CRAWFORDVILLE — Don’t underestimate this library because of its size. Make no mistake, the library is making a lot of noise in the Wakulla County community.
The sun is always shining just 24 miles down the road in Crawfordville, at the Wakulla County Public Library. The library provides various special programs for parents and children and one of the community’s monthly favorites is the Lego Club Night. The Lego Club held its monthly activity session Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Lego Club program was created to initiate children’s educational advancement with creative activities that stimulate and develop spatial intelligence, social and educational skills.
The club grants children of all ages the opportunity to relax, create, collaborate and innovate.
Children are given Legos according to age range and are encouraged to be creative and analyze patterns, shapes and inventions while using their muscle building tactile skills to build spatial knowledge.
Each week after the children complete their creations, they’re allowed to name them and view them in the glass display at the front of the library where they will be display for two weeks.
Rebecca Sahar has been coordinating the library’s Lego Club for five years.
“We usually have five to eight families during the school year but in the summer it’s absolutely crazy,” she said. “The largest we’ve experienced was 100 families over the summer.”
Sahar said some low-income families may not be able to afford creative spatial agents like Legos but she wants to reach those families and provide an atmosphere for children to enjoy and learn about spatial intelligence.
“It’s great for kids interested in engineering and math but it can still be fun and creative and they don’t identify the activities as work,” Sahar said.
The Lego Club has even groomed local students who’ve won high-level spatial intelligence competitions and secured NASA internships.
Sahar says although COVID-19 slightly disrupted the kids being able to share materials, the children have been progressing socially by inquiring and conversing about their neighbor’s creation using safe social distancing guidelines.
Many families have been participating in the Lego Club for three or more years and enjoy the educational and creative developmental aspects the program provides for their children.
“We participate in all of the programs at the library,” said Amber Conlin, a parent of a child participant in Lego Club. “We started this program three years ago, the program is very educational and hands-on.”
Circulation desk member Suzy Bennett said Sahar’s devotion to the Lego Club wins over parents quickly.
“Rebecca is the perfect Lego Club host, she is full of imagination,” Bennett said. “She’s creative, passionate, funny and amazing. We love her here.”
Sara Turner acknowledges the Lego Club’s impact on her children. Her kids are enthusiastic to participate, make new friends and enjoy seeing their creations in the glass display each week.
“We’ve been coming to the Lego Club for five years, the kids look forward to it every week. It’s actually their favorite program at the library. It’s a really great free activity for families in the community,” Turner said.
The Wakulla County Public Library holds several weekly activities including story time, a kids coding class and a summer reading program.
Lego Club meets at 4 p.m. every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. Registration and more information is available on Wakulla County Public Library’s website and Facebook page.