WonderWorks: Playing with grids (or "Battleship" gets a more peaceful make-over)

Love the classic game of Battleship, but not the war-like content? Try this home-grown version!

Today's Topic: Grid Game "Muncha Muncha Muncha!"
Supplies:
for each pair of players, 2 blank file folders and a printed copy of this PDF (note: if you want to get fancy, you can laminate all the parts and stick velcro dots on them.  Or you can just enjoy the ephemeral nature of a paper-based game and use sticky tape.)

Book:
  Muncha! muncha! muncha! / Fleming, Candace

Wild Rumpus: Week 3

This week, we saw a jump in attendance from about 80 people to about 130 people, woot!  So exciting to see so many new families coming out to the park to play!

The only "new" element that I added to the play this week was an invitation to explore the wooded area along one edge of the park.  There's a creek within this woods (often dry, but it had some standing water this week!) and it's cool and shady and all of the kids who ventured in wanted to stay a looooong time. (way more photos and details after the jump!)

Wild Rumpus: Week 2

The Rumpus continues!

We kicked off week 2 with activities provided by the Madison Children's Museum -- giant bubbles, mini stilt cups, and hula hoops.

 

 (more after the jump)

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

This summer, I'm trying something a little different. Every year for the past [many] years, during the summer, I've hired a series of performers (jugglers, magicians, storytellers, etc.) to come to the library and perform for an audience of library families.  This past spring, I attended a presentation about a new educational movement (think: on par with Montessori or Reggio) that's coming out of China.  It's called AnjiPlay and I left the presentation completely inspired. You can read more about AnjiPlay (and get inspired!) on their website, but the short version is that it's all about TRUE PLAY and self-determination and the inherent learning that takes place when kids reflect on their play.  I knew that it would take a long time for any public schools in the U.S. to even begin to embrace this amazing philosophy, so... I decided to bring at least some form of AnjiPlay to my library this summer (and the folks of AnjiPlay have graciously agreed to help shape this endeavor -- their feedback has strengthened this event so much!).  And so, instead of asking kids to sit still in a stuffy meeting room, this summer, everyone is invited to join us at a nearby park to play. I'm calling it "A Wild Rumpus."  This past Tuesday was our first Rumpus.  It was a blast!  Here are some photos (this week's play was a little shortened due to our summer kick-off presentation by local Frisbee expert, Brad Wendt) after the jump:

The Supper Club encourages you to Make Something with Apps!

In May, our Supper Club theme was "Let's Make Something" and included apps that encourage creativity and real-world making.  Here's what we talked about:

Let’s make a story

Hangart by Literary Safari (iOS $1.99, Google Play sale for 99c!)

Seedling Comic Studio by Seedling (iOS only, FREE!)

Let’s make a game

Infinite Arcade by Tinybop (iOS only, $2.99)

Mekorama by Martin Magni (iOS, Google Play, FREE)

Let’s make art

Quiver 3D Coloring app (iOS, Amazon, Google Play, freemium)

Foldify by Pixle (iOS only, $3.99)

 

Let’s make something fun!

Gigglebug’s Face Race by Gigglebug Entertainment (iOS only, FREE)

Storest by Pixle (iOS only, $2.99)

Note: This app, which I hadn't explored before today, was the runaway hit of the evening.  Everyone LOVED the fact that they could print their own products and then scan them and hear real cash register noises and watch the total increase just like in a real store. Read more about it in my review by clicking on the app title above. Foldify (by the same company, in the Let's Make Art section above) was a close second in popularity.  They provide templates, you design whatever gets printed onto the templates, then you print, cut and glue your own paper toys!

Take home box:

Let’s make music:

Keezy by Elepath (iOS only FREE)

Caspar Babypants Music Time by CatNapApps ($, iOS only)

Let’s make an animation:

Toontastic by Launchpad Toys (iOS only, FREE)

iStopmotion by Boinx (iOS only, $11.99)

 

Apps on the News: Sworkit Kids

I'm having trouble getting the video to embed here, but you can click here and it will take you the video!

You can read my review here.