Summer Reading 2023 Program Ideas

The following is a list of program ideas compiled by Beth Yates, Children’s Consultant at the Indiana State Library, as they were shared with her at summer reading trainings across the state in winter 2022-23.


Resources for summer planning:

 

Program Ideas for All Ages
  • Random Acts of Kindness Challenge: Ask the community to perform random acts of kindness. For each act, they can put an item (button, marble, paper describing what they did) into a jar in the library.  Goal is for the jar to be full by end of summer!
  • Community Clean-Up: Organize an ongoing community clean up project.  Local river, road, lot, etc.
  • River Watch Monitoring: Grant through Hoosier Riverwatch, they provide free training.  Can also do river clean-ups in partnership with parks departments.
  • Volunteer Fair:  Have area organizations set up tables to talk about what opportunities they offer for volunteers.  The public comes, asks questions, and hopefully volunteer matches are made!
  • “All Together Now!” Karaoke Night:  Group sing along for any age groups.  Spotify has lyrics for many songs or YouTube sometimes offers videos with lyrics.
  • Oreo (or other snack) taste challenge: Participants do a blindfolded taste test and rate different types of Oreos or other snacks (for instance, different types of Doritos or Goldfish crackers).  Could also do a “brand name” versus “store brand” version of this challenge.
  • Pokemon Terrariums: Use small, cheap Pokemon figurines to create environments in small jars using sand, fake moss and rocks, etc. – hot gluing items into jar works best.
  • Giant Board Games: Can purchase various giant board games now (one library owns Yahtzee, Sorry!, and Candy Land) or make them.  Someone else plans to hold a Clue live action game in the library, turning different room into rooms from the mansion.
  • Rock Painting: Young kids can make “Pebble Pets”–decorate rocks to look like animals; older kids and adults could make kindness rocks with nice messages.  Could put them around town and offer prize if returned to library (put message on back that says “return to __ Library for a prize!”)
  • Shrinky Dinks: Any age could enjoy creating jewelry or other items from shrinking plastic.  Can bake in a toaster oven if full-size over not available. Packs of shrink plastic are available to purchase on sites like Amazon.
  • Melted Crayon Art:  One library bought a pack of “make your own pendants” on Amazon. Patrons could cut or pencil shave crayons, put into pendant, and melt in oven. Then place cover on pendant and you have a beautiful pendant!  Can also use old crayons by gluing to top of a blank canvas and melting with heat gun so the wax drips down the canvas.
  • Table Top Role Playing Games: TTRPGs like Dungeons and Dragons can be a great way for folks of all ages to meet and make friends.  If you aren’t sure how to run a game, consult a local game store or put a call out for people who play in your town–they be willing to teach you or even run a game for your library!
  • Painting programs: Whether structured (paint along with instructor–“Cookies and Canvas”) or free-paint (“Bad Art Night” can be fun for kids and adults and takes pressure off creating something that looks “good.”)  “Collaborative Canvas” is another option–each person gets a small canvas and can paint it how they like, then put on a wall together like a quilt.
  • Beekeepers:  Invite a local beekeeper association to speak at your library, sharing about bees, honey, beekeeping, etc.  Bees work together and are a great animal to feature this summer!
  • Community Family Recipe Exchange: Participants share family recipes with or without food being cooked/tested during program.  Cookbook could be made with the recipes and given to participants later, or sold by Friends group.
  • Food Around the World: Example: Same breads from different countries, possibly make a simple bread to try.  Can also do with soups from around the world or many other foods!  Consider inviting community members or exchange students to come in and share their own food traditions.
  • Read Around the World:  Search for books with countries/perspectives different than your own, perhaps hold a book club for adults.
  • Perler Beads: Perler beading programs can be done with many different ages, just select the appropriate difficulty level!
  • Black Light Dance Party: Black out windows and lights, hang up ultraviolet lights, make decorations using fluorescent poster board, highlighters, glow in the dark stickers, and paint.  Use fluorescent flagging tape, white plastic tablecloths, and other items that glow under UV light.
  • Bubble Party: Offer various bubble activities such as DIY bubble wands, giant bubbles, bubble “cupcakes” bubble snakes, etc.
  • Pets: Hold a food or supply drive for a local animal shelter or foster organization.  Consider inviting a vet to come speak about pet care.  Consider hosting a pet adoption event in partnership with a shelter.
  • Camping @ the Library: Invite families to bring tents, blankets, pillows, flashlights, etc. and have them set up in or outside of the library from closing for a few hours (not overnight).  They set up their campsite and you can tell stories, do crafts, have snacks.  One library had a bear suit so they put up “watch for bears” sign and then someone showed up in the bear suit.
  • Bird Watching: Set up a bird watching station by a library window with access to trees and bird activity.  Set up a few chairs, bird watching books, binoculars, etc.
  • Tree Planting:  Organize a tree planting event.  This could be in conjunction with your local government or Parks Department, or on the library’s land. (Be sure to call to have utilities marked before digging anywhere!)
  • Recycled Crafts: Invite local waste management/recycling center to present (many counties have staff dedicated to educating people on topic) to do a program using recycled materials; example: floor mats from plastic bags.  Can also seek craft instructions online.
  • Gardening:  If library has space for a small garden outside, do a gardening program early in summer where kids plant a “salsa” or “pizza” garden (tomatoes, basil, onion, cilantro, oregano, etc.)  At the end of the summer, invite them back to pick what they grew and then make the salsa or pizza together!  (Can supplement with grocery produce if plants didn’t grow successfully.)  Reach out to local Master Gardeners for help.  Gardens can also be grown using straw bales.
  • Costume Contest or Parade:  Invite kids and/or adults to dress up as their favorite book character (or TV, movie, etc.).  Could give prize to anyone who comes in dressed up; run it as a costume contest; or have a costume parade!  Or, could do a pet parade of pets in costume.
  • Paint Parking Spots: At library, local school, or local businesses – could be contest or just for fun.
  • Knitting for Beginners: For any age, could be intergenerational with seniors/adults teaching younger people/kids or their peers.  Could also work with crochet, quilting, macrame, etc.
  • City-Wide Scavenger Hunt:  Hide items or images in store windows throughout town.  Participants can pick up a card that says they found it (at the location), take a picture, etc. and collect a prize.  Hints could be given by library on FB if they change the hiding spot weekly, or items could be in multiple windows all summer and folks just turn them in as they find them.
  • Decade Theme Weeks: Encourage staff to dress up in different decade costumes, show period movies, hold decade-specific trivia contests, change up decorations a bit to match decade.
  • Movie Night (or Day):  Make sure library has proper license to show (there are a few companies that own various movies, if your library already has a license, verify that the movie you want to show falls under that license).  Fun spins on movie programs include having preschoolers decorate boxes or laundry baskets to look like cars for a drive-in movie program; having elementary age kids make blanket and pillow forts in your community room before starting the movie; or doing an interactive movie with teens, adults, or families. (List of Interactive Movie Experience Scripts compiled by Minerva Public Library, OH.)
  • Get Active: Host yoga, Zumba, dance, or other fitness instructors for free sessions at the library; works for any age group.  Ideally licensed instructors are better, they usually have the proper insurance to cover this sort of activity.  They may be willing to offer introductory programs for free.

