Art Crafts

Picture Puzzle

Using a favorite picture and some cardboard, glue and scissor - create a personalized puzzle.  For an example, click here.

 

Summer Journal

 

Collages

Using found objects (from nature, in magazines, in your craft closet, etc.) have a collage program. Be Creative: Invite children to "express themselves" by using found objects to create self-portraits.

 

Dioramas

Reusing old shoeboxes, scissors and some construction paper, create a diorama. Be Creative: Encourage the participants to creat a scene from their favorite picture book as seen here.

 

Following Three Teen Ideas were suggested by Jennifer Lawson of San Diego County Library on http://www.cla-net.org/summer-reading/workshop.php

 

Altered Clothing - T-Shirts

Teens bring in old t-shirts and cut, sew, glue and/or embellish them using ideas from Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt by Megan Nicolay. Click here to visit the website that accompanies the book.

 

Bleach Pen T-shirts

 

Teens take plain, non-white t-shirts and add their own designs using a laundry bleach pen.  This program should be done in an open area, as the fumes from the bleach can be strong. Click here for a link.

 

All About Me – A Collage

Teens create a collage out of pictures and things that reflect their personalities.  This is a cheap alternative to a scrapbook program.

 

Silhouettes

All you need is a light source, black paper, scissors, glue and some white chalk to create these neat silhouettes. Be Creative: Combine the silhoettes with a collage program for a really personalized work of art.

 

Rolled Magazine Picture Frame

This craft turns out looking really cool and uses mostly recycled material.  Click here for instructions.  To keep the program shorter, I recommend making smaller, flat frames (about the size that would fit a school picture - and is perfect for hanging in lockers!).  This craft requires a bit of dexterity, so it is best with older kids and teens.

 

Creative Writing Crafts

Bookmark Crafts
Here are some great bookmark ideas perfect for any library program!
Beaded Bookmark
Greeting Card Bookmark
Bookworm Bookmark
Envelope Bookmark

Make Your Own Books
This craft is becoming increasingly more popular and there are many different ways to make your own book.

Click here for instructions on how to make a mini book using 1 piece of paper, some scissors, and some glue.

For a slightly more challeging project, try creating an accordion book. Click here for a you tube video with directions for making an accordian book. Click here for a pop-out accordion book. Instead of using mat board try reusing cardboard (like cut-up cereal boxes).

Check out these instructions for a little more complicated book - but a great project for teens!

Book Covers
Follow these directions for a cheap book cover made with a little tape and a paper bag. Be Creative: Look at the books in your collection. Are there any children's books that could use a new cover? Allow the children to create a new cover for these books. Use white butcher paper for a cleaner look and put a protective book cover over it to keep it looking new. Children will love coming in and checking out the books that they designed.

Handprint Poem
Click here or here or here! for a lot of different versions of the handprint poem and choose the one best suited for your group. There are many different ways that you can do this craft with varying degrees of expense and/or expertise. Cheap and Easy: Print the poem on the bottom half of piece of paper and trace the child's hand above it. Allow children to color the page. If you are feeling adventurous, use paint and dip the child's hand in the paint to make the handprint. Cheap and A Little Less Easy: Allow the children to write the poem on a paper plate, then have them trace their hand on construction paper and cut out as many as they have the patience for. Then glue the cut out hands around the paper plate to create a wreath. A Little Less Cheap and A Little Less Easy: Make a concrete stepping stone or plaster wall hanging with the handprint.

Make your own Magnetic Poetry
The kits are quite expensive especially considering how easy you can make one these yourself! By reusing old flat magnets (see here), you can do this program for practically free (especially if you just glue a piece of scratch paper on top of the magnet instead of buying sticker paper or address labels - make sure and play around with the glue first to find the best fit). Or, if you have money, purchase the magnetic tape found in most craft stores and create your poetry as seen here. It is advisable that your print out pages of words before the program and allow participants to pick a certain number of words to use. Be Creative: Have participants write two contrasting acrostic poems about themselves and make magnetic words out of the poem (see below) - then they can change those our depending on their mood. This is a good idea for teens/middle schooler for their lockers!  

Lively	Loony
Intelligent	Independent
Super	Sassy
Adorable	Artsy

Bead Writing: Best for Teens
A relatively cheap craft that teens really enjoy is creating beaded words. Click here for directions. Be Creative: Most teens will want to write their name, which is fine. Encourage them to choose a word that they enjoy, like a motto, or a word that embodies them.

 

Dance Crafts

Leis

You can't hula without a lei.  Click here for easy instructions on how to make a lei.  If you have access to an Ellison machine - the flower die-cuts work great.  Be Creative: Make this craft eco-friendly by using recycled tissue and wrapping paper.

