Nature Journals

Every week I do crafts with a group of school age kids (k-5th graders). We call the program Crafty Kids! The Nature Journal that we did the first week of May has by far been one of the favorite crafts. It was popular with every age that participated. To make a journal you only need a few items:

• Stick for the binding, try to find straight ones
• Twine or Yarn to tie the stick on
• Color paper for the outside of the journal
• Paper for the inside of the journal, we used paper from an abandoned notebook.
• Hole punch
• markers, crayons, etc.
• Items gathered from outside to put in the nature journal
• Tape and/or glue
  

To assemble, just fold the paper in half with the color paper on the outside and punch holes all the way through (I just did two one at the top and one at the bottom). Place the stick across the holes and tie it on with the yarn or twine. Have kids decorate the journal, tape or glue in items found outside, and let them write about the things that they gathered.

You can see some other examples of these nature journals on my friends blog here:
http://meandmr.blogspot.com/2009/05/nature-journals.html

Why crafting with lots of kids?

There are tons of websites out there for kids crafts, but not so many that focus on crafting with lots of kids. This is why I decided to start this blog, and because a dear friend suggested it. I have been offering a school age kids craft program at my library for two plus years. What I have learned is that just because a craft is cute or recommended as easy, doesn't mean it will work when you are crafting with several kids. I intend to document crafts here that I have tried with real kids. I will let you know what worked and what didn't. I hope this blog can be useful for other librarians, teachers, and people who just do crafts with more than two or three kids. Though most of the crafts will be intended for K - 5th graders, I also do crafts with children under the age of five and teens, so I will share them here as well.