Teen Boredom Busters

Brad B.

Bored after school? Need a study break? No worries, we've got fun activities in our Teen Space that are just right for your busy schedule. Stop by for 5 or 50 minutes, whatever works for you. Learn something new, meet a new friend, or just relieve some stress.

Upcoming sessions

There are no upcoming sessions available.

Great Books For 6 Year Olds

June 27, 2021 | Brad B.
Ada Twist, scientist by Andrea Beaty
The zoo in the sky : a book of animal constellations by Jacqueline Mitton
Today I will fly! by Mo Willems

Construct an Obstacle Course

May 17, 2021 | Brad B.
Obstacle Course

Looking for a physical or mental challenge? Use supplies from your home to set up an obstacle course and see how long it takes to go through it. It's a great way to stretch your imagination and look at ordinary objects in a whole new light.

Obstacle Courses For Kids

A great way to get physical exercise. You can make these simple courses indoors or outdoors with supplies from your own home:

Obstacle Courses For Marbles (Rube Goldberg Machines)

An obstacle course for a marble or toy can have just a few moving parts or a lot of chain reactions:

Yard Games

Try incorporating a game into your obstacle course outside:

Programs

 

Head back to the 62 Days of Summer home page for more ways to participate in the summer program!

Make Up Your Own Theme Song

May 17, 2021 | Brad B.
Music

Have you ever wanted to make up your own theme song? Think of what matters most to you.

  • What's your motto, your philosophy about life?
  • What defines you as a person or as a family?
  • What are you passionate about?
  • What has made you the most happy or the most sad?

Write at least 5 things down. These are the themes that are important to you! Now, follow these instructions:

Write Lyrics

Start by writing a simple, rhyming poem with one of your themes. It doesn't have to be perfect. The most important thing is to be honest. If you've never written a poem before, or if you need help to make it sound good, try these:

Understanding Song Structure

That poem you made is basically a verse (or verses)! Write a bit more to get your chorus and bridge. There are many ways to make a song, but for your first one try this structure: Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus. No idea what those words mean? Watch these videos:

Write Melodies

Now that you've got the lyrics, it's time to make the melody. You can sing your lyrics to what ever tune comes to your head. Or, try making music for it with one of these free programs.

Make Music With An Instrument

Have you already got an instrument like a guitar or a piano? Here's some tips to get you started writing great melodies in no time:

Share Your Song

Practice singing your song while playing your music. It might take you several times to get it right. Then, share your song with a close friend or family member to brighten their day, or record your song for yourself to playback sometime in the future.

Music Courses

Want to learn about music in general?

Books

Make music! : a kid's guide to creating rhythm, playing with sound, and conducting and composing music by Norma Jean Haynes

Build Something

May 17, 2021 | Brad B.
Building With Blocks

Build something with your hands and get the satisfying of seeing it take shape, piece by piece, in front of your eyes. What wonders will you make? A tower? A toy? A tool?

Building With Legos®

Follow along with these instructions or use them for inspiration:

eBooks:

Building Projects For Kids

Build something out of paper, wood, or even furniture in your home:

eBooks:

Building Projects for Adults

Looking for something more involved? Try building these home and garden improvements or make toys with your family:

eBooks

Programs

Head back to the 62 Days of Summer home page for more ways to participate in the summer program!

STEAM For Everyone: Paper Airplane Flight Contest

Brad B.

Can you make a paper airplane that stays in the air longer than anyone else’s? Put your aerospace engineering to the test and learn something new in the process!

Contest Details:

  • We will accept submissions from June 21 through July 21, 2021 by 9:00 PM.
  • To enter, send an email to cplflight@cantonpl.org. The email should include your name, age, and a link to a video showing the full flight of your paper airplane from take-off to landing. Tip: have someone else film it while you throw it outside.
  • The video should be no longer than 1 minute, and should be hosted on your own cloud storage, like Google Drive or Dropbox. Make sure that your sharing setting allows anyone with the link to view your video.
  • Each person may enter only once. You may enter as an individual OR as part of a family team, but not both. Team entries will be judged in the age category of the oldest team member.
  • By entering, you are granting Canton Public Library permission to show your video or link to it on in its website.
  • Divisions are based on age: 8 & under, 9-12, and 13-adult. 
  • Winners will be announced on Aug. 4, 2021 at 5:00pm on our website.

How to Make Paper Airplanes

Learn Something

How to Make it MORE Fun

Upcoming sessions

There are no upcoming sessions available.

2021 LEGO® Building Contest Results - Celebration Video

February 22, 2021 | Brad B.

Thank you to everyone who entered our 2021 LEGO® Building Contest! This year's theme was Looking Forward. What did you miss during the past year? What are you looking forward to? Watch our celebration video to see all the entries and which ones won!

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