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<\/p>\nOver my 17 years at the Toronto Public Library (TPL), my work with children has continually shown me how naturally learning unfolds through exploration, play, and creative discovery. Although I have facilitated programs for all ages, the work that energizes me most and the work that has shaped my MLIS journey, is designing programs for children 6-12 years old. Within this age group, the library naturally becomes what Stephens (2016) describes as a creative classroom, a space where imaginations play and learning unfolds through curiosity, experimentation, and hands on discovery.<\/p>\n
My children\u2019s programs already embody this model. In my balloon twisting workshops, children learn through tactile exploration, shaping and reshaping materials until their creations take form. In Snap Circuits sessions, they build lie detectors, musical circuits, and other projects that reveal cause-and-effect relationships. Dash & Dot robotics programs invite them to test commands, fix mistakes, and collaborate with peers, sometimes even inventing spontaneous games, like mock soccer matches played with robots during the FIFA games this year. Cultural craft activities, such as henna or rangoli designs for Asian Heritage Month, encourage children to blend creativity with cultural learning, often moving beyond the templates I provide to express their own interpretations.<\/p>\n
What I now recognize more clearly through Stephens\u2019s (2016) readings is the role of innovation management. I may introduce an activity, but innovation emerges organically as children discover new possibilities and reinterpret instructions. This aligns closely with Block\u2019s (2014) idea of messy learning, where confusion, trial-and-error, and shifting ideas are not signs of failure but essential stages of authentic learning. I see this constantly: a child struggling to connect a circuit, another rethinking a robot\u2019s path, or a group improvising a craft design. Their breakthroughs come precisely because the learning process is open ended and exploratory.<\/p>\n
The broader library landscape reinforces this shift. As Bookey\u2019s (2015) article on modern library learning environments notes, libraries today are embracing maker culture, STEM programming, and play based learning to make learning fun, social, and hands-on. Together, these programs help shape the library into a vibrant learning space where children develop creativity, problem solving skills, and confidence through active, hands-on participation. Reflecting on these experiences, I see clearly that the library is a classroom where innovation grows naturally from imagination.<\/p>\n
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Figure 1: Children’s Program Display at TPL<\/p>\n
References<\/strong><\/p>\n Block, J. (2014, January 7). Embracing messy learning<\/em>. Edutopia. https:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/blog\/embracing-messy-learning-joshua-block<\/a><\/p>\n Bookey, J. L. (2015, April 29). 8 awesome ways libraries are making learning fun<\/em>. HuffPost. https:\/\/www.huffpost.com\/entry\/8-awesome-ways-libraries_b_7157462<\/a><\/p>\n