Create with K'Nex

First half of program: Free build time

Since this was the first time we'd ever used K'Nex at the library we decided to give the kids some time to just play around with them and build whatever they wanted.  We had a mix of regular K'Nex and Kid K'Nex (which are bigger and geared toward younger ages.  The 1st graders really liked these.).

Chrysalis, caterpillar, butterfly

A sword

For the second half, they could do any of the following challenges.

1. Build something that moves (vehicle, skateboard, airplane)

1. Build a bridge that will hold two chapter books

Team work!

1. Build a structure that is 2 feet tall.

Definitely OVER two feet tall!

Attendance: 19, 10

Evaluation: Each year we do at least one Lego program and we wanted to mix it up a little this year, especially as we were able to purchase some K'Nex sets to be used for STEM programs!  The kids loved the change.  This is an easy to set up program.  I liked having the challenges as it gave the kids a focus (not that they really needed it, but it added a playful element).  The bridge building was awesome and it was good to see them test and redo their bridges over and over until they got it right!  When I was researching for this program I came across a video of a young man who spent a year or so building a bridge that spanned his swimming pool and would hold his weight.  For the next program, I will have to locate it and show it as the kids were fascinated by the concept.

Science with My Peeps

This program was AWESOME!  Since we knew we couldn't demonstrate many of the cool Peep experiments, we did the next best thing and showed the kids YouTube videos of the experiments!
Video: Peep Experiments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxLY1SGXV_E
This video is from a news channel and shows Peeps inside a vacuum chamber.

Video: Microwaving Peeps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRT1f5luywU
Short video showing Peeps inside a microwave. 

Experiment: Dissolving Peeps
We placed 1/2 a Peep in nail polish remover, rubbing alcohol, vinegar and water with dish detergent.  We kept checking back throughout the program to see which Peep dissolved the most. The winner was the water with dish detergent.  We figured dish detergent has enzymes in it to break down food off plates.  It was amazing to see how little the Peeps were affected by the different liquids.  Gross, really.

Game: Peep Toss
The kids had to toss Peeps into a container using a spoon.

Game: Angry Peeps
The kids had to knock down Peeps off egg cartons using large marshmallows.  

Craft: Dress Your Peep
We gave the kids lots of ribbons, fabric scraps, felt, and sequins and the got to create and dress a Peep bunny.

Craft: Peep Printing
The kids used stale Peeps as stamps.

Game: Protect Your Peep
At the end of the program, the kids all got to work together to create a castle/structure out of cardboard and tape in which they'd place their Peep.  The Peep could not be taped down itself.  Then, others would try to knock their Peep down using large marshmallows and spoons.  This was a HUGE hit and could have been the entire program.

Attendance: 28, 10
Evaluation: Another fun program.  It was surprisingly difficult to locate age appropriate Peep activities and crafts.  The games were so-so.  The plastic eggs didn't work real well on the Styrofoam egg cartons and the Peeps had trouble balancing so it was pretty easy to knock them off!  The Peep printing garnered some GREAT results as did the Peep dressing.  I liked the creativity that went into both projects.  Thank goodness for our teen volunteers!  They helped a lot with the Peep dressing, especially using the hot glue guns to help make the stuff stick.

St. Patrick's Day

Craft: Rainbow Bracelets

Before the program, we created individual bags containing three beads of each color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple).   This made sure we had enough beads for each child.  At this station, each child chose the color of their base pipe cleaner and then threaded the beads onto it.  We then twisted the ends together and tucked them inside the beads.

Craft: Shamrock Resist Rainbow Art

We prepped the canvas boards by sticking a card stock shamrock die cut to the canvas using blue painters tape.  Then, the kids used acrylic paint in rainbow colors, covering the boards.  When the shamrock was removed, it left a clear image behind.

Craft: Shamrock Rainbow Art

We taped a green construction paper shamrock to a piece of paper.  The kids used the colors of the rainbow to trace around the shamrock, making a rainbow pattern.

Our sample.

 

I love the originality!

Craft: Pot of Gold Fingerprint Rainbow

We located an image of a cauldron using Google Images, inserted it into a Microsoft Word document and printed it off on card stock.  The kids then used their fingers, dipped in tempera paint, to create the rainbow originating from the pot.

Using her finger as a brush.

Some got creative and added fingerprint shamrocks!

Game: Musical Shamrocks

We placed laminated shamrocks in a circle on the floor.  One of us sat in the middle to remove one of the shamrocks.  The other turned the music on and off.  The kids really liked playing this, although many of them walked ON the shamrocks instead of around them.

Attendance: 23, 12

Evaluation: This program was a request from the previous year.  We had a hard time finding age appropriate activities (many ideas are geared more towards preschoolers than the school age crowd).  However, it worked out really well and the kids liked all the art activities.  We also had a few books of Irish folktales for them to peruse if they finished early.

Reading!

Drying Artwork