Origami Flowers Activity for Kids

Origami is a popular after-school program at my library. If we had the people-power, I could totally see this happening as a regular club. It stimulates the brain both logically and creatively, has endless possibilities (so. much. origami.), and is very low cost (just need paper—and not even just origami paper, but all different kinds you probably have laying around). Plus it's fun!

Obviously.

In our origami activities, we always have a few examples with varying levels of difficulty—start with the easiest and move on up. If kids can only do easy one—great, they can make a couple more while other kids try the harder ones. Also, the more people staffing the program the better because invariably, there will be participants who make a mistake or just need a little more one-on-one help. So it helps to have a couple roamers. Otherwise, have your group set up around your main lecturer/example-maker.

So without further ado here's some origami flowers!! Just in time for Valentines!

Tween Book Club Activity Ideas

Just like Lindsey from Jbrary, I help run the Tween Book Club here at the library with a coworker. And, just like she posted on different corresponding activities she does with her books, I thought I'd share what I've done with mine!

Our book club is targeted at kids in grades 5 - 8 and is held at the library once a month. Our basic format includes a little video to start—such as the book trailer or an author interview—to act as an ice breaker, and then the book discussion with various questions we've researched or written ourselves.

But the best part? Snacks and activities! Let's be honest, it's usually those two elements that get our kids excited about the program...

Since there's two of us running the club, we usually have two activities to go with each book that the kids can choose between (or do both). So here are the books we've done and the activities/snacks planned for after the book discussion...

Scribble Bots for Kids

This was an after school program that I put on for kids at my library.

Architecture for Kids

This was an after school program I put on for kids at my library.

3D Drawing & Anaglyphs for Kids

This was an after school program that I put on for kids at my library.

Constellations & Astronomy for Kids

This was an after school program that I put on for kids. (See all my kids' programs here!)

Orion Rocket Craft

Guess what happened today.

Orion. That's what happened. Yep. NASA has officially—and successfully—launched Orion, a new spacecraft that is designed to take humans farther than ever before. Granted, it's a test launch, but successful, nonetheless. Don't you realize what this means?? Man may soon be on Mars! (Soon being relative: it will still be another decade or two. Still.). Check out the launch video:

So this got me planning an awesome kids' activity. I'm thinking I may use it for a kids program, or even another space storytime. Either way, you guys should try it out.

Three Halloween Crafts & Stories

Happy Halloween! I'm going to be extra festive today. This here is a post with Halloween crafts and corresponding Halloween stories all in one! We had an awesome party at the library with stories and crafts as the main event.

Eric Carle Spotlight & Craft

At a recent youth librarian training conference, I got to see an awesome documentary on picture book author, Eric Carle. He's a brilliant author/illustrator who is most famously known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Here's a trailer for the documentary:

Eric Carle, Picture Writer: The Art of the Picture Book (Trailer for 32 minute short film) 

from Kate Geis on Vimeo.

If there is some way you can get your hands on this dvd, I would highly recommend it. Some libraries do carry it, or you can purchase it from Eric Carle's museum shop.

What I was most impressed by, in the end, was how simple his art really is. Anyone can do it. Especially kids! So I think we should try it out. There is a simplified slide show of how he does his work on his web page. He uses a razor to cut out the shapes of tissue paper he's painted. He then glues all the shapes together on some art board to create his characters.

We can take his method a variety of ways. If there's time, painting tissue paper all kinds of colors is really fun. After it dries, you then trace each shape and glue it all together.

But say you just have one storytime. Basically, it's time to cut out some colored tissue and make some fun collages.