Minnesota Children's Museum-to-Go: Dino Dig
It was anticipated that offering this interactive program would get children excited about the summer reading program while encouraging them to learn about a variety of educational topics, including dinosaurs. Library staff would also observe a majority of attendees actively engaging in the program by listening attentively, asking questions, and participating in the activities. Anecdotal responses from attendees would confirm enjoyment of the program.
Written surveys were given to children attending the program. The surveys reflect that the majority of children attending the program learned something about dinosaurs and were interested in checking out the library's collection of dinosaur books. It was encouraging to see that those who completed the survey were excited about the Summer Reading Program. From Librarian's perspective, the Dino Dig Museum-to-Go classes were a great success. The museum educator began each program with a short storytime talking about a dinosaur dig in North Dakota. The children were most impressed when she brought out a replica of a dinosaur horn, which was found during this dig. Following the storytime, participants were asked to rotate to five different dinosaur themed stations. Each station offered hands-on learning opportunities. Children exclaimed their top two stations were digging for fossils and playing a game of carnivores vs. herbivores. Overall, the Dino Dig program generated a lot of excitement. "Fun" and "easy to follow" were great descriptors for the day. One mom commented that her 14-year-old babysitter was impressed with the program saying that it was well-organized.