Let's Get Crafty!

In a recent ALSC blog post, Alicia Hulten, writing for the ALSC Library Service to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers, wrote a really helpful post on combining crafts with learning opportunities. for youth ages 3-12.

Alicia writes: "Youth library programs play an important role in enriching young minds by providing a wide range of inclusive activities that promote learning and fun. Key components of these programs are the crafts and activities as they help children explore new ideas and express their creativity all in a warm, welcoming environment. Let’s take a look at some tips that will help you choose engaging crafts and activities for youth library programs. "

To read her handy tips, please stop here. [Crafting Joy for Everyone: Selecting Crafts and Activities for Youth Library Programs. Hulten, Alicia ALSC blog. April 5, 2025]

Hanging in There? More Library Programming Resources for Familes and You

HarperCollins has an excellent set of "At-Home Resources" - links to authors and author events online

Simon and Shuster's SimonKids has a Pinterest page full of activity pins of their published authors' and illustrators' books

Stimola Live is "a website of live stream events for kids, tweens, and teens by professional authors and illustrators represented by Stimola Literary Studio."




Great activities at NASA's Earth Observatory site

Follow ALA's Booklist Reader blog for great makerspace activities for kids at home (excellent list of children's book artists doing online drawing experiences for youth)

Publisher Little Brown shares their permission guidelines if you want to share their books in digital storytime

Kate Messner's List of Publisher Permissions & Fair Use during COVID-19 is super helpful

Links to YSS COVID-19 series:

Online Storytimes

Getting Started with Virtual Storytimes  5/27/20

Virtual Storytime – Tips on Fair Use & Kids’ Privacy 5/4/20

“How to Do a Virtual Storytime” Webinars 4/13/20

Tips on Doing Online Storytimes During COVID-19 Closures 3/16/20; updated 3/20/20

Storytime Goes Digital 3/20/20

Digital Storytimes- You Do You! 3/31/20

Digital Storytime, Screen Time and Intentionality – Oh My 4/6/20

Facebook Live Online Storytime Tips 3/24/20

Fixing "My Book is Backwards in Online Storytime!" on iPhone 3/22/20

SLP & Programming Resources

Summer Scavenger Hunt Fun 5/30/20

Digital Escape Rooms – the Holy Grail  5/26/20

SLP Virtual and Offline Program Ideas for Teens/Tweens  5/22/20

Virtual and Offline Programs for Summer and Beyond  5/6/20

“Grab-&-Go” Activity Kit Ideas  5/5/20

DIY Family Activities for SLP from CSLP 5/1/20

Offline and Feeling Fine: Ideas for Programming Unvirtually  4/29/20

Virtual Programming & SLP Ideas for YOU! 4/25/20

Beyond E-Storytimes: Virtual Services and Programs for Youth 4/22/20

Using Premier for Virtual Programming on Facebook 3/24/20

Re-Opening and Safety Issues

We’re Re-opening – Coping with Reluctant Patrons and Programming 6/1/20

We’re Re-Opening – Cleaning and Disinfecting Youth Areas  5/13/20

COVID-19 and Libraries: Your Questions Answered with Dr. Dipesh Navsaria 5/19/20

Permissions (Books, Authors and Music)

Want Permission? Current Info on Publishers and Authors 3/22/20; updated 4/23/20

      Music Permissions? Look No Further  3/27/20; updated 3/31/20

Professional Development

Webinar - Summer Learning Through Our Public Libraries in a Time of COVID-19  5/18/20

Confronting Xenophobia and Supporting Asian and Asian/Pacific Communities Webinar 4/21/20

Working From Home During COVID-19 4/19/20

Need to Keep Up? Free Online Professional Development  3/21/20

Webinar -Remote and Online Services & Resources for Youth Librarians  3/25/20

Free Children’s/Teen Professional Journal Access 3/28/20

Creating Accessibility in Your Online Programming 4/15/20; updated 4/23/20

Kids Resources

Curated List of Free COVID-19 EBooks for Kids 4/27/20

Infographic to Help Parents with Tech Time During COVID-19 4/2/20

Tips on Safe and Inclusive Gaming/Livestreaming for Families 4/6/20

Talking to Kids About COVID-19  3/28/20

Ear Ticklin’ Listening/Viewing for Kids at Home 3/30/20

WI Online Program Data

Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/17/20

More Info on Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/19/20

Friday FAQs with Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

4/10/20 recording       4/17/20 recording          4/24/20 recording        5/1/20 recording               5/8/20 recording

5/15/20 recording       5/22/20 recording; 5/29/20 recording

Taking Care of You 

Human Connections in a Time of Pandemic  3/27/20

Feeling Stress? Keeping Calm in a Difficult Time 3/21/20

Shining Moments from the YSS Regional Meet-up in Waupaca

So many wonderful things came out of our afternoon in Waupaca: networking, engaging in discussion, and even a favorite cheese list that I'm working on for another blog post. These meetups are intended to be fun, professionally invigorating, sparking engagement and ideas, as well as connecting us and our work with our colleagues serving youth.

