Imagination Station - Under the Sea

 

The library system I currently work for doesn't use either CSLP or iREAD and instead comes up with their own theme for summer reading. This summer it is "Wild About Reading", and each branch chose a different biome/habitat and branch mascot. My branch chose the "Deep, Dark Sea" with the Giant Squid as our mascot, so of course we had an "Under the Sea" theme for this month's Imagination Station.

Program: Imagination Station - Under the Sea

Ages: 2-6 (I have narrowed the target age range in order to fit better with the way programs are tagged in our calendar and the way stats are reported)

Number: Could accommodate up to 15 children, actual attendance was at least that many

Budget: Around $50, but items purchased can be reused, and some also served as decoration

Skills & Concepts: Imagination, creativity, expressive language, socio-emotional, early literacy, motor 

Activities:

1. Read-Aloud
   
   
   
   I've started gathering everyone outside the program room to read a book first and explain the program and activities. [Since anything called "storytime" does not seem to appeal to people here, I've created alternative early childhood programs such as this one and "sneak" the early literacy and books into them.]
   
   I first talked about summer reading, our branch theme and mascot, then read I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry, featuring a giant squid (and other ocean creatures). Then I told them about the activities set up in the room, and led them in.
   
   
2. Dramatic Play
   
   
   
   
   I put blue bulletin board paper on the wall, then printed, cut out, and attached a snorkeler, scuba diver, and various deep sea creatures; including giant squid, anglerfish, lantern fish, coelacanth, glass squid, isopods, tube worms, clams, crabs, shrimp, starfish, and jellyfish to provide an ocean background.[I also hid a few familiar ocean characters they might know to see if anyone noticed, including Nemo, Dory, SpongeBob, Patrick, the Little Mermaid & Flounder, Sebastian, and Oona the mermaid.]
   
   I set up my trusty market stand as a swim & dive shop with snorkel and dive gear for rent, which included scuba tanks made from 2-liter bottles, cheap snorkel & masks (from DollarTree), fins cut from craft foam, a toy camera, and waterproof phone pouches (zip-lock bags with pictures of phones printed on cardstock, and yarn lanyards). I also put out an assortment of plush toys & puppets: giant squid, octopus, sharks, Pout-Pout fish, crab, seahorse, anglerfish, clown fish, and starfish.
   
   [Imagination, creativity, expressive language, socio-emotional skills, functional print, vocabulary, background knowledge]
   
   
3. Fishing
   
   
   
   
   I put just a little bit of water, an inch or two deep, in our large sensory bin and added the fish and poles from the Lakeshore magnetic fishing set. They can identify the different kinds of fish and their colors. [I was very disappointed to discover the magnets in this new set are noticeable weaker than the sets I purchased 4 years age at my last library and some of the fish are simply impossible to catch :(]
   
   I spotted a couple of cute shark/lobster "grabbers" at DollarTree that came with several plastic fish to grab, and put them inside an inflatable ring taped to the floor to serve as a tidepool [didn't work, the kids would not leave the ring alone and pulled it right up immediately].
   
   [motor skills, eye-hand coordination, color identification]
   
   
4. Sensory Exploration
   
   
   
   
   I put kinetic sand in an "under the bed" storage bin and added some real seashells and a few plastic ocean/beach creatures, including turtles, crabs, and lobsters. 
   
   In another bin I put cut-up pieces of blue pool noodles to serve as water, and added plastic sharks, whales, dolphins, and octopus.
   
   [sensory exploration, fine motor skills, vocabulary]
   
   
5. Building 
   
   Interlocking fish-shaped building blocks from Lakeshore Learning
   
   [spatial awareness, problem-solving, motor skills, colors]
   
   
6. Magnetic Board & Letters
   
   I spelled out "Under the Sea" on the magnetic white board, and set the bin of magnetic letters beside it. [I wish I had thought to print out a list of ocean-related words for them to spell out on the board.]
   
   [letter recognition, phonological awareness, colors]
   
   
   
   
   

How It Went:

I don't think this went quite as well as I'd hoped, definitely not as I had imagined, but everyone seemed to still have fun. The magnetic fishing and the kinetic sand were definitely the big hits of the day, and children stayed engaged with them significantly longer than with other activities. Though they really got into all the sensory exploration, I didn't see as much dramatic play going on, nor did dramatic play get as complex or last as long as with previous set-ups. Perhaps they didn't have as much knowledge or experience of ocean activities to draw on, and maybe not enough props. I would see them put on the scuba tanks, masks, and fins, but then take them back off almost immediately; it just didn't seem to hold their interest or capture their imaginations like I'd hoped. 

