An engaging basketball agamograph craft for kids to make for March Madness, a sports-themed birthday, summer camp, or an after-school program.
What are agamographs?
Agamographs are a creative form of art named after Yaacov Agam, an Israeli artist known for his kinetic and optical art. They are a type of optical illusion where two images are combined so that the viewer sees a different image depending on the angle they observe it from.
Our basketball agamograph features a basketball on one side and a hoop on the other. Kids will color the two images and can enjoy them with a simple flip.
To create the agamograph, kids will have to cut out the two images into strips and glue them onto the provided template by alternating the strips: a strip from the first image followed by an image from the second image and so on.
This step is made easy by following the letters or numbers at the bottom of the strips. Thus, the agamograph isn’t only a fun art project but also a way for kids to practice their alphabet.
Basketball history
Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a PE teacher at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Naismith was tasked with creating a new indoor game to keep his students active during the winter months.
He created the game using a soccer ball and two baskets used to pick up peaches, nailed to opposite ends of a gym.
The first official game of basketball was played in 1892, and it quickly grew in popularity.
The rules were simple: players aimed to toss the ball into the opponent’s basket to score points, and dribbling wasn’t part of the original game—players primarily advanced the ball by passing.
If your kid loves basketball, make sure to also check out this simple basketball paper hat craft.
Basketball agamograph
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Supplies:
- Basketball agamograph printable
- White cardstock paper
- Colored pencils – the ones I use – or markers
- Scissors
- Glue
How to make a basketball agamograph
Start by printing the page with the two images and color them both.
Cut out the two images , keeping the letters/numbers at the bottom.
Cut out the strips and make sure to keep the letters/numbers at the bottom of the strips.
Glue the strips in order onto the blank frame, making sure to match the letters/numbers at the bottom of the strips with the letters/numbers at the bottom of the blank frame.
Cut off the white border of the frame, including the letters/numbers.
Fold the agamograph accordion-style along the lines between the pictures.
To see the two images, turn the agamograph to the left and to the right.