• Lists

    12 Books About Chess for Kids

    chess header

    We’ve been lucky enough to have an amazing volunteer willing to help us at my library by offering chess classes for our kids! Thankfully, we have a volunteer because my staff and I know a little bit about chess, but not enough to offer a series of classes for beginner…

  • Activities

    AtoZ Blogging Challenge – Real-Size Board Games

    Program Name: Life-Size Board Games What: Imagine your favorite board game as a kid, now imagine that board game full-size and playing as the game piece! We’ve offered Life-Size Clue, Candyland and Chutes & Ladders. These have been a huge hit and although it takes a little planning, they’re a lot of…

  • Reviews

    #blogbookaday: The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors

    Summary:  “You’ve played the game. Now read the legend of how it all began . . . Long ago, in an ancient and distant realm called the Kingdom of Backyard, there lived a warrior named ROCK. Meanwhile in the Empire of Mom’s Home Office, a second great warrior sought the glory…

  • Reviews

    Book Review: Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race

    I was so excited to get an ARC of Mr. Lemoncello’s Great Library Race by Chris Grabenstein at BEA a couple weeks ago and bonus – I got it signed! This has become one of my favorite middle grade series for its adventure and library focused scavenger hunts. This most recent…

  • Activities

    Star Wars Party

    Have you ever had one of those programs that you started planning and after it was over it looked nothing like the way you planned?  That was our Star Wars party.  When I originally began planning the program I talked with my supervisor and we decided on reserving our large…

  • Activities

    Life-Size Chutes & Ladders

    I cannot claim the genius of this idea, those props have to go to Amy at her blog, The Show Me Librarian. Last fall we offered Life-Size Candyland and Clue at our library and the kids had a blast. If you’re thinking about adding this type of programming, Chutes &…

  • Activities

    Chocolate Party

    Tonight, we’re having a chocolate party for our middle school service group, Junior Friends.  We’re actually creating a two-part party, which means more chocolate for everyone!  I also think it’s a great time of year to have something like this (with Valentine’s Day right around the corner) and it doesn’t …

  • Lifestyle

    Red Cape + Underwear = Captain Underpants

    A red cape and underwear can only mean one thing – Captain Underpants! We hosted a Captain Underpants program last night and if the giggles were any indication, the kids had a blast!  We began the evening taking a few minutes to read aloud from Captain Underpants and the Big,…

  • Activities

    Simple Middle School Programming

    For some libraries, getting middle schoolers to frequent programs can be very difficult!  In our library we are fortunate to have a solid group of kids that come to regularly scheduled programs for the middle school age group (grades 5 – 8).  During the summer, it’s usually around 40, but…

  • Activities

    Environmental Jeopardy

    During April we try to provide a few events focused around Earth Day – this year we’re offering a story time, a recycled jewelry program, a story stroll at the park during the Park & Rec Department Earth Day celebration, and Environmental Jeopardy for the middle schoolers. We give the…