America's Awesome Kids from PBS

As the United States turns 250 years old, PBS is encouraging us to "learn about the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our fellow Americans and to appreciate what we have in common." They have created America's Awesome Kids featuring stories of kids from around the United States.

You can checkout America's Awesome Kids here.

[America's Awesome Kids. pbskids.org. Accessed 6/15/2026.]

UW-Madison iSchool Spring Youth Courses

There are some great youth librarianship courses planned by the iSchool's Continuing Education Department this spring. These are great ways to add to your library knowledge and skillsets from your home  office or home. 

Sustainably Grow Your Summer Library Program

February 10 - March 9 (4 weeks)

• Online/asynchronous
• $165 (Register 2 weeks early for 10% off)
• Instructor: Dawn Tevis, La Crosse County Library

Looking for ways to keep your Summer Library Program (SLP) energized and relevant? This course will help you rework your programming in accordance with ALA’s sustainability guidelines, bringing environmentally sound, economically feasible, and socially equitable policies to your library. Learn how a sustainability mindset and the unique characteristics of your community can transform your SLP endeavors and bring resilience, potential, and change to your community. Then apply this knowledge and a wealth of ideas to develop a program that will fit into your upcoming summer library program plan.

Learning outcomes: 

• Understand the history and purpose of SLPs
• Explore sustainability as a core library value and its impact on your SLP strategy
• Evaluate the unique characteristics and possibilities of your location to determine innovative programming possibilities and partnerships
• Create a sustainable summer program plan rooted in your community’s needs to help ensure your SLP thrives now and into the future

This class is ideal for youth librarians and staff in both rural and urban areas who are new to the field, as well as those who have experience and want to re-energize themselves and their work with current sustainability-based best practices and innovations.  

For more info and to register, click here.

Connect and Engage: Effective Youth Outreach Strategies for Libraries

Feb 17-March 30 (6 weeks) 

• Online/asynchronous
• $275 (Register 2 weeks early for 10% off)
• Instructor: Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library

Are you looking to reach a wider youth audience and engage the underserved community? In this course, we will focus on effective outreach strategies, tips and tricks, and essential tools to connect with the youth community. These include tools on how to evaluate your patron population, conduct a needs assessment, and form meaningful new partnerships in your community. Join us to learn how to create engaging, inclusive, and impactful programs that resonate with today’s youth.

By the end of this course, learners will: 

• Understand youth needs and trends
• Develop effective outreach programs
• Utilize new engagement strategies
• Form strategic partnerships
• Evaluate and improve outreach efforts
• Implement sustainable practices

This course is designed for any library worker looking to expand their outreach services or get a better understanding of outreach best practices for youth. 

For more info and to register, click here.

Playing Around: The Library’s Role in Playful Learning for Young Children

March 31 - May 11 (6 weeks)

• Online/asynchronous
• $275 (Register 2 weeks early for 10% off)
• Instructor: Kelsey Johnson-Kaiser, St. Paul (MN) Public Library

Play and learning are two sides of the same coin. Young children learn essential skills through play, yet access to play and play spaces is being reduced across the country. Libraries can serve a critical gap in any community by offering opportunities for free, safe, fun spaces that allow children and caregivers to play together. This course explores how to positively impact access to play and help children ages 0-5 thrive through a combination of theory-based learning and practical tools. We will focus on research about play and the ways play influences literacy; building a play culture in your library; and creating high-quality play spaces in a library of any size and any budget. Participants will emerge with an understanding of the ways libraries can support play and how to make change at their own institution. 

Learning outcomes:

• Understand of the importance of play for children’s healthy development
• Understand and be able to articulate the role of libraries in supporting playful learning
• create a basic play philosophy for their libraries
• Develop a personalized play plan for their libraries
• Identify sustainable strategies for play space maintenance

Who should take this class?  Staff who serve youth ages 0-5 in public libraries.

For more information and to register, click here.

Creating a Welcoming Space for Immigrant and Refugee Families

April 7 -May 4 (4 weeks)

• Online/asynchronous
• $165 (Register 2 weeks early for 10% off)
• Instructor: Jacqui Kociubuk, UW-Madison iSchool PhD Candidate

While immigrant and refugee children and families are a growing presence in many of our communities, it is difficult to know how we can best serve them. Through this course, you will learn about and explore best practices for cultivating a welcoming space and supportive library services to immigrant and refugee children and families both in and beyond the physical library walls.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand how to create a welcoming library space for immigrant and refugee families.
• Explore strategies for cultivating trust and building relationships between immigrant families, the community, and the library.
• Learn best practices and approaches for providing services, resources, and programs to immigrant and refugee children and families.
• Identify and assess opportunities for community partnerships to help expand and support services to immigrant and refugee families.