Katie Kiekhafer, Chair-elect, came prepared with our second activity of the day called "Shining Moments." This small group activity asked participants to reflect on shining moments that motivate us in our work, such as an accomplishment or achievement that we are proud of, and then asks us to share this moment. As the small groups listened to each other, we recorded our moments and then identified common themes. Next we reported back to the larger group and Katie recorded our responses and themes. This was an incredibly powerful exercise that affirmed the great work we are doing and the underlying themes common to every library staffer in the room.

After reading through this list of common themes and identities elicited from our responses see if they resonate with you, inspire you, or reflect your ideals and self:

• Innovative thinkers
• Change embracers
• Empowerment - of the people we serve which then returns to us in a circle of empowerment
• Validation - that the work, even the unsung work, we do is meaningful and effective
• Connection - with our communities, their needs, and discovering unmet needs through this engagement
• Becoming visible in the community
• Collaborators
• Boundary stretchers
• Seizing opportunity
• Following and setting trends
• Inclusiveness
• Embracing technology

Learn how to implement this activity with your staff or library system by reading the full activity directions HERE.

Teen Activities Calendar: March 2017

Over at Demco's Ideas and Inspiration Blog, Emily Ellis, Head of Reference and Teen Services at Greenwood Public Library, shares awesome calendars filled to the brim with teen activities.  This month the focus is on poetry (April is National Poetry Month) with DIY projects sprinkled throughout!  Explore the calendar in-depth and find downloadable versions HERE.

Idea Diving

Being of a curious, creative, and information-seeking bent, I naturally look for new ideas, projects, and inspiration in a variety of places. Here I have gathered links to a few of the places I've been idea diving lately. What is idea diving you may say? It's a term I just coined for the process of diving into ideas and exploring them - just like scuba diving there are recreational dives and professional dives. The depth and range of a dive will vary based on the interests and purpose of the diver or mission. So join me in idea-diving and please share some of your favorite diving locations in the comments.

Pop Goes the Page blog and Pinterest page by "Dana Sheridan (a.k.a. Dr. Dana), creator of Pop Goes the Page. I’m also the Education & Outreach Coordinator of the Cotsen Children’s Library at Princeton University. My library offers a number of story times, programs, and workshops, many of which you will find described on this blog. They’ve all been “field tested,” so feel free to replicate them in your own library, classroom, or home!" (About page)

Flannel Friday blog and Pinterest page which "celebrates and supports the art and skill of storytime by: sharing ideas; fostering community; and supporting professional development." (Mission page)

Laughing Kids Learn blog and Pinterest page where it's all about "sharing activities and ideas that make learning fun for kids!" (Pinterest tagline)

As I See It blog where Vivian the Librarian blogs about "observations on library services to children and young adults from experiences in smaller and larger public libraries in Idaho," including storytime and baby storytime plans. (Blog tagline)

Playing with Numbers

Math and number literacy is a part of the whole STEAM movement and an important part of early literacy. A Wisconsin-based resource is Math at Play with a website full of activities, games, resources, picture book lists, and multimedia to help those who work with children under five to play with math.

A Simple Storytime Favorite

The fall storytime session started this week at my library. I wanted to share a favorite. Our storytime kids love getting their hand stamped as they leave. Toddlers, especially, love getting a stamp. One time at the grocery store a storytime regular saw me and held out his hand for a stamp!

What is a simple storytime favorite at your library?

More Than Crafts

Every summer, I've always done "teen crafts". And I'd get a handful of girls. This year I wanted to try something a little different. I wanted to find something to encourage more boys to come. And I wanted to increase participation. So I lowered the target age group a little. Now the program includes 5th grade and older. Then I eliminated the word "crafts" from my program title. I still think it could use a little tweaking, but I went with "DIT Tuesdays" - Do It Together Tuesdays. And I tried to include more activities. 

So far everything has been successful. But the pudding pictionary, was great. And it was so cheap and easy! I used bulletin board paper that we had left over to cover the tables. Our library always posts a wish list for summer reading and I asked for pudding cups and cheap plastic table cloths from the dollar store. I used a pictionary generator to come up with words. And we were set. 
I divided the kids into two teams and they all took turns drawing. 

