Family Fun Education Kits at BLRL
September 7, 2022
Ezra DeVore
“Play is learning, and for younger children, play is their work. We tend to not take that seriously,” says Cheryl Williams, branch supervisor for the Barry-Lawrence Library.
The library has been awarded a $20,000 LSTA STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics) Kit Grant, meaning that 150 kits (including games, puzzles, etcetera) are available for families to check out. Williams feels that these kits may inspire the desire to learn in children and cultivate early passions. She states that the subjects of the kits range from dinosaurs, emotions and empathy, Lego Star Wars Phonics, magnetism, music, and much more.
“They’re high quality materials you see in the store. I look at them and think ‘Man, I wanna play with that!’ - but they’re expensive. A parent might see something at the store and think, ‘Oh, my child might like that, but it’s $80, and what if I buy it and two days later they couldn’t care less?’ That’s why you can check it out from us, play with it for two weeks and bring it back. If your child really likes it, then you can invest in it.”
Williams says that the library has a book with all of the kits and their contents listed, and inquiring families may specify any interest(s) their child may exhibit to encourage an opening direction regarding their selection. Parents may also order any kit they like, even if the Barry-Lawrence branch does not have it in stock, as the Barry-Lawrence branch conducts shipments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Williams also states that though the target age range may hover around the Pre-K to sixth grade region, adults would likely enjoy them as well. To Williams, these kits are “fun for a family to do together.”
She elaborated on this thought: “If it’s fun and entertaining, you’re going to want to do it, and we tend to think education is ‘Sit in your seat, be quiet, listen to the instructor.’ The more interactive we can be and the more engaged the child can be in the activity, the more fun they’re going to have and the more they’re going to learn. To me, education is a verb, it’s an action. To me, it’s boring if you’re not having a good time.”
Requirements to check out a kit are a library card and Barry County residency. To obtain a library card, visit the Barry-Lawrence Library with a picture ID and a piece of mail with your current address to begin the process of registration.
“Play is learning, and for younger children, play is their work. We tend to not take that seriously,” says Cheryl Williams, branch supervisor for the Barry-Lawrence Library.
The library has been awarded a $20,000 LSTA STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics) Kit Grant, meaning that 150 kits (including games, puzzles, etcetera) are available for families to check out. Williams feels that these kits may inspire the desire to learn in children and cultivate early passions. She states that the subjects of the kits range from dinosaurs, emotions and empathy, Lego Star Wars Phonics, magnetism, music, and much more.
“They’re high quality materials you see in the store. I look at them and think ‘Man, I wanna play with that!’ - but they’re expensive. A parent might see something at the store and think, ‘Oh, my child might like that, but it’s $80, and what if I buy it and two days later they couldn’t care less?’ That’s why you can check it out from us, play with it for two weeks and bring it back. If your child really likes it, then you can invest in it.”
Williams says that the library has a book with all of the kits and their contents listed, and inquiring families may specify any interest(s) their child may exhibit to encourage an opening direction regarding their selection. Parents may also order any kit they like, even if the Barry-Lawrence branch does not have it in stock, as the Barry-Lawrence branch conducts shipments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Williams also states that though the target age range may hover around the Pre-K to sixth grade region, adults would likely enjoy them as well. To Williams, these kits are “fun for a family to do together.”
She elaborated on this thought: “If it’s fun and entertaining, you’re going to want to do it, and we tend to think education is ‘Sit in your seat, be quiet, listen to the instructor.’ The more interactive we can be and the more engaged the child can be in the activity, the more fun they’re going to have and the more they’re going to learn. To me, education is a verb, it’s an action. To me, it’s boring if you’re not having a good time.”
Requirements to check out a kit are a library card and Barry County residency. To obtain a library card, visit the Barry-Lawrence Library with a picture ID and a piece of mail with your current address to begin the process of registration.
