Fall Library Centers this week
One of the things I love most about setting up fall library centers is how much joy they bring to students. They provide hands-on, creative activities that students can dive into while still connecting to literacy and learning. This week, I set up two seasonal centers that have been very popular with my students—bat bookmarks and fall symmetry drawings. Both activities are simple to prepare, inexpensive, and full of opportunities for creativity.
Draw a Bat Bookmark
At one round table, I set up a “Design Your Own Bat Bookmark” station. The materials were wonderfully simple: just pencils, crayons, and copy paper. I cut the copy paper into fourths so that each student had a perfectly sized rectangle to transform into a bookmark. A stack of these blank bookmarks was ready for them to pick up as they came to the table.
To give students a little guidance, I printed a bat drawing tutorial from a free website. These step-by-step instructions were a hit! Students love being able to follow along, and many of them feel proud when they see how their drawing turns out. Some students followed the directions exactly, while others used the guide as inspiration and added their own flair—extra wings, spooky backgrounds, or even whole bat families.
Once the bats were drawn, out came the crayons and colored pencils. Suddenly the table was filled with a rainbow of bats: purple bats, neon bats, polka-dotted bats, and even glittery bats (thanks to a few students who brought their own sparkly gel pens). Each bookmark became a tiny piece of personal artwork that students could slip inside their library books or take home to share.
I’ve found that bookmark-making is always a favorite activity. Students enjoy creating something useful, and they especially love that their artwork becomes part of their reading life. It’s such an easy way to connect art with literacy, and I love seeing them beam as they tuck their handmade bookmarks into their library books.
Fall Symmetry
At another table, I introduced a math-meets-art activity: symmetry drawings. For this center, I used Loreen Leedy’s Symmetry Activities for Fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, which I purchased on Teachers Pay Teachers. This resource has been a go-to in my library for the past few years, and it never fails to engage students.
Each page features a seasonal design—pumpkins, turkeys, leaves, bats, and more—drawn on one half of the paper. The other half is left blank for students to complete the symmetrical drawing. The challenge is for them to carefully mirror the lines and shapes so that the design matches on both sides. After finishing the outline, they can add color, which makes the designs pop and gives each student a chance to add personal touches.
Bringing math into the library can sometimes feel tricky. We’re often focused on reading, writing, and research skills, but symmetry activities allow me to connect math and art in a way that feels fun and natural. Students are practicing a mathematical concept while also getting to be creative. It’s a hands-on experience that reinforces the idea that the library is a place where all kinds of learning happen—not just reading.
I’ve noticed that students get really invested in this activity. Some are perfectionists, checking and rechecking their lines to make sure everything matches, while others dive right in and create bold, colorful patterns. Either way, they’re practicing careful observation and spatial awareness, all while enjoying themselves.
Why These Centers Work
Both of these activities (bat bookmarks and fall symmetry) are successful because they combine creativity with skill-building. Students are practicing drawing, coloring, measuring, and mirroring, but in a way that feels playful. They love the independence of choosing colors, designs, and styles, and they take pride in showing off their finished work to classmates.
Another benefit of learning centers like these is that they allow me to engage many students at once without needing lots of complicated materials or preparation. A stack of copy paper and a few boxes of crayons go a long way! It’s a reminder that meaningful library learning doesn’t have to be elaborate to be effective.
These two centers have been buzzing with activity all week, and the excitement is contagious. Whether students are creating their own spooky bat bookmarks or carefully completing a fall symmetry design, they’re practicing important skills and connecting to learning in new ways. Most importantly, they’re having fun—and when students are having fun in the library, I know they’ll make the connection between the library and fun, and I hope that lasts them a lifetime.
