As we enter the final weeks of summer reading and families begin to think about back to school plans (and what that might look like in the coming year), it is important not to forget that there’s still plenty of summer weather and unscheduled time left to enjoy! And what better way to use some of that time than with a good maker project? Whether you are honing a well-practiced skill or trying something new, here are some great books full inspiration for self-directed learning and creativity!
A Little Bit of Dirt by Asia Citro is aimed at families with preschoolers. Citro’s projects and activity prompts are all about getting outside and doing science and art experiments in nature, encouraging young children to develop a connection with the natural world.
Art Lab for Little Kids by Susan Schwake is one of my favorite source books for accessible, open-ended art projects to incorporate into library programs! This book focuses more on teaching concepts and techniques and playing with process rather than creating cookie-cutter results, which is excellent for young children.
Rosie Revere’s Big Project Book For Bold Engineers by Andrea Beaty is based on the popular picture book of the same name. Unsurprisingly, it is full of fun, accessible science and engineering projects suitable for early elementary students.
Sneaky Art by Marthe Jocelyn provides a variety of whimsical ideas for guerilla art projects—creations that can be left behind in the open to surprise family members or passers-by. Great for those looking to perform random acts of kindness or perhaps to start a people-watching project! Adventures in Cartooning by James Sturm introduces several important storytelling concepts used by cartoonists in the format of a fun, silly story about a knight and her horse—and teaches you some basic drawing skills at the same time. There’s also a special, a sequel, and an activity book—all great! Art Camp by Susan Schwake is full of clever, unique craft projects for elementary school students, often making use of recycled or natural materials—no need to make a special craft store trip. Stitch & String Lab For Kids by Cassie Stephens offers an introduction to a variety of fiber arts including stitching, weaving, felting, and knitting. The projects are illustrated with clear photographs and simple, well-worded instructions that made it seem accessible even for a fibercraft neophyte like me! (The whole Lab-For-Kids series is excellent—check them out!) Marvelous Makeable Monsters & Curious Creatable Creatures by Sam Haynor teaches young makers about circuits, magnets, the engineering design process (trial and error!) and other STEM concepts through fun projects that result in delightful, highly customizable monsters that chomp, light up, spit water, among other things. The creature designs are decidedly kid-made, which is wonderful. Some projects require things like drills and hot glue use, so the books are most appropriate for older elementary students and up with supervision.
Animation Lab For Kids by Laura Belmont teaches the principles of animation through simple projects that can be done at home with pen, paper, and a smartphone. I especially love the stop motion projects that use yourself as a subject!
Drawing Is Magic by John Hendrix is a sketchbook full of prompts to get already-confident artists to push themselves further with creative challenges. Recommended for middle school and up.
Syllabus & Making Comics by Lynda Barry are collections of prompts for art, journal-keeping, and comic-making from Barry’s college-level Making Comics class, which was developed to help students from non-artistic disciplines (think the hard sciences) learn to communicate visually. Excellent for middle school and up, especially for kids who want to create but don’t know where to start!
Ready to start making? Check out last week’s Art Lab video here, sponsored by Matt’s Maker Space!
Sign up for live Art Lab Zoom sessions on the 31stof July and the 7th of August, and stay tuned for another video on August 14th! Have fun! |