The other thing I noticed is that although I had set things up as distinct, separate activity stations, by halfway through the program everything was all mixed together in one big, homogenous mess, which really hasn't happened before, at least not to that degree. People didn't linger as long as with previous set-ups, either. Usually I have to tell people when time is up and I have to start cleaning up; this time only one child was left when I started cleaning up.

What I Would Do Differently:

I think what this set up needed was more props for the dramatic play, and to cut out one or two of the other stations. I really would have liked to have had some kind of boat and/or submarine that they could actually get into, but unfortunately I did not have the time to construct something myself, nor the budget to purchase something already made. I saw cardboard pirate ships made from cardboard and designed for children to play in and color on that would've been perfect if I'd had the $40 or so to spend on it. A few more puppets would have been nice, too.

Junior Librarian Training Class - Kids' Program

I planned this program for Library Week and envisioned it as something along the lines of my previous "Spy School" program, with activities based on/loosely-inspired-by skills that librarians need and/or duties they perform as part of their jobs. I created a training manual (complete manual shown at end of article) with an explanation of what librarians do, how to become one, a Dewey Decimal table, the various activities, a checklist, and a bibliography with both fiction and non-fiction kids' books about librarians and libraries.

Program: Junior Librarian Training School

Description: "Celebrate Library Week by practicing skills every good librarian needs and earn your Junior Librarian badge. 'Find Your Joy' at the library!"

Number: Could accommodate up to 20, but realistically expected 10 at most

Age Range: 6-12

Budget: Negligible, used basic supplies already on hand

Basic Skills & Concepts: Alphabetizing, numerical order, reading, reading aloud, writing, fine-motor

Library Skills & Concepts: Dewey Decimal System, alphabetizing by author, graphic design, storytime, passive reader's advisory, using the OPAC, fiction vs non-fiction

Materials: 

• printer paper
• cardstock in assorted colors
• pencils
• markers 
• colored pencils
• button-making supplies
• button maker
• die cut press
• assorted bookmark dies
• assorted picture books appropriate for storytime

I started off with asking the group what they think librarians do everyday. At first they were a little hesitant, other than one saying the predictable "read lots of books", but then I prompted them to think about what they see us doing when they are here and they were able to come up with helping people find books, checking things in and out, shelving, and trying to wrangle the after-school crowd of 20-50 middle schoolers.

I then dispelled the "sit around reading all day" myth and talked more about what librarians actually do (and don't do), the skills needed, how to become a librarian, and some of the other jobs at the library, both front-line and behind the scenes. Then I went over the activities I had planned, including a brief, simplified explanation of how the library was organized and the Dewey Decimal System, then they were free to complete the activities at their own pace.

Activities 1 & 2 - Putting Books In Order 

I decided pulling actual books for them to put in order would (1) take up a lot of space, (2) create a lot of extra shelving, and (3) be too limiting due to our relatively small collection. So I created a graphic of book spines with titles, authors, and spine labels that I printed on cardstock. [The order of books in the above graphics is somewhat random, so don't try to make sense of it. 😂]

This way, it was easier to design three difficulty levels to fit the broad age range of the program (6-12y). I used a mix of real and fictitious book titles. For each difficulty level I had 10 non-fiction books to put in order by DDS and 10 fiction books to put in alphabetical order by author. After printing on cardstock, I cut them out so they could physically arrange them in order. (I did end up pulling an assortment of actual books for the oldest participant who had expressed serious interest in being a librarian and needed a bit more of a challenge.)

In addition to the verbal explanation of how the library was organized and the DDS, their manuals included a brief written explanation and simplified table. 

Activity #3 - Library Challenge Scavenger Hunt

I created a short scavenger hunt, reminiscent of the Mr. Lemoncello's Library series by Chris Grabenstein, that would encourage participants to explore different sections of the youth department using their knowledge of library organization, Dewey Decimal, alphanumeric order, and the catalog to answer each challenge question. The final challenge was to go to the front desk and ask a staff member to sign their sheet and tell them about a book they read when they were their age in encourage kids to become comfortable talking to library staff, and give staff practice interacting with kids.

Activity #4 - Bookmark-Making

I had previously explained how librarians often do graphic design to create flyers to advertise programs & services, informational and directional signs, things for programs like the manual for this program, and fun and/or informational bookmarks for patrons.

