Make at Home Projects: Week 2

Our library closure has been extended until April 6. I am back at making videos from home. I'm doing my best to reuse supplies to keep waste down. It's been a fun additional challenge. I think I've figured out a good work flow to keep myself from getting overwhelmed. My partner is also working from home right now and our Internet is super slow (I think because a lot of people are working from home right now). It takes forever to download content, get it edited, and then get it posted to YouTube. I record several videos at a time, then work on editing them throughout the week. I love that YouTube allows you to schedule videos, so I can upload a bunch of them during off-hours (like 10 pm) and they will post throughout the week. I'm loading them to the Youtube account linked to my work email.

3/23: Board Game
 I've actually never done this project, but I was inspired by a gift of a blank board game kit. I love the idea of being totally in control of the play, environment, and rules. I actually want to make a full-fledged board game now.

3/24: Offline Coding
A coworker recently replicated an offline coding program we did together a few years ago. One of the activities included building a life-size grid on the floor, printing out basic directions (turn left, turn right, forward, stop, pick up) and then having the kids program each other to retrieve objects on the grid (we used story time puppets). It ended upping a great activity. While working on the board game, I thought about that activity and realized I could scale it down to fit on a piece of cardboard.

3/25: Building Squares
I find myself making these cardboard squares a lot. I first did this project while working at my library in Idaho and then created some for my friend's 4-year-old while visiting a couple of years ago.

3/26: Puppet Theater
A coworker and I created this project for Maker Camp a few years ago. We used miniature pizza boxes, but a soda box worked really well for this project.

3/27: Cardboard Automata
We had a training on cardboard automata at a Staff Day a few years ago, but I'd been too scared to try and make one. After creating the puppet theater, I decided it was time to give it a go. Fun fact, I initially tried to build cams from pop bottle caps, but they did not work for me. Thank goodness these videos aren't live...or maybe it would be good to see me struggle more...

I have plans to continue repurposing my puppet theater design next week!