Pi Day

Mar 31, 2015

$1-50

Byline

Tammy Mulhearn, Head of Youth Services, Livingston (La.) Parish Library

Celebrate Einstein's birthday and the most awesome Pi Day ever! Enjoy a puppet show, games and check out a book in order to "pi" a librarian.

Advanced Planning

The branch's youth librarian began planning for Pi Day two months prior to the event by creating a plan and budget. We also created and rehearsed a puppet show and made a booth for the "pi a librarian" activity. Our goal for the program was to introduce kids to Einstein and teach them how to work with pi.

Marketing

Pi Day was promoted in the library branch, our newsletter, at outreach events and on our website, through fliers and posters.

Budgeting

The budget for this event was spent on whipped cream (to pi the librarian), prizes for games, calculators, sticker paper and a round chocolate cake.

Day-of-event Activity

Pi Day began with the "Einstein Bakes a Cake" puppet show. Afterwards, the kids sang happy birthday to Einstein and enjoyed measuring, then eating, a round birthday cake. Following this, kids had the option to participate in the following activities:

Simon Pi: Repeat the digits of pi, in the style of the Simon memory game.
Pi Cakes: Measure the circumference and diameter of cookie tins decorated as birthday cakes for Einstein and calculate pi.
Pi Bracelets: Create bracelets with beads where each color represented a different number.
Circle Play: Play with hula hoops and balls.
"Pi" the Librarian: Check out a book in order to put a pie (actually whipped cream on a foam plate) into the librarian's face.

Program Execution

Thirty-one people attended the event, and everyone had a great time. The kids enjoyed all the activities and were especially excited about "pi-ing" the librarian.