Free Crafting Benefits - Just a Creation

Since we have established a craft corner, I have noticed dimples taking more of an interest in craft and creating. Before our art corner, some where down the track I had forgotten the importance of being creative. Freedom!
If you missed the Art Corner check it out by clicking HERE :) 

It shouldn't be about copying other work it should be about designing and creating your own. How can you be truly creative with so much restriction.  For this reason, instead of forcing creativity on Dimples with strictly planned activities I have set the craft corner up so that everything is organised and accessible to him so that he can create his own craft with whatever materials, colours and ideas he has.

This is one of his creations. Just a creation! But there is a story to it. I gave him the reigns and asked him to make something, anything he wanted and off he went. He asked for some muffin cases, and as he went on creating this piece he was telling me that it was a 3 eyed monster but 2 eyes are magic, it has X-ray vision, and it lives under the water (the ribbon is its tentacles).  He came up with every idea and every material on his own and made up the story as he went. Apparently this sea monster can trick fish with its glittery mouths and the beads are suckers. Go figure! I love it.


It has been great and he really enjoys doing his own thing. The free craft corner, or self directed creativity corner has given dimples a real sense of belonging where he can create and express anything in his own space and display his work with pride.

Child directed free craft can really develop a child's creativity because their options are endless. It gives them a chance to work on fine motor skills, use various tools, explore different materials/textures,  visualise ideas and create something using their own ideas and skills. for a child this free crafting can work as a self motivating achievement and improve their desire to be creative and work with their own ideas.

Dimples has made some pretty unique craft.  He enjoys experimenting with stickers, sticky tape and glue. There's been many collages and lots of shapes cutting. Sometimes he enjoys just sitting and cutting up scrap paper into a million tiny shapes and other times he just draws lines using a ruler.

Every few craft corner adventure sessions Dimples creates something that makes me smile, like his sea monster above. It is amazing to see his creativity unfold and to hear him express his ideas.  As he explains to me what he has created, I can try to visualise his creation as he does and get a glimpse into the workings of his imagination. It makes me smile and it is a boost of his esteem when his work gets displayed.

Free craft isn't always about the product, even though dimples mostly sits down and fiddles around with bits and bobs, cutting, sticking, pasting and tracing, there are so many important skills at work. Not to mention the benefits of being independent and expressive. To be honest, I am happy to let him cut, paste, stick and trace even if there is a bit of waste or no purpose at all because he is much better doing this then say, sitting in front of a TV or annoying me while I am over a hot stove.

Happy adventures :)

10 comments:

  1. Cutting! I'm always finding tiny pieces of cut-up paper all over the house. Drives me crazy but it's all part of letting kids be creative and expressive.

    A beautiful post and I love your craft station.

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  2. It's all about the process, not just the product. It's so wonderful to just tinker around and create without any pre-defined end product in mind. I love your art corner and Dimples' sea monsters are adorable.

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  3. You are so right! It is the creating that is important, not the creation!

    Our kids learn so much more from having the freedom to explore and create than they do from sitting down to make 'x' ... especially since 'x' is usually an adults idea of what something should look like and an adults idea of what a child should be interested in or do with materials.

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  4. You are so right, it is wonderful to see what they will choose to create given the freedom to do so :-) The x-ray vision monster eyes are great!

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  5. I couldn't agree more. I don't think we've ever done a craft. Not that I have any great aversion to them just that, the kids much prefer to just tinker on their own. I am a little envious of your organised space though :) Ours started out organised but now it has all just sort of been lumped together into a 'maker box'. Jack LOVES it though and will tinker most days. It is so nice to see him sitting there cutting this and gluing that.

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  6. I agree with everyone above! Such a wonderful thing to give our children the ability to just create! Your cutting box idea has been an ABSOLUTE hit here with Miss Daisy LOVING to cut lots of different materials and then stick them, thread them, paste them etc!! THanks for sharing! :)

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  7. Gorgeous craft station. I love doing this as well and often ideas for posts come from there through my daughter's imagination and creativity. Love it. :)

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  8. I so need to set up a craft area where they can have free range to create what they like. We do far too many structure activities and not enough create your own. Thanks so much honey. We are moving to a house with no carpet and so lends itself to a craft area with less stressful thoughts coming form Mummy!

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  9. So often do we feel the need to add rules and restrictions. I love this.

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  10. Looks like lots of creative fun!

    Thanks for sharing at Sharing Saturday!

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