What we've been up to...

It's hot.
I survive by staying indoors as much as I can, but of course the kids are outside for hours and hours every day.  I sit in the shade with them, weaving bookmarks, folding origami things, tying knots/teaching them to tie knots in our little macramé friendship bracelets.

Simple Spiral

Friendship Bracelets

Bookmarks woven on straws

Kumihimo Braid

We have a ton of activities, but the yarn and the cotton string are the big ones this summer.
I've taught them how to do the Kumihimo braid using corrugated cardboard from the discarded food boxes from the kitchen.

I like that project a great deal because not only is it beautiful and super easy, ("Point the empty slot at your tummy, count three strings this direction, pop out the third string and put it in the empty one. Now rotate it so the empty one is pointing at you again, count three strings and do it again!") they can wander around the room or outdoors and work on the project at their leisure. Keeps their hands occupied. Which means that they're not hitting each other or poking each other or stealing toys from each other.

Lots of kids running around with five or six or ten bracelets/chokers/necklaces. And when the kids who saw us working on them but thought it might be too hard or were too timid to ask how it was done see the results then they're dying to try it for themselves.

Here's the thing, though. I'm sure it's not a surprise to anyone reading here that simple stewardship isn't a thing that's being taught on a daily basis to the kids who attend this program. So when they are allowed to, they ruin pretty much every craft supply they can. It's not that they want to ruin things, they're not malicious, but they get excited, can't wait to get their hands on things, and adult supervision is not something one can count on.

So as I've said before, my stuff gets put away before I leave or I take it home with me. I've been visiting Goodwill every week on Wednesday morning and buying variegated yarn and all the cotton string I can find.

Now one might say that spending my own money on program supplies shouldn't be happening, but I see it this way.

If I spend a hundred dollars on supplies that keep 50 kids busy for 11 weeks, it's not an expense, it's an investment.

Well, okay, it's an expense. I admit it. But because the things belong to me personally, I can take them home/put them away/limit access to them. It may look like me being selfish, not sure what the rest of the staff thinks, but it doesn't matter. It's my stuff, I will be exclusive if I want to. And I do.

I'm trying to consider here... hm.
What have I spent money on this summer?

Origami paper. Tami bought me some, because she's always generous and wants to feed my bad habits and then I visited Amazon and bought another thousand sheets. So I can use them during the school year, too.

An easy origami book.
A Star Wars origami book.
A big package of paintbrushes because the ones they have on site are left in the sink with water and paint and people wash their hands over them and just leave it. It's disgusting and the paintbrushes are all squished and poking off in odd directions when they dry. So if we're painting, I bring my own in. And take them home.

I've purchased more stuff.
Sharpies.
Blue painter's tape.
Straws.
Tacky glue.
A set of shape stencils.
Coffee stirrer sticks.

Because kids love to make "godseyes/god eyes/those eyegod things" and coffee stirrers are longer and make a nicer one than popsicle sticks.

We used origami paper for the bookmonster corner bookmarks, too. They really liked that project and have asked if we can do it again before the end of summer. Of course we can! I love it when kids get to satisfy their creative urges. And having enough supplies so that I can say yes instead of telling them no and watching the disappointment on their faces.

I bought a little bit of decorative stuff at the dollar store, gift wrap and some little cardboard dry erase circles in various bright colors and made a display board outside our entry door so parents can see some of the things we've made. Not all kids choose to participate, which is fine, but as I've said before, parents are spending a fair amount of money for the program and should have an idea of what's available there.

Several years ago, Eric made me some frames that are used to make a trivet or mat. That requires yarn and more yarn, knots and more knots, and a lot of time. Several children have made one of those, too. It's time consuming and it's difficult to stick to the project for some. I make sure to explain exactly what's required so they can decide if they want to make a commitment to finish one.
I looked around for a photo online, but couldn't find one.

I'll see if I can manage to take a photo of one of the ones the kids made.

One of the boys is making one with baby yarn for his cousin who's having a baby. He's really excited about it, he told me that she wasn't supposed to be able to have a baby 'after the car wreck' but she's having one soon.

"I can't wait to hold the baby. It's going to be a little boy. I'll teach him how to kick a soccer ball and how to play video games."

And his joy in making a little project as a gift for his cousin is another good reason for me to provide the things I've provided.

But it's hotter than hell and things are still chaotic and I really can't wait for my own (predictable, organized, clean, neat) program to start back up.