Displays: Black History Month, 1 of 2

February is Black History Month, and we will have two displays this month honoring this observance. The first one I put up is in the teen area, and it is intended to be interactive. The title sign reads, "Who am I? A Black History Month interactive quiz" and has brief facts about historical figures, with a tab to raise the cover page and reveal the name, date of birth (and date of death, when applicable) along with a photo of the person referred to in the question.

Displays

This is my first interactive display since starting my new job, and I'm kinda stoked! The sign reads, "How many words can you spell using only these letters?" Then below, italicized and in parentheses, it reads, "(Keep an eye out...you never know when we will change the letters!") Also, though they aren't shown in this photo, there is an extra 'E' and an extra 'O' above the sign and the "These are the words I spelled!" form, as well as a little container of golf library pencils.

The goal is to get kids to practice spelling words, making up words, learning letters (and not just singing the Alphabet Song), etc. I hope to find the letters rearranged (into appropriate words...) and sheets of paper with words written in. (Note to self: keep an eye out for inappropriate words.)

I Can't Let It Go

This isn't a craft, nor is it in any way instructional (except to say "This was awesome, you should do it, too!). But it's too cute not to share. We showed the sing-along version of Disney's Frozen yesterday to a crowd of about 18 kids and 12 or so adults. Of course, Let It Go was far and away the  most sang-along-to, and I had to record it. The video quality is nil, but the goal was to hear the kids sing anyway, so here goes!

Displays

My latest Pinterest theft: the new display for the Teen Area! "We Read a Latte" - my less-than-skillfully-rendered version of a coffee cup, surrounded by books with coffee- or coffeehouse-themed books and book covers.

Displays

First, let me expressly state that I take no credit whatsoever for the creative ideas behind either of these...I saw them on Pinterest or Facebook or elsewhere along the way. And this will be true for most any display I share. But, I share (my version) anyway because maybe you haven't already seen it elsewhere!

For November and December, in our teen area, I put up a "Readbox" display, with books that have previously been adapted into films, then filled in gaps with those that will come out in 2015 (not pictured), and put a ticket on the front to indicate as much (pictured!).

For December and January, in our children's area, I put up a Chill Out with a Good Book display. This display board is behind a children's computer station, so the closest place for books is actually behind you as you face this display. But one of the staff here had already been pulling winter-themed books, so it all came together nicely! (And the snowflakes were done for the display, but have also been a very successful program!)

Crystallized Borax Snowflakes

What did you...
We took pipe cleaners and Borax and made crystallized snowflakes! For this one, I put a pair of scissors at each workstation, and the rest of the supplies in a central location, to let each person pick out their own colors and jars. We used white, light blue, black, and dark blue pipe cleaners (the black and dark blue were leftover supplies), a variety of jars donated by various library staff, and promotional pencils we use in outreach. I also had a spool of basic white thread available, so I left it on the supply table as well (though in the end, I went person to person, handing out pieces of thread for their final steps).

How did you...
The directions given are great, though in this setting (rather than at home), I strongly recommend having total control over the boiling-water-and-Borax solution at the end. Before the program, I had cut all the pipe cleaners in half, simply because full-size is too large and halves also go farther in a larger group! I had fully intended to make a few ahead of time to have out as samples, and never got around to it, so I had the finished product available as images printed from the original post.

A few notes… Be sure they understand the snowflakes cannot touch the sides or the bottom of their jar, so narrower-mouth jars are not going to be successful. If you anticipate a larger group, have more than a single box of Borax on hand, or limit everyone to a single jar. If there had been one more jar to fill, I would not have had enough of the solution. Also, measure carefully. I miscounted one batch of the Borax water and there were a few that did not turn out so well. And, the color of the pipe cleaner matters – it will show through! Finally, try to pour the Borax solution into the jars where it won’t spill. Do this over a sink or trash can (let hot water run for a few minutes after if you do it in the sink), or use a measuring cup with a good spout on it. This ran me until the library was closing, so I let the spilled solution sit overnight on the table – terrible idea. I had to boil more water, pour it on the table, and let it break down the hardened Borax before it would come off. Oops…
One of the participants took a spare pencil and wrapped a single pipe cleaner around it in a spiral shape, then pulled the pencil out and continued from there. Several of us copied her, and these turned out really cute!

