With the official new school year starting, Daddy Snow and I have been busily brainstorming for a while about what opportunities for learning and fun we could strew for the snowflakes, and craft activities have been on my mind a bit.
Arts and crafts are something that tend to require a little bit of effort around here. As much as I might wish it, we're just not that wonderful kind of family that habitually whiles away a cosy afternoon with mum creating nifty handmade clothes and toys while the children work on their heirloom patchwork quilt and the toddler sorts out her own sewing kit nearby. Nope. We're usually the family where one child gets really into a quiet activity just when the others have the urge to stage an 80s style disco, a toy demolition derby or something similarly disruptive (that's when living in a biggish house with various potential play areas comes in useful).
The snowflakes do love to create, but they don't always do well with specific, planned projects, because three of them wanting help to make their work match the illustration flawlessy, combined with a mother who has no idea either, can make for soaring frustration levels.
A really well chosen and well prepared project can definitely be a hit, and we have a few of those in the pipleline. Here is a great quick checklist I found to help with selecting crafts. But very often, I have noticed that the children get a lot out of devising their own little projects using the materials we have available, or that they request. Snowflake #2 created this pipe-cleaner doll some time ago as a present for me, complete with its own little teddy-embellished sleeping bag, and I totally love it, because it's imbued with her personality.*
For a more lengthy and thoughtful article on crafting, check out Jo's post at Unbounded Ocean. But for what it's worth, I don't believe there are many true non crafty kids out there. I reckon most are simply independent creative thinkers who don't feel inclined to express their creativity according to these specific instructions at this particular time in that particular setting. Hence we sometimes see the ludicrous situation where a small child is bored witless while her frustrated mother completes the designated project herself. Or, worse, the child tries to make the activity his own and gets told of for doing it "wrong" (yep, I've seen this happen). Parents, if you're that heavily invested in the result, then do the craft yourself! Seriously. Make your project how you want it and encourage your child to do hers how she wants it.
* Those birthy types among you will notice that she's wearing a blessingway yarn bracelet, which she had to have to match mine
I agree Isabel, parents so invested in the craft need to do their own, I tell myself that too ;) I often get so caught up that I do have to walk away and let her do her own thing without my input, afterall that is when real cretivity comes out isnt it. We have a small box of bits and pieces that she brings out when I am not in a crafty mood and she just goes with whatever ideas come up, easy to cleanup too, I just chuck it all back in the box :)
ReplyDeleteYup, agreed too. For us, planned craft needs to be really quick and simple. Auds is getting into trickier stuff, but I always insist that they choose craft activities that are at their own level. I don't intervene unless they really need help. Usually craft around here looks like throwing the doors open and going for it. Freedom of expression is key!!
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