Brain Break 2012

Last Wednesday, 16 teens stopped by for Brain Break, our end-of-the-semester study break!  We did challenges from Minute to Win It to get chocolate, played Rock Band and Just Dance, and made papercraft Angry Birds.  I had planned to use them to knock down towers, but most people didn't want to mess up their creations!  Some gamers showed up as well, playing Yu-Gi-Oh! and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (of course).  Everyone enjoyed the selection of comfort food, which included candy, chips, homemade cookie-brownie swirl bars (yum!), and hot chocolate with big marshmallows.  Jared won a $10 gift card to Wawa in a random drawing, courtesy of our gift card fundraiser.  And, now that all of your brains are rested, enjoy the second semester!!

Some of our Angry Birds

Minute to Win It challenge: Getting a cookie from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands.

Minute to Win It challenge:  Stacking six dice on a craft stick held in the mouth.

Minute to Win It challenge:  Getting six penne noodles on the spaghetti without using your hands.  

Brain Break 2011

Today, 27 teens stopped in for Brain Break!  Everyone indulged their child-like (childish?) sides with activities like cupcake decorating, making playdough, and constructing with Legos.  We borrowed my four-year-old's board games, and people got gum if they won a game of Candy Land, Hi Ho! Cherry-O, Chutes and Ladders, or Memory.  We played Just Dance for the first time at the library, and it was hilarious!  Later, we switched to Rock Band.  At the end, Laurel was the winner of a study and snack prize basket.

 We made our own playdough.

 A cute playdough snowman and dog

 Chutes and Ladders

  Legos

Yes, that is a playdough skull.  I said she was like Hamlet, and then Jamie proceeded to quote 15 lines of Hamlet's speech to the skull.  Who knew?! 

 A very nice playdough TARDIS (it had windows and everything, but you can't see them in the pic)

Brainiacs!

Just Dance!!!

Brain Break, Part 2

Last Wednesday was our second Brain Break program, and 19 people stopped by. Actually, almost everyone stayed for the entire time! It was pretty much a repeat of last week, with Rock Band, fingerpainting, sand art, crazy Mr. Potato Heads, and board games out to pass the time and provide stress relief. This week, I baked brownies and iced some sugar cookies as our special comfort food. We also had chips and dip, M&Ms, cheese curls, hot chocolate, hot tea, and iced tea.
Although this event was aimed at Prendie and Bonner students who had exams this week, we ended up with a mixture of students from both public and private middle and high schools. Everyone seemed to have fun, even though one of our Rock Band guitars died. Fingerpainting was especially popular, with creations that ranged from ironic to masterful to just plain overenthusiastic. Thanks to TAB members Elena, Busra, Genni, Kaitlyn, and Christine for showing up and helping everyone feel welcome.

PHOTOS FROM THE CRAZY MR. POTATO HEAD CONTEST:

After her "Fail Potato" entry from last week, Laurel won this week with "Armed and Dangerous"!

A wacky potato with a pierced, pizza-carrying arm where the nose should be.

King of the Pirate Hippies

This potato is so weird-looking, and yet somehow very appealing. I love the arm and moustache on the head.

A four-armed, pierced pizza princess!

This one looks like some kind of British lord with a penchant for women's jewelry.

Brain Break!

On Wednesday, January 27, the Teen Advisory Board will host their second Brain Break program from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. If you are worn out from end-of-the-semester projects and tests, drop in to de-stress and regress with us! Play Rock Band, finger paint a masterpiece, make a sand art keychain, and enter our crazy Mr. Potato Head contest. Of course, there will be plenty of comfort food. Bring your friends! Everyone in grades 6 to 12 is welcome, and there is no registration.

Brain Break, Part 1

Yesterday, 24 teens stopped by to participate in the Teen Advisory Board's Brain Break program. The TAB planned this program as a drop-in day to help provide stress relief during exams, and I think it worked! Some people stayed the entire time and some came for a short time, but it was fun for everyone. We played Rock Band II and Rock Band: The Beatles, made sand art keychains, fingerpainted some amazing artwork, played board games, and had a crazy Mr. Potato Head contest. There was also a lot of comfort food, including cupcakes and cookies made by me, hot chocolate and hot tea, chips and dip, and M&Ms. Everyone left with a little container of Play Dough and several people checked out books from our display of new items.

Special thanks to Emily and Jasmine, who showed up early to help me set up and stayed for the whole program. Also, thanks to TAB members Nitha, Alexa, Anas, Amy, Busra, and Katie for hanging out at the event and making people feel welcome.

Don't worry if you missed it because we will be doing it again next Wednesday, January 27, from 2:00 to 5:00. Repeat visitors are also welcome, so come by anytime and bring your friends.

PHOTOS FROM THE CRAZY MR. POTATO HEAD CONTEST

Anas won our contest with this cross-dressing detective. He won a mug of study supplies, including a $5 gift card to Wawa.

Nitha's potato has problems...

I liked the hot dog hat on this one.

Hmmm. I'd like to say that Laurel was imitating Picasso, but I think she just might be crazy.

Only the coolest princesses wear sneakers!

This spud has a big brain, but no common sense when it comes to fashion.

Everything men can do, women can do backwards and in high heels. (That is according to Alexa who made this one.)

This understated entry was my second favorite. I love the combination of the peg leg, ear muffs, crown, and arms.