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What children learn from arts and crafts
Feb 7th
The merits of arts and crafts such as drawing and coloring for kids are regularly argued by child development experts, educators and parents alike… especially so for the real impact they have on child development. However, it is difficult to argue with the top three reasons why we should all encourage the children in our care to take part in arts and crafts.
Creativity – If you were to ask a cross section of individuals what is the first personality characteristic that arts and crafts will develop in a young child – most would answer ‘creativity’. And they are certainly correct. Everyone has natural talents and skills and it is possible to improve and boost them… even if you only have a little natural talent. Creativity enables your child to try out and benefit from new ideas, options and alternatives in any future career. Kids learn to do things in new ways and literally profiting from thinking “out of the box”.
Perseverance – Perseverance is perhaps the single most important quality for any successful individual – be they a a business person, sportsman or other professional.In fact, most well-known accomplishments in life have been attributed to perseverance alone. Arts and crafts improve everyone’s level of perseverance. For instance, children learn to keep trying until they complete the task, be it a sculpture or a coloring in sheet. If something goes wrong… they are encouraged to perservere by trying different ways and means and the outcome is a wonderful piece of art that they have created.
Concentration – Akin to having perseverance, developing concentration is another quality well-worth having as an individual.Drawing, colouring, sculpting clay or aluminium foil, painting and even doodling will definitely teach your child to focus on one specific task at hand… ignoring other distractions. In a nutshell, their overall concentration will definitely improve.
Even from a young age kids can draw and color – therefore give them blank pieces of paper or coloring in sheets so that they can scribble away to their hearts content whilst also improving their fine motor skills.
For example at sites like Spiderman Coloring you’ll find Spiderman kids as well as coloring pages, funny pics and more.
Little girls on the other hand tend to prefer images of fairies and princesses – however, favorite characters such as those from Disney movies are also hits.
Give your child many opportunities to experience being creative, concentrating and perservering through the fun medium of arts and crafts. Provide them with materials as well as resources and the occasional canvas so that they can be creative and feel pride in what they create.
Yes! There is a Difference in the Kinds of Crafts you Do With Your Kids
Dec 31st
The concept that kids crafts is, or should be beneficial for children is not a new one. Traditional educators have long touted the direction following and fine motor development skills that arts and crafts gives to children.
Fine motor skills maybe, but direction following, boring, copycat arts and crafts projects, doubtful. As a matter of fact, crafts like this does great damage to children’s self esteem and other skills.
Many of us already know why we as parents and educators like to give children arts and crafts.
We love to spend time with them and what better way than doing crafts together.
It gives the children an outlet for their creativity.
They are kept occupied.
It gives teachers a way to have children remember things they learned.
Its a way of cemmemorating different special days and holidays.
There is another way of crafts, however that makes it more educational. It is a method of doing arts and crafts with children that raises their confidence and self-esteem, gives them thinking and problem solving skills and skyrockets their creativity.
I call this, Educational arts and crafts.
There are a few very basic underlying concepts about educational arts and crafts.
It is vital for adults to learn what to expect from kids at different levels and ages they are at.
As a result kids cannot be judged the old fashioned adult parameters. Teachers and directors with lots of know how, realize that kids development is not near an adults level. As a result they don’t expect adult results from kids.
Kids that do crafts by following an adult model are not gaining any benefits and are actually losing out in many ways.
Good arts and crafts project should therefor, address the following points.
1.The crafts projects are a great way for chidren’s self esteem to be lifted.
2.Art or crafts are great venues for kids to use their thinking and problem solving skills.
3. Choices should be available which leads to initiative taking.
4. Freedom to decide HOW to decorate helps develop a sense of autonomy and independence.
5. Creativity skyrockets when children decide what to create.
In Educational Arts and Crafts the children incorporate all of the above skills while traditional, copycat, arts and undermines the same.
You may think that because arts and crafts has the word educational attached to it, that the kids are learning crafts while making the projects. This is not the case. It means that they are receiving skills of tremendous educational benefit.
Children who do lots of copying adults crafts, end up feeling poorly about themselves and even more about their artistic abilities. They are usually the children who grow into the adults who feel “they cannot draw a straight line”.
The get the direct feeling that there are no expectations or faith in their making their own creations. Therfor, they lose their confidence and indepence, because when you need only adult supervision, that is what happens.This all starts in the beiginning when giviing toddler crafts to young ones and continues on into the later years.
There are many win-win benefits of Educational Arts and Crafts and below are a few.
Children feel great about themselves as they get to create their own projects.
Both child and adult are satisfied that there is a real project to show for their work.
Kids get to shore up their creative instincts.
Thinking, problem solving skills and initiative are used.
Self-esteem and initiative are encouraged which spills over into other areas.
So why not get started in giving the children crafts that they do on their own, that are educational and stop giving your kids crafts that copy other adults work.You can check out some educational arts and crafts for kids in an e book form that closely follows this method.
