Creator: Centre for Equitable Library Access
Date Updated: January 10, 2025
Overview
The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) created a resource to help your library host accessible crafts and activities for young patrons with disabilities. They include general tips and examples of crafts and activities your library can incorporate into programming.
Visit the Accessible libraries: craft and activities by CELA.
Quick Facts
When hosting crafts and activities in your library, here are some ways you can make them more accessible:
- General tips include offering help (but not assuming they need it), allowing for lots of time to complete the steps of the activity, having the option to sit or stand, providing different materials to choose from, and offering alternatives to paper-based activities.
- When preparing your craft and activities areas, consider if the area is wheelchair accessible, provide trays to help organize the materials to help keep everything together for participants, and offer materials in a variety of sizes (e.g., scissors).
- Engage the senses by using materials with different textures (e.g., soft, squishy, rough, and more), contrast (e.g., shiny and sparkly items), and items that make noise (e.g., bells and crinkly plastic/paper).
- Provide accessible instructions by giving them one step at a time, ensuring they are in clear and simple language, and demonstrating steps both visually and in writing.
- The examples outlined include (instructions are available in the resource):
- Creating salt dough fossils
- Making squishy bags
- DIY shakers and sensory bottles
- Build a city (a group activity)
Visit the Accessible libraries: craft and activities by CELA.
References
Centre for Equitable Library Access. (2025, January 8). Accessible libraries: craft and activities. celalibrary.ca. https://celalibrary.ca/sites/default/files/2024-12/Accessible%20Crafts%20and%20Activities%20by%20CELA_FINAL-s.pdf