Interactive Movie - Finding Nemo
60 Mins+, Adults, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Game/Activity, Multigenerational, Outdoors, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 3617 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.
Animal Heroes Movie Fundraiser
60 Mins+, Adults, Chapter 6 Amazing Creatures, Children, Low Cost, Game/Activity, Multigenerational, Outdoors, Outreach, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 3241 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.
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.
Endangered Species Bookends
45 - 90 Mins, Chapter 5 Read, Connect, Protect, Craft, Outdoors, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 1857 downloads
Teens choose from endangered animal figurines to create bookends to take home (or leave for the library’s teen shelves). Include quick facts and/or videos about endangered animals, and remember the endangered species book display!
Backyard Animal Farming
60 Mins+, Adults, Chapter 5 Read, Connect, Protect, Children, Low Cost, Multigenerational, Outdoors, Outside Presenter, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 3217 downloads
A guest speaker teaches participants how to care for backyard animals such as chickens, rabbits, ducks, goats, or bees. If possible, they bring live creatures for demonstration. Check with local regulations (zoning, animal welfare, public health, and nuisance laws) to confirm what types of backyard animals are allowed within your municipality or county. Remember the book display on small animal farming and/or homesteading!
Recycling Olympics
Chapter 5 Read, Connect, Protect, Children, 60 Mins+, Game/Activity, Outdoors, Outreach
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2201 downloads
Run a weekly program in a local park or forest! Families meet to hear stories about animals and ecosystems, to engage in fun recycling games, or to clean up the trail or area. If you can partner with a park, have a park ranger or volunteer give talks about local wildlife and environmental concerns. The program can also be adapted to a cleanup walk near the library if a local park is not an option.
Scrub A Dub Dub
45 - 90 Mins, Chapter 5 Read, Connect, Protect, Children, Low Cost, Game/Activity, Outdoors, STEAM
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2238 downloads
Oil spill sensory play! Discuss pollution and demonstrate an “oil spill,” followed by a cleanup effort to clear the polluted water. This is a great way to show how our actions affect the environment, including animal habitats. Another activity demonstrates how polar bears stay warm in water. Children stick their bare fingers in ice water, then dip their fingers again after coating them in Crisco. Discuss how blubber keeps polar bears warm.
Pet Expo
60 Mins+, Adults, Chapter 5 Read, Connect, Protect, Children, Low Cost, Multigenerational, Outdoors, Outside Presenter, Passive/Display, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 3241 downloads
Pet expo day at the library! This great family program is for anyone who has ever wanted a pet. Invite local rescue organizations to bring adoptable pets and local experts to give pet care tips. You could also modify this program
to focus on the care of unusual pets (such as reptiles or birds), and ask patrons to bring in their unusual pets for show and tell. For an expo-style event, guest organizations set up information tables for participants to peruse
at their leisure; they could also give short presentations. You can tailor the program to focus on adoption tips, pet health and nutrition, pet first aid, and/or pet training.
Land Of Ladybugs
60 Mins+, Chapter 4 No Place Like Home, Children, Game/Activity, Outdoors, Outreach
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2261 downloads
A fun, hands-on ladybug program! In a local park, read ladybug books and talk about where ladybugs live, what they eat, and their role in the ecosystem. Make simple ladybug masks if you have access to outdoor tables. Then each child releases their ladybugs. The best time for a ladybug release is in the early evening of May or June.
Backyard Habitats
60 Mins+, Chapter 4 No Place Like Home, Adults, Children, Craft, Multigenerational, Outdoors, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2829 downloads
A backyard habitat series for birds and pollinators! This program teaches participants the basics of backyard habitats: Project options include a bug hotel, a bird feeder, and a butterfly puddler. Build one habitat, or run a series to build all three. Modify habitat designs based on audience age and the supplies you have on hand; see Resources for more design ideas.
Winter Shelters For Stray Cats
60 Mins+, Chapter 3 Animal Caretakers and Friends, Craft, Outdoors, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 1691 downloads
Teens make winter shelters for stray cats! Alternatively, for indoor cats, they build elaborate cardboard playhouses out of recycled boxes.
Career Dogs
Adults, Chapter 3 Animal Caretakers and Friends, 45 - 90 Mins, Low Cost, Outdoors, Outreach, Outside Presenter, Teens
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2837 downloads
Search and rescue dogs, K9 units, and therapy dogs! A local organization presents about working dogs’ jobs and training process. Ideally, they also bring dogs to demonstrate some of their working tasks and/or commands. Be sure to ask them to talk about volunteer opportunities suitable for teens. Can be modified for any age group.
Hungry Hungry Hippos
60 Mins+, Chapter 2 The Wild Side, Children, Craft, Outdoors, Game/Activity
August 24, 2020 0.00 KB 2273 downloads
The hippos are hungry, hungry! Read a book about hippos, such as Hilda Must be Dancing, Big Little Hippo, or The Hiccupotamus. Saving Fiona is also a great nonfiction choice because you can also show children footage of Fiona from the Cincinnati Zoo website. Augment the program with a hippo sing-along or felt board. After storytime, children make a hippo puppet craft and/or play a fun twist on the classic Hungry, Hungry Hippo board game.