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Hints When Doing Activity Boxes When deciding what themes to use – pick ones that are the kids favorites, ones that you use over and over, themes that they use in preschool, and themes that you have extra books for already. To get ideas, check out activity boxes and kits in other libraries before starting yours. Get ideas for consolidating various boxes. Check their boxes for themes and what they use for realia. When you are deciding on how many boxes and bags to do, consider the amount of space that you have for them to be stored/displayed when they are in library. Will you need to remove something from a possible storage area or will you need to buy shelves for them to sit on? Decide what age range your boxes are going to serve. Three to six years is a good range. Decide on the types of items you are going to put into each box. There will be a lot of things that are duplicated. Types of things that can be included are: Books Don’t think you will put a box together in a week. Allow at least 2 weeks because finding finger plays, flannel board stories, recipes, activities, songs, movies, books, and realia takes some time. If you are making your own flannel board pieces allow even more time. Use SWILSA for your die cuts when you can. Patterns for pieces can be gotten out of flannel board books or from woodworking (scroll saw and router) pattern books. Hint: Make duplicates as you are putting them together. It will be a lot easier to make a copy when something is missing. It is also easier to make a duplicate if you know what you need to be replacing. Things can also go back out into circulation sooner. The duplicates can also be used as the basis for a quick story time at the library. Pull a few of your books on that theme to add with them, and you’re ready to go. Decide if you want to use materials that need to be replaced after each use. (Consumables) Good sources for books are donations to the library, duplicates within the library collection, and book sales. Watch for Scholastic sales in Des Moines or for Perfection Learning in Logan. Realia for holidays can sometimes only be found at the time of the holiday. It can be found on sale the week after the holiday if you’re lucky. Make sure it is age appropriate, usually not for children under the age of 3, unless you are doing toddler boxes. Booklets should be printed on cardstock and then laminated so that they are sturdier. They need to take a lot of use. Try to add graphics that match the story being read. Watch copyrights. Use boxes with latched lids because they stay on better. 15 to 18 qt boxes are good. For smaller themes, hanging bags work well. Use the zip lock baggies with the "zipper" because they are easier for the kids to get shut tight. Label each baggie with its contents. Watch for hidden costs when working on your budget for the boxes. Things that you will need to allow for in your budget are: Containers – Boxes and Bags Realize that you are going to need to inventory each box and bag as it comes back into the library. That way, if a piece is missing, you can talk to the last person to use it. It was there when they took it out; maybe they need to do some searching at home again. Decide if you are going to let the patrons use the boxes and bags in the library or if they are for home use only. Decide how you are going to label the items in the box so that the patron realizes it belongs to your library. Are you going to use security on the boxes or on an item in the box? |
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Southwest Iowa
Library Service Area
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