Tween Programming that works!

Creative Arts in our little branch.  Wow!

We run our Summer Reading Programs in the afternoon.  Traditionally they are all drop in programs so we never know just how wild things might be.  But this summer I knew that all those growing Tweens and Teens needed a place to hang and stay out of trouble , a place of their own among the afternoon offerings. 

I planned a program, TWEEN GALLERY- Eat your Art!, just for them. It was advertised for ages 10 through 14 with registration required.  I knew I had to hold firm to saying NO younger siblings, and no to the "my child is very mature" etc., requests from insistent parents.  I wanted to provide our older crowd a place to draw, paint, talk, play "their" music and enjoy their library.  Registration was put in place for my control of the group as well as allowing me to budget materials.  Because as the name of the program indicates: FOOD would be a big part.

I've recognized over the many years of working with the older group that too often we allow the younger students to join in and the entire dynamic changes. We tend to make this decision because the program hasn't filled - we feel it's best to fill the program but I now say NO to that as well!   When we do accept younger students into a tween or teen program this often leads to the older students dropping out because it's just not their's any longer. It's been "younged down".  This summer our TWEEN GALLERY was not full by week one and I held firm.  By week two we were full and by week three we had to turn teens away.  The tweens and teens spread the word.  Amazing! Our tweens and teens need age specific programs.   I mean really - I can't book talk Teen books with an 8 yr old in the room!  And you know I must just have to promote books whenever I have a captive audience!  All of these students completed their summer reading requirement.  YAY!

TWEEN GALLERY - Eat your Art    Week #1: Donuts
Buy the donuts
sketch the donut
draw the donut
paint the donut (water colors)
create a background for the donut! (scrap book paper)
EAT THE DONUT!!!  (they each got two donuts!)
Followed by Sugar Rush - which I had not even considered!  Live and learn.

Week #2 was cupcakes and #3 brought us fruit and sunflowers.  We ate oranges, strawberries and sunflower seeds!  I love the sunflowers.  They loved the sunflowers!  Chalk pastels with black glue outline.

 The intention in the title TWEEN GALLERY is that we'll display their art through September.  We are a very colorful library currently.

Yesterday was our last date and I think our rowdiest day!  The students had divided into boy's table and girl's table and the boy's were unbelievably talkative.  I know!  I sat at their table! 

Week #4 Ice cream cones - a challenging project!  We started with sketches of Baymax, (Big Hero 6),to practice cross hatching.  Our only ode to the Super Hero Summer!

I've not yet had a chance to add these to the gallery.  So it's one Baymax and one chocolate cone for now - stay tuned for the gallery photo shoot!

P.S. (Piper Script): I nap in the afternoons. 

Thanks for visiting Piper Loves the Library.  We'd love to hear about your arts program in the comments.  Flannel Friday brings creativity and community to our blog and my career.  Visit Flannel Friday here