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Day Camp & Summer Programs
Reduce, reuse and recycle can be incorporated into summer day camp, library and youth programs. Our Education Specialist can teach campers how to make crafts from items that would normally be thrown away. Depending upon camper’s age, reuse crafts can include kite making, papermaking and more.
If your program has a theme, the Education Specialist can organize a complementary craft or program. Participates would collect the core trash materials for the craft and the District provides the rest. Larger groups may be accommodated by dividing campers into age groups for several sessions with the help of your staff. Classroom presentations can be requested too.
Programs are free of charge for Cuyahoga County residents.
Litter Folk Art Quilt
- Age: kindergarten and up
- Time: 45 minutes
- Materials: scrap paper and/or litter that was collected.
Children will work as a group to create a quilt representing what people discard.
Rainsticks
- Age: kindergarten and up
- Time: 60 minutes
- Materials: Each child will need a cardboard tube from wrapping paper, used mail tubes or large printer paper.
If we are having a dry summer, the children’s rainsticks will call the rain.
Paper Mache Bowls
- Age: second grade and up
- Time: 45 minutes
- Materials: lightweight paper bags and newspaper
Children will create look alike ancient pottery or from the art deco period. This activity can involve two sessions for creating the bowl allowing several days for it to dry and then decorating it.
Gargoyles
- Age: third grade and up
- Time: 90 minutes
- Materials: carry out coffee trays, egg cartons, cardboard
Children will build a medieval stone like sky creature for your castle. This activity can involve two sessions for creating the gargoyle allowing several days for it to dry and then decorating it.
Treasure Boxes
- Age: third grade and up
- Time: 60 minutes
- Materials: any type of small cardboard or plastic box and gift wrapping paper and decorations.
The boxes will be decorated and special items can be stored in them or be given away as a more permanent gift box.
Solar Cooking
- Age: fourth grade and up
- Time: 60 minutes
- Materials: pizza boxes
Children will work together to build their own solar oven and cook on it. The children can cook s'mores, mini pizzas, hot dogs or cookies.
Card Printing
- Age: fourth grade and up
- Time: 45 minutes
- Materials: construction paper and Styrofoam trays
A design will be drawn on the tray and ink applied to create several greeting/holiday cards.
Kite Making
- Age: fourth grade and up
- Time: 90 minutes
- Materials: used dry cleaner bags and a stick or toilet paper roll
Kites can be designed by each child or a template can be used depending upon age group.
Mancala Game
- Age: fourth grade and up
- Time: 60 minutes
- Materials: egg carton, 2 small containers and 48-60 playing pieces such as marbles, beads, stones or seeds for each child.
The cartons will be decorated and the children will learn how to play mancala.
Newspaper Baskets 
- Age: fifth grade and up
- Time: 90 minutes
- Materials: newspaper
Children will make a small basket to hold collectibles.
Poetry Magnets
- Age: kindergarten and up
- Time: 35 minutes
- Materials: thin unwanted refrigerator magnets
Children will glue words and letters on magnets and cut them out to make a set of poetry magnets for their home. During the school year, the activity is good for students to learn new vocabulary.
Juggle Sticks 
- Age: sixth grade and up
- Time: 90 minutes
- Materials: Teens will bring old material such as leather, jeans, fur or thick material and find an old broom stick or thick doweling rod.
The juggle sticks are spun in the air by using the two other sticks as controllers for a variety of tricks.
Colorful Coasters
- Age: first grade and up
- Time: 45 minutes
- Materials: 2 lids from tub containers for each child and wallpaper, gift paper, magazines and/or old calendars with pictures.
Children will create a set of coasters to protect wood tables at home.
Picture Frames
- Age: fourth and up
- Time: 45 minutes
- Materials: cardboard or box board, trinkets, buttons, fabric, broken jewelry or anything decorative that is scrap.
Picture frames can hold 5x7” picture or smaller. Children will trace and cut the frame they want and decorate it.
World Masks
- Age: second and up
- Time: 35 minutes
- Materials: cardboard and decorative items
Many cultures around the world use masks during ceremonies. Children build a mask from cardboard shapes and decorate.
Underwater Sea Creatures
- Age: kindergarten and up
- Time: 45 minutes
- Materials: paper bags and cardboard tubes
Children can make fish and other sea creatures out of used paper products.