Hedgehog Party

 

After an unexpected community connection, I created this program to celebrate this cute exotic pet.  The 1.5 hour party consisted of several stations inside the library that participants could drop-in and do in any order.

Station #1 - Pet expert

A coworker found this hedgehog pet expert while working at a community event sometime last year.  The pet expert brought in couple of her pets to show off.  There was no touching of these hedgehogs as they are very shy.  The pet expert patiently answered all questions that came her way.  She was fabulous!

Station #2 - Craft table

I found a hedgehog craft kit online.  I added a gem stickers and glitter glue to what came in the kit.  Participants made some very creative hedgehogs.  

 

Station #3 - Games

I created a spikey ball toss game: I got a portable bean bag toss game, and switched out the bean bags for plastic spikey balls.

I also bought a children's board game where you place the spikes on the hedgehog after rolling a pair of dice.  

Station #4 - Scavenger hunt

One of my coworkers creates a scavenger hunt for the children every month.  This month, she created a hedgehog themed scavenger hunt to go along with my party theme.  The reward for finishing the hunt was a hedgehog sticker.

Station #5 - Building

I set out straw connector toys and a sign suggesting that participants create prototype hedgehog cages.  And they did!!!

Station #6 - Education boards

I set out two poster boards with information about hedgehogs.  One board listed what hedgehogs eat in the wild and as pets.  The other board was a map showing where hedgehogs can be found in the wild.  

Homeschool Meetup: Building Toys & Button Maker

A Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

Name tag table: 

Invite participants to create a name tag using the die cut shapes, tape, and pens.  

 

 

Getting to know you board:

Invite participants to answer the question on the whiteboard so that we can get to know each other.  

QUESTION: What type of animal is your favorite stuffed animal? 

 

 

Activity of the day: Build and create!

1)      Use the building toys to create fun structures.

2)      Design your own buttons using the button maker.

 

Supplies:

·                     Wood blocks cabinet

·                     Animals and cars for building blocks

·                     Marble run set

·                     Magnet tile box set

·                     Straw Connectors box set

·                     Button maker.

·                     Button maker pieces.

·                     Button maker circle cutter.

·                     Paper circles for the button maker

·                     Coloring pens

·                     Stickers

·                     Tablecloth

 

 

Volcanoes - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song #1:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, science, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·         Show the word cards for volcano, erupt, lava, and magma.  Talk about what these words mean. 

 

 

·         Read: I’m a Volcano! By Bridget Heos, illustrated by Mike Ciccotello

·         Show an image of the inside of a volcano.  Talk about how the magma comes up through the volcano. 

·         Demonstrate how some volcanos erupt using an unopened clear soda water bottle (as seen at https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/soda-bottle-volcano-and-mount-rainier.htm) 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Fizzy volcano eruption (similar to what was modeled at https://preschooltoolkit.com/blog/volcano-preschool-science/)

The children follow the directions to create their own fizzy chemical eruptions.    

 

 

Station #2 – Erupting volcano painting (as seen at https://lupwaiparentwhisperer.com/volcano-facts-with-volcano-lapbook/)

Children cut out a volcano shape out of brown paper.  Then they glue this shape onto the background paper.  Next, the children use pipettes to drop red and orange colored watercolor paint above the volcano.  They use straws to blow the paint into an erupting shape.    

 

Station #3 – Types of volcanos and where they are in the world

The children look at the photos of volcanoes from around the world.  They can also use the “4 Types of Volcanoes” chart (https://owlcation.com/stem/4-Different-Types-of-Volcanoes-Cinder-Cones-Lava-Domes-Shield-and-Composite-Volcanoes) to identify the types of volcano in each photo.  Next, use the map on the wall to find out where each volcano is in the world.    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Dinosaurs - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song #1:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, science, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·       Show pictures of dinosaurs and try to name them. 

·       Show the word cards for dinosaur, fossil, and extinct.  Talk about what these words mean. 

·       Show my plant fossils that I brought from home.  Talk about how my family dug these up during a vacation in Republic, Washington. 

Intro song #2: If You Are Ready for Stories... (my adaptation of a Rob Reid storytime rhyme)

If you are ready for stories...
...Count to three.
...Stretch your wings.
...Touch your toes.
...Touch your nose.
...Bark like a dog.
...Snore like a log.
...Sit like a kid at storytime.

Read: Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

Optional books:
Deinonychus Goes Hunting by Marie Bollman and Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia
Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones by Susan Lendroth, illustrated by Bob Kolar

·       Talk about how large a dinosaur footprint would be.

·       Show the life-size tyrannosaurus rex footprint I made on butcher paper.  Talk about measuring how many children would fit inside the footprint (nontraditional measurement).  Urge the children to stand inside the footprint and count how many children fit inside. 

·       Instruct children on how to use the stations. 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Dinosaur feet craft

The children cut out and decorate dinosaur feet to wear. 

 

Station #2 – Clay fossil prints

Children take a small clump of air dry clay and then press it flat.  Next, they make fossil-like imprints in the clay with the provided materials (such as shells, pinecones, toy dinosaurs, sticks, plastic toy plants, etc.). 

 

Station #3 – Dinosaur classification

The children look at dinosaur toy figures.  They place the dinosaurs on the classification papers that best match each dinosaur (carnivore, herbivore, four legs, two legs, lives in the ocean, etc.) 

 

Station #4 – Dinosaur games

Encourage the children to play with dinosaur domino and memory card sets. 

   

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Wind Catchers

A Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

Name tag table: 

Invite participants to create a name tag using the die cut shapes, tape, and pens.  

 

 

Getting to know you board:

Invite participants to answer the question on the white board so that we can get to know each other.  

 QUESTION: Which card games do you like to play? 

CATEGORIES: Go Fish, War, Crazy 8’s, Uno, Other (please tell us what it is)

 

 

Activity of the day: Build two types of windcatchers using only the supplies provided.

1)      Use the pinwheel kit

2)      Design your own

 

Supplies:

·                     Pinwheel kit

·                     Art supplies from the maker cart

·                     Scoth tape and masking tape

·                     Yarn

·                     Feathers

·                     Paper clips

·                     Binder clips

·                     Craft sticks

·                     Clothespins

·                     Crepe paper