Building Block Play at Playtime

According to NAEYC (at https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2015/ten-things-children-learn-block-play), playing with blocks and other building toys allows children to learn nine important skills: 

• Problem solving
• Imagination
• Self expression
• Mathematics
• Continuity and permanence
• Creativity
• Science
• Self esteem
• Social and emotional growth

During the Playtimes at my library, the wood blocks are always out.  I rotate several other building toys.  Some of the popular toys include:

• Big blue foam blocks
• Large dinosaur bones
• Wood stacking rocks
• Bristle blocks
• Temi flower garden building set

Homeschool Meet-Up: Ozobots & Blocks

A monthly Friday 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.  

 

 

Activities of the day:

“T" is for Technology: Ozobot Robots

Participants used the magnetic cards to guide and program their mini Ozobot robots to do various things.    

 

 

“E” is for Engineering: Build with Blocks

I opened up the wood block cabinet for some creative building.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-up: Build & Create Day

A monthly Friday 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.  

 

Activities of the day:

“A” is for art - Creation Station

I brought out leftover supplies from past passive craft tables for the children to decorate and craft with.    

  

“E” is for Engineering - Build with Blocks

I placed several building toys on the floor for the children to build and create with.  

• Straw Connectors
• Manga-tiles
• Marble run
• Peg blocks 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Lucky Rocks and Microscopes

A monthly 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.  

 

 

Activities of the day:

 “A” is for art: Paint Lucky Rocks

I spray painted some rocks gold.  I also bought some St. Patrick’s Day shamrock temporary tattoos.  I encouraged the children to paint the rocks or add the tattoos to the rocks.  Apparently temporary tattoos can be applied to rocks the same way they go on skin. 

  

 

“S” is for Science: Microscopes

I got the microscope kit from my library!  The kit includes traditional microscopes as well as a few hand-held microscopes.  The kit also comes with a variety of prepared slides.  The children enjoyed seeing cat fur, carrot skin, and a bunch of other everyday items at the microscopic level.   

 

 

“E” is for Engineering: Build with Blocks

I opened up the wood block cabinet for some creative building. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Solstice Family Celebration

 An inter-generational party to celebrate the longest night of the year!  There was plenty to keep all ages entertained.  

Music: The adult services librarian found a talented cellist to perform a concert in our meeting room.

Art: I found some lanterns to to decorate.  Gluing the colored plastic onto the punched out holes was difficult for the younger children, so I set out silver Sharpie Pens to decorate the black lanterns.  Everyone also received a tea-lite battery operated candle to place inside their lantern.  

Engineering: I brought out the wood block cabinet and some polar animal toys.  I invited the children to build a playground for the animals.  

Homeschool Meet-Up: Levitating Tinsel Orbs and Moon Ornaments

A monthly 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.  

 

Activities of the day:

 “S” is for Science:

-          Levitating tinsel orbs similar to what I found at https://sciencebob.com/make-a-levitating-orb/

-          SPECIAL NOTE: This activity was hard to do!  It was difficult to get the proper amount of static electricity into the PVC pipe to cause the tinsel to stay afloat.  But when the children did get it right, the smiles were huge. 

 

“A” is for Art:

-          Moon ornaments using leftover wood drapery rings, leftover yarn, and some moon charms I bought online

 

“E” is for Engineering:

-          Wood blocks from the block cabinet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Weaving & Jenga

A monthly 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.  

 

Activities of the day:

 “A” is for Art:

-          Basket weaving using a kit I found at Baker Ross

 

Building toy:

-          The students were invited to play with the giant Jenga blocks.  Some played games of Jenga while others used the large cardboard boxes as blocks.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: BeeBots & Blocks

A monthly 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.  

 

Activities of the day: BeeBots & Blocks

Building toy:

-          Wood blocks from the block cabinet

 

STEAM table:

The children explored simple coding using the BeeBot robots.