's nothing quite like a young Star Wars fan getting to see a full-size, "real" Storm Trooper. Any library (or other group, for that matter) can submit a request for an appearance on their website; the more notice you give them, the better the chance they can attend. We had 4 costumed members of the 501st at our program this year, and they spent their time posing for photos with the kids, walking the library, and trying some of the activities. (We had cookies and lemonade for them in a staff area for when they wanted a break.)

We made a few substantial modifications to the program itinerary this time around. First, we spread the program over 3 hours instead of scrunching it all into one; we advertised the program as come-anytime-during-the-event in the hopes that our large number of attendees would be spread out (as opposed to the 170 people in our relatively small room in one hour last year). This switch was definitely successful--we had a bunch of people in the first hour, then a slower period in the middle, followed by a second influx of families in the after-work 5-6 p.m. hour.

Second, to provide kids more bang for their buck, we added more multi-step craft components--to engage kids longer and more meaningfully. We still offered a number of carnival-style games, but the juxtaposition with longer hands-on activities expanded everyone's Star Wars Day experience while providing them with cool take-homes.

I highly encourage any and all libraries to offer some sort of Star Wars-themed event/craft station/etc. The kids love it, the parents and caregivers get really into it, and there are plenty of opportunities to be part of a larger library celebration throughout the year. There's May the 4th Be With You coming up, then Star Wars Reads Day in October. Make plans--these are the library programs you've been looking for.

Vote for the Conversations You Want to Have at ALA Annual

One of my favorite things about going to conferences is the opportunity to have lots of conversations with my colleagues about topics that are relevant to librarianship as I know it. That's one reason why I am glad that ALA Annual offers Conversation Starters and Ignite Sessions--less formal sessions than the conference programs, but still great content that packs a punch. Better yet, regular ALA members like you and me get to have a say in which of these sessions that will take place at the conference.

Through March 31, ALA members can view the Conversation Starters and Ignite Session proposals, then vote for the ones they'd most like to see take place in Chicago this summer. I've voted for the sessions that speak to me, and I hope you'll consider doing the same. I also hope you'll consider voting for the two Conversation Starters I'm a part of. I'll share the details below, and if the topic sounds interesting to you, I sure hope you'll give our sessions the thumbs up.


Thinking Outside the Storytime Box: Building Your Preschool Programming Repertoire
Panel: 2013 Mover & Shaker Melissa Depper, Marge Loch-Wouters, Amy Commers, and Amy Koester
Description: STEM for preschoolers! Dance parties for toddlers! When we stretch beyond storytime, our youngest patrons benefit from richer learning experiences, their parents and caregivers engage with the library in fresh ways, and staff become motivated by new, creative challenges. Jump out of the storytime box and explore active and passive early-childhood programs that are easy to plan and repeat, maximize your staff resources, and enable you to reach more young families. Our panel will share program ideas, planning resources, and early literacy connections to help you leave prepared to build on the core storytime experience.
*Check out our Preschool Plus Programming board on Pinterest!


Unprogramming: Recipes for School-Age Program Success
Panel: Marge Loch-Wouters and Amy Koester
Description: Do you find yourself spending tons of time planning school-age programs that are over in the blink of an eye? Are you ready to challenge yourself to be more efficient with your staff time and department's resources? Discover how to streamline planning and preparation while offering worthwhile literacy-centered programs--where kids help shape the direction of the program! Panelists will share tips for "unprogramming" at your library as well as ideas for helping staff adapt to this new style. Prepare to leave with a myriad of program ideas and resources for unprogramming on your own.
*Check out our Unprogramming at the Library board on Pinterest!

Animals Misbehavin': March Outreach Story Time

This month's outreach visits have featured some fun, giggle-inducing books, songs, and rhymes that have really engaged my outreach audiences. Here's what my staff and I have been doing:

Animals Misbehavin'

Opening Song: "Open, Shut Them"

Story: Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
     This story, about a farmer who goes on vacation and leaves his brother in charge of some mischievous animals, affords great opportunities for paying close attention to the pictures. I ask the children to pay attention to Duck--he's trouble!--and the object that he picks up. By the end of the story, the whole room feels in on the secret that Duck has been playing jokes on the farmer and his brother.

