Virtual Program: Baby-Sitters Club Membership Kits

We’ve been exploring different ways to provide virtual programming to our patrons. Many libraries have been providing make-and-take kits, but, unfortunately, due to our library’s curbside setup and our patron demand, that isn’t an option for us. It really isn’t possible to add anything larger than a piece of paper to our already cramped holds area. Mail-to-you programs were born, and Baby-Sitters Club Membership Kits were a wonderful way to get patrons engaged.

Mailing things to patrons wasn’t my idea, but I happily stole the concept after my coworkers had some success with their amazing Unicorn Rescue Society Program. Luckily for us, at this point anyway, the postage cost for these type of activities doesn’t come from our youth budget.

I loved making the Baby-Sitters Club Membership Kits, I am quite proud of the final product, and the patron response was amazing. With that said, I went overboard. This is probably the real reason I shouldn’t be left alone too long.

Why Mail? Why Baby-Sitters Club?

Mail is convenient, though costly. It lets us reach our patrons who can’t come into the physical building, but it also lets us reach patrons who can’t come to the library, period. There are still limitations here: you need access to a phone or internet to register for the program, and access to the internet to be aware of the program in the first place, but it still opens up a lot of possibilities.

I am especially happy with Baby-Sitters Club Membership Kits because this was one of my first programs that was truly born from COVID and thinking about what virtual programming can do. This wasn’t an adaptation of a planned in-person program–it was very much a last minute calendar addition after the release date for the Netflix series was announced and seeing the excitement my Graphic Novel Book Club kids had for the books and upcoming TV series. This was something that would have been fine in person, but I think worked better as mailed packages. This wasn’t a substitute for an in-person event–it felt like something entirely its own.

I loved this kit because it was about joy, passion, and fun; not school. Yes, I know that kids are struggling and will continue to struggle with school, kindergarten skills, learning to read. All of those things are important, and there are ways we can help. But. But getting an email from a mom about how her child screamed with pure joy when she got her envelope in the mail–kids need that joy right now. Even if there is no school this fall or for the entirety of the 2020-2021 school year–we will figure it out. The world will.

Kids are being super strong right now, while they watch their grown-ups fray at the seams. Kids are dealing with no friends, no trips, no regular activities, honestly better than many grown-ups seem to be. Kids will, soon enough if not already, be buried in school work and education and people desperately trying to teach them through a computer. I’m not a teacher; I’m not a preschool educator. I can try to help, but my skills only go so far. But, if I can bring those kids joy and fun, if I can make them think their favorite book and TV characters created a kit just for them, filled with activities that could keep them busy for a few days, even if that excitement lasts for just one afternoon–well. That’s my contribution to all of this. That’s what I can do.

Oh and why Baby-Sitters Club? There is the obvious release of the Netflix series, but is there a series–other than the one by that author we don’t talk about anymore–that has transcended generations in such a way? These kids’ parent’s remember reading these books, and they will find their own joy in this packet. Right now, a nostalgia trip isn’t such a bad thing. And this series manages, especially in the Netflix series that I can’t stop talking about, to be wholesome while also confronting and discussing real issues. It never gets as hard as it could–as hard as it might get as the series expands and those babysitters finally age–but it feels real. It feels legitimate and relatable and all of those things that kids look for in good stories.

Baby-Sitters Club Membership Kits: Content

As I mentioned earlier, I went overboard. And I’m not sorry. (I was when I was making them but that falls under “logistics.”) Do I suggest you do this much? No. But here we are.

Downloads for most items can be found in the downloads section. Download all editable files here.

Each child received their own envelope, even if there were multiple kids in the same house registered. This made it more individual–not just that the oldest or youngest got to open the package from the library. I considered more envelope decorations and doodles, but that didn’t happen due to time.

Baby-Sitters Club Membership Kits contained a general membership kit, in a document envelope, as well as five individual bags, one from each babysitter.

