The directory or file specified does not exist on the Web server. The URL contains a typographical error. A custom filter or module, such as URLScan, restricts access to the file. Things you can try: Create the content on the Web server. Review the browser URL. Create a tracing rule to track failed requests for this HTTP status code and see which module is calling SetStatus. For more information about creating a tracing rule for failed requests, click here. Module IIS Web Core This error means that the file or directory does not exist on the server. Create the file or directory and try the request again. View more information »By Amy Koester, Children’s Librarian, St. Charles City-County Library District LEGO® Club has long been a hit at my branch library in Missouri, and I attribute much of the program’s success to its simplicity. LEGO Club is built on finite materials with infinite potential. Libraries need to buy supplies just once, but the possibilities for children’s creativity, problem-solving, and challenged-based hands-on engineering go on and on.
It’s STEM programming at its most efficient, providing an enjoyable impact for kids while demanding relatively little of library staff. I highly recommend you give it a go. Need a bit of persuasion or guidance? It’s supremely engaging for a variety of kids. Children who like structure–a defined set of parameters or goals–enjoy the themed building challenges of the program. Children who thrive on open-ended creativity also love LEGO Club because it allows them to experiment and create whatever they want. Another appeal of LEGO Club for kids is its open format. Conversation is encouraged during building time, and kids engage with their peers on all sorts of topics while their hands are busy constructing things. When you consider the potential for engagement, peer interaction, and building an image of comfort and excitement at the library, LEGO Club is the ultimate bang for your buck.When it comes down to it, there are only two necessities for offering a LEGO Club at your library: LEGOs, and a space where kids can build.
As far as procuring the LEGOs for your club, there are several options. You can purchase new sets, in which case I recommend purchasing basic sets that include a wide variety of pieces. You can also seek donations of used LEGOs from community members (note: give them a thorough cleaning, whether with your library’s usual toy cleaner or a run through the dishwasher). Once you have your LEGOs–preferably in some sort of container to keep them from getting all over the place–the only other thing you need is a space in which to host your club. I like to set up my library’s meeting room with long tables and bins of LEGOs in the center. This set-up allows kids to move from bin to bin if they need a specific brick, and it allows me to navigate the room without disrupting anyone’s process. If you’re looking to make a greater initial investment, you may budget for a few additional specific items: baseplates to provide a building platform, assortments of LEGO Minifigures, and some sort of display area to showcase creations.
These items are strictly extra, however; the impact of offering a LEGO Club is not diminished by not having them. Something else to keep in mind: lots of libraries have started LEGO Clubs with grant assistance. My own library district has LEGO Clubs at multiple branches supported by grants from our Friends of the Library group. There is also the LEGO Children’s Fund, which awards grants to all sorts of creative projects.If you’re using regular LEGO bricks, you can offer LEGO Club to school-age children and teens alike. My library focuses on reaching K-5 children at our monthly LEGO Club, but we’ve also had success with occasional building programs for middle school students. I plan for about 30 children to attend any given LEGO Club meeting, although numbers fluctuate a bit higher and a bit lower throughout the year. Open the program to the number of children your space can hold, and the number that you feel comfortable supervising. Also, I encourage setting a distinct age range for your program, especially since preschool-aged siblings will almost definitely want to tag along.
It’s up to you how you deal with these younger builders whose siblings are LEGO Club members. I tend to let them in with express instructions that caregivers are fully responsible for building with them and making sure pieces don’t end up in mouths. My branch is about to experiment with an all-preschoolers building program, which may happen a few times a year if it’s successful. The premise is that preschoolers can have their own building space, albeit with materials that are more specifically directed at their age and development levels. Such a program may include LEGO DUPLOs®, wooden building blocks, nesting toys, and other toys with building potential. That way preschoolers’ brains get engineering and problem-solving exercise with age-appropriate materials.I like to break our monthly hour-long LEGO Club meetings into a few distinct parts:You have lots of LEGO fans in your community, I can pretty much guarantee it. However, it may take a little while to build up a regularly-attending audience for a new LEGO Club.
I recommend a few strategies for getting the word out about this terrific program. One, if you’re able to display any of the children’s creations–even just one or two small pieces–do so in a place that is highly visible in the library. Kids are always exploring their surroundings, and when they see LEGOs with the words “LEGO Club” nearby, their interest is piqued. Another method of spreading the word is to get in touch with folks in your local school district. Teachers and administrators are always looking for hands-on enrichment activities for their students, and they may be happy to recommend LEGO Club. I’ve been in touch with local special education professionals, too. Since LEGO Club is very flexible–kids can build at their own pace, to their own abilities, and take pride in their unique creations–it has tremendous potential as an inclusive school-age program. A third option for building your audience is to make LEGO Club highly visible during your summer reading program.