We had just inherited an Ellison die-cut press and a half-dozen different bookmark dies (among others) from another branch, so I put out the press, dies, assorted colors of cardstock, and markers so they could make their own bookmarks.

Activity #5 - Reader's Advisory

I had explained another part of a librarian's job is recommending and suggesting books to people, called "reader's advisory", and that this can be done several ways: in a direct one-to-one conversation making suggestions tailored for a specific patron, or in more passive ways such as bibliographies and displays. 

I told them that we were going to create a display with books they had selected, and instructed them to each select 2-3 books. I explained they could be from any part of the youth collections, and could be a personal favorite or just something they saw that looked interesting and they thought other kids might like. I elaborated that librarians couldn't possibly read every book and often suggested books they haven't personally read based on reviews, summaries, recommendations from other readers, book lists, and yes, even by the covers.

I would have liked to have had them each write a little blurb about the books they selected, but I was afraid it would feel too much like homework and there really wasn't time.

[Sadly, I totally forget to take a picture of the finished display 🙁]

Activity #6 - Storytime Practice

Since a huge part of most public librarian jobs is programming and a staple of children's programming is storytime, I set up a little storytime corner for them to practice their reading aloud to an audience of stuffed animals. I provided a selection of classic storytime books that had short, simple text and some wordless picture books for those who might not be reading independently yet. I demonstrated how to hold the book so the audience can see the pictures, and that with the wordless picturebooks they could make up their own story to go with the pictures. 

[I also told them if the corner was occupied, or if they wanted more privacy, they could also read to their grown-up or siblings in a quiet corner of the library or in the study room. I did make this activity optional-but-encouraged because I knew some kids would not be comfortable reading aloud in public and I wanted this to be fun, not anxiety-inducing!]

Activity #7 - Button-Making

Once they had completed the other activities, they had earned their official junior librarian "badge"! I asked our graphics department to design the graphic in multiple colors, and I sized them to fit our button-maker. The participants got to choose their color and make their own button. In hindsight, I wish I had also had various pro-library and pro-reading graphics available for them to make as well.

How It Went

I knew this was more of a niche program that wouldn't have as wide appeal as other programs I've done, but I had naively thought it would get some publicity from our PR department as a Library Week program. Unfortunately, that did not happen, so the turnout was fairly low. I ended up with four kids aged 6, 9, 11, & 12 years old, so it was definitely a good thing I put in the extra time and effort to develop book-sorting activities at different levels of difficulty! It was nice to have a couple of kids at the older end of the age range for a change.

Though the turnout was low, those that did show up seemed to really enjoy it, and didn't seem either too bored or too frustrated. They each did all the activities except for the storytime practice, which I believe two opted out of, and that was okay. I really enjoyed watching them tackle the library challenge scavenger hunt and seeing what books they selected for the display. However, I'm not sure the one kid who had expressed interest in being a librarian was still interested after he found out that we do not get to sit around and read all day 😂

What I Would Do Differently

The main thing I would do differently if I do this program again is to make sure it would get publicized. This is a constant source of frustration for me and my co-workers as our programs almost never get publicized. [We are at a small branch in a low-income neighborhood and the larger branches get all the support; I've never really seen this kind of inequity among branches in other systems, and it's really unfortunate for us and the community we serve.]

I would also consider changing out some of the activities just to try something different, but I think these all worked fine. (If you have suggestions, please leave them in the comments!) If there was a larger crowd, say more than 10 kids, it would be nice to have someone assisting with the bookmark- and button-making, while you are checking book orders, assisting kids with the challenge, and checking answers.

Imagination Station - Pizzeria

 

Program: Imagination Station – Pizzeria

Ages: 2-8 (most participants ranged in age from 2-8 this month, plus a couple of older siblings around 9 or 10)

Number: Could accommodate up to 15 children; actual attendance was 14 children & 12 adults

Budget: About $5-10, as most items used were non-consumables that we already had or could borrow

Skills & Concepts: Imagination, creativity, expressive language, socio-emotional, fine motor, functional print, early literacy, family literacy, math & science literacy

Introductory Activity: Since I just can't get people interested in checking out any of the displayed books related to theme that I set up each month and also can't get regular storytime attendance, I decided to start reading a book at the beginning of each Imagination Station session. For this one, I read Pizza at Sally's by Monica Wellington, then explained the different activities.

Stations:

1. Dramatic Play 
   
   
   
   
   I once again used my trusty, versatile market stand, this time set up as the counter of the pizzeria, where customers could place and pick up their orders. I created a menu, stocked dishes and trays behind the counter, and placed scrap paper and pencils on the counter for writing orders. I also provided play money for the counter and for customers.
   
