To kick off our Fall tween and teen programs we made some DIY pencils!

Supplies:
Plain pencils
Nail polish
Container
Water

Steps:
1. Fill a container with water
2. Drip nail polish into the water
3. Dip pencil into the water
4. Let dry

Tips:
– If you dip the pencil in and swirl it around you will get more of a textured look/feel
– You can use tooth picks to swirl the color
– Use a rectangular container (not a circular one like I did)
– Ask co-workers to bring in old nail polish, no need to buy new
– Smooth, round pencils work best
– Sharpen the pencil after it is dry, not before
– Practice makes perfect! You might not love the first pencil you create but if you keep making them you’ll find out what “dip” technique you like best

Washi tape pencils are so easy to make, all you need are some pencils and washi tape! I purchased a variety of tapes and plain pencils. Teens used the tape to cover the pencils. They were much more creative with it than I was! This would also be a great passive activity to have out in the Teen Area.