Wonder Time is an engaging program that encourages curiosity and self-expression. Children discover that learning is fun!
Each Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m., kids have an opportunity to “wonder” about something. The program is geared toward (but not limited to) children ages 6 to 14.
Builder’s Club: Tween Edition is a hands-on, collaborative STEAM program for children ages 9 to 14. During each session, a library facilitator introduces a new topic for tweens to explore and practice.
Like the increasingly popular "escape rooms" — in which players solve a series of puzzles to break out of a room — Breakouts use a compelling story, time limit, and series of puzzles to create an interactive game. But instead of breaking out of a locked room, students must work together to break into a tightly locked box before the timer runs out. Puzzles lead to the combinations for the different types of locks, and many games also include a digital element.
Talking Truth was initiated in fall 2015 to support and build on understanding of climate disruption. Our experiential workshops employ storytelling, reflective writing, discussions and mindfulness exercises that foster a world that is socially transforming.
It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Or an axle. Or a 24-tooth crown gear. Or all of them in one sitting.
That was the challenge we faced here at Mid-Continent Public Library as we planned to make LEGO WeDo kits available for programs at our 31 branches. How do you circulate 40 kits throughout the system without losing most of the pieces — and your mind?
TED talks — Technology, Education, Design — are an international phenomenon where speakers share big ideas in short, inspiring speeches. TEDxYDL (Ypsilanti District Library) is an independently organized event in the spirit of TED talks. The audience hears from local speakers on a variety of topics around the theme "Invent. Create. Change."
ALA invites applications from public libraries in the United States and territories interested in hosting the traveling exhibition World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration, developed by the American Anthropological Association and the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
ALA, in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s (NMNH) Human Origins Program, invites applications from public libraries interested in hosting the traveling exhibition Exploring Human Origins: Promoting a National Conversation on Human Evolution.
Two solar eclipses are coming to North America. An Annular Eclipse in 2023 and a Total Eclipse in 2024. Public librarians – get ready!
Navajo Astronomy was a hybrid program comprised of three virtual and in-person sessions presented in both the English and Diné languages during the winter months of January through early March. The program described traditional Navajo astronomy, constellations, and the unique way in which Navajo people view the cosmos. Presentations covered winter storytelling and discussions of Navajo culture and ceremonies.
Traditionally, winter stories are only told during the winter months which meant that the library was culturally not allowed to record the stories.Â
Staff at the St. Louis County Public Library in Missouri have incorporated STEAM into their library programming for years. Desiree Schumann, project coordinator, youth services, says that the library knew from early on that STEAM would be a priority.
Though fun STEM tech programming is often reserved for the younger crowd, many libraries are hosting successful programs that introduce retirees to robots, VR headsets and other trendy tech.
The Plant Share and Propagation Library is an area where patrons can donate loose cuttings and/or small potted plants to share. This area is the first part of our makerspace that has a STEAM identity and embraces the heritage of Catawba County, one of artisans, craftsman, textiles, furniture and entrepreneurship.
Books and Baking is a pre-recorded read-aloud program followed by hands-on learning (using a take-and-make kit) in attendees' home kitchens. The goal is for families to participate in everyday STEM, tied in with literacy, to learn the science behind baking.Â
This program was hosted in celebration of Dinovember, a month-long event where plastic dinosaurs come to life as children sleep. Children were given a take-and-make activity that included an egg-hatching challenge, one DIY dinosaur fossil craft, and a writing activity in which children filled out an official Dinosaur Adoption Certificate.
The writing activity helps younger kids practice or learn how to write their names, see how they look in print, etc., and let them get creative in naming their dinosaur.
On December 22, 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope will launch into space! Using revolutionary and advanced technology, the infrared telescope will study every phase of cosmic history. Will the greatest questions on the origins of our universe finally be solved?
Get ready for this historic event at your library by directing curious patrons to reliable information. The launch also serves as the perfect opportunity to plan some fun STEAM programming virtually or in-person!
Public and tribal libraries are invited to apply for NASA@ My Library, a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) education initiative that will increase and enhance STEAM learning opportunities for library patrons throughout the nation, including geographic areas and populations currently underrepresented in STEAM education.
The STEAM Club at Home, which focuses on science, technology, engineering, art and math, offers enrichment activities for kids in grades K-5.
This month, I created "fossil bricks" by mixing a plaster and adding real fossils that I purchased online. Participants picked up the bricks and other materials in advance, and we met virtually to learn about fossils and excavate the fossils from their bricks.
If you do children’s programming, scientists can be a terrific tool in your toolkit. Space scientists, biologists, engineers — they can all introduce kids to an eye-popping world of discovery. 
It can be hard to reach new segments of your community with the library doors closed. How can your library use the community partnerships you already have to reach patrons during the pandemic? What new community relationships can help you promote library offerings during this difficult time?
For the Gwinnett County (Ga.) Public Library (GCPL), one of the answers has been food banks.
