Budget numbers, Programming numbers, Circulation numbers, I haz them ALL (Part One)

If you are anything like me when you see programs, what you REALLY want to know is how much did they cost and how many kids actually came? Numbers, I haz them. This year, in addition to my general budgeting of what money came in and what money went out, I kept a careful count of what I spent on each individual program (except general supplies, which are...general). At least, I kept a careful count...until the fall when things got crazy. So, this isn't exact and I also reuse things but it gives a general picture.

I have a supplies/programming budget which I supplement with grants and donations. This year I had about $3200 in my budget and about $2800 in grants and donations.

General Supplies ($525)

• $36: construction paper (9x12)
• $10: construction paper (12x18)
• $20: paper plates (estimated)
• $7: glossy fingerpaint paper (100)
• $20: tissue paper (200)
• $20: 4 oz glue bottles (24)
• $10: washable clear glue (12)
• $31: glue dots (value packs)
• $16: glue sticks
• $36: glitter glue pens
• $28: glitter glue
• $26: glitter finger paint
• $20: acrylic paint
• $50: washable markers
• $26: paintbrushes (288)
• $12: pipe cleaners (classroom pack)
• $24: pipe cleaners
• $16: colored wiggly eyes (1000)
• $10: glittering rhinestones (570)
• $5: sequins and spangles
• $9: glitter pony beads
• $9: neon pony beads
• $13: big bright animal beads
• $16: bright craft buttons
• $5: wood alphabet shapes
• $10: wooden magnetic clips
• $15: nametags (estimated)
• $15: brown paper lunch bags (estimated)
• $10: displays (poster board, misc.)

I gave up trying to refill the glue bottles and just bought lots of the cheap, clear glue. I haven't used the wooden shapes or clips yet - they were on clearance. The nametags and brown paper lunch bags are supplies I use for Preschool Interactive. Glue dots are DEFINITELY worth the cost.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten ($157)

• $46: stickers
• $110: folders (approx. 700)

I bought enough folders for the next couple years. It's a huge production to buy them in bulk at Walmart, but it's cheaper, especially if you get them during the school supply specials. Just put aside several hours of time and don't bother to count them first, because the poor clerk at the register will have to count them all, by color.

Summer Reading: Marketing ($35)

• $4: posters
• $9: bookmarks
• $22: t-shirts for staff

Everything here came from CSLP.

Summer Reading: Rubber Ducky Readers ($766)

• $70: insect-themed rubber duckies
• $55: variety of bath squirts
• $640: board books

I bought enough board books for another year or two of this program. I had the money now, so I bought ahead. A lot of kids accidentally picked bath squirts instead of their summer prizes, which won't be a problem next year when I have that desk staffed all the time. I did have quite a few left anyways though.

Summer Reading: Prizes (main program) ($830)

• $54: mini bubbles
• $13: plastic play sharks
• $60: plastic snakes
• $20: wheel yo-yo
• $50: frog poppers
• $25: color-me hand puppets
• $13: color-me vinyl wristbands
• $20: zoo pencil toppers
• $15: waterbomb ball
• $27: puffy stickers
• $24: plush butterflies
• $11: value card games
• $46: economy beach ball
• $35: mini rainbow springs
• $30: assorted wooden animals
• $12: splat pig
• $86: die cast vehicle
• $18: psychedelic floppy flyer
• $45: play-doh
• $228: hi-bounce balls

The wheel yo-yos were crap - they just fell apart and I ended up taking most of them out of the prize box and just recycled them or putting the pieces aside to use in crafting. Hi-bounce balls are our most popular prize, followed closely by playdough and color-me hand puppets. I still had some cars left over after summer and we've been using them in our science programs on friction and motion. I gave out whole sheets of the stickers as prizes. Staff thought the plush butterflies looked tacky (and I agreed) but the kids liked them. The beach balls were surprisingly popular as well.

Teen Summer Reading Program ($145)

• $120: candy
• $25: amazon gift certificate

I had enough books from donations and that I'd collected here and there but I had nowhere near enough candy, especially when a bunch of smaller children discovered and looted the teens' prize box! This is the last year I plan to do a gift certificate - next year we're going to try to do some kind of charity/animal thing, maybe with the local shelter.