   Behind the counter I put our play kitchen and a table with our pizza oven playset, and a stack of aprons. In front of the counter, I set a few chairs and a small, round child's table and chairs. This time I tried something new, and created cards on lanyards with various roles on them - customer, counter attendant, chef, server, delivery person - to help give them some ideas of different roles they could play. [Imagination, creativity, expressive language, socio-emotional skills, functional print]
   
   
2. Dough-Making
   
   
   
   
   I simulated making pizza dough with salt dough. I put out two big bowls of flour, a pitcher of warm water, two cartons of salt, two mixing bowls and spoons, measuring cups, and a sign with the recipe and directions (1 C flour, 1/2 C salt, 1/2 C warm water; mix until well combined. If sticky, knead in a spoonful of flour at a time until no longer sticky). I showed them how to properly measure and emphasized the importance of accurate measuring to achieve the desired result. [Math & science skills, sensory exploration, measuring skills]
   
   
3. Dough Shaping
   
   
   
   
   Once they had made their dough and gotten it to the proper consistency, they moved to the next table to work it. I put out rolling pins, rotary cutters, cookie cutters, extruders, knives, and forks. I suggested they roll it out to make a pizza crust, then mold/cut toppings, roll "snakes" for bread sticks, tie the "snakes" into knots for garlic knots, and see what else they could come up with. I gave each participant a zip-lock bag to take their dough home, with instructions to keep it in the refrigerator when not playing with it, and to discard after several days. [Fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, pre-writing, imagination, creativity, sensory exploration]
   
   
4. Shapes Pizza Craft
   
   
   
   
   I provided small paper plates I had painted light brown/dark beige, glue, and various "toppings" cut from construction paper: red triangles of sauce, skinny rectangles of shredded cheese, circles of pepperoni, semi-circle tomato slices, and green squares of peppers. I encouraged caregivers to discuss the shapes and colors as their child made their pizza, and pointed out this was a pre-math and -science activity as well as a craft. [Shapes, colors, fine-motor skills, spatial relations, vocabulary]
   
   
5. Magnetic Board 
   
   
   
   
   I got out the magnetic letter's to spell out "Luigi's Pizzeria" and left the rest for the kids to use, as well as my magnetic "P-I-Z-Z-A" set along with the lyrics. [Letter recognition, phonological awareness]
   
   
6. Book Display
   
   
   
   
   I pulled several books with a pizza theme, as well as a pizza cookbook, and displayed on a table in the room. [Print motivation, early literacy]

How It Went

It was very messy, but worth it! The kids loved making their own dough, and their caregivers loved that they got to do it away from home and leave the mess at the library. One child had a big smile on his face and happily exclaimed, "This is fun!" Yes, there were bits of dough and flour all over the tables and floor at the end, and I had to get my ice scraper from my car to scrape up the bits of dried dough, but I enjoy providing the opportunity for some good, messy, fun. I had the largest crowd I've gotten for any early childhood program I've done at the this library so far.

Though the dough was definitely the hit of the program, they also loved the dramatic play, and I saw many orders placed, and many pizzas made and delivered to waiting customers. Not everyone did the craft because they came late and didn't have time to do everything, or just couldn't tear themselves away from the dough and dramatic play. No one interacted with the magnet board and letters or the "P-I-Z-Z-A" song, and once again, no one checked out any of the books I had on display. I think they are just too focused on the fun activities to take time out to look at the books. 

What I Would Do Differently 

In the future when practicing measuring skill I will label the measuring cups clearly as to what ingredient they are for, as many caregivers didn't pay attention and some didn't know the difference between cups for measuring dry ingredients and one for liquids. We went through about 8 pounds of flour and a little over 2 pounds of salt! If I had an even larger crowd, I'd cut the recipe in half. I'd also like to have at least one other pizza play set, either purchased or I may make a couple with cardboard and felt and ask a local pizza place to donate a couple of small pizza boxes.

This time I tried having the little "name tags" with various roles to play, but no one really used them, so I won't bother with that again. Next time I'm going to try putting related books on display *outside* of the program room in the children's department. I think they are too busy having fun with the activities to take time out to look at books, but several families do end up staying in the library for a while after the program is over while.

