This gallery showcases the work of students at various after school programs and church programs around the city of Philadelphia.
Children's creativity is encouraged when adults and peers stop and take notice of their work. Even the simple act of photographing completed projects gives children needed notice and attention. Projects that might get broken or lost will continue to live in photos on the web. Photos of student work on the web will become another source of inspiration for project ideas for other students.
• SISTER WEB SITES
Hip, Hip, Hooray Magazine (www.hiphiphhooraymagazine.com): resources, activities, games for after-schools
Woodshop for Kids (www.hiphiphooraymagazine.com/woodshop): Philadelphia area woodworking program for kids
• ONLINE RESOURCES
Yahooligans (http://yahooligans.yahoo.com): is a fantastic site with a ton of information and games. The site has information on science, with a particularly good page on animals. The site also has jokes, news, ecards. It even has an encyclopedia, dictionary and thesaurus. It also has its own links to great kid sites.
National Geographic for Kids (www.nationalgeographic.com/kids): has homework help, print-and-go coloring book, cartoon factory, experiments, a section for parents and more ... all in addition to the National Geographic Magazine for Kids.
Lycos: has a lot of family friendly links.
Internet Public Library (www.ipl.org): is what is sounds like. It has a ton of information in many categories.
White House for Kids (www.whitehouse.gov/kids): has White House history, info on the first families, White House pets, White House traditions, games, quizzes and more.
Bill Nye the Science Guy (www.billnye.com): has a lot of fun, interactive stuff on science.
Funschool (www.funschool.com) has a lot of engaging academic activities for each grade level. Warning: this site has a lot of kid-targeted pop-up ads.
• BOOKS ON CRAFTS AND WOODWORKING
"Woodshop for Kids" by Jack McKee
The best book on the subject out there. Includes tips and woodworking projects for kids from preschool and up.
"Wood Working with Your Kids" by Richard Starr
A lot of project ideas for older kids.
"Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book" by Steven Caney
This is a fantastic book with craft ideas plus information about the history of structures. This book has some great building systems which kids can use to create projects of their own (Q-tips with rubber cemented ends for building structures; constructing with paper clips, pasta, tubes, etc, etc).
"Steven Caney's Kid's America" by Steven Caney
Here is a classic with projects and historical references to traditional American arts and crafts.
"Stephen Caney's Toy Book" by Stephen Caney
Toys to make from things you have around the house. Toys include games, action toys, design toys, buiding toys, pretending toys and more.
"Look Alikes" by Joan Steiner
This is not a craft book. The author has created complex and realistic scenes created from everyday items. Kids will enjoy hunting down the familiar objects and they will be inspired to create their own worlds with recycled objects.
"Ready Made" by Shoshana Berger and Grace Hawthorne
Make great projects from recycled materials
"The Penny Whistle Sick-in-Bed Book" by Meredith Brokaw and Annie Gilbar
Kids don't have to be sick to get some great ideas from this book.
Origami Books:
Kids love origami, but they usually need quite a bit of adult help to follow even simple origami directions.
Beginner Origami books:
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"Easy Origami" by Dokuohtei Nakano Publisher: Puffin; (1994)
Nakano is an origami teacher in Japan and this book is a text book for his origami classes. The chapters are called:
1. "Origami to Play With": puppets, some clever action origami, boats, planes, a wiggling snake
2. "Origami to Use": boxes, baskets, frames
3. "Origami for Display": animals, hanging decorations
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"Easy Origami" by John Montroll Publisher: Dover Pubns; (1992)
A collection of 32 projects for beginning origami hobbyists. It is clearly illustrated with easy-to-follow instructions. Make an ultra-simple hat, a cup and a pinwheel to the more challenging penguin and piano.
More Advanced Origami Books:
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"The Buck Book" by Anne Akers Johnson Publisher: Klutz, Inc; (1993)
Make origami with dollar bills.
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"Origami for the Enthusiast" by John Montroll Publisher: Dover Pubns; (1980)
Make progressively complex and interesting origami animals.