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TAB is new at our library, and engaging teens is challenging. Mini-golf has been a successful program for us, so we took it one step further as a group project and a team-building exercise. The event was a win-win for the library, TAB group, and the community. Let's get right into the details!
Because we have hosted mini-golfs in our library before, the cost of this particular program was minimal. The greens, holes, and putters we regularly use are listed below:
Greens: (completely optional if you outline your hole or set it up between book stacks) https://amzn.to/3UMEDoB
Holes: https://amzn.to/4b1WRbb
Putters: we liked these because they take up less space for storage and are adjustable for kids & adults. If you have a golf course nearby, you may even be able to borrow theirs for the day https://amzn.to/3wctDrf
To make it GLOW, I purchased the following items to enhance the mini golf course:
Neon Paint used to paint cardboard boxes and other props
Neon Tape used to enhance the greens and decorate
Neon Balloons used to decorate. They filled them with air and a bit of sand so they would become "bumpers" on the green
Neon Paper used to decorate and make signs
Neon Golf Balls
Glow Bracelets
Glow Temporary Tattoos
Black Lights we already had these on hand from previous glow events (blog posts are coming soon!)
Pool Noodles used for bumpers on the green
Dollar Tree!
Party Lights completely optional, but they add to the fun. We already had these on hand.
Planning:
At a TAB meeting, I laid out all the glow golf supplies, broke the group into pairs, and assigned each team a hole. They were given a piece of white poster board to plan out their green. The incentive to be creative and thoughtful in their planning was that players would vote on their favorite hole, and the winning team would win a prize.
TAB members were asked to sign up for a time slot to work the event (for volunteer hours) and were also asked to help promote their program. They were given a couple of posters each to hang around their schools, and a .png file was provided so they could promote it on their social media accounts. I created the advertisements.
Day Before the Event:
TAB members showed up the day before, after hours, to build their holes throughout the library. We had pizza and drinks, and they got to work. I and another librarian mapped out the holes so that the course would be easy to maneuver, taking into account that families may be waiting around for their turn to play.
Day Of the Event: We set up a table at the entrance where families could get a glow bracelet, glow tattoo, putter, ball, and scorecard. The scorecard also had a place for them to vote for their favorite hole. When putters and balls were collected at the end, we took note of their votes.
The set of editable Canva files (promotional poster, half-sheet flyer, and scorecard) can be found here: https://shorturl.at/egHS7
Results:
The space will need to be dim to get the best effect. We have a meeting space without windows, and our Children's department is on a basement level, which worked well for us.
We had about 75 players that day - even with terrible weather! Many families ran through the course more than once. We were frequently asked when we would host it again, which we definitely will! Highly recommend!
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