This course is designed for library staff who are interested in learning more about how to connect with and design library programs, services, and resources for children and families who are New Americans, immigrants, and/or refugees.

For more information and to register, click here.

Tutorial: What are all of these Literacies? An Overview of New & Foundational Literacies for Librarians and Educators

• Online & Self-paced
• Cost: $100.00
• Tutorial Designer: Layla Coleman

The number of literacies that individuals are being asked to establish and maintain in order to participate in today’s society continues to change and grow. With the advent of new literacies and shifts in the ways that schools are teaching foundational measures of literacy, what is an information professional to do? This course overviews the wide array of literacies that anyone working in library or youth spaces may need to understand, teach, or create programming around. These include but are not limited to: school-based measures of foundational literacy (including “leveled readers”, the science of reading, and balanced literacy approaches) and digital literacy, media literacy, and information literacy.

In this tutorial, learners will

• Explore the origins of foundational literacy (the abilities to read, write, and communicate) and identify how foundational literacies are frequently approached in school settings.
• Examine how children and youth establish digital literacies and media literacies.
• Consider the social and cultural factors that impact literacies and how libraries can be influential in literacy development.
• Discuss how information literacy guidance and programming has changed in library and education spaces.
• Reflect on the different ways that literacy learning intersects and connects with your own library’s needs, resources, and programming.

This is a self-paced course that will be available for access as soon as you register. You have up to one year from your registration date to complete the course.

You will automatically receive instructions for setting up your account after you register. Once your login information is set up, please access the course at http://canvas.wisc.edu.

For more information and to register, click here.

New Graphic Novel Lists

Looking to beef up your graphic novel collections for kids of all ages at your library?  The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has you covered.

Their Quicklists Consulting committee team recently updated lists for Grades K-2; Gr 3-5 and Gr 6-8. You can access these free to download lists here.

WAPL Conference is Chockful of Youth Content!

It's time for WLA's WI Assoc of Public Libraries (WAPL) spring conference and it's all virtual. You can register for this 4 day conference featuring over 36 events here. Below are the selection of 13 programs with specific youth content. But there is so much more: programs on virtual and remote programming and outreach, reader's advisory and a host of social events. This is a can't miss event to refresh you and bring you together with your WI library peers!

Early bird registration (before April 16) is the way to go - just $85. After that, it's $95 for WLA members; $25 for students and $115 for non-members. 

Match Titles to Empower Readers    Tues, 5/4, 9:30 -10:30 am

Join this hands-on session and discover how the tools on Book Connections can match readers to titles. Create interactive spaces that spotlight book creators, hook readers, and help them choose titles to read. Leave with ideas for how to energize your space with interactive displays and audio resources to make your shelves talk. Designed to engage and excite readers, Book Connections is the public library interface for TeachingBooks, provided through Badgerlink, so that all Wisconsin libraries have equitable access. This session is sponsored by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Speakers: Mary Ellen Graf and Crystal Ballard from TeachingBooks

Programing Hinterlands: Taking New Skills into Library Programing Post-pandemic. Tues, 5/4, 10:45 -11:45 am

We present a case that argues for the continuation of virtual and at-home programing beyond the need for social distancing practices. Examples and current processes will be shared. Speakers: Sheri Dunhams and Jodi Schultz, Neenah Public Library

Keynote - Eric Klinenberg, author of PALACES FOR THE PEOPLE Tues, 5/4, Noon-1:00 pm

Don't Stand So Close to Me     Tues, 5/4,  1:30- 2:30 pm

Join us and see how our small town library was able to have in-person programs while physically distancing yet still maintaining a social connection. Learn how we proactively engaged our community during our "new normal" with fun programs like The Amazing Race using transmitter headsets to keep in contact with our participants on their car radios. Other programs like Drive-in Bingo and Community I-Spy kept our patrons from losing a sense of community while keeping a sensible distance. We converted existing programs into kit distribution for patrons to pick up with curbside appointments. Families who loved attending our escape rooms or adult DIY crafts were able to pick up kits to complete at home. Speakers: Kristie Hauer and Paige Crawford Shawano County Library

 Urban Libraries SIG Presents – Building Community Partnerships to Host a Teen Job Fair Tues, 5/4,  1:30- 2:30 pm