 

Program Ideas for Early Childhood
  • Literacy through block play: Set out different types of blocks (wooden, foam, plastic, magnetic, etc.); encourage parents to ask kids open ended questions while they play.  Hang signs that explain the skills being practiced (motor, social/emotional, science, math, language).
  • Cooking for Toddlers:  Work together to create simple snacks. Select recipes that incorporate skills like measuring, scooping, and mixing to work on motor skills, math, and more!
  • Build a Stuffed Animal: Provide various unstuffed animals and stuffing, plus some sort of heart (similar to Build a Bear), let the kids pick one and fill and finish their own.  One library used www.thezoofactory.com.
  • New parent/caregiver coffee hour: Parents and caregivers of young children are invited to the library for coffee.  Age appropriate toys are out for the little ones to play while the adults can chat and make new friends.
  • Dance Party: Throw on some kid friendly music and boogie away!  Can make it inter-generational by inviting caregivers to participate.  Teach dances from different eras.
  • Messier the Better: Program series for tots, different “messy” activities each week, such as art projects involving paint and glitter, a “trike wash” where kids bring their bikes and “wash” it between sprinklers, activities involving mud, etc.
  • Chalk on the Walk:  Section off areas of the library’s sidewalk (if space available) and put out chalk for kids to draw.
  • Bluey Brunch: Offered program centered on Bluey TV show.  Served refreshments, played games, did grafts, read Bluey story, set out Bluey materials for checkout.  Used https://www.bluey.tv/ for some resources.
  • “Sprinkle Kindness” Donut Day: Decorate real donuts, read books like “Please Mr. Panda” by Antony or “The Jelly Donut Difference” by Dismondy, do a donut craft (paper plate donuts with glue/shaving cream/paint mixed as icing).  Could also used cut-out donuts to color and write ways to show kindness on them–“A Dozen Ways to Show Kindness.”
  • Summer Snow Day: Make fake snow (2.5 cups baking soda, .5 cup white hair conditioner; scale recipe up as needed); set out large bins for sensory plan with cookie cutters, bowls, spoons, make snowmen using Mr. Potato Head eyes, noses, etc.  Could be part of a larger series of tot sensory programs.
  • Sensory Play: Set up room with various stations – baby pools or tubs of water for splashing, pudding that can be used for finger painting, shakers and musical instruments, plus a reading/quiet time safe space for any children who get overwhelmed or need a break.
  • Multicultural Storytime: Read familiar stories in another language and learn about the culture through food, games, and items from the country.  Strongly encourage getting someone from the culture to share so the information is correct and authentic; be very careful when selecting books to be sure they are a fair and well-rounded representation of a culture (for instance, make sure the book’s author is writing from their own experience/about their own culture).

