Children love to experience
the joy of making something that did not exist before they
put their hands on it. Quite typically after creating their
object of beauty they will turn around and give it away
immediately to their teacher, parent or friend. Children
instinctively know that the best gifts come from their
hearts, and they put their hearts in every craft, a product
of their creative minds and hands.
Playing is
a child's job, and creativity begins with a playful mindset.
Teachers and parents only need to provide few materials and
be careful not to do anything to discourage creativity. Some
basic examples of craft products everyone should have are
crayons, markers, paints, colored paper, clay-like products,
scissors and glue. Over time some other products can be
added to one's crafting collection like feathers, wiggly
eyes, pom poms, beads, yarn and other fiber products,
stickers, glitter, pipe cleaners, craft foam sheets and
cutouts.
Craft
supplies do not need to be restricted to things you buy at
the craft store. Think toothpicks, cotton swabs, aluminum
foil, new coffee filter papers, paper plates, Styrofoam
cups, tissues, and gift wrap. Go outdoors and gather leaves,
pretty rocks, flowers, seashells, or seed pods. Crafting for
kids is also great opportunity to recycle in the home. Think
paper towel tubes, baby food jars, metal cans, cereal and
cracker boxes, plastic soda bottles, and newspapers. Even
junk mail can sometimes yield free stickers or other
interesting items. Clothing that is too worn out to give to
the local charity can be harvested for buttons, appliqués,
and cut up for fabric pieces.
Creative
crafting can go to the kitchen, too. Remember gingerbread
men and gingerbread houses? You can start there, but let
your imagination stretch to new culinary horizons. Start
with a new "artist's canvas" like giant sugar cookies,
pancakes, toasted bread, or even a bowl of oatmeal. For your
"artist's palette" give your child a choice of nuts,
peanuts, cereal pieces, raisins, cherries, strawberries,
blueberries, or chopped apple. Occasionally include a few
treats like candy sprinkles, chocolate chips, icing in
tubes, cinnamon sugar, and small candies such as gummies or
candy-coated chocolates. Now that you have the materials,
assemble animals, draw a face, write a name, or just allow
the child to create whatever masterpiece comes to mind. Of
course, you are not restricted to sweet treats in the
kitchen. You can do the same kind of thing with pizza and
pizza-type ingredients, for instance.
Some
children are absolutely creative wizards. Show them a few
supplies, and in moments they are in their element. Others
may sometimes need a few ideas to get them rolling. You can
start with a ready-made craft kit or an idea from a
children's magazine or website. If the end result does not
look like the picture, that is fine. Think of the picture as
a suggestion only. For creativity's sake, abandoning the
picture is probably a good thing. Sometimes the parent can
help get things moving with a few ideas to prime creative
juices. For example, start with the child's handprint. Lay
the child's hand on a sheet of paper, spread their fingers,
and trace around the entire hand. See how many different
things you and the child can make from this beginning. Add
embellishments to make a turkey, a face with kinky hair with
fingers up, or a face with a beard with fingers down. Make
animals, flowers, aliens, or monsters. Next time, begin with
a footprint.
Encourage
your child in their creative crafting. Many educational
experts have affirmed that creative outlets are great for a
child's cognitive development and more. However supported
some things are by research, numbers or study, we still know
certain things as a matter of experience. Children love to
be creative. Here is a quote by Dieter F Uchtdorf: "The
desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the
human soul."