Up next month at Imagination Station.....the Kentucky Derby! 🐎👒🏆

Picture Book Mini-Reviews

I haven't done any sort of book reviews in a very long time! Life just got too busy, and lately I've lost touch with what's new because the little branch were I work has low circulation and doesn't get lot of new books; when we do they frequently end up going to fill a hold at one of the larger branches and we never see them again due to having a floating collection. I'd love to get rid of the floating collection, which I find to be very inequitable for communities that are already at a disadvantage, but that decision is far above my pay grade.

Fortunately, we are implementing a new procedure that will allow staff a couple of days to review new books before they go out, so now I'm getting more opportunity to see the new books and make note of them for future use. There were several books in this last shipment that caught my interest, though they may not all be brand new, but new to me and at least fairly recent.

My Tiger 
Written by Joy Crowley
Illustrated by David Barrow
Gecko Press
March 2026

A young boy has pet tiger, which shocks and frightens others, but he assures them his tiger won't hurt them because he "only eats cake". Unfortunately, as one might expect, the tiger's sweet-tooth leads to a toothache and a trip to the dentist to have the cavity filled. The dentist lectures the tiger and the boy about the tiger's inappropriate sugary diet and tells them he should eat what other tigers eat. So he does. 😉

I love dark humor so this one was right up my alley! This would be great for a slightly older crowd who would get the humor and be familiar with the dentist, so I would recommend it for ages 5 and up. It would be a humorous addition to a tooth or dental-health month themed program. 

The Zoo Inside Me

by Ruth Doyle & Yessica Baeten

Andersen Press

2022 (GB), 2024 (USA)

A child tries to describe the jumble of emotions inside of him that he is not always able to contain by comparing them to different animals. Sometimes a dragon erupts, roaring and full of fire; sometimes a mischievous monkey acting out to get attention. Sometimes he's an awkward llama, standing too close and staring with wide eyes, trying to connect. Sometimes he feels like he has to hide his true colors and blend in like a chameleon, which makes him feel small and sad. He may be a little different, but there could be a half-hidden zoo inside of you, too!

I think this book would be very relatable for kids, and perhaps make it easier for them to recognize and express their emotions, while also letting them know that everyone looses control sometimes. It would be a great jumping off point for a discussion about emotions, coping mechanisms, etc. I think it would also be a really fun read-aloud, acting out all the different animals.

Take a Breath, Big Red Monster!

by Ed Emberley

LB Kids

2025

The sequel I never expected or knew I needed, but definitely love! 

While Go Away, Big Green Monster let children take charge of their fears, Take a Breath, Big Red Monster! helps them take charge of their anger, and guides them through taking deep breaths and calming down. 

This is not only a fun book, but great for modeling self-regulation. I was so excited to see this, and shocked no one had already reserved it.

All the Dogs

by Nicola Kent

Andersen Press

2022 (GB), March, 2025 (USA)

This is a delightfully simple book with sparse text using descriptive terms, sometimes opposites or contrasting terms, but not always. While the text is sparse, it has a great rhyme and rhythm when read aloud - "Big dog, small dog, hardly there at all dog. Coming dog, going dog, always to and froing dog...." 

The illustrations, which appear to be watercolor collage, are adorable and show a wide array of different types of dogs. What I really love is the incorporation of fingerprints for ears and facial features, as I had just purchased washable ink palettes specifically for doing fingerprint art. I think this would be a great storytime book for toddlers or preschoolers. I will caution that there is one page that some caregivers might have issue with, but I'm sure children would find hysterical, that shows dogs that "really need a pee..." and doing so on the nearest tree. Many wouldn't object, but know your audience. 

A Seed in the Universe

by Elyon Liu

Post Wave Children's Books

April, 2025

Starting with a seed growing inside an apple, which is eaten by a caterpillar, this book explores how nature and people relate to each other and how we all part of the same universe. The sturdy pages feature simple, bold illustrations with a limited color palette and dark outlines and engaging die-cut shapes. 

This would also be a great storytime book for toddlers or preschoolers. The text is simple, and while it doesn't rhyme, still has a pleasant rhythm when read aloud, and the illustrations are perfect for younger kids.

I Can Count! Everyday Things from 1 to 10

Written by Pippa Goodhart, Illustrated by Emily Rand

Macmillan Children's Books

February, 2026

This boardbook features lots of familiar objects for little ones to count on each page, with short simple text naming selected items, and a countdown to a rocket launch at the end. Each spread also features a prompt for further exploration and investigation. What I really love is the back matter, with tips and benefits of reading together and suggested talking points and questions to extend and deepen the exploration of the book.