 

Program Ideas for School Age Children
  • Building Club: Set out LEGOs or other building blocks and let participants build anything they want.  Can offer challenge cards or a theme to inspire them.  If possible, display creations for a period of time in library.
  • Cooking for Kids: Can make simple recipes in microwave if no cook top or oven available.  If funds are tight, consider creating one dish and letting each child take a turn adding an ingredient, stirring, etc.  Highlight food and cooking tool safety, measuring, etc.  Cupcake decorating is also a fun program for this age.
  • Care Packages for Seniors: Kids make care packages (cards, paper flowers, pen pal letters, drawings, wreaths) for seniors in a local nursing home.
  • Origami: Can do all types of animals or objects!  Could be a passive program if instructions provided.
  • Art Club: Each week, learn about an artist and attempt a project inspired by their style.
  • Nature Art Series: Use fruits, veggies, and other natural items to make ink prints on paper; use pocket microscopes to look at nature items, then draw what see; collage art with found nature items.
  • Community Helpers: Invite community helpers (firefighters, EMTs, nurses, police, librarians, etc.) to highlight what they do during one program or a series of programs.  Also consider people who don’t get asked as often–telephone company, food pantries, plumbers or electricians, etc.
  • Touch a Truck: Ask folks from fire dept, police station, EMT, local farm, construction company, etc. to bring their vehicles, allow kids to possibly get in vehicles with supervision, etc.
  • Slime Party: Each kids gets own slime. They can then choose their own color and add-ins (glitter, foam balls, etc.).  They can play with the slime using cookie cutters, scissors, etc.  Can vote on prettiest slime, most colorful slime, grossest slime, etc.
  • Color Scavenger Hunt: Kid pick up a bag that has 12 colors on it; they took it home to find something outside that matched each color.  When complete, they could bring back to library for prize (a container of play dough).
  • Instrument Petting Zoo: Local music school or store, or school band/orchestra teacher, bring in instruments to show and tell.  With enough instruments and instructors (HS student volunteers or teachers?), split kids into groups and let them try out the instruments.
  • Crazy 8’s Club:  Math club with fun activities, can run as a series.  Can get pre-packaged kits from https://crazy8sclub.org/.
  • Foam or Bubble Party: Some companies can be hired to do this or library could develop their own stations, especially for bubbles.
  • Splash Day: Set up multiple kiddie polls with various activities in them (water beads, sponges, toy boats), older kids could have water gun fights, play with water balloons, consider splashing library staff in some way (bucket of water over head, etc.)
  • Summer Games: Olympics or outdoor games/field day activities.
  • STEM Programs: Focus on outside science experiments, with solar ovens made from pizza boxes, bleached sun prints, build bird nests or houses, and do messy experiments better done outside!  (Diet Coke and Mentos, for instance!)
  • Minute to Win It: Get ideas for mini-games from Pinterest or general internet search.
  • World Record Breakers: Read a few records from the book then set up stations where kids can attempt to break a world record (how many pencils can you stand on end at one time, how many hula hoops can you spin at same time, etc.).  https://kids.guinnessworldrecords.com/

 

