#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--CRAFTING IN THE TIME OF COVID

I believe that people are born creative. Just watch any baby or toddler exploring his surroundings, and you’ll see what I mean. Unfortunately, most adults start squelching that creativity (Don’t touch!) in their children early on. Eventually that innate creativity is so suppressed that it’s nearly impossible to retrieve. So why are we then surprised when our kids prefer to sit around for hours, staring at a computer monitor or TV screen?

Now, when most kids are on screens in virtual classrooms for hours each day, crafting is needed more than ever. Solving problems and resolving conflicts require creative thinking. Creativity needs to be nurtured in order that today’s children grow up to become tomorrow’s leaders, but too many outside forces are at work, influencing our children to “color within the lines.” Now think about this: people who color within the lines never learn to think outside the box. It’s that outside the box thinking that finds solutions to the world’s problems. 

 

One of the ways we can help our children continue to grow their creativity is to encourage them to craft, beginning at a very early age. The first step is to have creative materials around the house for children to use. Keep ample supplies of paint, glue, markers, chenille stems, craft sticks, pompoms, and other basic craft materials handy for those “I’m bored; there’s nothing to do” days or when the virtual classroom closes for the day.

Once life returns to normal and birthday parties resume, buy craft kids instead of yet another video game for that next birthday party or special occasion. Keep a few kits on hand for rainy days and snow days and when sleepovers with friends resume. Encourage children to make gifts for family members’ birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc. instead of buying gifts.

Remember that your children’s efforts don’t have to be perfect. Always praise the attempt and encourage children to continue creating. The act of crafting develops small motor skills and hand/eye coordination. Creativity helps grow their brains. By encouraging your children to craft, you’re giving them an incredible foundation for future endeavors. 

 

All it takes for children to learn to love crafting is an environment in which they can satisfy their creative nature. Nurture that inborn talent, and you’ll help your children grow into creative adults that just might wind up solving many of the world’s problems.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- KIDS' HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas or Hanukkah. This is the time of year when you begin to see holiday craft shows and bazaars springing up at schools, churches, malls, and street fairs. Why not organize a Children’s Holiday Gift Workshop for your local PTA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, or Sunday school? Simply follow the steps below. -- AP

1. Present your idea to the organization. Have samples of projects to show. Choose an appropriate date two to three weeks before the holidays (either after school, an evening, or on a weekend,) and ask for parent volunteers. The number of volunteers needed will depend on the number of kids involved, but it’s essential that you have enough volunteers.

2. Discuss cost. You can either charge a minimal amount to cover the cost of supplies or slightly more to make the workshop a fundraiser for the organization.

3. Choose three to five simple craft projects which can be completed in the allotted time. Check older Monday posts at Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers. We’ve featured simple kids’ crafts in the past. You can also find kids’ craft projects online and in books at the library. Chose projects suitable to give as gifts to a mother, a father, and a sibling. If making for or five gifts, the remaining ones should be neither age nor gender specific so that they can be given to grandparents or other siblings. Refrigerator magnets for hanging school papers are a good choice as are holiday ornaments and picture frames.

Make sure the projects you choose are appropriate to the age of the children who will be attending the workshop. You want them to have an enjoyable experience and leave with both a sense of accomplishment and nice-looking presents to give to their family. A project that is too difficult will only frustrate the child and produce less than pleasing results.

Stay away from projects that require extra equipment such as ovens or ones which need excessive drying time. Ideally, you want the children to be able to wrap and label the gifts before leaving. If a project requires paint, substitute markers, crayons, or colored pencils.

4. Display a sample of each project a big poster announcing the workshop in a high traffic area of the school, library, recreation center, church, or synagogue where the workshop will take place.

5. Send a registration flyer home with the children. The registration deadline should be two weeks prior to the event. You’ll need this extra time for preparation. On the registration form, list the cost of the workshop and the gifts that will be made. Mention that each will be wrapped and labeled before the child leaves. Ask again for parent volunteers. You can also do registration through email if you prefer.

6. Once you receive all the registration forms, you’ll need to purchase supplies. Calculate how much of each material you’ll need plus colored tissue paper or wrapping paper and yarn to wrap each item. In addition, purchase small self-adhesive labels for each gift, plastic zipper bags for each gift, and a brown paper bag for each child. Place all the components for each craft project in a plastic bag. Place all the plastic bags in the paper bag.

Don’t forget any tools you’ll need, such as scissors, pencils, tape, rulers, crayons, glue etc. You should be able to borrow many of these from the school, church, etc., but make sure you have enough. Children should be encouraged to share tools, but you’ll need enough per group so that you finish in the allotted timeframe.

7. On the day of the event, give each child a paper bag. Divide the children up among the volunteers. Depending on the age of the children, you’ll want one adult for every five to eight children. Before beginning, have each child write his name on his paper bag.

The volunteers should have all the children work on the same project at the same time. As each project is completed, have the child wrap, tie with the yarn, write the recipient’s name on the label, then place the label on the gift and place the gift back in the paper bag.

8. Don’t forget to involve the children in the clean-up afterwards. All scraps need to be thrown away and tables wiped before leaving. You may want to reward the children with a cookie or some other treat as they leave.


Post a comment to enter the drawing for a copy of a book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP