Makers by Example

Currently there is much discussion in the library world about libraries as maker spaces. Though 3-D printers and electronics are often cited as part of the maker movement, it also includes crafts. Libraries are including sewing machines and button makers in their maker spaces. The focus is on giving library users the resources to create.

Youth services librarians have always encouraged creativity. Sometimes it is as simple as a storytime craft or having blocks available. Craft programs for older children are staples of youth services programming.

When the maker movement spread to libraries, youth services librarians were quick to point out that they were already offering such opportunities. What is not as obvious, is the fact that much of what we do to present an engaging storytime also involves making. Felt board figures, finger puppets and props are often made by the storytelling staff. Special activities are created to promote early literacy skills. Some are part of storytime and some are part of free play in the children's area.

Much thought has gone into these activities and their relation to early literacy skills. Parents are given early literacy tips during storytime. In addition we should point out that what we make for storytime can be simplified and duplicated at home. Many librarians do point this out to parents but I'm not sure it is done on a regular basis. We are not just providing information but are showing parents how it can be applied.

When I first started doing preschool storytime, I often would hand out a paper with a storytime rhyme and easy to make finger puppets on it. One of my favorite storytime crafts is to make paper bag puppets or stick puppets so that the children can reenact the stories they had just heard (or make up completely new ones). Again we are showing parents a simple way to develop narrative skills.

Children's librarians are creative folk. We are makers in many ways. Just look at Flannel Friday's Pinterest boards for examples. We are used to sharing our ideas with other librarians but don't forget to share those great ideas with parents as well!

Basic Librarian Maker Tools

Evening Family Story Time #7

Family Story Time - Flowers
Wednesday, May 30, 2012, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Attendance - 11 (5 children, 6 adults)

Books:  The Empty Pot by Demi
             Fran's Flower by Lisa Bruce

Board Stories:  "The Celebration" from Teeny-Tiny Folktales by Jean Warren
                       "Kip's Flowers"

Board Game:  "A Daisy for Maisy"

Crafts:  Spring Flowers Mobile and Paper Plate Flower Wreath - both are from DLTK's Crafts for Kids.

Spring Flowers Mobile

Paper Plate Flower Wreath

Notes:  The group was small due to not having an April program and changing the day.  A meeting room was not available on a Monday so the program was held on a Wednesday.  One thing I did learn from this is that Monday is the preferred night so I will try to keep Family Story Time on Monday evenings when they resume in the fall.  Attendance also drops in the spring when children start their outdoor sports activities.  Since I knew the group was going to be small, I chose more complicated crafts than I usually do.  The mobile was the favorite and I could have skipped the wreath.  The group also enjoyed the stories.  The game was a big hit.  I had a hard time fooling this group.  The older children were very good at guessing.  I did manage to fool them once by putting the flower under the same object twice. 

Make a Squawking Chicken

It's been a busy week so I haven't had time to come up with an original idea for this week's Flannel Friday round-up.  Since most public librarians are getting ready for summer programs including craft programs, I decided to write about one of the most popular crafts that I have done over the years.

This little guy is over 10 years old.  (He was missing his eyes, beak and some of his "feathers" when I brought him out of storage. I added the missing pieces so he would look nice for his photo shoot.)

It is a squawking chicken that I first used in a summer craft program.  I purchased the supplies from S&S Worldwide.  (I was the only youth services person in my former library for years and I found that their group packs were great time savers and cost effective when it came to summer craft programs when I would have an average attendance of 40 children.)  It was not difficult to make and the children loved it because it made noise.  I kept the sample because I knew I would use it again.  A few years later I used it as a craft for a family story time program.  It was an even bigger hit because the parents got to play with it too.  This time around I purchased the supplies separately since the group was much smaller. 

Poke a hole in center of the bottom of a plastic cup.  I did this ahead of time.  Cut a piece of string around 20 inches.  Tie a small piece of sponge on one end of the string and push the other end through the hole.  Tie a knot on top to secure the string.  Cover the knot by gluing on a red felt or paper "comb."  Glue yellow tissue paper around the outside of the cup.  Glue on eyes and a beak.  Dampen the sponge and wrap it around the top of the string.  Pull it in short jerks to make the chicken squawk.  If you search for "squawking chicken craft" online you will find more detailed instructions such as these. 

If you haven't tried this craft yet, I recommend that you do.  It will appeal to all ages.  Even younger children can make one with grown-up help. 

I think that I will have to come up with a chicken story that will enable me to use the squawking chicken as a storytelling prop for family story time.  Then everyone can make their own to bring home.

This week's Flannel Friday Round-up is hosted by Lisa of Libraryland.  Information about Flannel Friday including the schedule of future round-ups and links to the previous ones can be found at the Flannel Friday website.

Not My Usual Sources for Storytime Crafts

I am a visual person (which is why I like using props and board stories in my storytime programs).  I enjoy the visual arts while my husband and daughters prefer the performing arts.  Lately I've been more interested in crafts than the fine arts.  Crafts can be found in museums or on refrigerators.  I have two sources in my Google Reader that show the wide range of crafts that can be found on the web.  One is the Craft blog and the other is Craftgawker.  I can quickly scroll through the various posts in Google Reader.  Occasionally I will stop at one that interests me.  I subscribe to these because I love seeing the work of creative people.  Every once in while I will post something that I find interesting on this blog.  (Today I found this on Craftzine.)  What I didn't expect to find was ideas for storytime crafts.  However, this showed up on Craftgawker  - jack o'lantern smiles!  So simple, yet so cute.  (Check out the lisa storms blog for other Halloween ideas -I like the owl treat boxes and the skeleton magnets - she even supplies templates.)  I plan to use this as well as a Halloween fortune teller pattern that I also found through Craftgawker as crafts for my Halloween Family Story Time program on October 27.  Now I will be looking at these sites, not just for my own enjoyment but for storytime craft ideas as well.

Family Storytelling Fun

Posted on Craftzine:

http://madebyjoel.com/2011/09/introducing-the-dressy-cats.html

And I Have Trouble Making a Frog That Jumps

This was posted on the Craft blog.  The french artist, Etienne Cliquet, transforms the craft of origami into art.  It is fascinating to watch his miniature pieces unfold as they float in water.  I love the fact that he uses science to create art.  It would be fun to have an origami program for older children and then show them this and other examples of origami as art including Cliquet's shark's jaw.

Crafts for Storytime Programs

I'm always looking for simple crafts for storytimes.  Over the years I have found that paper bag puppets, paper plate crafts and toilet paper roll crafts are popular and fairly easy to prepare even for large groups. (The trick is to pick patterns that don't have too many pieces.)  Fortunately I learned quickly that toilet paper rolls are not needed.  Just cut a rectangle the same size (some patterns include the rectangle), roll it and tape it together.

I usually search the web for craft ideas by theme.  I have found several interesting crafts over the years.  I try to keep a copy of each craft because web sites come and go.  Simple is the key when looking for crafts for large groups (my summer family storytime program can get quite large) and for preschoolers (to avoid frustration, not just for the kids, but for the adults with them as well).  I save the more complicated crafts for older children.

One of my favorite sources is DLTK's Printable Crafts for Kids which I have been using for years.  I have selected a t-rex to make.  The pattern can be found here.  I like that there is an option for either color or black and white.  For a group I would use the black and white template and copy it on green copy paper or green construction paper.  Before photocopying, I would outline each piece in black marker on the template to make the pieces easier to cut out.  You can see from the photo how I filled in the mouth (there is no way I'm cutting those teeny, tiny teeth!).