Week 5-Pictures

Here is a picture from last week's craft::

 And since this past Saturday was Take Your Child to the Library Day we did a special craft. I found the idea on Pinterest, the link didn't work so I just figured it out from the picture. I didn't put a magnet on the back of it though. 

Week 5-January 29 Craft

I have been so disappointed in my findings for a Chinese New Year craft... Until I found this! 

From Dolen Diaries

I am trying to get away from what we call crappy-crafts, AKA my favorite, paper crafts. Print, cut, glue. And I do them because then I don't have to micromanage or cut things out for everyone. Or glue things for everyone. So, I am going to take a hint from my colleague and pre-cut things. Do more prep work. Plan more. Something I am not quite good at! 

Pictures coming craft on Wednesday! 

Week 4- January 22

Last week was so busy! We did 2 crafts this week, one at our Martin Luther King Jr. Program the day before, and this little guy. He was a print, cut and glue. It was difficult to make. Folded up easy enough, but gluing it together proved harder for little fingers. 

Made in Paperland

For our Martin Luther King Jr. program I read Martin's Big Words and The Crayon Box that Talked. So craft was the craft idea was simple (and copied from KinderART) I found the template for the crayon and then tweaked it a little bit. I put a name plate in the center (which wasn't used, ha!) 

Everyday with the Jays

Here are our crayons:

At some point I do plan on finishing it up and making the "box". 

Week 3-January 15

This was an idea from my boss lady. Kind of a new year, new you idea. So we made vision boards, or as  explained it to the kids a collage of things you like or want in your life. I did mention the words inspiration somewhere in there. A couple of kids participated, but really, it was my boss, myself and Shamika (who works with the teens) who participated. We had a blast! I was wishing there were more teens there that day, this craft really was something they would have loved. 

Instructions:

1. Cut cardboard to any size you wish. We used a ~7x7 square. You can also use cardstock as a background. Just not paper, too thin. 
2. Grab as many interesting magazines as you can. We found that People, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping are best. Maybe some sports magazines for the boys. 
3. Cut, arrange, glue. 

Here are ours: 

Week 2-January 8

Caldecott Craft

So, my intention was to have the children pick a quote from a picture book and then draw a corresponding picture. I simplified it to draw a picture and write a sentence about it, just like they do in the picture books. I only had like 3 kids at craft today though, so here is a picture of mine.

And here is a much more thought out program with a Caldecott theme.

Instructions:

• I made a print out of a frame and a few lines for text.
• I brought out magazines for cutting, if they didn't want to draw.
• I also had the colored pencils, markers and crayons.

And here is my Caldecott book display:

January-Week 1

I am thinking of making this, of course for 2014 instead of 2011. 

New Years Craft From Take This Craft and Make it

Both Christmas and New Years fell on my craft days so they have been cancelled for the last 2 weeks of December. So I may sneak this one in next Thursday. Picturess to come!

Holiday Decorations

Also, I made this and plan on making more for the library for decorations. They are super quick once you get the pieces of paper cut. I found that I was a little OCD about where to cut, I ended up cutting a triangle so that I could make 4 equal cuts and inch apart. It worked for me, but then again it made a large snowflake at the end. I am going to make some smaller ones at some point.

Oh and we brought the tree out... :-)

Holiday Crafts

This week we'll be doing Christmas cards to send to a local nursing home. Pictures to come!

Next week, on December 18, we'll make Christmas ornaments. Here are some examples of some we've made in the past

Christmas Tree Ornament

Reindeer Ornament

Both from Preschool Crafts for Kids*

Origami wreath made out of discardced comic book pages. 

Paper Ornament

This and others can be found: Squidoo

But I am rewriting the easy directions here as well:

For one ornament you will need:

2-6 inch strips of construction paper

2-5.5 inch strips of construction paper

2-5 inch strips of construction paper

1-4.5 inch strip of construction paper

Paper can be in whatever color you wish, I used the typical Christmas colors: red, green and white.

