Dec 21, 2006

Almost Christmas

Well, we are 4 days till Christmas, and my children are gearing up. We did a project yesterday, where I asked my three boys to create certain decorations for a small tree. They happily volunteered to make the various items. I set down a wide variety of items on the coffee table, and they were off.

The oldest has a big imagination, but not a great deal of craftiness! His attemp to create animals for our tree were awkward. However, they were his vision, the way he responded to the project creatively, and the best he could do. I gave him a great deal of praise.

The middle child has both his father's artistic sense and his logic. This child picked an item to create, took the supplies he needed, and took them to another table to quietly work. He would bring back the item he created, and each one was suprising.

The youngest, being four, needed help, but he could direct me with ease. I was amazed at his ability to see what he wanted to create.

So, this tree is finished. Does it look the same as it would if I had done it myself? No! Not at all! However, each one is precious. Each one is an expression of my children's creative vision. So, it is not going to be featured in any home magazine, but each ornament will be treasured.

The holidays often present many opportunities for creativity. However, even after the holidays are over, kids need time to be creative. Read "Giving Kids Space to Grow", homeschooling.suite101.com/article.cfm/giving_kids_space_to_grow, for more tips on encouraging kids to be creative at home.