Many thanks to Erin Hunter from the Rice Lake Public Library for this guest post!

Teens, tweens, and young kids all enjoyed making a superhero mask

Recently, the Rice Lake Public Library turned a small table in its Youth Services department into a fun space for kids, tweens, and families. Like many other libraries, the RLPL already offers various things for families to do during their library visits: there are activity spaces (a Duplo table, puzzles/lacing cards, an iPad/AWE stations, a dress-up area/play store, train/car tables, a reading nook made from giant Lego bricks, and Xbox/WiiU stations); and oftentimes, there’s a passive program taking place in the department (anything from an I Spy wall to a scavenger hunt).

While these areas and passive activities are well loved, it’s no secret that kids of all ages love crafts—and what was missing among all these activity stations was a space for simple crafts to be assembled. Enter the Make & Take Table. Projects on this table usually come from the surplus craft supplies following a special event or one of the library’s Crafty Family Storytimes on Saturday mornings. A tray on the table holds all the supply pieces needed including glue, scissors, and markers, and a sign displays an image of the finished product.

So far, kids, tweens, and families have made many different crafts including doily lambs, standing birds with feathers and clothespin legs, paper plate umbrellas, and superhero masks.
In the few months since its creation, this craft station has quickly become a well-loved space in Youth Services at RLPL. So if you find your families are looking for more to do during their library visits—and if you have leftover craft supplies and a space to leave them out for kids to enjoy—consider setting up a Make & Take Table in your own youth services space. Your local families (and cramped supply closet) will thank you!