The difference in lengths will decrease or increase the amount of space between the layers.

1. Start with the 4.5 piece in the middle. 

1. Put the 5 inch pieces on either side, creating a "sandwich". Do the same with the 5.5 and 6 inch pieces. 

1. Staple one end of the strips of paper, making sure it is even.

1. Take the loose end and make them even with the 4.5 inch piece so that the center balloons out. 

All done!
You can make the lengths of paper shorter or longer depending on where you plan to hang it or the age group you're working with. I find that the 1/2 inch difference in lengths works well. 

This year I found quite a few origami ornaments and since it's so popular at my library we'll be making those. Pictures to come after we make them!

New Direction

In spirit of the year ending and another starting I am going to recommit to the blogging world. It's a creative outlet in more way than one.

I am going to focus on cheap and affordable crafts that we will create in my library. I like to go with themes, but know it's hard with a lack of time or inspiration. So let's try and make this easy... and FUN!

I do craft with my kiddies at the library once a week on Wednesdays. so look forward to a weekly post with craft plans and pictures!

September Craft Planning

Back to School #1:Backpack Buddies

OR

 Back to School #2:Bookmarks

 For Native American Day: Dream Catchers

Fall Something Special: Bling the Leaves

We did these last year and the kids seemed to like decorating them.

All I need is probably at least one more Fall crafts

Summer Reading in a Nut

Not a shell, because then it would be neat and easy, compact and would crack quietly instead of with a bang. No, summer reading is just a nut, just nuts, as in, crazy with a bang.

It has been 6 weeks. I have come home from work twitching if my husband says my name because I have already heard it approximately 5000 times. They want headphones, and snack and a computer, sometimes a book. They run around, they tattletale, they talk about someones cousin's aunt's mother's father. It is exhausting. Worse part is, even though summer reading is over, summer is not. There are still like weeks left. It's like forever.

I feel like I have had a successful program though, which almost makes it worth it. I had almost 60 kids sign up and almost 30 participate. Those are fantastic numbers compared to last year where I had the same amount sign up but only 10 actually participate. I call that an improvement. And except for some confusion with supply money, prize orders and lost (then found) gift certificates for party food, everything, like it's supposed to, works out in some weird way.

I have found that my days are more about people management than book management. I have lost my temper, I have snapped, I have told the kids to go do something with their lives other than stalk me. Yet they still come back to my desk and stand idly playing with anything they can see. It drives me crazy. I feel like the mean librarian, all the time, because I managing them. I am going through a case of the overpaid babysitter syndrome.

It's been a long day, long week, long summer. I am looking forward to the start of the new school year. And not only for the quiet time, but the start of the new craft season! Look forward to more postings.

Spring Crafts

Scrap paper flowers.

My ladybug.  

Ladybug!

Only I made this flower, no one else thought it looked like a flower!

My tree :-)

I am not as interesting as a computer game

I had a conversation recently where a man said to me that he thinks that a perfect library would be super quiet and have rows and rows of book. A sanctuary of  knowledge. 

As I am writing this, to me left there are teenagers gossiping and behind them a child being tutored (and not liking it). To my right, a brother and sister are arguing and two boys playing a Michael Jackson dance game on the Wii. They eat snack, play Mancala, games on the computer, color and do crafts. Oh, and once in a while they read.That is pretty normal week for my library.

Once a month there is a program here that children love. Therapy dogs come in and the children are able to sit with them and read. It is my only story time program a month. Usually, I am pretty grateful for that. I am a timid public speaker, and honestly, I fear the unknown. I have never had to do story time, so is scares the crap out of me.

It was talking about Summer Reading that started this. I am so worried about booking performers and events. I forget that the whole point of Summer Reading is to instill the love of reading outside of school. All I can think about is the amount of children that will be here every day. So here is my point, my weekly obsession, the problem I have to fix. By definition of my job I am supposed to spread the love of reading. How am I supposed to do that when these kids are more interested in stupid games on the computer than, well, me?