The general membership kit included:

• Personalized welcome letter from the Baby-Sitters Club
• Personalized Membership Card
• Guide to Babysitting (borrowed liberally from the Red Cross Guide)
• Readalike Books (listen to me talk about these titles in this YouTube video)
• Swag: Bookmarks, Flyer, Trivia Sheet, Which Baby-Sitter Are You Quiz, Membership Profile

Kristy’s Bag focused on leadership and included:

• Letter from Kristy
• Leadership Packet

Claudia’s bag (the most fun, obviously) included:

• Letter from Claudia
• Mini sketchbook and glitter pens (leftovers from previous programs, but could easily be printed yourself)
• Friendship bracelet materials and instructions
• Art Project Ideas for Babysitting (double as activities great to do with supplies you may have at home)

Mary Anne’s bag focused on organization:

• Letter from Mary Anne
• “Pocket” Calendar (This is a bit bigger than pocket size.)
• Musical Recommendations (with book recs on the back)
• Dry Erase Calendar (not pictured, only in select kits due to expanded registration)

Stacey’s bag included:

• Letter from Stacey
• MASH Instructions
• Cootie Catcher Instructions and 2 sheets
• Healthy Snack Suggestions (cook book recommendations on the back)

Dawn’s bag included:

• Letter from Dawn
• Nature Scavenger Hunt
• ECO-BINGO

Dawn’s kit was meant to include an environmentally friendly craft, ucycled craft, or craft to be donated, but I was out of funds, time, and envelope space.

Each kit (up to a certain number of days before sign-up) was personalized. Imagine the child’s name where the word “Babysitter” is in most of these pictures.

All activities were meant to also be able to be completed by the program participant at home. So, you could go on a nature scavenger hunt with someone you are babysitting, but you could also do this with your family during COVID times.

Baby-Sitters Club Membership Kits: Logistics

Obviously, these bags contained a lot. Part of this would have been significantly easier if I had been in the physical library regularly. I have a printer at home that I will use in a pinch, but not for this kind of quantity and ink. This meant that a lot of designing happened at home, but essentially all assembly had to happen in one very long work day.

As I mentioned earlier, I would repeat most of this program, but one thing in particular I wanted to highlight was the organization method. The feedback from caregivers was very positive, especially praising the organization and that everything could fit in the document envelope. They really appreciated not receiving a bunch of lose odds and ends.

Now, things I would do differently:

• Personalization: So much happiness came from these kits being personalized, but wow, sorting and stuffing took so much longer because of it. Due to necessity, for future, similar events, I may just personalize a membership card and general letter, not each and every piece.
• Folding the letters: There was no reason for this, which just took extra time between double-sided printing and folding. I realized halfway through folding that I could have easily called them stationary and not folded. But by that point they were printed with names on the back, and I was halfway done.
• Get a long paper stapler that works: I lost hours restapling. HOURS. There was anger. So much. I’m not sure exactly what was wrong, and I was hesitant about asking to use the basement machine because of COVID and germs. But goodness. The amount of staples I had to remove because they were sticking out? I don’t want to talk about this anymore.

Downloads

This is what you are here for right? You found the gold. Everything should be downloadable from the links below. Download all editable files here. They are all Publisher files, and I used a lot of unique fonts.

• Welcome Kit:
  • Welcome Letter
  • Membership Card
  • Bookmarks
  • Baby-Sitters Club Flyer (printed on color copy paper)
  • Readalike Bookmarks
  • Trivia
  • Which baby sitter are you quiz?
  • Membership Profile
  • Guide to Babysitting (pages sorted to print as a booklet)
    
• Kristy’s Bag:
  • Kristy’s Letter
  • Leadership Booklet (pages sorted to print as a booklet)
    
• Claudia’s Bag:
  • Claudia’s Letter
  • Friendship Bracelet Instructions
  • Art Project Ideas
    
• Mary Anne’s Bag:
  • Mary Anne’s Letter
  • Monthly Planner (pages sorted to print as a booklet)
  • Musicals to Watch
    
• Stacey’s Bag:
  • Stacey’s Letter
  • MASH Game
  • Cootie Catcher Instructions
  • Healthy Snack Suggestions
    
• Dawn’s Bag:
  • Dawn’s Letter
  • ECO BINGO
  • Nature Scavenger Hunt

Response

Patron response to this program was absolutely lovely. Some of my favorite quotes and feedback are below.