While this could certainly work as storytime book for toddlers, it really shines as a lap-sit read one-on-one with a child and caregiver, and would be a great baby shower or first birthday gift.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: POP-UP Book 

Written & Illustrated by Eric Carle

Pop-up by Threefold UK

Paper engineering by Keith Finch

World of Eric Carle

Penguin Random House

November, 2025

I spotted this at my neighborhood grocery store just the other day, and of course had to have it. It is a smaller and simplified version of the 40th Anniversary Pop-Up edition from 2009, but those are very hard to come by, especially in good condition. I was able to find a used copy, but it had a fair amount of damage, some of which I was able to repair, but not all. I'm really glad to have another pop-up version, even if it isn't as big or detailed. 

This version measures about 9"x7", and doesn't have as many or as impressive pop-ups as the 40th Anniversary. On the flip side, I think this version would hold up a little better. When I use my 40th anniversary edition, I feel like I have to guard it with my life! I'd recommend buying two of these, one to keep for yourself and one to use with children. It's a perfect size for a lap read, but also not too small to use in storytime for a smaller group. 

Know of any great new picturebooks? Especially books good for storytime? Please leave your suggestions in the comments!

Family Steam - Leprechaun Traps II

I first did this program three years ago, and it went so well and was so much fun, I knew I would do it again some time.

Title: Family STEAM Challenge - Leprechaun Traps

Ages: All ages (I had kids aged 4 to 9)

Time: 1-1/4 hours

Budget: $35 for specially purchased items, some optional. Most materials were found items or from our general craft supply stock. 

# of Participants: 10 kids and 8 adults participated, along with 3 younger & older siblings that accompanied but did not really participate

Skills/Concepts: Imagination, creativity, folklore, problem-solving, motor skills, expressive language, public speaking

Materials:  

• variety of small boxes
• large pieces of flat cardboard (cut from large boxes)
• green spray paint, $7
• cardboard tubes from paper towels
• green construction paper in two shades
• colored craft sticks 
• string
• crayons
• markers
• glitter glue
• glitter shamrock foam stickers, $10
• "gold" coins, $7
• Lucky Charms cereal (both for bait and snacking afterward), $5
• Dixie cups
• glue sticks
• liquid glue
• tacky craft glue
• tape
• scissors, both kid and adult

Prep:  

1. I collected boxes over a period of 3-4 weeks, and cut up a few large boxes to have flat pieces to build on top of. 
2. Spray-painted boxes green. 
3. I found a few examples of leprechaun traps to give them some inspiration.
4. Put all the boxes and assorted craft supplies on tables at the side of the room. 

Program: 

1. First, we briefly went over a little bit of Leprechaun lore and legend.
2. Next, I read How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace. I really like how it ends with saying maybe someday some clever child will build a trap good enough to catch the clever leprechaun, maybe one of them.
3. We discussed strategies and considerations for designing traps. 
4. I pointed out where everything was, and encouraged them to look over things and think about it for a bit before they started, and to decide if they were doing one trap as a family, working in pairs, or if each child was doing their own. I also told them if they thought of something they needed/wanted that wasn't out, to let me know and if we had it, I'd be happy to get it out for them.
5. Build!
6. As they were finishing, I began clearing remaining supplies from the supply tables and asked them as they finished to put their trap on the tables so we could line them all up for photos, then they could wash hands and have some Lucky Charms to eat. 
7. Once they were all done, I had them stand behind their traps for group and individual photos, then they each took a turn telling the group about how their trap worked, if they were comfortable doing so. [I did make sure they knew it was optional and if they weren't comfortable speaking in front of everyone they didn't have to.]

How It Went

I had an even better turnout than the first time I did this program, and it went just as well. Since the program had run over last time, I decided to save time by spray painting the boxes green ahead of time, rather than having the kids cover them with paper like the last time (I also didn't have a roll of green bulletin board paper this time). Even though this did save some time, we still ran over by about 15 minutes past the scheduled hour. 

I was happy most of the kids were willing to present their traps, though there was one child who had to leave and one who said they didn't want to talk in front of people, or even give his name, which was fine. There were also two little ones who were a little shy and couldn't speak loudly enough for everyone to hear, so they told me, then I repeated to the crowd. I think this is my favorite part of the program.

The kids really seemed to have a great time, and caregivers were appropriately involved without taking over. I was really happy with how things turned out.

What I Would Do Differently 

The only thing I would do differently is schedule more time, since it ran over both times I've done it, and allow more time for set-up and clean-up; thirty minutes is just not enough. It took 45 minutes to clean up, and I really needed at least 45 minutes for set-up. I really prefer to set up early when possible, then take a few minutes to sit somewhere quiet and gather my thoughts.