Who did you...
Our program was all ages, and it went from about age 4 to adults, with the younger kids assisted by a parent or older sibling. Every one of every age enjoyed this project, though in hindsight I should have limited it to a single jar per person. Next time…

Where did you...
The original post was found at the A Girl and a Boy blog. Please visit their site for full instructions, and for other great ideas!

Before you file it away...
This is pretty easy to do with only one instructor, though another volunteer or staff member would have helped move the Borax/boiling water process along more smoothly.

Winter Birch Trees

What did you...
We took watercolor paper, blue paint, and masking tape and painted winter scenes of birch trees in the night! Each person needs at least a single sheet (or even ½ sheet) of watercolor paper. I put out a small bowl of blue paint (watered down a little) per every two participants, one roll of masking tape per every two participants, a small bowl with some sea salt per table, and gave each person their own pair of paint brushes (one with a thinner tip, one 1” sponge brush). I also bought two cheap hair dryers to speed along the drying process.
 
How did you...
The directions given are great. To make it a little easier to get going, I pre-taped the ½ sheet of watercolor paper onto a full sheet of construction paper, and put one at each workstation. I also printed out the images used in the original post as examples of what the finished product would look like. Let each participant determine how many trees to make, how to align the limbs, etc. (And you will invariably have at least one person who decides to make their initials or some other design with the masking tape, rather than follow the intended project. At least they’re being creative!)

Who did you...
This is great for most any age, with a minimum age of probably 5-7, depending on their skill level. Younger than this did okay if they had a parent or older sibling help them with it. The older kids, teens, and adults all seem to enjoy doing this, and we had enough supplies on hand to let them make a second one if they wanted. (This is where the “alternate designs” came up!)

Where did you...
The original post was found at the Art Projects for Kids blog. Please visit their site for full instructions, and for other great ideas!

Before you file it away...
This is pretty easy to do with only one instructor. Again, I would advertise this to older children, teens, and adults, unless you know parents will stay with the little bitties to help them.

Giant Snowflakes

This is a perennial favorite, taking the most basic household supplies and creating a festive holiday piece. I've even co-opted it into other things besides snowflakes, such as properly-arranged red, white, and blue to make a "flag" style!

What did you...
We took standard weight copy paper and made 3D paper snowflakes! You want to give each person their own pair of scissors. Share a roll of tape per two people, and a stapler between every 2-4 people. I have also presented this where the paper was pre-cut into perfect squares, and where it was full 8 ½" x 11" paper and I let them cut it down to size. Either way works well! 

How did you...
The directions given are very helpful. In trying to make it "stick" in the minds of my little (and not so little) crafters, I explained Step 3 in terms of the folds. (You want to cut into the "two edged side" so that you are cutting at an angle towards the "one edged side.") Also, spacing the cuts fairly evenly is important. I've done this craft program 4-5 times, and there is always at least one kid who wants to cut 10-15 skinny strips. The issue with this is, when you unfold it, there is inevitably torn sections, and it is hard to complete the rest of the steps with skinnier strips. (Not saying it can't be done, but it typically does not stand up to the level of speedy impatience of your average child!)

Who did you...
This is great for most any age, with a minimum age of probably 5-7, depending on their skill level. Younger than this, they have a hard time following the instructions and get frustrated/bored easily. But older kids, teens, and adults all seem to enjoy doing this. Plus, once you learn it, you can make them forever. I've had numerous patrons return and tell me they taught their grandkids or they made them again this year.

Where did you...
There are numerous resources for this craft, but the one on wikiHow breaks it down really well, and provides step-by-step images. (This is great if you want to print out images as guidelines, and is faster than having pre-made pieces to demonstrate the step-by-step process!)

Before you file it away...
This is pretty easy to do with only one instructor. The good thing is, there is a LOT of repetition, so as you have latecomers wander in (and you will), if you have the first crew up to speed with how to fold and cut, you can focus your attention on showing the stragglers how it works. And usually at least one person catches on quickly and volunteers their services to help instruct others!