Free Sustainability Activity Guide from PBS

THE GREENS, a PBS Web site that encourages kids to explore sustainability and take action wherever they can, is offering free Activity Guides to educators working with 9 to 12-year olds. How-to information pairs hands-on activities to deepen kids understanding of topics like recycling and global warming with campaigns to reduce junk mail and get drivers to stop idling cars.

Order the free Activity Guide at http://meetthegreens.pbskids.org/features/

More about the Guide
THE GREENS Activity Guide contains leader notes, handouts, and how-to information for activities that allow kids to first learn about a problem and then engage in a hands-on activity that can help solve it. Activities can be conducted over separate one-hour sessions and address:

Cutting down on trash: Kids make a garbage dump pizza and then start a OBYOB: Bring Your Own Bag campaign.

Recycling and reducing: Kids make their own recycled paper and then launch a Reduce Junk Mail campaign.

Global warming and carbon footprints: Kids investigate the greenhouse effect and then they take action to reduce carbon emissions through a no-idling campaign.

CATCH THE READING BUG WEBLIOGRAPHY (from Rhonda Puntney's CEO Newsletter through April 2008)

Websites are loosely categorized by activities and games, bugs in books, crafts, fingerplays and songs, food and recipes, general education, and miscellaneous.

BUG ACTIVITIES AND GAMES

• A Lesson for the Big Bugs: An Audience Participation Story http://scoutingbear.com/audience/bugs.htm
  
  
• The Making Learning Fun website is features topics you can peruse for your summer programs!
  http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/ButterflyPrintables2.htm
  
  http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/HungryCaterpillarPrintables.htm
  
  http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/spiders.htm
  
  http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/SpiderTheVeryBusyPrintables.htm
  
  http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/LadyBugPrintables.htm

• The Itsy Bitsy Spider Game
  You will need to create a water spout for your Itsy Bitsy Spider out of plastic tubing and a PVC joint, small plastic spiders, water, plastic cups for pouring water down tube.
  
  How to play:
• sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider
• put spiders into tube
• add water to "wash the spider out" (from the Makinglearningfun discussion group)

• Bug-Themed Party Ideas for Kids
• http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/bug_party.html
  
  
• http://www.boardmanweb.com/party/buggy.htm
  
  
• http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/bug_birthday.html
  
  
• http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/partyslimey.htm
  
  
• http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000649.tip.html
  
  
• http://familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday/specialfeature/pulldown_butterfliesbugs_sf/

• Who Will Be The Next Etymologist?
  Games are ubiquitous. Turn on TV and you will see people earnestly being apprentices, trying to survive in the boardroom, racing in amazing ways, and dancing their star-studded feet off. In this all-new game by Summer Reading Game Guru Pam Carlson, our young library patrons will complete a series of educational bug-related tasks to find out "Who Will Be the Next Etymologist."
  
  It's easy and fun and everything you need to know is here including the ever-so-high-fashion iron-on t-shirt artwork and a predictably popular PowerPoint Presentation. So download the data and then detail duties to the diligent that are to join you in the "bug room." http://www.librarypalooza.net/nextentomologist.html (From Stephanie Stokes at LibraryPalooza.net)

Other bug games you can buy: Ant in the Pants, Cootie, Bug-opoly, Bug Bingo, much more. I just did a quick search on Amazon.com.

BUG GAMES

Here are several links to online games featuring bugs:

• http://www.orkin.com/learningcenter/kids_and_teachers_games.aspx
  
  
• http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/bugs/index.htm
  
  
• http://www.miniclip.com/games/bug-on-a-wire/en/
  
  
• http://www.pestworldforkids.org/bug_games.html
  
  
• http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/bugs.htm
  
  
• http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/BillyBug2/bug2.html
  
  
• http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/bargraphs/bargraphs.html

BUGS IN BOOKS

Insects (and Other Arthropods) in Literature
http://www.kean.edu/~scodella/InsLit.html

Humanity has been reflecting on insects for a very long time. In the Cave of Spiders near Valencia, Spain, there is a 6000-year-old petroglyph that depicts the gathering of wild honey. The Chauvet Cave paintings of southern France are, at 30,000 years of age, the oldest works of art known to us. Amidst the riot of horses, lions and rhinos on the cave walls are apparent images of butterflies and centipedes. Likewise, the oral and written traditions of many peoples include stories that feature insects or other arthropods. Throughout time, these animals have been used by writers and storytellers to flesh out a wide array of thoughts and emotions, as the selection here illustrates. Some of these pieces deal directly with insects; in other cases, the imagery is a step or two removed.

