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 :)

Our Art Centre - Freedom and creativity

Craft is a fun way to let children explore lots of different materials and resources while building on their fine motor skills and many other crucial developmental abilities. It is a great tool for inside play on rainy days or for the times your child is feeling crafty and creative, it can also be a fun outlet for imagination.

Is your craft usually structured?
It can get very messy.
Young children love LOTS of glue and need to learn to hold scissors correctly and I am sure you have had your share of Art creations that are wall art or carpet sculptures?  I remember finding Dimples one morning camped up under our king size Doona, quiet as can be.... I now have a lovely white flannelet fitted sheet with beautiful black swirls all over it!

For this reason I, as I am sure many parents do, easily fall into the habit of using quick easy craft ideas out of books and off the web that require few materials with the least amount of glue and let dimples make his own version of these cool craft projects.  Cool yes, original No!

To celebrate Dimples creativity I decided to redesign a corner of our home as a Art Centre for him where he has the freedom to create what ever he wants to safely. Everything is at his level and organised. All his materials and tools are bright, appealing to the eye, easy to see and easy to reach.  He calls this his "business" & his "Office work".

The materials in it are all his to use for the taking as he wishes, however there are rules he needs to obey such as using the bin, tidying up, using materials wisely not wastefully and sitting at his desk.
So far so good!

Dimples Art Centre includes-

• His own glue (sticks and clag only mind you),
• a scissor caddie,
• The scissor box You can check out the scissor box idea here 
• sticky tape,
• some craft jars (sequins, googly craft eyes and beads),
• a crayon caddy,
• a pencil pot,
• a pot full of bingo stampers & stamps,
• a pot full of kids stamps and hole Punch's,
• colour coordinated markers in jars (These are office pen jars painted and hung on the side of the shelf)
• a file of coloured paper and card stock,
• a box full of colouring in books,
• a box full of craft paper and envelopes (cellophane, crepe, wrapping paper)
• Craft draws with felt stickers, pipe cleaners, pompoms, ribbons, chipboard letters and numbers.
• His own Desk, Bin and Display string with clips.
• stickers

To date there has been some unique and clever creations that I would never have thought Dimples could or would create. He has let his imagination go and its been amazing to watch how this freedom has allowed him to express his ideas in a way he wants. If you are creating a space like this you must remember that these materials will most likely get used in every way other then intended, sticky tape around crayons for instance but the point of the art centre is freedom and creativity so pick your materials wisely and keep the special resources out of reach.

Dimples is nearly 4 and has been very responsible in his space, if he were a little younger or this space was tucked away in an area out of sight I wouldn't be comfortable with this much freedom. There are times when he will just sit and cut different shapes right into the bin from his scrap paper, he is still learning, focusing and practising important skills so I am happy for him to do this.

That is the beauty of the art centre. It is meant to provide freedom so if he feels like sharpening all his pencils for no apparent reason then he can, if he feels like folding a pompom over and over again inside a treasure map then he can, if he feels like cutting a bit of paper into a million pieces then he can and every once in a while he makes an awesome creative piece of art that I get to hold on to.

Happy Adventures