Program Ideas for Tweens & Teens
  • Nerf Games: “Nerf Search & Destroy”-Participants split into two teams and asked to find cut outs of Marvel and DC villains posted around room and shoot with Nerf guns.  Won points and lost points if accidentally shot decoys. “Nerf Night”-capture the flag in library after hours with Nerf guns
  • Teen Cooking Challenges: Teen Chopped (you provide 4 random ingredients and they must create something you will judge) or Teen Nailed It (you provide a well-decorated cake or other treat and they must try to reproduce it on their own) are popular challenges.
  • DIY Zombie Dolls: Collect old or broken barbies, dolls, action figures, etc.  Using random materials you have on hand, the kids can decorate the dolls so the look like zombies.  Another version of this is Frankenstein Dolls–take random broken dolls and toys and piece them back together in creepy ways.
  • Zombie Apocalypse Prep: STEM program series that teaches how to filter water, how to make a clock with a potato, etc.
  • Anime Club: Watch a few episodes of anime, learn about Japanese culture, play games.
  • Murder Mystery Night: One library used a kit from Amazon called Unsolved Case Files.
  • Canvas Embroidery: Paint canvas and allow it to dry (hair dryers/heat guns may help).  Tape line art that you have printed out to the canvas with painters tape, then participants can use embroidery thread to trace the outline.  Once embroidery is done/tied off, the paper can be pulled off and you have a piece of art.
  • Friendship Bracelets: Teach teens how to braid a few different types of friendship bracelets.
  • Friendship Game: A friendship version of The Newlywed Game – pairs are asked questions about each other to see how well they know one another!  Make sure questions get very silly.
  • Teen Art Contest: Hold a teen art contest with an “All Together Now” theme.  Collaborate with another local library to increase participation and raise stakes.  Hold an art open house and have local artists judge.
  • Writing program: Break teens into groups.  Have them work together to write a story; can use story cubes to prompt them with ideas.  Could also play the writing game “exquisite corpse.”
  • Without Instructions: Give the group a task, any task, ranging from baking a cake to creating a stuffed animal and beyond.  However, don’t give them instructions.  They must work together with their combined knowledge to complete the task.  Could make it a competition.  Refer to “Try Guys” on YouTube (they have done this type of activity), or the British show “Task Master” which is also available on YouTube.
  • Lock-In at the Library:  At least two staff members should be present, kids can stay in the library after hours (not overnight), offer activities like Neon/Glow in the Dark Party, or Nerf Wars, Zombie Dance, etc.  Include pizza and snacks.
  • Seed Babies – Teens get to decorate plant pots (paint/decoupage), then next day or next week they return, select seeds to plant, then plant and learn how to care for them.
  • Laser Tag: After hours for school age or teens, library rented equipment from www.lasertagsource.com

 

Program Ideas for Adults
  • Adult Cooking: Purdue Extension or a local chef may be willing to run a program or series of programs focused on various genres of cooking.  Another option is selecting a genre (soups; casseroles; holiday cooking; etc.) and offering cookbooks for check out. Each person makes a recipe from a cookbook and reports back at the live program where the group makes one recipe to try–or they bring the dish in, potluck style, for all to try.
  • Wood Burning: Use FocuStar Chemical Wood Burning Pen/Marker to draw images on wood, use heat gun to create “wood burned” image on item. Can do this on coasters, etc..
  • Build/Bricks & Brew: Lego or other building program for adults at local brewery.
  • Books & Brew or Stout Stories:  Book discussion club that meets at local breweries, wineries, bars, or restaurants.  One library does “Beach Reads and Cocktails” group that meets at local restaurants to discuss great ‘beach reads’–could select same book for all and read ahead, or everyone reads a different book then reports back.
  • Quilting Together: Invite local quilting group to each create a square for a blanket to be hung in library.  They may be willing to lead a program and teach others quilting basics, also.
  • Yarn Bomb:  Group meets and decides on a public statue, light post, or other prominent community touchstone that they will cover with knitted squares.  (Get permission from the Parks Dept or other relevant agency or object owner!) Individually they each knit a designated number of squares, then sew them together around the object one day so suddenly it has been “yarn bombed.”
  • Canning 101: Invite a local canning expert or the Purdue Extension to offer an instructional program or series about canning.
  • Music & Memories: Play music and show pictures from a particular time period.  Possibly offer a craft/food to go with the theme.
  • Community Conversations: Hold community conversations on big topics such as homelessness, racism, etc. Invite knowledgeable presenters to lead the discussion.  One examples might be holding a poverty simulation, which some organizations offer.
  • One Book, One Community: Example–one library used “The Indigo Girl” as their book.  They created notecards to hand out with short greetings on one side–Thank You, Thinking of You, Best Friends, etc., and they were blank on the reverse.  Include library logo.  People loved giving these to others!
  • Books & Movies:  Read a book and watch a related movie, or read a book then watch the movie version.  Discuss!
  • Trivia Night: Could be on any topic (can find various trivia questions online), could be at the library (after hours?) or at a local restaurant or bar.   Some libraries posted weekly trivia questions on their Facebook page, selected random winner from correct answers.
  • Self-Care Series: Series of programs for adults on themes of relaxation, self-improvement, yoga/meditation, organization, etc.  Best when all are advertised at once and take place same day/time each week or month so folks can plan ahead to attend.
  • Life Saving Training – CPR, Narcan, Safe Sitter, etc.  Contact organizations that can offer in your area.

 

The above ideas were shared by Indiana library staff at All Together Now trainings across the state in the winter of 2022-23.  Some ideas were combined or amended to better fit the format.  Please note that not every idea could be included.