If you’re looking for a high-energy program that will have your registration list filled within hours and kids talking about the library long after they leave, Nerf Wars is it. During my time in youth services, this was hands-down one of our most popular after-hours events. It transformed the library into something magical—a place where kids could laugh, run, strategize, and connect with each other in a space they already loved. Programs like this matter. Not every family has

If you’re looking for a passive program that keeps kids engaged, builds critical thinking skills, and practically runs itself, let me introduce you to one of my all-time favorite passive activities I've created: Break-In Bags , also featured in School Library Journal ! This program quickly became one of the most talked-about activities in the youth department. Kids would come in just to see if they could crack the code—and the best part? It requires minimal staff time once it

Teens are one of the hardest age groups to reach at the library—at least, they were for me at the beginning. When I started as Youth Services Librarian serving ages 0–18, teen involvement was almost non-existent. They came in, grabbed what they needed, and left. My After School Snack Initiative helped get more kids in the door—teens included—but it raised an important question: How do I keep them in the building and engaged after they’ve collected their snack? The answer, it

If you work with tweens and teens, you already know this universal truth: They are always hungry after school. They walk into the library at 3:15 with backpacks, stories from the day, and the kind of hunger that could level a vending machine. And if your library is anything like mine, snacks instantly become social currency. So instead of fighting it, I built a program around it. Gutsy Gourmet is a monthly themed tasting program where kids try foods (and drinks!) they might

*post includes affiliate links to help support this blog Hey there, beautiful programming people!! This is a program that I have been wanting to do for a long time and FINALLY got around to doing it not once, but TWICE! I've fine tuned it enough to be comfortable sharing it with you all. This is a long post, but bear with me. I've tried to cram ALLLL of the details in so your program goes well, too! *image from https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/among-us Program Description

An updated Home Ec class for your library!

Tween/Teen Bracelet Making!

Spa Day! A winning teen program!

Star Wars Light Saber - STEAM activity