Library Camp: Insect Week

We tried a new program in September: Library Camp. Children K-7th grade were invited and had to be pre-registered for each day they were going to attend. We had 4-9 kids attend Monday-Thursday. Unfortunately, we had to cancel Friday due to low registration.

Here is what we did each day.

MONDAY:

Snack: maggots and ants on a log

Completed snails

Playing "SLUG" (a version of SPUD but with hula hoops and frisbees instead of basketball)

Playing SLUG

Free play: Some chose to put on a puppet show!

Some children chose to make another snail or "create your own insect" during Free Play

Create your own insects and snails

We started Monday with expectations, two stories, and a get to know you game. Then we made snails out of paper scraps, google eyes, paper plates, glue, and tape. Then we had snack. We made maggots (yogurt covered raisins) and ants (raisins) on a log. Then we went outside to play SLUG, which is like basketball SPUD but with homemade frisbees and a hula hoop. Then we came back inside for Free Play. The children could choose to make their own insect, quiet reading, or a puppet show.

TUESDAY: 

Ladybug snack - apples, green cake frosting, craisins, peanut butter

Fingerprint insects

Library Scavenger Hunt

Learning about Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches with Toby Jacobson

Magnolia with a cockroach

On Tuesday, we again went through expectations and read two stories. Then we made our Ladybug snack. Then we made insect creatures with our fingerprints and went on a Library Scavenger Hunt. Then we learned about Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches and even got to hold and touch some! Then we had free play in the Library where children could choose a quiet activity to do alone or with a friend.

WEDNESDAY: 

Beaver Creek Reserve visited with their Dress a Butterfly program

Snack - build a spider web out of chips (the spider) string cheese (the web OR legs) and animal crackers (stuck in the web)

Wednesday started out with Dress a Butterfly with Beaver Creek Reserve. We learned all about monarchs, including an interactive walk through their life cycle. Then we made a spider web snack, which the kiddos REALLY enjoyed. They took quite a bit of time making their webs that we only had time for a story and then free play - no art activity that day!

THURSDAY:

Getting supplies together at Randall Park

Footbridge on the walking trail at Keller Park

Drawing and writing what is in his small circle at Randall Park

Investigating the ground on the walking trail at Keller Park

Keller Park 

drawing what she sees in her large circle at Keller Park

On Thursday, we walked to Randall Park and had a snack at the picnic table: graham crackers and granola bars. We spent about 20 minutes exploring the ground. Each child had paper, coloring pencils, a footlong string, and a 4 footlong string. First they made circles with their strings and examined everything they could find in those circles. They could draw pictures and/or write down what they saw. Then they could dig under the soil and move things around to see if they could find any evidence that insects had been there. Then, we walked the trail in Keller Park and did the same thing. I also had a few magnifying glasses they could use. When we got back to the Library, we shared and discussed what we found in our circles. We also discussed the differences between the parks and how the ground would look different during the different seasons.

What a great week!