Day 9: Prepare One Grab-and-Go Activity
If you’ve worked in a school library for any length of time, you know one thing for certain:
Schedules change.
A class arrives ten minutes early.
Another class is delayed.
The fire drill interrupts your lesson.
The teacher gets called to the office.
The technology decides today is not the day to cooperate.
And suddenly you have five…or ten…or fifteen unexpected minutes to fill.
Instead of scrambling for something to do, today’s Quick Win helps you prepare for those moments before they happen.
Create one simple grab-and-go activity that you can pull out whenever your plans change.
Your future self will thank you.
Why It Matters
Not every library activity has to be a carefully planned lesson.
Sometimes the most memorable moments happen during those unexpected pockets of time.
A quick activity can:
- Keep students engaged.
- Reinforce literacy skills.
- Encourage book discovery.
- Reduce classroom management challenges.
- Turn waiting time into learning time.
Best of all, many of these activities can be used again and again throughout the year.
A little preparation now can save you countless moments of stress later.
Your 20-Minute Challenge
Choose one activity that requires little or no preparation once it’s created.
Store it somewhere easy to reach so it’s ready whenever you need it.
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Coloring Page
Perfect for younger students.
Choose a library-themed page, a favorite book character, or an illustration that connects with the season.
Keep several copies in a folder near your desk.
Book Scavenger Hunt
Challenge students to find books that match simple clues.
Examples:
- Find a book with an animal on the cover.
- Find a nonfiction book.
- Find a mystery.
- Find a book whose title has only one word.
- Find a book by an author you’ve never read.
No prizes required—just the fun of exploring the library.
Would You Rather?
Students love sharing opinions.
Try questions like:
- Would you rather read one very long book or ten short books?
- Would you rather live in your favorite fantasy world or your favorite mystery?
- Would you rather have a dragon or a talking dog as a reading buddy?
These simple conversations often lead to wonderful book recommendations.
Puzzle Time
Keep a collection of activities ready, such as:
- Word searches
- Crosswords
- Unscramble the words
- Book-themed mazes
- Logic puzzles
- Hidden pictures
They’re perfect for independent work or quiet transitions.
Book Bingo
Create a reusable bingo card with prompts like:
- Read a book with a blue cover.
- Read a biography.
- Read a book recommended by a friend.
- Read a funny story.
- Read a book set somewhere you’ve never been.
Students can work on their cards throughout the month or even the entire school year.
Try This Today
Gather everything you need for one activity and place it in a clearly labeled folder, basket, or bin.
You might even create a small “Grab-and-Go” box that includes:
- Activity pages
- Pencils
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Clipboards
- Dry-erase sleeves
- Laminated game boards
- Simple instructions
When an unexpected change happens, you’ll be ready in seconds.
Bonus Tip
Create activities that work for a variety of age groups.
A scavenger hunt, for example, can easily be adjusted by changing the clues.
Older students might search by genre, author, or literary element.
Younger students can look for colors, animals, letters, or shapes.
One activity can often serve your entire school with just a few small adjustments.
A Little Encouragement
One of the greatest strengths of a school librarian is adaptability.
Every day brings something unexpected.
The schedule changes.
The copier jams.
The internet disappears.
A class arrives with twice as many students as expected.
You can’t predict every surprise.
But you can prepare for many of them.
Having one reliable activity ready doesn’t just fill extra time.
It gives you confidence.
You’ll spend less time worrying about what might happen and more time enjoying the students in front of you.
And that’s exactly where your attention belongs.
Reflection Question
Think back over the past few school years.
What unexpected situation happened more than once?
Could one simple grab-and-go activity help make that moment a little easier the next time it happens?
For more in the August in the Library series, click here.
For more Library Administration posts, click here.
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