More than 100 kids came out to build the volcanic island of Kiki Wiki at the Bradford West Gwillimbury Library this week.
It was all part of the summer version of the LEGO Club, an open invitation to be creative with the library’s large collection of LEGO bricks and kits.
But children’s services librarian Andrea Ciurria has taken it up a notch for the month of July.
“I just thought, there’s so much we can do with it. LEGO challenges!” she said.
For four Tuesdays this month, children, their parents and caregivers are invited to come out and take a LEGO challenge.
“Every week, we have a different challenge,” from building volcanoes, to creating a Marble Maze, said Ciurria.
There may even be prizes — “but the prize is always creating!” she said.
On July 10, the challenge was to build a volcano out of LEGO, and make it erupt by filling it with baking soda, then adding vinegar.
The fizzing lava flows delighted the kids and spilled out onto the floor of the library foyer, where Ciurria and her team of teen volunteers stood ready to handle the mess with towels and mops.
There were plenty of cheers and giggles, as parents snapped photos of the eruptions.
Then the volcanoes were added to the growing island of Kiki Wiki, which sprawled like an archipelago from table top to table top.
“This is my favourite program to run,” admitted Ciurria, as she surveyed the fun.
Next Tuesday, the challenge is Towers, with three prizes available for the tallest free-standing LEGO structures, although kids are always free to be creative at the LEGO Club “doing whatever they want. It’s a free learning environment!”
Upcoming LEGO challenges: July 17 — Towers; July 24 — Boats; July 31 — Build a Marble Maze.
The free program takes place from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Zima Room of the BWG Public Library, 425 Holland St. W. in Bradford. For information on this and other library programs visit the library’s website. Bradford.library.on.ca.