☘ Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘

Imagination Station - Farmer’s Market

So far my new "Imagination Station" program has been relatively successful, more so than any other programming for the preschool age group, and this month we did a "Farmers Market" theme.

Program: Imagination Station – Farmer’s Market

Ages: 2-8 (most participants ranged in age from 2-5 this month, plus one older child around 9 or 10)

Number: Could accommodate up to 15 children; actual attendance was 7 children & 5 adults

Budget: About $5-10, as most items used were non-consumables that we already had or could borrow

Skills & Concepts: Imagination, creativity, expressive language, socio-emotional, fine motor, functional print, early literacy, family literacy

Stations:

1. Dramatic Play 
   
   
   

   
   I set up our versatile market stand with shopping baskets, bushel baskets, and all of our play fruits and vegetables. I added a table with all of the play food breads, and another with dairy products and artificial flowers.

   
   

   I created several different shopping lists based on color, where they grew, or ingredients for a specific dish. I also put out play money but I did not have time to create a price list (I think that is more appropriate for elementary ages than preschool anyway), so they could just make up their own prices. [Creativity, imagination, expressive language, functional print, socio-emotional skills, vocabulary, background knowledge]
   
   
2. Fruit & Vegetable Stamping
   
   
   
   
   You could use a wide variety of fruits and vegetables for this activity, but I kept it relatively simple and just used traditional carved potato stamps and added bell peppers, lemon, and celery. I cut them the night before to let them dry out a little bit so they would hold the paint better. I put out about five different colors of washable tempera paint, brushes for applying paint, pieces of heavy paper, and markers for writing names and adding any other details. I also provided aprons to help keep paint off of clothing. [Creativity, fine motor skills, spatial awareness, colors]
   
   
   
3. Reading Nook
   
   
   
   
   Since I had not had much luck getting people to check out the books I'd been pulling and putting on display, I decided to try creating a cozy reading nook to see if that would encourage them to read together. I put a soft rug down on the floor and added cushions for more comfort. I put a few books on display, and put the rest in two piles on the rug. [Print awareness, print motivation, family literacy]
   
   
4. Magnetic Letters
   
   
   
   
   I got out the magnetic letters and spelled out "Farmer's Market" on the magnetic board, and put the bin with the rest of the letters on the floor under it. [Letter recognition, print awareness, functional print, fine motor]

How It Went

I had a slightly smaller group than last month, but overall it went well. The kids *really* enjoyed shopping! So much so that the market was pretty well cleaned out in just a few minutes it seemed. Some of the kids were good about putting things back to shop again, but a couple of the younger ones had a harder time with the idea of giving up their baskets loaded with goodies. I announced that I was setting a timer for 5 minutes, and then we were all going to pretend to be the farmers and put everything back so they could shop again, which worked well. I enjoyed talking with them about their favorite fruits and vegetables, and one child was very proud that she had bought a basket full of healthy foods. Some used the prepared shopping list, some did their own thing, and some did both. 

The produce stamping was also a hit; children and caregivers both appreciated the opportunity for painting away from home. We found that less is more in applying the paint to get good clear prints with details. Some of the kids also painted just using the brushes after doing one with the fruits & vegetables, and one younger child decided to paint his face!😂

My only disappointment was that once again, the books I had selected and displayed were once again largely ignored. I had hoped creating a cozy reading nook rather than just a display would encourage caregivers to look at books with their child while there, and hopefully check out one or two, but this did not happen. Instead, they used it as a play area, and the cushions I put out for sitting on were used for jumping on or building with, while the books were ignored 😢. I am really having a hard time engaging this community in reading and supporting early literacy development with their little ones, and I don't know what to do about it. I've never had this problem at any other library I've worked.

What I Would Do Differently 

It would have been nice to have even more play food and shopping baskets, but we don’t have the budget or storage space right now. I think I might try a slightly more structured approach next time, with “assigning” (suggesting with provided name tags, but not pushing) roles such as shopper, farmer, baker, etc., so we have both sellers and shoppers rather than all shoppers, then switch. At the very least I would try giving each child a shopping list as they arrive so everyone isn’t just grabbing everything in a frenzy reminiscent of the recent pre-snowmageddon panic 😂.

Up next month at Imagination Station......Pizza Parlor!🍕 

If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Imagination Station - Bake My Day!