Messy Art Club ($616)

• $140: wings "flyaway"
• $5: shiny fabric butterflies "shinyfab"
• $16: mini butterflies
• $21: laminate
• $2: clothespins
• $100: decorate your own eggs
• $6: skewers
• $24: specialty patterned paper
• $100: colored planters (plastic pots)
• $3: dirt
• $17: bubble solution
• $32: interfacing
• $80: wooden snakes
• $25: facepaint
• $45: ornaments and paper

I do a huge butterfly messy art program in January, hence the wings. I often have leftovers and we use them again at the summer party or in other programs. The laminate was a failed program - I killed our laminator! We decorate styrofoam eggs every Easter. I found eggs for a crazy discount at the end of the summer and I bought enough for several years to come! The special paper was a flop - could have gotten it cheaper just buying scrapbook paper. I didn't have as many kids come to paint and plant in the summer as I expected, so we reused the pots in the fall for We Explore Science and still have a lot - probably enough for next year. I used the interfacing to make quilts - it's always our final project in August. The prep is time-consuming, but can be done way in advance. I got the wooden snakes on a deal and meant to use them in the summer but forgot. We used them in the fall but I have a LOT left over. Which is fine - it's a project we like doing a lot. Nobody came to the club with facepaint - we'll do it again next year.

Middle School Madness ($105)

• $9: whirling wooden tops
• $12: t-shirts
• $53: maker kits
• $4: magnetic tape
• $7: facepaint crayons
• $20: food

I mostly use leftover craft supplies for this program, since the kids really just want to play Just Dance and eat snacks.We didn't end up using the facepaint crayons - we tried to use them at a different program, but nobody came, so we'll use them again next year.

We Explore ($89)

• $16: large dinosaur shapes (cardboard)
• $9: seeds and dirt
• $42: bulbs
• $22: food and paper supplies

Most of these programs were either performers or used things we got in the general supplies

Spring Break T-Shirt Party ($122)

• $34: fabric paint
• $12: fabric markers
• $75: t-shirts

Next year I'm not going to supply t-shirts. Not because it's that big of an expense, but because it's too much of a pain to try to get the right size for everyone and register everyone. Next year I'm going to only supply the decorating materials and people can bring their own t-shirts. I do have some left from this year in case anyone doesn't realize they have to bring their own.

Ella Bella Ballerina ($83)

• $8: rainbow feathers
• $15: satin ribbon (400 ft)
• $30: tissue paper
• $7: sparkling flower jewels
• $12: sequins
• $10: cupcake mix, streamers, sprinkles, etc.

Angry Birds ($148)

• $18: jumbo pompoms
• $7: jumbo wiggly eyes
• $15: regular pompoms
• $15: balloons
• $10: decorations, plates, etc.
• $80: cookies, frosting, food coloring

The really expensive part of this was the cookies, but baking for the glittery party is time-consuming enough, even with other staff helping out. The balloons we had to buy extra at the last minute from a more expensive store. Now I know I need lots more next year!

Santa's Kitchen ($170)

• $33: wire stars
• $50: cookie decorations and paper supplies
• $90: cookies and frosting

This is probably my most expensive program, but I like to do something big-ish to end the year's programming and also Christmas is a HUGE DEAL in our town.

Other Programs

• Dr. Seuss Celebration
• $18: tablecloths, cupcake mix, paper products
• Art Show open house
• $6: cookies
• Chick Central
• $25: thermometer
• Muffins with Mom
• $5: paper
• $20: food
• Fifth grade outreach (scavenger hunt)
• $10: candy
• Teens on Screen
• $50: food
• Stuffed Animal Sleepover
• $11: developing pictures
• Girls Night Out
• $70: henna, beads, nail polish, soda
• Book Experience
• $8: goldfish
• Homeschool meet 'n' greet
• $30: food
• Paws to Read
• $27: manual and clip art

We're doing something different for Girls Night Out this year. I handed the program over to our cataloger and she's going to do a spa night maybe. Not necessarily cheaper, but she'll be able to do it earlier in the summer and get more attendance.

Performers

• Welty Environmental Center ($113)
• Stories that Sing with Smitty and Mary G. ($100)
• Digging up the dirt on creatures underground ($300)
• Puppet Story Theater: Winter Weather Tree ($250)

Most of these were paid for by grants. I don't do a lot of outside performers, just because I get too freaked out that I will pay all this money and then nobody will come! I tend to schedule them for sure things - in the summer or when school classes come.

One-time Purchases

• $240: Accucut dies
• $30: swimming pools
• $73: bubble wands
• $60: plastic tablecloths
• $54: bookmarks
• $30: new hamsters

In the fall I got the staff to donate used sheets to start using instead of plastic tablecloths, so we won't have that expense except for special parties. I buy bookmarks from ALA graphics once a year but it was such a hassle (and I'm trying to trim my budget) so I probably won't next year. Although the ALA store insisting that Wisconsin was a foreign country was pretty funny...The bubble wands were paid for with a grant and our swimming pools were DEFINITELY worth the cost. We use them all the time for science programs, outside programs, and every week in baby storytime.