Finding summer employment for teens has gotten easier due to the efforts of the Milwaukee Public Library, particularly its creation of the Teen Job Fair at the Center Street Branch. This presentation traces our initiative from conception to completion. Our Teen Job Fair allowed teens to overcome barriers to inclusivity to obtain their first job. Participants will be exposed to strategies on how to organize a teen job fair, building community partnerships, and create online surveys that will meet your library's needs. This session is sponsored by the Urban Libraries Special Interest Group. Speakers: Kirsten Thompson, Jenny Wright and Mark Zimmerman, Milwaukee Public Library

MadLibs with YSS   Tues, 5/4 ,  7:00- 8:00 pm

Virtual Mad Libs with a Children's/Young Adult Literature theme. Host: Jenny Wegener, YSS Chair

But Wait...There's More! Exploring Subscription Boxes in Public Libraries Wed, 5/5,  9:30-10:30 am

Subscription boxes are a fun and trendy way to get teens reading again, but they are a lot of work. Or are they? Three libraries of different sizes discuss how they made the program work for them and how you can too. Speakers:Elisha Sheffer,Rhinelander Library; Emily Sanders, Barrett Memorial Library; Abby Landers, La Crosse Public Library

Inside the CCBC    Wed, 5/5, 10:45 -11:45 am

The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) has been serving Wisconsin public and school librarians since it opened its doors in 1963. Across the years, what those services look like have changed, but the library's commitment to maintaining a hands-on book examination center and providing in-depth information about literature for children and teens and related issue has been constant. Join CCBC librarians Merri Lindgren and Megan Schliesman for this overview of current CCBC services to Wisconsin librarians, including the library's annual best-of-the-year list and intellectual freedom information services, and an in-depth look at resources on the CCBC's revamped web site. They'll also take a brief walk through some highlights of CCBC history. Speakers: Merri Lindgren and Megan Schliesman, CCBC

Strengthen the partnership with your schools to prevent COVID & Summer Slide Wed 5/5, 1:30 pm-2:30 pm

Strengthen your library-school partnerships to help better engage students all year. With the existing problem of summer learning loss exacerbated by COVID, many students are at risk of falling behind. The Beanstack team will share how their "tandems" system gives students the option to safely sync Beanstack accounts with their public library and school. This allows families to simultaneously participate in reading challenges at their school and library during summer reading, and all year long. Your library continues to receive unique data and drive engagement while your school partners gain a deeper understanding of student reading behaviors all year. Speakers: Lindsey Hill, David Hopp, Rebekah Garrety and Felix Lloyd, ZooBean

Whole Library Programming: A Look at Adult and Youth Librarian Collaboration Thur 5/6, 9:30 -10:30 am

Are you looking to increase the adaptability of your library programming while providing efficient and enjoyable programming for all ages? Attend this session to learn how to implement Whole Library Programming in your library which focuses on the collaboration between Adult Services and Youth Services Librarians. Speakers: Julia Birch and Minda Maurer,Jefferson Public Library

Intergenerational Storytime & Penpal Programming    Thur, 5/6, 10:45 -11:45 am

This session explores an option for effectively planning and executing virtual intergenerational programming in the community during the pandemic. Outreach has always been a fundamental principle of the library world and an imperative duty of librarians, which has become increasingly true in the past year. The speaker will outline from beginning to finish how to successfully set up, run, and conclude a virtual intergenrational storytime program including a pen pal component with your school district and senior center. Speaker: Jamie Mercer, W.J. Niederkorn Library

"Where's Waldo?": Finding Teens Online   Fri, 5/7, 9:30 -10:30 am

Instagram? TikTok? Discord? Where are your teen patrons when they're online and how do you reach them? Librarians from four different communities will share how they have navigated connecting with teens through online platforms, both prior to and during a global pandemic. Learn how they've handled what can feel like a daunting process, from deciding what platforms to try, getting administration on board, and figuring out the ethics of following back. This session is sponsored by the Youth Services Section (YSS). Speakers: Abby Seymour, E.D. Locke Public Library; Sussanah Gilbert, Kenosha Public Library; Alicia Woodland, McMillan Memorial Library and Taylor Wilcox, Waupaca Area Public Library

Thinking Inside the Box: How One Youth Services Department Delivered Programs During COVID-19   Fri, 5/7 10:45 -11:45 am

