Summer Special: Jan Thomas Puppet Show (+ a Picnic!)

Teen volunteers put on a smashing good show!

Summer Special : Puppet Show + Picnic
Supplies needed:
--Teen volunteers (we had 3, plus an event photographer)
--puppets
--books to convert into scripts
--props as needed

We had such a fun time tonight at the Puppet Show and Picnic that I just had to share a few pictures and details here.  Jan Thomas writes great books for puppet shows--simple, easy to act out, very few props and hilarious!  Sixty-eight people showed up with picnic suppers in hand to watch the show and enjoy making their own puppets afterwards (free printables available on Jan Thomas' own website here and here).  More details after the jump.

Craft Lab: Duct Tape

Duct tape:  it's not just for ducts any more!

Project:  assorted Duct Tape crafts
Supplies:
Duct tape (as wide a variety as you can afford)
scissors
rulers
cardboard (empty duct tape rolls from previous duct tape events were popular today!)

Craft Lab: Upgrade your Cup

Plain white ceramics get a boost of color from teens in the Craft Lab.

Featured Project:  Painting on mugs (and one bowl)
Supplies:
plain ceramic objects (I bought mine from the Dig-N-Save), clean and dry
rubbing alcohol & tissues or q-tips
Pebeo Porcelaine 150 Paint Pens
Sharpie permanent markers
Baking instruction sheets to send home

Pros & Cons of paints vs. markers:
--Pebeo paint pens come in less colors than Sharpies.
--You have to "pump" the paint pens to get the paint to flow into the tip of the pen and if you're coloring a large area, you may have to pump several times throughout your project to keep a constant color.
--Sharpies are a little less predictable in the oven and dishwasher.  If you love your Sharpie-decorated mug, you might want to hand-wash it only.
--Neither are considered "food-safe" so please only decorate portions of the dinnerware that will not come into contact with food or your mouth.

(see more photos of our projects after the jump)

NeedleReads: Ombre Dyeing

Dyeing fabric dark at the bottom and fading to lighter at the top is trickier than it looks.

Project:  Ombre Dyeing

Supplies:  
dye (we used Rit liquid dye, two bottles per dye bath)
hot water
large containers to hold the dye (we used a trashcan, a storage tub and a plastic Halloween cauldron)
fabric items to dye
hangers
clothespins
clothes line
sturdy rubber gloves
garbage bags (to carry wet items home in, individually wrapped)

WonderWorks: Pumps and Siphons

One more week working with tools that help us move water from one place to another.


Today's Topic:Pumps and Siphons
Supplies:
water
bowls
drinking straws (the kind that bend)
cups
clean and empty handsoap dispensers
toy pumps

Book:
   Fire truck / Oxlade, Chris
There might be better books out there about pumps and/or siphons, but this was the best I could find for today's class.  The kids LOVED reading about fire trucks and this one has quite a bit to say about the water pumps found on an engine.

Toddler Art Class: Paintsicles!

Melty, messy paint-on-a-stick, perfect for warm-weather days.

Art Project: Paint-sicles!
Supplies:
paint
ice cube trays
wooden sticks
heavy paper

Book:
   What can you do with a paleta? / Tafolla, Carmen