Terrific Tardigrades
60 Mins+, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Adults, Craft, Children, Game/Activity, Multigenerational, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 3755 downloads
What are tardigrades? They are microscopic water bears! This program requires some prep but is a fun multigenerational event. Read a book about tardigrades, such as My Tiny Pet by Jessie Hartland, share photos and facts, or show brief YouTube videos. Then let participants cycle though the stations you have set up
Preschool - Amazing Creatures
Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Early Literacy
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 932 downloads
A collection of resources and programming ideas for preschoolers.
Toddlers - Amazing Creatures
Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Early Literacy
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 1102 downloads
A collection of resources and programming ideas for toddlers.
Interactive Movie - Finding Nemo
60 Mins+, Adults, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Game/Activity, Outdoors, Multigenerational, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 3607 downloads
Most older children and teens are familiar with Finding Nemo, but playing along with the movie is a new twist! Everyone gets an interactive script and a bag filled with props and snacks. Before you start the movie, practice the bonus actions as a group warm-up. This is a fun multigenerational program. Be sure to ask for help with cleanup after the screening.
The Animal Sketchbook Project
60 Mins+, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Adults, Game/Activity, Passive/Display, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2268 downloads
Calling all artists and doodlers to a summer-long sketchbook swap! Here is how it works: Participants check out a sketchbook for two–three weeks and fill it with animals (however many pages they want and in any style). At the end of the loan period, they return it for another sketchbook (if desired) and continue. The only rule is that the sketches must be of animals (or animal- like—insects, monsters, and magical creatures are great!). The end result is a playful cross-section of art and animal observations from your community. At the end of the summer, you might create a slideshow of some favorite drawings and host a meet-and-greet for participants. If you have space, consider shelving the series. Inspired by the Sketchbook Project of the Brooklyn Art Library.
Air-Dry Animal Magnets
Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, 60 Mins+, Children, Craft, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 1993 downloads
Teens make mini animals out of clay, then turn them into magnets, pins, or earrings! This program is easily adapted to any animal theme. The clay does not take long to dry for small pieces, but make it a two-part program if you will be using paintable clay (paint animals and add backings during the second session).
Blobfish Slime
45 - 90 Mins, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Craft, Outdoors
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2305 downloads
After a blobfish storytime, give children premeasured ingredients to make their own slime! This program’s slime innovation is to add googly eyes, which turn your ho-hum mound of slime into a quivering blobfish.
Babies - Amazing Creatures
Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Early Literacy
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 954 downloads
A collection of resources and programming ideas for babies.
Animal Zines
Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Low Cost, Game/Activity, Craft, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2241 downloads
Zines are back! Many teens will already be familiar with the eight-page mini zines made out of a single sheet of printer paper, but anyone from children to adults can have fun making larger zines too. Let teens peruse some age-appropriate zine samples, then give them some topic ideas. Zines can be as simple or complex as participants want to make them. If your library (or another local library) has a zine collection, be sure to tell teens about it.
Axolotl And Other Weirdos
Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Game/Activity, Low Cost, Passive/Display
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2559 downloads
Passive games about weird animals! Children can either hunt for axolotl or answer T/F facts about weird animals to decode a secret word. For the axolotl-only version, hide four axolotl pictures throughout the library, one fact associated with each picture. After children fill in their answer keys with all four facts, they bring their finished sheets to a librarian for a small prize. For a more challenging, multiple-animal version, children decide whether a series of animal facts are true or false; the right answers decode a special word. Once they complete the word, they get a small prize.
Break It Remake It
60 Mins+, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Craft, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 1884 downloads
Older children take apart their old toys and put them back together again! Asking participants to bring their old toys from home will minimize costs, but be prepared with extras on hand for those who do not bring any. Give out name tags for both participants and the monstrosities they create. For younger children or quicker programs, dissemble toys beforehand.
Animal Heroes Scavenger Hunt
15-30 Mins, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Game/Activity, Low Cost, Passive/Display
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2189 downloads
Animal heroes everywhere you turn! Every week or two, hide a new animal hero somewhere in the library. When children find that animal, they take one of its trading cards (see Printables for template). They must come to the library throughout the summer to collect the whole set. You can also have them vote for their favorite animal hero, which you can display at the end of the summer. This is a great program to adapt to whichever animal heroes you have in your collection.
DIY Plush Sloths
60 Mins+, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Craft, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 1746 downloads
Everybody needs a pocket sloth! Using felt sheets and a simple hand sewing technique—the whip stitch—teens make adorable plush sloths. Add snaps or Velcro to the arms to hang the sloths from any nearby “branch.” See Printables for template suggestion.
Animal Heroes Movie Fundraiser
60 Mins+, Adults, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Multigenerational, Game/Activity, Low Cost, Outdoors, Outreach, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 3223 downloads
Help your local animal shelter or Humane Society and entertain families at the same time! Contact the shelter to see what types of items they need. Then screen a fun movie that features pets or animal heroes; encourage patrons to donate one item from the shelter’s list of needs. Remember the book display related to the movie, animal heroes, and/or shelter pets.