Favorite Bug and Insect Characters in Children’s Literature (in no particular order)

• Charlotte
• Miss Spider (and all variations thereof)
• Stellaluna
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Giggle Bugs (or any of the David A. Carter bugs)
• Maybelle the Cockroach
• Big Bad Bully Bug
• Fly (from Diary of a Fly)
• Spider (from Diary of a Spider)
• Bow-Wow’s Bug
• Harry the Poisonous Centipede
• Manuelo the Praying Mantis
• Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective
• Hector
• Inspector Hopper
• Crickwing
• The Little Squeegy Bug
• The Grouchy Ladybug
• The Very Busy Spider
• Anansi

BUG CRAFTS

Bug Crochet Patterns

Get the teen stitching groups involved in the action and have them work up these goodies for you.

Dragonfly Pin

http://www.kreinik.com/PDF/Crochet_dragonfly.pdf

Honey Bee

http://www.kreinik.com/kshop/product.php?productid=129&cat=33&page=1

Mosquito Finger Puppet

http://www.hankeringforyarn.com/a-crocheted-mosquito-finger-puppet/

Caterpillars

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=158450.0

Butterfly

http://www.kaleidesigns.com/crochet/patterns/archive/frid001.html

Bug Fridgies

http://www.angelfire.com/on/aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh/bugs.html

Insect Repellent

http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=312

http://craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=611&print=

http://candlemaking.craftgossip.com/make-your-own-mosquito-repellent-candles/2007/06/18/

Bug Origami

A sampling of folded paper insects you can create.

Paperfolding: Insects

http://www.paperfolding.com/insects/

Features insects from the Origami Insects book by Robert Lang. Order the book from Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/Origami-Insects-Robert-J-Lang/dp/0486286029 or try your favorite vendor.

Insect Origami Folding Diagrams

http://www.fishgoth.com/origami/insects.html

Origami Cicada

http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/makeanorigami_sxde.htm

An Easy Origami Ladybug

http://www.ehow.com/how_2100757_fold-origami-ladybug.html

Origami Butterfly

http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/htmldocs/origamibutterfly.html

Decorate your library with these cute butterflies!

BUG FINGERPLAYS AND SONGS

Songs and Fingerplays about Bugs

• http://www.preschooleducation.com/sbug.shtml
  
  
• http://www.songsforteaching.com/insectbugsongs.htm
  
  
• http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/bugs/songs.htm
  
  
• http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/insect-rhymes.htm

FOOD AND RECIPES FEATURING BUGS

The Family Fun website has included several delicious recipes to make all kinds of bug-related treats!

The Very Tasty Caterpillar

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50509&campaign=NLC-NL_Wkdr&link=Section1Link1

L is for Ladybug Cake

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50161

Bug Mountain Cake

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50106

Web Crawlers

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/family/feature/dony108creepy/dony108creepy6.html

Flutter Delight Cupcakes

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50063

Lovely Ladybug Candy

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50148

Bug Snacks

If the kids attending your programs next summer aren’t into chocolate covered ants, try one of these snacks instead!

http://www.preschooleducation.com/cbug.shtml

http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/preschool_themes/bugs/bug_snacks.htm

Iowa State’s Tasty Insect Recipes

http://www.ent.iastate.edu/misc/insectsasfood.html

Even featured on Leno one year…… uses real insects

Bug Food I: Insect Themed Food

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/bugfood/bugfood1.htm

For the less adventurous – this only looks like bugs. For those of you who are willing to give insects a try, go to:

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/bugfood/bugfood2.htm

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/bugfood/yf813.htm

GENERAL EDUCATION ABOUT BUGS

Bug Bios

http://www.insects.org/

“Shameless promotion of insect appreciation.” This site aims to help you really see insects for the miniature marvels they represent and to understand how intertwined our cultures have become with these alien creatures. Includes photography, a digest of previous articles, links, educational resources and much more.

Fun Insect Websites

http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/insectam/visitor/funwebs.html

From the University of Wisconsin Entomology Department.

Koday’s Kids Amazing Insects

http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/bugmenu.html

Great resource for photos and information for kids. Includes a webliography of other recommended sites for kids.

Butterfly Website

http://butterflywebsite.com/

The complete website for butterfly lovers, gardeners, teachers, students, and farmers. You’ll find butterfly clip art, inspirational stories, butterfly gardening tips, and more.

Digital Dragonflies

http://www.dragonflies.org/

An online collection of dragonflies of all types. Shows specimens at high resolution, and includes a link to the online Dragonfly Museum. Includes information on the hardware and software used to scan photos of the dragonflies and descriptive lists of specimens.

Iowa State Index of Entomological Resources

http://www.ent.iastate.edu/List/

Directory and search engine of insect-related information on the internet. Searchable by content type, taxonomic group, entomological subdiscipline.