When COVID-19 hit, the Youth & Family Services staff at the Kenosha Public Library were issued a novel challenge: fit an entire children's program inside a 9x5x4" take-out box. Multiply by 60. Repeat. In this session, you will learn how one library leaned into change with creativity, flexibility, and open minds to design 73 different programs-in-a-box that served more than 4,500 children, teens, and families over the course of 8 months. This session is sponsored by the Youth Services Section (YSS). Speakers Heather Thompson, Tessa Fox, Kenosha Public Library

Talking to Kids About COVID-19

Three short great resources that just came across our feeds:

How to Talk With Children About COVID-19: An early childhood education expert provides tips about how to explain the ongoing pandemic to children. Smithsonian Magazine (thanks ALSC for the link!)  3/26/20

Explaining Physical Distancing to Your Little Kid with This Video. Lifehacker blog 3/25/20

If Your Kids Have Coronavirus Questions, the NYT's Science Reporter has Answers.  (describes a great 30 minute podcast) 3/27/20. Lifehacker

For more information and resources on resources for kids/families, please see earlier posts in our 

Kids Resources YSS COVID-19 series:

Back to School Picture Books for Teaching Coronavirus Procedures 8/11/20

ALSC’s #Looktolibraries Resources 8/4/20

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

Guest Post: Letters to Santa Program

Guest Post: Katelyn Noack, Mondovi Public Library

What is the program?

Pretty straightforward, it is about having kids (or anyone) write a letter to Santa! Only, Librarian’s KNOW Santa and have been promised that every child will receive a personal response from the North Pole. Pretty cool.

How did you come up with it?

A few years ago, I learned that the United States Postal Service (USPS) does a pretty cool thing where you can mail Santa letters ‘to the North Pole’ AKA Alaska, and the post office will postmark them from the North Pole and mail them back. So instead of your letter having a beautiful stamp saying it was processed in St. Paul (or wherever) it came FROM the North Pole. I wanted to take advantage of this program because I knew it would basically only cost me postage. For all the mailing information please see the link to the USPS website. It includes where to mail the letters and HOW to mail the letters.

https://about.usps.com/holidaynews/letters-from-santa.htm

Quick Background on Previous Years

I have done Letters to Santa for about three years now. The first time it was done directly after Story Time and I mainly had a bunch of blank papers with foam stickers and crayon on it. Live and learn. Then the next year I have Letters to Santa as an all-day drop in station. I designed some fun paper for the attendees to write on and left out instructions. It went well and we had about 30 letters turned in (large for our town!). However, after the program I received feedback from a few participants that it didn’t feel very “special” or “magical” that they were by themselves writing these letters. I took that to heart and made the program more of an event this year, versus a “drop-in”.

What I Did This Year:

First off, I designed a form fill letter instead of a blank sheet. I had a hard time crafting individual responses to an orange crayon squiggle. I also created an optional blank page that could be attached to the letter if the attendee wanted to write more or draw a picture. I also created envelopes to match the letters. I designed everything on Canva and only had to purchase some blank envelopes (no letterhead). Pro Tip: For your responses, unless you LOVE the taste of envelopes, save yourself and get pull seal ones. Trust me. I also created a USPS mailbox out of a Baker and Taylor shipping box for the attendees to put their letters in to “mail them”.  (Blue paint and a hot glue gun)

To make it more “magical” and interactive I had a few other stations as well. There was a snack station and a craft station. For the snack station I made Jell-O jigglers (gluten free, dairy free, nut free, etc. free) out of green and red Jell-O and for the craft station I had the kids make stockings. I made a template and we printed out a bunch on white cardstock and the same number on red cardstock. Before the program the staff cut out all the stockings and they were paired up. The white when on top of the red and they were hole punched all around. Then for the craft attendees decorated the white stocking with crayons, and festive foam stickers. When they were done, they could “sew” their stocking together with yarn – yay for fine motor skills!

Finally, as our last piece of “magic” we had a special visitor come who was going to take the letters back to the North Pole with her! One of our Friends had an elf costume and volunteered to be at the event. It was a wonderful highlight (even if some of the itty-bittys got scared by the costume).

How did it go?

Unfortunately, it did not go well. We had about three families come, and a total of 7 letters turned in. It was a drastic change from the year before. However, the kids who did come had a bunch of fun!

What went wrong?

