features Cardboard Armor Splashdown!

Calling all programmers looking to engage teens! Last summer, the Prince George Public Library (PGPL) hosted something out of the box called a Cardboard Armor Splashdown This sounds interesting but what on earth is it? Good question. This is an outdoor event where participants craft the perfect cardboard battle armor and put it to the test in an epic water fight!

- Victoria Ellis

Materials to Acquire

Cardboard: This one is obvious but get as much cardboard as possible. Also, acquire a variety of cardboard for maximum construction creativity. For example, sturdier boxes from book shipments work well for chest plates while thinner cardboard from cereal boxes is great for helmets or areas that need to flex. Also, cardboard tubes from paper towel or toilet paper rolls work surprisingly well as gauntlets and bracers. I raided the library’s cardboard recycling pile, then took our handy library outreach van, affectionately nicknamed Mobi, to a local book store and stocked up. For larger boxes, a bike shop was happy to let us take their recycling. Just call businesses in advance, please. This will ensure that a worker can let you access their cardboard collection and give you the best time to come by for it.

Duct tape: Acquire a variety of colours and far more than you think you’ll need. To get the most from the duct tape, ask participants to only tape areas that are facing away from themselves such as the front of their shields. The tape will improve the structural integrity of the armor and aids in waterproofing it.

Acrylic paint (optional): It could be used to decorate armor and shields but crafting will take longer than just using duct tape and is more intensive for programmers to set up. The paint will also run when wet. I stuck strictly to duct tape for simplicity and the participants really enjoyed it. Additionally, acrylic paint can be expensive. Alternatives such as chalk or crayons could be better options.

Scissors: Safety scissors will not work, so get several pairs of “adult” scissors. Utility knives: These are necessary to cut cardboard with ease but consider only letting the adults use them. My co-worker and I were the only ones allowed to touch them during the program for safety considerations; most of our participants were on the young end of the teen years as our event was open to participants aged 10-18.

Water balloons: You may be temped to purchase the “self-tying” balloons that hook up directly to a hose and pop off magically tied and ready to go once filled. Consider an alternative. They may advertise as time savers but they don’t seal and the balloons deflate rapidly. Manually filling balloons the old fashioned way worked best for me. To aid with this process, I would recommend getting a water balloon pump, such as a Qualatex pump.

Fill at least three tote bins with water balloons but more is more in this instance. Be sure to keep the filled balloons cool, covered, and shaded to prevent premature popping. Additionally, have a bin or two of water for people to either a) fill more balloons on the fly or b) to scoop up water with buckets during the glorious, organized mayhem of the ensuing water fight.

A more environmentally friendly and cost-effective option than balloons are large car wash sponges that hold plenty of water, but are soft to be hit by. These sponges also limit the risk of littering the play space and can be reused for multiple programs. Moreover, they are less onerous to use than filling bins with water balloons and, going forward, I may switch to these instead.

Water toys (optional): Buckets, balloon launchers, and water pistols can add to the fun but are not required. The event will be entertaining and everyone will be thoroughly soaked by the end with or without these items.

Alka-Seltzer tablets: These are delightful to add to shields as they provide a target challenge to shoot and fizz when wet.

Ziplock bag(s): For people to keep their electronics safe!

Beverages (optional): These are also not a necessity but a flat of water or a large jug, like those used at sporting events, with cups and a marker for labelling names are always welcome to keep everyone hydrated on a hot summer day. The jug can also be repurposed for other programs and is an excellent purchase for events beyond summer programs.

Program How To’s

By registration: This was a very popular program and we had people from early elementary to older adults wanting to join. We capped the list at 20 youths but select a number that works well for your staff and event space. Advise participants to keep their phones in a safe place so they won’t get wet, this is where those plastic bags come in, and to bring a beverage to stay hydrated.

Location: If your library has access to a park or nearby greenspace, host the program there. Depending on logistics either direct participants to meet at the off-site location or, if it’s close by and convenient, migrate from the library to the program location as a herd. The PGPL is adjacent to a garden where we typically host summer programs, so we asked everyone to meet us there and had large whiteboards directing people along the pathway to the garden entrance. Although weatherdependant, this program was a great way to beat the summer heat and play outdoors.

Shield preparation: I cut out shield templates in various shapes and sizes from large bike boxes so participants could each select a design to their liking. The three designs I used were Link’s shield from Legend of Zelda, a circular “Viking” design, and a medieval knight shield. To make these, I traced a large bucket to make a Viking shield and free-handed the other two. There was enough so each participant could have one, plus a few extras as backups. I also had a few mock-up shields decorated and displayed for some inspiration prior to the program.

Staffing: One library staff member filling balloons or filling tubs with water and another to supervise yielded a smooth event. Be sure to take turns as filling balloons is a joyous but tedious task.

Run time: Two hours let participants and programmers end the event on a high note but use your own discretion. The PGPL event lasted from 1:30-3:30pm to capitalize on hot weather and the post-lunch energy surge. The first 1.25 hours were spent crafting the perfect armor. We had to stop at that point and pry teens away from making armor to begin the water fight. This really surprised me as they were very eager to start tossing balloons at the beginning but, once everyone was letting their inner cardboard-smithing shine, they wouldn’t stop. Perhaps there is another program to be had here?

The remainder of the program was spent playing games. We started out with water balloon hot potato, then progressed to water balloon tag, and concluded with an epic free for all. Participants were only allowed to aim from the torso down and a safe zone for those who wanted a break was designated. If you’re wondering yes, everyone, programmers included, got utterly soaked. It was awesome! Some participants grabbed buckets and soaked me at the end of the free for all as I had remained surprisingly dry to that point. In their defense, they asked me first. It was all fair in water balloon wars as I had been lobbing balloons at them from the safe zone for the majority of the games.

We all pitched in and cleaned up at the end of the free for all as we didn’t want to leave a bunch of balloon remains strewn about. Overall, everyone left drenched, laughing, and battle-hardened from the splashdown. I would definitely host it again.

Victoria Ellis is a Library Assistant in Children’s Services at the Prince George Public Library. She can be contacted at vellis@pgpl.ca if you would like more information about this program. She started working as a tutor for the library’s free Homework Help Program for three years and made a lovely jump to the Children’s Services team in April 2021.