Craft Summary

Week of 2/1 We made groundhogs. We had about 2 kids so here are pictures of mine:

The one on the right is a pop-up groundhog, the left is a statue (of sorts). Both were toilet paper roll crafts, which we have plenty of.

Week of 2/8

We made collage Valentines. And since they all took them home, I am pictureless. But I have to tell you it was a pretty fantastic craft because I got to write a love notes for a 7 year old. (He dictated, I wrote).

 Later that week we made Duck Tape Roses with about 5 kids. It was hard for them, but we had 2 of us teaching, so it worked.

Week of 2/15
We had a African American History Month theme going on so we made paper quilts. I found the work sheets on Crayola.com.

Craft Planning (2)

This week: Mardi Gras Masks!

I think I am going to cut the templates out of cardboard. We still have plenty of bling, glitter, feathers and other fun stuff.

Also, to continue the African American History Month activities, I found this star finder. They have one for every month of the year and they fold up like a old school fortune teller. I thought it would be a good a DIY craft (as in I don't have to do it for you or manage you while you're doing it) for the African American Read-In that we're having Friday.

Next week, since Craft Day falls on Leap Day, I think I am going to make scrap bags and have a crazy-invent-your-own-craft-day.

I have already found my St. Patricks Day Craft...

I think it's a little young, but I have decided it was cute, so hopefully they won't make fun of me. Or ask how I celebrate St. Patricks Day.

Olympic Program Brainstorming

I want to have a library Olympics.

I was reading the news, and all of a sudden I remembered the Olympics were this summer, how cool would it be to have a week long, or day long competition? It would be an awesome competition that I think the kids here would really get into. Here is some info on the Olympics, there a list of sports on that page somewhere... I am thinking at the least we could have Table Tennis, Basketball (court right across the street, maybe something simple like a H.O.R.S.E. competition) Archery (Foam darts instead of sharp arrows), Gymnastics, or maybe a dance competition? YES!

Notes on Weeding

I was at work yesterday putting some board books in the book sale. I have been weeding the Children's collection... I started with the picture books, then the non fiction and I got rid of so many books. I was amazed at the titles that stayed, but more so, the titles that left.

First, what I noticed yesterday at work. Under the table, in a box, hidden away was a book I have a clear memory reading: Anastasia's Chosen Career. I got this little smile on my face when I saw the book, and I remember wanting to be a bookstore owner just like Anastasia, I remember finding the book at the library, and other authors on the shelf because I found Lois Lowry. There was a simplicity to my life then, reading, maybe some television now and then, playing outside and with friends. My world was small. I look at the kids now and wonder if their world is too big now. They have access to anything on the internet, and they find it with automatic spell correct. I wish I could share the dreams I found in books with them, but what if they are still small?

Second thing I noticed is about the titles that left. My library is situated in an African American neighborhood, so we try and fill the collections written by African American authors or for the population. While weeding the picture book collection I found that those were the books with the lowest amount of circulation. Some, I understood. They were old, the pictures were outdated, and well, some of the illustrations were just, bad. How many oil painting children's books can there be!?!? But on the other hand, it made me sad, because these are the books they thought they wanted. Ooops, librarian failure #1. Lesson learned: ask more, assume less.

So I think I have found my focus

I have decided to put my addiction to craftiness to good use. I will share my library crafts with the blog world! I  have a few sites that I go to on  a regular basis, but find it difficult to find crafts I can actually do in my library. There are too many supplies needed, or it feels like the child would have already done this in school, or, sometimes, they are just plain boring/ugly/stupid.

Jan 4: Paper Plate Penguins

 And then I found these cool stencils:

Jan11:  We made collages.This one is mine. It's hanging on my desk :-)

This week I am thinking more snowflakes. We got hit with a pretty big storm over the weekend. I printed out patterns from here and here. Pictures to follow next week!

2012 Challenges

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Picture Book Month

Picture Book Month!