THERE BE DRAGONS: Summer reading program kids fashion weapons to ward off fearsome beasts

Jul. 2—If Summer Reading Program participants have anything to say about it, any dragons in the vicinity are about to be grounded.

The Tahlequah Public Library offers activities that promote reading, and on July 1, kids built anti-dragon defense weapons.

Network Outreach Educators Ally Dunn and Jeremy Causey, from Science Museum Oklahoma, prepared craft items children could use to build a "point" that could penetrate the tough skin of a dragon.

"For this program, we are going to be building a javalin or arrowhead that the children [will use] to penetrate the dragon scales, which are made from foil and crepe paper," Causey said. "They need to build something that flies to and cuts through [the fashioned dragon scales]."

After their first effort trying to shoot their homemade weapons using a miniature ballista, the children reworked their point.

"They come back and add something to it to make it fly better, or better or straighter," Causey said. "They get to keep their arrowhead."

Causey introduced the craft and told the kids how to get their materials to make their first attempt.

"We are going to be building something to make sure the dragons flying through our kingdom aren't going to stick around, and we can live long prosperous lives," Causey said.

He asked what the children thought of when they hear about dragons. One child said it reminded him of the book of Revelation; another said fire.

"Dragons have been in all sorts of stories and legends all throughout history because they are awesome, big and fearsome," Causey said.

After collecting their supplies, the children began fashioning their ideas of what would pierce the skin of the fearsome beast.

"We have a ballista that is mounted and [your weapon] will get loaded in here and launched, and we are going to make sure we can either hit or penetrate inside of our dragon scales," Causey said.

Luna Earlywolf, the first one to shoot her weapon, headed back to redo it because it did not pierce either of the targets.

Luna's mother, Kailey Perry, said they have been coming all summer to the reading program.

"I have to make it sharper, so I'm going to make this stick come up through it, and maybe I can try and make it sharper," Earlywolf said.

Dunn said she likes watching the kids come up with innovative ways to make their points.

Brealyn Johnson and her children, Aydien and Avarie Johnson, take part in the reading program. They thought they were going to learn about dragons but still had a good time cobbling together their weapons, Brealyn said.

Michelle Newton, youth services coordinator for TPL, said the reading program will have three activities this month, on the first three Mondays at 10 a.m.

"Next week is tiny world crafts and after that, the Tulsa Zoo will be here," Newton said. "I'm not sure [if they will bring any animals]; they usually bring some type of conservation item."

What's next

On July 8, 10 a.m., the second activity is scheduled: tiny world crafts at the TPL.