ABrueland
PROGRAM IN A BOX
LEGO Story time
Audience: 5 to 7 years old.
Frequency: Third Thursday of every Month, from 4:30 to 5:30pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Children’s Area.
Setup: Arrange chairs facing the front wall and forming a U-shape around where the program facilitator
wishes to stand. Creating a space between the two circular tables will help keep the children localized
and minimize distractions. There is a shelf and bulletin board to hold the program supplies. It is
recommended to display the books that will be used in the story time on this shelf in amongst the LEGO
colored Tupperware containers. Best to keep tables clean until ready for the activity portion of the story
time.
Please create a BOOK DISPLAY. Search the online catalog to pull a minimum of 10 items that are related
to shapes. Be sure to include materials that may interest 3 to 7 years old. Think broad. For example, a
cake pop recipe book makes a great ‘yummy’ visual that could inspire conversation, cooking and the
enjoyment of a treat. Also include your Bilingual materials. Use the immediate area to display this
books. For example using the top of the surrounding bookshelves and the book store presentation style
(Book Cover facing outward, rather than the spine) on the shelves themselves.
Put Shake My Sillie’s Out CD in CD player, select track one and press pause. This may not be needed, but
it will be ready if you do. CD player is on the technology cart in supply closet.
Components of each LEGO Story time:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Opening Welcome – Introductions (Self, Participants & Theme)
20 minutes of reading
10-15 minute activity to reinforce the theme
10-20 minutes of free play
Thank you, Clean up Song & Until Next Time
Themes for 10 Months of LEGO Story Time:
1. Colors - August
2. Numbers - September
3. Shapes - October
4. Animals - November
5. Puzzles/Mazes - December
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Buildings - January
Bugs - February
Measurement - March
Boats - April
Patterns - May
The Lego story times can have mixed ages so please include at least one book and/or activity that
younger members of the audience can participate in. Remember to be flexible and read your audience.
If they are getting restless, get them up on their feet with a song or dance, or consider moving on to
another component of the story time.
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PROGRAM IN A BOX
OCTOBER LEGO PROGRAM – SHAPES
Materials list: Program Kit is one large Tupperware, containing five smaller Tupperware containers and
bag of MEGA blocks.
1. Tupperware labeled: LEGO/Shapes/Craft sticks consists of:
a. Painted craft sticks – Red – QTY 40, Blue – QTY 30, Green – QTY 60, Yellow – QTY 100,
Orange – QTY 50, Purple – QTY 60. This will create 10 red squares, blue triangles, green
rectangles, yellow stars, orange pentagons, and purple hexagons.
b. Styrofoam cups to contain craft sticks until needed. Place on shelf behind you.
c. BlueTack or UHU Tack (removable adhesive). Looks like play dough and often cut into
little ¼ inch squares. Rip each square into four pieces and roll into ball shape. Place on
paper plates on the shelf behind you. Start with at least 50 and be prepared to make
more while the children are creating their shapes.
d. Printouts of each shape in its corresponding color. Pin up on bulletin board behind you
either when you are ready to begin the activity or before start of program.
2. Two red and two blue LEGO containers. Ten building platforms are also in these containers.
3. Bring out bag of MEGA blocks for younger audience members.
BOOKS we have used before:
1. My Shapes: Mis Formas by Rebecca Emberley.
2. Icky Bug Shapes by Jerry Pallotta; Illustrated by Shennen Bersani.
3. The Shape of Things by Dale Dodds; Illustrated by Julie Lacome.
When reading, hold the book to one side so that the pages are facing the audience. Where and when
possible allow each child a moment to look closely at the pages by extending your arms in their
direction.
Program – Step by Step
At 4:30pm go to your position and give a big welcome and invite everyone to come over for LEGO story
time. Read your audience. At this time of the day and due to the audience being older, many are not so
fidgety. But if your audience on this day is between 3 and 5, consider playing “Shake My Sillie’s Out.”
Introduce yourself and then ask everyone to introduce themselves. Now introduce the theme and ask
what they already know about it. Because this age group is typically willing to share and excited about
doing so be sure to allow a balance of contribution and dependent on the audience size and demeanor,
encourage the raising of hands to answer the questions. Then introduce the first book by Title, Author
and Illustrator. At the end of the story ask another question or two about the story. For example, with
My Shapes: Mis Formas, since this is a bilingual book, you could ask who was familiar with the shapes
mentioned in the book; then ask how many where familiar with the Spanish name for the shapes. Avoid
questions like, “Did you like the story, or the character?”, as it does not reiterate the theme.
