Creature Comforts - animal homes
Public Events – Join our workshops!
ArchForKids leads public programs in libraries, museums and community organizations throughout the New York metro area. Virtual programs are available to a worldwide audience. All library programs are FREE.
If you would like to bring ArchForKids to your community – live or virtual format – please contact us at info@archforkids.com or +1 (914) 200-3646
Future Lab Design – Free Virtual workshop sponsored by Lewis Latimer House Museum
Thursday, January 14 @ 3:30pm
Join us for a unique virtual workshop in partnership with the Tinker Lab of the Lewis Latimer House Museum. Lewis Latimer was a renowned Black inventor who lived from 1848 to 1928. His home in Flushing Queens is an NYC Landmark and a museum. In this workshop, participants will take a virtual visit to Latimer’s house to learn how he and his family lived in the early decades of the 20th century. Then we will reimagine what his life might be like if he lived today. What might his house look like? What kinds of inventions might he create? How would he furnish his lab? Using minimal materials and our imaginations, participants will design an amazing house and laboratory.
Please have the following materials available:
- Recycled box (a shoebox or small mailing carton is ideal. You can use more than one box, e.g. one for the house and a smaller box for an addition or garage)
- Cardboard scraps to make furniture
- Tape
- Scissors
- Construction paper
- Glue (Elmer’s and/or a glue stick)
- You can use whatever supplies you have on hand to embellish your project, such as: wrapping paper, tin foil, buttons, pipe cleaners, pieces of fabric for rugs, popsicle sticks, markers, stickers, egg cartons, toothpicks, etc.
Go here to register for this program
Make a Castle! – Free Virtual workshop sponsored by Harrison Public Library
Tuesday, January 19 @ 4pm
Transform a cardboard box into a beautiful castle. As you build, learn about the architecture of these fascinating structures. Fun and interactive workshop over the Zoom platform. Recommended for ages 6 and up.
Materials needed:
- For the castle – recycled box (shoebox or small mailing carton are ideal)
- For the keep – smaller box, such as a pasta box
- For the moat – cardboard base (cut from a larger box)
- For the towers – 4 paper towel tubes or construction paper rolled into tubes
- For the drawbridge – string or pipe cleaners
- Other supplies: construction paper, glue, tape and scissors.
Optional supplies to embellish your castle: tin foil, pipe cleaners, buttons, egg cartons, tissue paper, markers, crayons, wrapping paper to cover boxes, Popsicle sticks, toothpicks etc.
Go here to register for this program
Make a Cabin the Woods – Free Virtual workshop sponsored by Brooklyn Public Library
Saturday, January 30 @ 1pm (Pre-recorded)
Build your own Tiny House in the forest. It could be a playhouse, a vacation home or a year-round residence. Gather some simple supplies and build along with ArchForKids. Recommended for ages 6 and up.
Materials needed:
- small recycled box for the cabin
- cardboard base for the yard/forest (can be cut from a larger box)
- Scissors
- Glue – glue stick and/or Elmer’s
- Tape
- Construction Paper
- Make trees out of pipe cleaners, cardboard or twigs you collect outside
- Use art supplies you have at home to embellish your cabin!
This pre-recorded program will air on the BPL Facebook page and YouTube Channel and remain there for 48 hours, then will be taken down
Superhero Headquarters – Free Virtual workshop sponsored by Harrison Public Library
Tuesday, February 16 @ 4pm
What kind of superhero could your community use? Make a home for your favorite Superhero or invent your own character. As you build the headquarters, take in account the Superhero’s powers and purpose.
Materials needed
- 1-3 small recycled boxes
- Construction paper
- Tin Foil
- Scissors, tape & glue
- Optional: cardboard base (cut from a larger box)
Use art supplies you have at home to further embellish your model: markers, tissue paper, wrapping paper, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, stickers, twigs collected outside, etc.
To access the session, go here on 2/16 a few minutes before 4pm
Make an Enchanted Castle – Virtual workshop sponsored by Bethany Arts Community
Wednesday, February 17 @ 3:30pm – $10 per student (includes materials kit)
Participants will build their castles as they learn about the architecture and evolution of castles in this interactive virtual workshop, conducted over Zoom. A fun family activity! Limited to 20 participants. Admission includes a materials kit that contains supplies to build a majestic castle. Pick up kits from Bethany Arts Center (Ossining NY) from Feb 13-16. OR gather your own supplies:
For the castle – recycled box (shoebox or small mailing carton are ideal
For the keep – smaller box, such as a pasta box
For the moat – cardboard base (cut from a larger box)
For the towers – 4 paper towel tubes or construction paper rolled into tubes
For the drawbridge – string or pipe cleaners
Other supplies: construction paper, glue, tape and scissors.
Option supplies to embellish the castle: tin foil, pipe cleaners, buttons, egg cartons, tissue paper, markers, crayons, wrapping paper to cover boxes, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, etc. Use your imagination!
Go here to register for this program
Candy Dream House – Free Virtual workshop sponsored by Harrison Public Library
Tuesday, March 16 @ 4pm
Build a model of the house of your dreams – with a difference! Use your favorite candies to decorate your creation. For example, you can use twizzlers as columns, lollipops for trees and gumdrops as fences. Use your imagination!
Materials needed
- For the house – 1-2 small, recycled boxes
- For the yard – a cardboard base cut from a larger box
- A variety of candy to decorate the house and yard
- Construction paper, scissors, glue and tape
Register for this program here
Storybook Castles – sponsored by New York Public Library
Pre-recorded virtual workshop
Magnificent castles appear in many fairy tales. They are defensive structures designed to keep invaders out and its residents safe. After learning about the evolution and architecture of these fascinating structures, build your own model castle! Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Materials needed: a box for the castle – a shoebox or small mailing box work well, a smaller box for the castle keep, cardboard base larger than the castle box, tape – scotch or masking, glue stick or Elmer’s glue, scissors, construction paper, paper towel tubes (or paper rolled into a tall tube). Optional supplies to embellish your model: tin foil, pipe cleaners, buttons, egg cartons, tissue paper, markers, crayons, wrapping paper to cover boxes, Popsicle sticks, toothpicks etc.
To access the session, go to www.nypl.org/summerreading/watch
Make an Enchanted Forest – sponsored by New York Public Library
Pre-recorded virtual workshop
Be a landscape designer for an imaginary land. Design a wooded area for unicorns, witches, elves and other magical creatures. We will show some examples to get your imagination fired up. Then build your model along with the founder of ArchForKids, Janny Gedeon. A great family activity for all ages!
Materials needed: cardboard base – can be cut from a mailing carton, tape, glue stick or Elmer’s glue, scissors, construction paper, small recycled boxes (to make castles, cottages, etc.), twigs collected outside, cardboard scraps to construct 3D elements. This is an open-ended challenge. Use supplies you have at home to embellish your model. Some suggestions: tin foil, buttons, cut-up egg cartons, Play dough, tissue paper, markers and/or crayons, wrapping paper to cover boxes, Popsicle sticks & toothpicks, Cardboard tubes, pebbles & pine cones and more!
To access the session, go to www.nypl.org/summerreading/watch
On Demand programs and mentoring
Pick your own time & date!
ArchForKids also offers mentoring and on-demand workshops. Book a program on a topic of your choice. More info on these options here.