 

Dance/Beach Bag

Made with duct tape and scissors, this handy tote is a perfect craft for teens attending your Summer Luau or for putting their dancing shoes in!

 

Grass Skirt

Using brown paper bag (instead of brown wrapping paper) and staples. Make a grass skirt for your luau. Be Creative: Use the flower from your lei and add around the waist and on some of the fringes.

 

Megaphone

Made with paper, markers, stickers and/or glitter, these megaphones will be a fun, albeit loud addition to your cheerleading program. Be Creative: Use recycled color paper for this craft (after all, the inside of the megaphone won't matter)

 

Plastic Bag Pom Poms

These festive pom-poms are made from recycled plastic bags and provide instant gratification (another example found here.  Note: please do not purchase plastic bags - there are too many of these in our landfills already - use recycled ones). Be Creative: once the pom poms are made, lead the children in a library cheer.

 

Toilet Paper Bracelet

That's right, using a toilet paper roll, glue and paper (magazines work well for this), children and teens can make bracelets. (We realize this isn't exactly a Dance Craft, but Jaime was so excited about, we had to add it in)

 

Drama Crafts

 

Drama Masks
Masks can be either incredible easy and cheap to make or complicated and expensive. Depending on your budget and the size of your crowd, you can get as elaborate as you would like. For a cheap and easy craft, use cardstock, construction paper, or paperplates and a rubber band and decorate it with crayons and markers. For an example of a cheap and easy monkey mask craft, click here. For another paper plate mask, click here. If your budget allows you can buy the supplies to make a beautiful mardi gras mask as seen here. If time allows and if you are brave enough to do papie mache, you can make a unique and elaborate mask using mostly recycled material and costing little money. For a good example, click here. Be Creative: Don't stop the program once the craft is finished. Either choose masks that fit with a play, puppet show or song (think Old MacDonald Had a Farm or This Old Man) that the children can act out once they have made their masks. 

Opera Glasses
Using toilet paper rolls, you can make some cheap and easy opera glasses. For instructions, including a picture, click here. Be Creative: Use multicolored plastic wrap for more festive lenses. Also, make these "opera glasses" before a puppet show or theatre performance, so the children can use their new glasses.

 

Finger Puppet Theatre

Make a finger puppet stage and finger puppets to use with it.  Be Creative: Encourage children to use a theme, like a folk or fairy tale (or nursery rhyme for young ones) so they can perform the play once they have completed it.

 

Below are some more finger puppet websites:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/puppets/twofinger/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/puppets/styrostraw/

 

Shadow Puppet Theatre
Click here for detailed instructions on making a fancy shadow puppet stage. If you decide to go this fancy, this would be most appropriate for older children and teens.  Visit Drama Games and Activities for a cheaper version using Ellison shapes.

 

Yarn Wigs

Detailed craft that is fairly cheap (especially with donated yarn!  For the caps, ask teens to bring in old stocking cap or check the dollar store for deals) Best for teens and perfect for crafters.  The result is really cool!

 

Costume Sketches

Using the figure sketches below and fabric scraps, have the children and/or teens create costume designs for their favorite characters from books.

Woman Figure

Man Figure

Girl Figure

Boy Figure

 

Music Crafts

Making Instruments
Making musical instruments is fun and can be an inexpensive (and sometimes free) craft program for all ages. Click here for online videos with step-by-step instructions for making a number of musical instruments - usually from found objects.

CD Disco Ball
Using a damaged or junk c.d., carefully break it up into smaller pieces (Safety precaution: wear protective eyewear when breaking up the c.d.'s and remember that the edges of the c.d. will be sharp, so use gloves. Children should be supervised by adults for this craft) Glue the pieces of the c.d. to a styrofoam ball and secure a string to the ball to hang it from the ceiling. Turn off the overhead lights and shine a flashlight on the discoball for the the neat effect. Click here for picture and step-by-step instructions.

Origami CD Holder
Using a piece of paper, you can create an origami c.d. holder to protect your favorite c.d. Click here for step-by-step instructions, including pictures. Be Creative: Decorate the holder with magazine scraps, markers, colored pencils, stickers or other paper scraps for a customized effect.

Rain Stick
Using a recycled cardboard tube (paper towel tube or larger), toothpicks (or long pins or nails), masking tape, uncooked rice and beans and a marker, you can make an African Rain Stick. Click here for step-by-step instructions with pictures. Be Creative: Once it is finished, decorate the outside of the rainstick with colored tissue paper, collage or if you are really feeling adventurous - papier mache and paint!