Good Crafternoon

Posted: August 8, 2012 | Author: Jena | Filed under: Artsy Fartsy, Community, Cut and Paste, Developmental Themes, Experimentation, Field Trip, Jena's work, Working Together | Leave a comment »

The library hosts a summer “Crafternoon,” where our children’s librarian invites guest “crafters” to have a table, and offers 2 hours of projects to the families signed up for the event.

There are 4 tables:
There is an origami table, where Little J and Friend A work on a volcano made from paper. They also learn step-by-step, how to make a great crane and paper airplane.

The second table Ms. McDonald is helping kids make dreamcatchers with paper plates, yarn, beads feathers and markers. Little K has been asking for a dreamcatcher for weeks and this project could not have come along for him at a better time.

The third table, I didn’t get a photos of, Little J and Friend K making a foam frame decorated with tent, raccoon, bon fire and marshmallows. It is a prepackaged kit that the kids arrange and glue themselves.

The last table is for happylittlemesses. We are originally asked to help with tie dye, but we suggest the good old Pinterest favorite, color sharpie and rubbing alcohol, instead.

This summer’s reading program has been themed “Dream Big,” featuring night time stories about fireflies, bats, camping and big dreams. To go along with that theme, we work with sharpie and rubbing alcohol on white pillow cases.

I refrain from guiding the kids as they draw with the sharpie. The ideas online all point towards making dots and circles with the marker. The marks bleed together and create a fireworks effect that is beautiful. I want the kids to have the supplies and make their own ideas/interpretation. Maybe they’ll teach me something.

When they are finished with their drawings, they get a little cup of rubbing alcohol with a q-tip. The fumes in the room become very overwhelming. We open all the windows and doors. In hind sight, it might have been better to do this project outside. If you’d like better directions on the how to for sharpie tie dye, see these instructions.

There’s no need to wait for your local library to come up with this great idea so you can join in. Get a great group of friends together, have each family bring a project to the table and have yourselves a good Crafternoon.

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