Fingerplay: "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed"
     I encourage the kiddos to use their five "monkeys" to help me with this rhyme while I use my finger puppets. Throughout each chorus, children make their fingers jump up and down on the bed; they get really into saying the rhyme. What a great way to work on fine motor skills with finger movement while also engaging in rhyming, counting, and cause and effect.

Story: Horseplay! by Karma Wilson
     Does anyone rhyme quite as well as Karma Wilson these days? My children always seem captivated by the lyrical nature of the text, and this amusing story of some horses intent on playing all the time was no exception. The fanciful pictures are a hoot, too.

Rhyme: "I Went to the Zoo Today"

I Went to the Zoo Today

I went to the zoo today!

And what did I see?

I saw a great big elephant*

Looking at me!

[make elephant* noises]

     We repeated this rhyme multiple times, inserting a new zoo animal each time. My favorite unexpected moment was when a child suggested "zebra"--the whole room immediately making a buzzing "Z" sound. Not quite the sound a zebra makes, but definitely a sound we make when we say "zebra!"

Story: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
     Kitten doesn't really misbehave in this story, although she does get into some messy situations while in pursuit of the full moon, which she mistakes to be a bowl of milk. This Caldecott winner boasts a lovely, quiet story along with the beautiful illustrations, making the book a great closer for a story time.

Song: "If You're Happy and You Know It"

Other materials on hand: Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas; Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Jane Cabrera; "Apples and Bananas" on the ukulele
     Spring outreach often means visiting preschools where the classrooms span a number of ages. This main "Animals Misbehavin'" story time might not be appropriate for all ages and audience attention spans, so my outreach bag also included a few shorter stories and some additional lyrical elements. I'm lucky in that my staff, who occasionally go out on these outreach visits, feel confident about choosing books and interactives that fit the crowd; I just make sure the Story Time bag has plenty of great options.

Bridge Science on the ALSC Blog

I'm over at the ALSC Blog today talking about Bridge Science, the latest event in my library's school-age science series. Head over there for full details!

What's New in the Children's Area

I feel like I'm always doing something or other to change things up in the children's area of my library, and I consider myself lucky that my branch manager also values keeping things fresh and engaging for kids. We recently had two new features installed.

Early Literacy Stations in Picture Book City

First are the AWE Early Literacy computers. I interned at a library with three of these computer stations, and a few other branches of my current library district had the stations when I was hired. I immediately put Early Literacy Stations on my branch wish list. The machines were budgeted for this fiscal year and installed in Picture Book City last week, and they are already a hit with our young customers and their families. Within five minutes of the computers being set up, a three-year-old was exploring an Elmo game with her father sitting next to her. They were having great conversations about letters, talking about how to click with a mouse, and exploring all the stations have to offer. It's only been a few days since these computers were installed, and already I've seen other great child-caregiver interactions happening at our Early Literacy Stations on multiple occasions.

Child-height endcap OPAC in the children's area

Next are endcap OPACs that are situated in the chilren's area--one inside Picture Book City, and the other on the end of our range of J Bios and award-winners. These OPACs are mounted at a great height for children to use them, and use them they do. I was slightly surprised at the uptick in children doing their own catalog searches before asking for help at the reference desk; it appears having the OPACs in the midst of the library spaces kids already use really does make a difference. Since these endcap OPACs were installed last week, I have seen more school-age children using them; more caregivers narrating their search processes for their onlooking children; and more caregivers feeling less stressed about doing several searches at a time because they can now access the catalog while still within sight of their children playing in Picture Book City. Talk about making things easier for customers!

That's what's new in the children's area of my library these days. What new or interesting things might your customers find in your spaces?

The Show Me Librarian is 1!

One year ago today, I published my first blog post here on The Show Me Librarian. My goal in starting a youth services blog was to share the reading, programming, and library advocacy that are key components of my job as a children's librarian.

My blog birthday cupcake!

Now here I am, one year and 168 posts later, and I cannot believe that there are readers with whom I can celebrate this milestone. For real--readership of my previous blogging endeavors consisted almost entirely of my mother (Hi, Mom! Thanks for always supporting me!). I am blown away by the terrific connections I've made and conversations I've had as a result of taking my librarianship presence online. More than that, I feel privileged to be a part of the online YS community. I hope I'll be able to celebrate being a part of that community for many more years to come.

Thanks for reading.