I recently started a new early childhood play-based program with themed activity centers I call "Imagination Station," and this month I decided to do a "Bakery" theme. Many of the dramatic play items used in this program were purchased earlier with grant money the library had received for early childhood programming, some were from a programming kit borrowed from the main library, and a few were things my library already had. I like to invest in well-made, reusable items that are developmentally appropriate and can be used again and again in many different ways, such as the oh-so-versatile market stand that can be easily staged for a variety of themes, other dramatic play accessories, sensory toys, and building toys, and I am a big fan of Lakeshore Learning and Melissa & Doug products.

Program: Imagination Station – Bakery

Ages: 2-8 (participants ranged in age from 3 to 6 this month)

Number: Could accommodate 15-20 children; actual attendance was 10 children & 6 adults

Budget: Negligible, as most items used were non-consumables that we already had or could borrow

Skills & Concepts: Imagination, creativity, expressive language, socio-emotional, fine motor, counting and number recognition, functional print, measuring, sensory exploration. 

Stations:

1. Dramatic Play 
   
   
   
   

   
   I set up the main "bakery" dramatic play area by staging our market stand as the front counter, with a sign, menu, and items on display on the front side, and dishes, aprons, and additional trays of goods on the back side. I moved our small (tiny!) play kitchen a few feet behind it, and stocked it with a few utensils, pots & pans, a tray of cookies in the oven, and a few ingredients. The play foods used were: the "bread basket" and eggs from the market set, M&D cookie set, M&D cake set, another set of plastic cookies from the borrowed kit, and cardboard cookies. [Creativity, imagination, expressive language, functional print, motor skills, socio-emotional skills]
   
   
2. Dough Station 
   
   
   
   
   

   To one side of the dramatic play area I set up a dough station with multiple cans of Play-Doh and an assortment of tools: rolling pins, cookie cutters, rotary cutters, extruders, and textured rollers. I encouraged them to roll, cut, shape, and squish! I noticed quite a bit of pretend play going on at this station as well, and the participants didn't limit themselves to typical bakery goods, either. We had burritos, tacos, and worms, in addition to cookies, cakes, and pies. [Fine-motor skills, hand/finger strength, pre-writing, imagination, creativity, sensory exploration]
   
   *I had originally planned on having an additional dough-making station to make salt-dough, but in the end had to cut it because I was not going to have enough clean-up time for that.
   
   
3. Measuring Practice 
   
   
   
   
   

   Measuring is not only a cooking skill, but also a math & science skill! I encouraged them to scoop, pour, mix, stir, and measure in the sensory bin. The sensory bin is always a hit no matter what I have in it! I had considered having another bin with water, but as it was winter and chilly in the room, I decided to save water-play for when it gets warmer. [Measuring, motor skills, sensory exploration]
   
   
4. Cookie Counting 
   
   
   
   
   

   I found this counting and number matching activity several years ago, and I'm so sorry but I don't remember where to give proper credit (if this is yours, please let me know so I can remedy that!). Count the chocolate chips (or raisins if you prefer) in each cookie and match it to the appropriate number in the jar. I love that it has both numerals on the front, and the words on the back. [Counting, number recognition]
   
   

How It Went:

I was really happy with how the program turned out this month! I felt it was definitely more successful than last month. I think simplifying things and having fewer stations helped, as well as having more kids, and older kids. There is definitely a critical mass required to get the right energy for a truly successful program, and I think we had it this time. 

I saw more meaningful engagement and interactions than last time, both between caregivers and children, and among the children. They were much more engaged in dramatic play this time, both in the bakery/kitchen area and at the dough table. I loved hearing all their conversations while engaged in pretend play. Several also enjoyed the measuring station, but only one caregiver and child did the cookie counting & number matching activity, but that's ok. 

I was disappointed that once again no one checked out any of the related books I had displayed, but at least one caregiver looked at a few of them, and at least a couple of families did select other books to checkout after the program. 

What I Would Do Differently:

The only thing I would do differently is maybe to expand the dough center from one table to two so they would have more space (our tables are pretty small). I would also like to add play food and some child-sized cupcake and cake pans in the future, if the budget permits. Also, even with simplifying and reducing the number of stations, set-up and clean-up still took longer than the 30 minutes I'm allowed for each, so I'm going to have to advocate for more time and/or someone to assist. I feel like quality programs with multiple stations and opportunities to engage in messy play require more set-up and clean-up time than that, and I really don't want to have to compromise on quality now that I've found what works.

Up next month at Imagination Station…. Farmer’s Market!