Easy DIY Creativity Camp

Have your kids already hit that point in the summer where they don’t know what to do with themselves? It’s a great time to inspire their creativity and jump start their ideas!

I’ve teamed up with fellow author Christine Alemshah to bring you an easy to execute creativity camp. Great for home use or a more formal camp setting!

All you need is some basic craft supplies, a box of any size, plus copies of these two great books about creative kids:

Here we Go!

Step one: Read SAWYER’S BIG IDEA and BEA’S BALIKBAYAN BOX OF TREASURES

Questions to discuss after SAWYER’S BIG IDEA:

What was Sawyer trying to build? Why didn’t he finish it?

How do you think Sawyer felt when his idea didn’t work right away? What did he do instead of giving up?

Sawyer didn’t finish his robot in the story. Do you think he’ll finish it the next day? *I like to show kids the secret cover under the dust jacket–it shows what Sawyer’s Robot looked in his head, and I think it shows that someday when he gets back to it that it is going to be AWESOME!

Questions to discuss after BEA’S BALIKBAYAN BOX OF TREASURES:

How do you think Bea’s family feels when they open a box filled with treasures from her? How does Bea feel while she is packing it?

The title calls it a box of “treasures”, but were there pieces of gold and jewels inside? What made the things inside the box so special?

If you were sending a box of “treasures” to someone you love who lives far away, what is one small thing from your room or your neighborhood you would put inside to show them you care?

Questions after reading both:

Sawyer and Bea both used boxes and objects to create something amazing. How were their projects different? How were they the same?

Both Sawyer and Bea had to use their imaginations. Who do you think had the harder job: Sawyer trying to focus on his ideas, or Bea trying to decide which treasures were the most special? Which would be harder for you?

Step two: Set up! Start an idea notebook or a tinker station!

Prepare for a summer of creativity! One or both of these activities is great to get started!

Start an idea notebook:

This is a great idea suggested by Silvi Guerra, PsyD, in the back of SAWYER’S BIG IDEA! Have children start a project notebook to help keep track of their ideas, so they remember them for later. This is super helpful when they feel bored, because it can remind them of some of the great ideas they’ve already come up with! They can make initial sketches of ideas, write descriptions, and glue in project bits.

I always tell kids that this is something I really do as an author (mine is a pink moleskin notebook). They can make this out of any spiral notebook, composition book, or pages stapled together. I do a tutorial (with free instruction download) on making a book out of a single sheet of paper HERE.

Set up a tinker station:

Gather materials into one place so it’s easy for kids to access on their own whenever creativity strikes. This is what our station looks like at my house.

Having materials out and available gets rid of some of the barriers-to-entry to getting started on a project. It also keeps creating more top-of-mind to pass by and see all of these friendly-looking materials out. I like to think of it as an art charcuterie board–an invitation to sample and graze.

My husband made this simple tray out of a cheap furring strip and a leftover board for the base, but a shower tote or a short cardboard box works well too. You can see the jars are far from fancy–an eclectic mix of recycled containers, jars, vases, and office organizers. There’s no need to make it instagram worthy. It’s more important that everything is easy to see and accessible.

Step three: Imagine! Make a box into something new!

This is a great project to start with because it’s so open-ended, and it works well as a group or individuals. Both Bea and Sawyer have some great examples of what a box could be, flip through the books to look for ideas.

You can start with a list in your notebook, or brainstorm together. Look at the boxes you have available and think about what you could do with a box that size. A small box could be a mailbox or birdhouse, and a bigger one could be a dollhouse, a fort, or something to ride in.

Step four: Create!

Now that your creative juices are flowing, try a project inspired by the books!

Send a fun letter:

Send a letter to a friend or family member far away. Think about what they like, like Bea does. Draw them a picture of what you’re up to, or include a sketch of a cool invention. Use different art supplies to create a letter that’s exciting to open, and don’t forget to decorate the envelope!

Design a costume for a pet or stuffy:

All the stuffed animals in our house have some kind of cardboard battle armor, crocheted sweater, or cool clothing. This is a great place to try some sketches in your notebook to decide what design you like. A superhero cape is a great and easy place to start!

Make a summer treasure box:

Just as Bea collects treasures to send to her family, you can start a box of treasures to remind you of your fun summer adventures. Decorate a treasure box, and then pick up things throughout the summer to add to it. A rock from a hike, or a shell from the beach. My kids like to collect pieces of metal they find like washers and screws.

Want to keep going?

Step five: More ideas!

More activities:

• Design a robot model with my tutorial and free printable. Answer the question, if I could make a robot that could to anything, what would it do?
• Write a song
• Make a gift for a neighbor or friend, like Bea does.
• Have an art date with a friend and create together.

More books to check out:

Have fun creating this summer!