Kids on school holidays? here’s some crafty recipes for fun
Dec 13th
School Christmas holidays will soon be here and little kids the world over may soon be chanting, “Mummy! I’m bored!”
So, here are a dozen or so play-time ‘recipes’ to help keep your children entertained this winter. Learn how to make homespun goop, papier mâché, cinnamon ornaments, soap crayons and much more. Pull out this article and stick it to your fridge – it will be one of your best weapons against the ‘boredom’ gremlins!
Washable window paints
A selection of tempera paints (powdered or premixed)
Clear dishwashing liquid
Mix powdered paints with dishwashing liquid until they resemble house paint. Line the window sashes with masking tape and spread newspaper under the window area to protect flooring. To erase paint or touch up mistakes just wipe paint away with a dry paper towel.
Home-made coloring books
Go online and download a dozen or so coloring book pages and collate them into a coloring book. Put this aside for rainy days or for long car/train/plane journeys. Little boys love images of cars and trucks while little girls prefer coloring book pictures of fairytales and princesses. At sites like Hello Kitty Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Kitty coloring.
Cinnamon Christmas ornaments
3/4-1 cup applesauce
1 (4.12-oz.) bottle of ground cinnamon
Mix applesauce with cinnamon to form a stiff dough. Roll out to 5mm thickness. Cut out a shape with the cookie cutter and make a hole for the ribbon using the end of a drinking straw. Carefully place aside to dry for several days – turning occasionally. This recipe makes twelve sweet-smelling ornaments/drawer scenters.
Goop
2 packets of cornflour
2 cups of water
Several drops of food colouring
Place newspaper or plastic sheets on your work surface. Mix all these ingredients in a large bowl. Children love goop’s squishy consistency. You can also use colored or plain black paper to make goop paintings if you wish. To remove goop from carpets, allow it to dry, then brush or vacuum. The great thing about goop is that it may be re-used after it has dried out. Crumble it into a powder then restore it to its original consistency by adding water a tablespoonful at a time.
Funny putty
2 tablespoons of white glue
1 tablespoon of liquid starch
Food colouring
Mix glue and desired food colour. Pour starch over top. Swish about so that all the glue is covered. Let this set for five minutes. Squeeze off extra starch and then knead until mixed.
Bubbles
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of glycerine
2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap
Mix water, glycerine and soap. Pour in sugar. Add food colouring if desired.
Papier mâché
1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
1/2 inch strips of newspaper
Balloon/s
In a large bowl, mix flour and water – add more flour is mixture is too sloppy (dripping). Place newspaper strips into mixture until well soaked, then smooth onto blown up balloon. Cover the balloon completely twice, letting it dry in between layers. Do not cover the balloon’s knot. Dry in a warm place for around two or three days then hold the knot and pop the balloon with a pin. Paint, glitter and decorate the balloon as is or cut in half so you have a bowl/hat shape to embellish.
Modelling/play dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
water
food colouring
Mix the ingredients and knead to a dough consistency. To quicken the drying process, place the dough artwork in the oven on a low heat.
Soap crayons
1 3/4 cups of soap flakes
50 drops food colouring
1/4 cup water
Mix water and soap flakes together. Add food colouring and put mixture into an ice cube tray. When hardened, pop the ‘ice cubes’ out. These soap crayons are fun to write with on the tub and tiles during bath time. If grouting stains, simply spray with a weak solution of bleach.
Sand dye
Fine sand
Water
Food colouring
Paper cups
Plastic spoons
Fill paper cups half full with sand. Next, add water to the cups to completely cover sand. Add food colouring until you get the desired colour. Stir with a plastic spoon and let set for 15 minutes. Pour off the water, spoon sand onto paper towels and then spread the sand out to dry. Use sand to make pictures (spread glue on paper and sprinkle sand on top) or to fill pretty bottles in layers.
Cornstarch Art/Finger-paint
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 drops of dishwashing liquid
1 cup boiling water
Food colouring
Combine cornstarch and cold water – stir until smooth. Add dishwashing liquid. Pour boiling water into the bowl and stir until the mixture thickens. Add some food colouring and let it cool. Use as you would finger paint.
Puffy Paint
Flour
Salt
Water
Tempera paint
Mix equal parts of flour, salt and water in a bowl. Add a small amount of tempera paint to the mix and then pour into a small plastic squeezy bottle. Repeat this over and over to make as many colours as you wish. Squeeze onto heavy paper or cardboard to your heart’s content to make designs. Mixture will harden into puffy shapes.
Colourful Salt
1/2 cup salt
5 to 6 drops of food colouring
Add food colouring to salt. Stir well. Cook this in a microwave oven for 1-2 minutes or spread on waxed paper and let salt air dry. Store this in an airtight container and use as you would glitter.