Music Lab for Kids: Musical Instrument Free Play

Usually after Learn and Grow with Rhythm and Flow (LGRF), I host a half-hour program where kiddos can play with musical instruments that we don't use in the storytime and make a DIY instrument of their own with household objects. The first four months that I did this program, it got harder and harder to collect enough recycled objects to make the instruments as the numbers for the program grew. Luckily, around the time I figured that out, we were also trying to spend the rest of our budget before the end of the fiscal year.

I knew I wouldn't be doing the DIY instrument component of the program anymore, but still wanted to keep the spirit of Music Lab alive. So, I requested a large set of musical instruments from Lakeshore Learning, some ribbon bells, and some star-shaped tambourines. Armed with my snazzy new toys, I entered Music Lab today with confidence that the program will be just as fun without a craft component. In addition to the new instruments, I set out our sets of egg shakers and rhythm sticks. 84 people came to LGRF, and the number grew to 101 for Music Lab! Judging by the pictures, it looks like everyone had a great time with the instruments.

Bubbles!

Baby making music

Exploring the ribbon bells

Friends making music

This lil dude bonded with his tiny cymbals

Big group!

They figured out new uses for some instruments, like this tambourine drum

Teen Scavenger Hunt

The end of summer means another thank you party for the teen volunteers! They do so much good work for us that the staff always throws them an after-hours party complete with food, activities, and party favors. Allow me to present, a group picture of everyone who attended the party, which was about a third of our SRP volunteer class of 2019.

This year, I was in charge of running the party along with one of the building managers. I found an app called GooseChase that makes it incredibly easy to make scavenger hunts for groups and/or students, and they even have an educator option that lets you access much of the app's features for free! GooseChase let me create my hunt easily using the desktop computer, then let me password protect it so only our teens would have access. After everyone downloaded the app and signed in to our activity, they formed two- or three-person teams and ran off. One thing I would do differently if I do another teen scavenger hunt using digital devices is to add more challenges. Tonight's had twelve, and they were all back within 15 minutes!

Dinner was pizza and fruit, and the movie was the incomparable 1996 classic Matilda, but let's get to the real important part: the scavenger hunt. In my humble opinion, the best part of having teen programs after hours is the opportunity to run around and be loud in the stacks while there are no patrons there to complain. It's silly, fun, and lets the teens unwind in a casual environment after working hard for two months.

AWE Computers: Take a picture of you and/or a friend playing at the AWE computers in the Children's Room.

Books: See how many books you can balance in top of your head. Have a teammate take a picture before they fall!

Children's Room Colors: Find the wall in the Children's Room that you think has the best color, and take a picture in front of it.

First Time: Find an area in the library that you have never used (or haven't used a lot), and take a picture there.

Friends: Take a picture with someone who is NOT on your scavenger hunting team.

Furniture: Find your favorite piece of furniture in the library, and have someone take ap cture of you using it.

Mirror: Find a mirror somewhere in the library and take a mirror selfie. The more creative, the better!

Picture Book: Find a picture book you read as a kid, and take a picture with it.

Purple: Find a purple object and take a selfie with it.

Sorter: Take a group picture of your scavenger hunting team by the front check-in area and/or sorter.

Study Rooms: Take a picture inside one of the study rooms.

Tables: Take a picture under a table!