The Virtual Insectary

http://www.virtualinsectary.com/

The Virtual Insectary not only provides images of some common insects, but includes information on the foods which they eat as well as the habitats where they can be found. Excellent photographs and close ups of insects.

Bugs in 2D and 3D

http://www.giantscreenbugs.com/

This is an informational web site for a film on bugs produced by Terminix. You can down load the movie trailer, learn more about the insects featured in the film, and click on stills from the film.

Young Entomologists Society

http://www.members.aol.com/YESbugs/mainmenu.html

Organization kids can join to share their interest in bugs with other kids.

Insects for Kids

http://www.kathimitchell.com/insects.html

A very good (and recently updated) webliography of insect sites that will interest kids.

Antbase.org

http://www.antbase.org

E.O. Wilson may be the best-known academic working on the biology of ants, though it is likely that most myrmecologists will find this site rather helpful and interesting. The site and its database are maintained by staff members at the American Museum of Natural History and the Ohio State University. As their website proclaims, they are moving "Towards the 12,000 species!", and visitors can search the database by taxon or author, and visitors can also avail themselves of the help feature. The site also includes a very helpful collection of ant-related websites, along with links to related blogs. For casual visitors, the site also provides an answer to the question "How many ants are there?" and actual lists of the ants of the world. (Scout Report, 8/10/07)

Non-insect bugs:

All About Arthropods

http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Science/Animals/Arthropods/index.htm

Spiders, Ticks, and Centipedes

http://insects.org/entophiles/arthropoda/index.html

Non-Insects

http://godofinsects.com/museum/noninsects.php

Non-Insect Arthropod Orders

http://www.uni.uiuc.edu/~dstone/noninsectarthropods.html

Introduction to the Arthropoda

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/arthropoda.html

What’s That Bug?

http://whatsthatbug.com/

I love it – when they redesigned their website they wrote that they are undergoing a “metamorphosis”! Great play on both of the CSLP themes. Great site with a lot of photos, information and commentary from the WTB folks and reader submissions.

A Grand Look at Grasshoppers

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/Magazine/Mj02/etcetera/index.asp

From Canadian Geographic Magazine’s website. Includes sections called: Friend or Foe?, Pest Detective, It’s a Bug’s Life, Grasshopper Anatomy, Literary Hoppers, and more.

Keeping Insects as Pets

http://www.amonline.net.au/insects/insects/pets.htm

This short fact sheet on pet insects discusses containers, water and food, maintenance, and examples of insects (crickets and stick and spiny leaf insects) that can be kept as pets. From the Australian Museum. (from the Librarians Index to the Internet)

Buginfo: Insects as Pets

http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/pets.htm

Brief descriptions of some insects that would be suitable as pets, including field crickets, praying mantids, ant-lions (also known as doodlebugs), caterpillars, and mealworms. From the Department of Systematic Biology of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

BUG MISCELLANEOUS

Library Palooza.net

http://www.librarypalooza.net

Take a look at the buggiest Libraryland Site on the Web -- LibraryPalooza -- and catch

fonts and flies, books and bugs, stencils to crawl your wall, a six--legged mascot and his ANTics, a fly--munching frog (big and green) and FREE bug things that are really keen.

There are t-shirt iron-ons and puppets for your fingers, a 38 page bug strange--but--true factoid display kit and instructions with photos, songs to sing and songs to play, and a Bug Fest! Extravaganza -- we'll show you the way.

You can get the official kids and teens fonts for use in your printed materials and even more fonts, dingbats, and fun banners than there are ants at a picnic.

It's all there for the taking as you read this, and more buzz is being added as each new idea hatches at http://www.LibraryPalooza.net (thanks to Stephanie Stokes for this!)

The Ugly Bug Band

http://www.uglybugband.com/

Website for an indie Canadian band described as a combination of big band and ska. The MP3 links on the their home page wouldn’t download for me, but a quick look at Myspace found them at www.myspace.com/uglybugband and you can hear their tunes there. Fun stuff.

Milwaukee Public Museum’s Puelicher Butterfly Wing

http://www.mpm.edu/exhibitions/permanent/puelicher.php

Description of one of the best exhibits at the MPM.

British Columbia’s Summer Reading Club

http://www.bcpl.gov.bc.ca/src/lib2007/

Website for the province of BC’s summer reading program in 2007, which used the “Catch the Reading Bug” theme.

Insects in Art

http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/art/index.html

Brief historical perspective on the portrayal of insects in ancient art.

http://www.artsmia.org/education/teacher-resources/fivefacts.cfm?v=60

From a teacher resource page at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts website.