We celebrate Mothers in May, and June is the time when we really think about our Dads. Prepare a display that honors fathers with books and DVDs that have the word dad, daddy, or father in the title. Here are 10 more display and activity ideas for the month of June.
Great Outdoors Month
Take kids outside and read aloud a book about the great outdoors. Choose your own or one from this list: http://www.readbrightly.com/lets-go-camping-7-picture-books-to-spark-outdoor-adventures/.
National Candy Month
At the beginning of the month, prepare a jar of wrapped candy and set it out with some ballots listing the candy names. Encourage patrons of all ages to “vote” for their favorite candy. At the end of the month, tally up the votes and choose a ballot from the winning candy stack. Give that lucky patron the jar of candy. (Don’t forget to have a spot for patrons to write their names on the candy ballots!) Follow this link http://www.huffingtonpost.com/spoon-university/13-ways-to-eat-candy-duri_b_5499471.html for 17 ways to celebrate National Candy Month.
National Pen Pal Day (June 1)
What a perfect way to start summer vacation. Writing letters is an old-fashioned educational experience—no electronics necessary. Display a poster with suggestions of people kids could write to (i.e. grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, or even folks from the retirement home). Put out a cup full of inexpensive pens and some postcards or stationery. Everybody loves to get mail!
National Garden Week (June 4-10, 2017)
Make plans to celebrate National Garden Week. Visit the National Garden Clubs’ website at http://gardenclub.org/projects/national-garden-week.aspx and promote the NGC objectives of beautification, education, and involvement in Garden Clubs. This week is an opportunity to encourage pride in your community. Display your gardening books with a pair of gardening gloves, a rake, and some empty pots. Plan an educational program and invite someone from the extension office or a local gardener who always has a beautiful yard.
National Best Friends Day (June 8)
The practice of National Best Friend Day celebrations started out in 1935 when the US Congress made a decision to devote a day in tribute to close friends. Hence, the US Congress designated the first Sunday of August as Friendship Day and the 8th of June of every year as National Best Friend Day. With the time, several other countries also started to adopt this festival and up till now, almost every country in the world celebrates this event beautifully. Locate the books in your collection (the whole thing—children’s, teen’s, and adult’s) that include the word “Friend” in the title. Display them with a notice about National Best Friend Day.
Maurice Sendak’s Birthday (June 10, 1928)
Celebrate the author/illustrator of Where The Wild Things Are with one of over 150 crafts and activities including STEM challenges and book-inspired treats on this Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/pinningteacher/where-the-wild-things-are/.
Magic Day (June 12)
Head straight for the nonfiction section in your library and locate books with the Dewey call number 793.8. Challenge your patrons to learn a trick they can show to the family. This activity will work with patrons of ALL ages!
Fly a Kite Day (June 15)
Is it good kite weather today? Help your young patrons make simple kites using two sticks, a bag, some string, and scissors, and then find an open space outside to try them out. Display the kite-making supplies with markers, crayons, and stickers. Add some spools of string and a colorful kite. Here is a link to instructions for making kites: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Kite.
National Fudge Day (June 17)
Click on this link http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/77565/35-ways-to-make-fudge to find easy recipes for 35 mouthwatering ways to make fudge. Offer your patrons the chance to be a taste-tester. You are sure to find a few good sports!
Eric Carle’s Birthday (June 25, 1929)
Eric Carle is an American designer, illustrator, and writer of children’s books. He is most famous for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a picture book with few words that has been translated into more than 62 languages. Pull all books by this author and display them with a stack of coloring pages from http://www.eric-carle.com/coloringpage.html.
Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for even more display ideas!