Libraries are more than books. Some kids need a little direction to get the creative juices flowing. Please add YOUR comments. Your colleagues would appreciate hearing what works, and what didn't!

PUBYAC 12-1-2009: Fairy Houses are made every summer and it's a big hit with no cost involved and little staff time. We ask families to bring plenty of natural, found materials such as pine cones, shells, sticks, dried flowers (from their yard only) and a piece of bark for a base. We provide tables covered with newspaper and lots of glue guns for the adults to use.

For more offerings, see: Storytime Fairies; Dragons & Enchantment

INVITATIONS:

• Ages 4-8 years
• "Diamonds, Rubies and Pearls, Oh My!"

DRESS:

• Fairy Wings
• Masking tape bracelets, placed backwards—sparkles, tinsel, & ribbons
• Glitter Body Gel

REFRESHMENTS:

• Fairy cakes
• Fairy bread (white bread with a little butter/honey & sprinkles) 
• Cheese Flowers and Stars
• Pixie Dust (candy)
• Fairy Trailmix (see Ocean Snack) 
• Pixie Punch (see RECIPES FOR STORYTIME--Swamp Juice)

FAVORS/CRAFTS:

• Crowns—add jewels
• Fairy Making 101--plenty of tulle
• Garland Necklace
• Jingle Fairy Bracelets
• Wands
• Fairy Homes
• Dragonfly Craft
• Clay miniatures
• Forest Diorama
• Captured Fairies  (Westerville Lib)

GAMES/ACTIVITIES:

• Dragonfly Relay
• Feed the Dragonfly—a bean-bag toss
• Fairy Freeze Dance
• Pass the Wand
• Flower Pot Ring Toss
• The Fairy Queen Says--variation of Simon Says
• Fairy Quest
• Dragonfly Pinata
• Mermaid Fishing
• Fairy Bingo

PROGRAM:

• Read book, poetry
• Have plenty of coloring pages and word searches while children are going through various stations
• After children have reassembled, play games
• Have refreshments

TIME:

• About an hour-and-a-half should be sufficient

(You can pair the fairies with elves or wizards, but bugs and dragons came more readily to mind.)