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PROGRAM IN A BOX
Now transition to the next story: “So now we know the names of some of the shapes, let’s explore
where we might find some of these shapes in nature. Our next book is Icky Bug Shapes by ….”
Again, ask a question or two getting the children to talk about insects and their shapes, maybe they have
seen a bug that is oval. Feel free to a question in the middle of the story if the audiences focus is
waning.
Again a question or two and then transition to the third book. “This book shows us that bugs can have
different shapes, where else do you think we can see shapes?” I think “The Shape of Things” by… might
just have a thought or two on that. Let’s find out!
On completion of the third story, conclude by saying something like, OK everyone we have heard and
learned a lot about shapes and where we might find them. Now let’s build a few.
Invite the children to the tables, place the cups with the craft sticks, the plates of blue tack and bring
your printouts to the table, if they are not on the bulletin. Ask everyone to count out four red sticks.
Show them the printout of the red square and then demonstrate building a red square by placing a small
ball on the adhesive to the end of a stick and pressing another stick at a right angle. Continue this until a
square is formed. Hold it up for them to see and then let them start. Do this for each of the shapes, at
the pace of each child. Once done (either by completion of all shapes or by loss of interest). Ask the
children, what shapes did we not make, but talked about today?
Ask for assistance in clearing the table, best to have a tray that everyone can place their shapes on.
Now place the LEGO that were on the shelf behind on the tables. Let them know that everyone must
have at least one building platform. This step is very important, spend the rest of the program time with
the children and their parents talking, playing and exploring. Create and share your ‘shape’ creation so
that there is an example for others…if it is needed.
At 5:25pm, thank everyone for coming, remind them of the next LEGO story time and its theme, and ask
for everyone to help tidy up. And sing:
Clean up, clean up
everybody, everywhere.
Clean up, clean up
everybody do their share
Say Goodnight.
TIDY UP: Please put all program materials in Tupperware marked LEGO/Shapes/Craft Sticks on side of
supply closet for programming. Lego Tupperware goes on same shelf and all together please. CD player
goes back on to IT Cart in supply closet.
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PROGRAM IN A BOX
FEEDBACK: Please feel free to comment or make suggestions regarding this program. Letting us know
what you liked and what was a challenge would also be appreciated. If more room is needed please
write on back of form.
Likes:
Challenges:
Suggestions:
Did you have everything you needed to facilitate this program:
OPENING SONG (if needed for younger
audience): Track 1
Shake My Sillie's Out
Gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away
I gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
And wiggle my waggles away
I gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
And wiggle my waggles away
I gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
And wiggle my waggles away
I gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away
And wiggle my waggles away
CLOSING SONG/POEM (if needed for younger
audience):
TICKLE THE CLOUDS (Closing Rhyme – Toddler)
Suit actions to words.
Tickle the clouds.
Tickle your toes.
Turn around
And touch your nose.
Crouch down low.
And reach up high.
Storytime’s over –
Wave goodbye!
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PROGRAM IN A BOX
RATIONALE:
The program goals for LEGO Shapes Story time are: to establish the library as a place for information,
learning and fun; to promote the development of manual dexterity, muscle strength and the recognition
of shapes and build on that knowledge; opportunity for parental involvement; and providing creative
environment allowing for self-expression, physical activity and interaction with others.
Why LEGO? LEGO holds high interest for the five to seven year old. Coupling this love of LEGO with a
story time and activities provides an opportunity for those children who might not other come to the
library.
Why the books selected? The books selected for this story time would prove supportive for the four to
five year old and self-esteem building for the seven year old. Introducing a bilingual component assists
in the development of listening skills. Each book builds on and supports the book that proceeds it. The
first book, a board book, with simple line illustrations; the second, a richly colored, highly detailed book
with shapes existing in nature; the third, uses a simple color scheme using shapes in a more recognizable
environment. The final book also allows for each child to have the opportunity to locate a particular
shape.
Why the activity selected? The activity was selected due to its ease, quick assembly and breakdown.
This activity is a confidence booster and reinforced the shapes covered in the stories. Shapes can be
made with LEGO but for an older audience, and children seem to enjoy the free play time.