Here are a few of my theories:

• It was the time. While the drop-in activity may have been “less magical” it gave families the flexibility to stop by when they could. This event ran from 3 PM to 4:30 PM and didn’t seem to work out for many people.
• It was the week of Thanksgiving. Last year we did the program the first week in December, which worked well but I received feedback that some of the kid’s letters did not return until the day AFTER Christmas. (Hey, Alaska is far away!) So, this year I moved it up a week! But it just so happens that we had a late Thanksgiving and therefore the dates coincided, and the program was the Monday before the Holiday. Many people are too busy around the holidays for much extra and that also make have been a factor in low attendance.

Tips/Notes

• If you want to save your hand, you can have the caregiver write a response to their tiny human or at least make them aware of the option.
• Make sure you have a legible return address! I have three siblings all write a variation of the same return address. Yikes. You could have caregivers pre-address the envelopes too if you wished.
• Supplies were paper (which we had), printing (lot of printing), self-seal envelopes (Amazon – 100 for $9.00),  yarn to stitch stockings (which we already had), foam stickers for decorating (Michaels – with coupon I think it was $2.50 for 150 pieces), Jell-O, and postage. This program is more time than cost.

Where are the printables?! GIMME GIMME
Click HERE for printables from this program

Guest Post: Holiday Placemat Craft

Author: Kent Barnard, Director, Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose, WI

Since the second year I started here at the library, I have done this craft the week or so before Thanksgiving.  It is easy and gives everyone a lasting memory of that year.  I currently have the past 4 years on my wall (one year I forgot to have the kids make mine!).

You will need:

Burlap fabric – 12” X 24” depending on number of children, you could make a runner instead.

Washable Paint – We use acrylic – I like one color for each child.

Small paper plates

1” or so paintbrushes

Painting shirts (old t-shirts)

Sharpies

Storytime Kids With Caregivers!

1.      Set up as many stations as you have children.  Each station will have a piece of burlap, and an empty paper plate.

2.      Let each child choose their color (the more colors the better!)

3.      Have each child - and their caregiver – go to a station.

4.      Put on painting shirts as desired. (not all kids will wear one)

5.      Pour some paint on the plate and have the caregiver paint the child’s hand with a paintbrush,

6.      Or just push the hand into the paint, I have found that painting works better.  (We have also found that boys do not generally like to be painted as much as girls - go figure!)

7.      The caregiver now pushes the hand straight down on the burlap.

8.      When done – everyone rotates to the next burlap  - we go clockwise.

9.      Continue until everyone is finished.  Now have a snack and let them dry!

10.  Finally, I write the year on all the burlap pieces and then parents can write their child’s name next to their handprint on all the pieces.

11.  Now each family has a really cute burlap “placemat” and a record of their child’s handprint!

You do not have to have a separate color for each child, but it is easier to remember who is who.  One year I had three kids do brown!  I love these, and I like to show them to the kids that are now grown up!  Make sure you get one for yourself!

Helping Kids Fall in Love . . . with BOOKS!

MICHELLE MARTIN / SHUTTERSTOCK / THE ATLANTIC

Just this week over at the Atlantic, Ashley Fetters interviewed University of Washington professor Michelle Martin, a children's library services specialist.   Martin is working to give librarians and teachers tools for connecting students of all backgrounds to books that will make them fall in love with reading.  Her stand-out creation, Camp Read-A-Rama, is a melding of her passion for outdoor learning and enthusiasm for children's literature.  Martin calls her approach "reducing the distance between books and life."  Find out why and how she has successfully engaged children, families, and educators with her dedication and innovation HERE.

Mental Health Resources for Children and Caregivers

A couple weeks ago I shared a great resource list of nonfiction for teens regarding mental health.  This week, I was pleased to find that Kaitlin Frick over at the ALSC Blog has shared a great compilation of websites and books "to assist young people and their caregivers in recognizing and dealing with mental health conditions".  Websites of note include the Child Mind Institute and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  The book list includes The Rabbit Listened (Cori Doerrfeld) and The Goldfish Boy (Lisa Thompson).  These resources can help young patrons gain a better understanding of mental health conditions and assist their caregivers with early recognition and support.

Check out the post and all the great resources HERE.

Guest Post: Plush Puppy Adoption Party!

This week's blog post and super rad program idea comes to you from
Tricia Cox, Children's Librarian at Waterford Public Library!

Guest Post: Plush Puppy Adoption Party

Author: Tricia Cox, Children's Librarian, Waterford Public Library

On Wednesday, July 31, Waterford Library hosted a Plush Puppy Adoption Party!

