Suminagashi

We had a fun gathering last week at the Summer Library Program Idea Swap.  Folks brought questions and ideas and shared some fun stuff!  I’ll dole out some of those ideas over the next few weeks.  Here are a few I contributed:

  • For super-cool, library-tested STEAM programs for preschoolers and school age kids, check out the Show Me Librarian’s amazing collection of detailed program notes!
  • You can find a bunch of great science resources in our very own BadgerLink!  Check out the Science Reference Center for Science Experiements (there are more than 1000), and look for science videos in the Wisconsin Media Lab.
  • My amazing sister who can do anything showed me how to do Japanese Marbling (also called Suminagashi)–the dye is relatively cheap and you only need a few drops per person.  This was very easy, and everyone from 5-year-olds to adults will enjoy it.  My teenagers loved it!  There are some interesting things to discover about surface tension and viscosity with marbling.
And here are 2 books that I found very useful in thinking about science-y art projects for Preschool through middle grades.  Both are in the MORE system:
Science Arts:  Discovering Science Through Art Experiences by Mary Ann Kohl and Jean Potter.
Art Lab for Little Kids:  52 Playful Projects for Preschoolers by Susan Schwake.