All summer long patrons had been asked to donate small, beanie-baby-sized stuffed dogs for us to use at the party. We also asked all participants to bring an item from Wisconsin Humane Society’s wish list to donate at the party. We delivered those items to the Milwaukee Campus later in August.

At the program, the first step for each participant was to choose a plush puppy to adopt forever. Puppies were displayed in a children’s plastic pool.

Next, participants chose a dog bed and a carrier for their new pet. Beds were made and donated by the Loose Ends Sewing Group.

All new dog owners were then invited to make an adoption certificate for their new dog and draw a picture of themselves with their new pet on the back.

Children then stayed to play with their new dog. There was a station where kids could make a collar and a leash for their new pet, a pretend play center with veterinarian’s kit, face painting, graham cracker Scooby Snacks, and a quiet corner for kids to read to their new dog. We had 97 people attend!

Kohl's Building Blocks Webinar: Social and Emotional Development in Young Children

The Kohl's Building Blocks Program will be hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 12:00 pm CST.

Our topic will be "Social and Emotional Development in Young Children".  This webinar will help parents, educators and professionals understand and recognize the social and emotional milestones for children from birth to age 5 while discussing ways to support their social and emotional development.

Please register for this webinar at:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3455157414205034252

Guest Post: Kitty Party!

Author: Sara Soukup, Head of Youth Services, Lake Geneva Public Library

When I saw Fancy Nancy: Oodles of Kittens, I knew I wanted to have a Kitten Party at the Library.  I knew our local Lakeland Animal Shelter did outreach at some of the other libraries, and so I emailed them to ask if they could bring oodles of kittens to my library in July.  They said they could, for FREE. On the day of the program, not only did their volunteers bring tons of kittens, but they also brought kitty corrals to keep them in, which we spread through the room. They brought litterboxes for the corrals, and little toys for the kittens to play with. Before the children came in, they cut the kittens claws, and wiped them down with cleaning wipes. Then the kitties were ready for their adoring fans.

And there were so many fans! I did TRY to have preregistration. I capped my program at 50 people. But, I couldn’t turn away little ones who really wanted to come see the kitties! I kept adding more and more families to the list. Not everyone who registers comes, right? Well, we ended up with all 60 people who had signed-up, and a few summer camps and daycares who had not! We had so many people that they couldn’t all fit in the open space I had carved out for seating during the story part of the program.

So, I split them into two groups. I told them that the daycamps and daycares would play with the kittens first. I invited the families to hang out in the Picture Book Room to wait. I assured them that in a half hour we would switch.

Before I let the families leave, I gave everyone the rules:

1.      Kittens are babies. We don’t want to scare the babies, right? So we have to be quiet. Use your inside voices.

2.      Also, we’re not going to freak out. If a kitty crawls out of its pen, just gently put it back. Like that one right there… During this part of the program the pens were full of kittens showing us how good they were at climbing.

3.      If a kitten scratches you, don’t freak out. Put the kitten gently back in its pen and find your grown-up. We have a first aid kit, and you’ll be fine. Remember, these are babies!

At first, the day camp/daycare children sat in chairs lined up along the walls, and the volunteers from Lakeland handed out kittens. They showed the kids how to hold them. My teen volunteers helped distribute the kittens. While the kids were rowdy, I didn’t see anyone mistreat the kitties.

When a half hour had passed, I had the day camps/cares file out, and the families came in. The parents helped their children hold the kitties. One mom asked me to help her 4 and 6 year old how to hold a kitten. This was the first time they had ever done such a thing. It was adorable to hear the kitten start purring while her daughter held it. Finally, near the end of the program, a father came up to me and said, “I signed the papers.” He had adopted one of the kittens with his daughter! “It fell asleep while we were holding it. It was too cute. We sent pictures to her mom, and everything.”

 When the program was over, Lakeland cleaned up everything. They put all the kittens back into their kitten carriers. They packed up the litterboxes and kitty toys, and folded up the pens. It was so simple and fast.

This program was such a success that I plan to host it again next summer, with a few changes, of course.

·         Registration: One sheet for families, one sheet for daycamps/cares. ONLY 50 people per sheet. And only those people who are on the list may enter.

·         Time: The program for families will be from 2:00 pm.--2:45 pm. The program for daycamps/cares will be from 2:45 pm—3:30 pm.

·         Program: Just kitten cuddles, no crafts or storytime needed

All in all, this was a great program. We partnered with another organization in our community. We had amazing attendance. Set up and clean up was a breeze. And baby kitties found forever homes.