No Doubt About Sally
Well, there's no doubt that this is my kid -- she absolutely loves "craft time."
It's wonderful for a number of reasons:
1 - First, the Montessori school that Sally attends is HUGE on picking up. You take out a project, work on it as long as you like, adn then put it all away before moving on to something else. Man, that one teaching alone is worth what we pay in monthly tuition for her to attend that school. So when we have "craft time" (sounds more like "cratt time" when Sally says it) we clear the kitchen table, pull everything out, play as long as we like, and then put everything away before moving on to something else. Man, I love that.
2 - It's really helping build her ability to focus. Of course, that's also a combination of the way the school works, but it's reinforcing those same issues at home. Today we made necklaces with cord and beads, and you should have seen the look on Sally's face while concentrating to get each fat bead on the tiny cord. It was truly priceless to see that level of concentration in a 2 1/2 year old child.
3 - It's building motor skills. No matter what craft we do, it's helping her hand-eye coordination and motor skills. We made some Halloween door hangers, using the sticky felt shapes, and watching her sit there and separate the paper backing from each sticker, adn then place each sticker just where she wanted it on the door hanger was very cute. Cute, yes, but I also knew she was having a "developmental moment" throughout the process. Awesome.
4 - She's learning to share. It might not sound like it, especially when it's just me adn Sally or when it's just me helping her make her crafts, but she is learning to share. She makes a craft for herself, and when shs wants to make another one, I suggest we make that one as a gift, which she gets all excited about. Today she made a necklace for herself and for a friend (McKenna, same age, lives in teh neighborhood), and as soon as McKenna's was finished, Sally wanted to rush right over and give it to her. Too bad they're still out of town, but we dropped it off at their house anyway.
5 - It's something fun we can do together. Sally is getting better about playing on her own, but I enjoy our "cratt time" together as much as I enjoy reading to her (which she LOVES -- we entered her in the fall reading program at the library -- she gets a free book when it's over). I know it's as important to have that quiet play time together as it is to have outdoor wild play time together at hte park, and quiet time for her, and school time with friends, and reading time. Can there really be an age more fun than the toddler? We are all just having so much fun.
6 - and of course (duh) it's creative activity. And I'm happy to support my little budding artist.
On another note, the weather here is GORGEOUS! In the high 60s today, and mid-50s tonight, clear and sunny and perfect. We had another snow of a couple of inches the other day, which didn't even stick around for 24 hours. Welcome to late fall in Castle Rock!
It's wonderful for a number of reasons:
1 - First, the Montessori school that Sally attends is HUGE on picking up. You take out a project, work on it as long as you like, adn then put it all away before moving on to something else. Man, that one teaching alone is worth what we pay in monthly tuition for her to attend that school. So when we have "craft time" (sounds more like "cratt time" when Sally says it) we clear the kitchen table, pull everything out, play as long as we like, and then put everything away before moving on to something else. Man, I love that.
2 - It's really helping build her ability to focus. Of course, that's also a combination of the way the school works, but it's reinforcing those same issues at home. Today we made necklaces with cord and beads, and you should have seen the look on Sally's face while concentrating to get each fat bead on the tiny cord. It was truly priceless to see that level of concentration in a 2 1/2 year old child.
3 - It's building motor skills. No matter what craft we do, it's helping her hand-eye coordination and motor skills. We made some Halloween door hangers, using the sticky felt shapes, and watching her sit there and separate the paper backing from each sticker, adn then place each sticker just where she wanted it on the door hanger was very cute. Cute, yes, but I also knew she was having a "developmental moment" throughout the process. Awesome.
4 - She's learning to share. It might not sound like it, especially when it's just me adn Sally or when it's just me helping her make her crafts, but she is learning to share. She makes a craft for herself, and when shs wants to make another one, I suggest we make that one as a gift, which she gets all excited about. Today she made a necklace for herself and for a friend (McKenna, same age, lives in teh neighborhood), and as soon as McKenna's was finished, Sally wanted to rush right over and give it to her. Too bad they're still out of town, but we dropped it off at their house anyway.
5 - It's something fun we can do together. Sally is getting better about playing on her own, but I enjoy our "cratt time" together as much as I enjoy reading to her (which she LOVES -- we entered her in the fall reading program at the library -- she gets a free book when it's over). I know it's as important to have that quiet play time together as it is to have outdoor wild play time together at hte park, and quiet time for her, and school time with friends, and reading time. Can there really be an age more fun than the toddler? We are all just having so much fun.
6 - and of course (duh) it's creative activity. And I'm happy to support my little budding artist.
On another note, the weather here is GORGEOUS! In the high 60s today, and mid-50s tonight, clear and sunny and perfect. We had another snow of a couple of inches the other day, which didn't even stick around for 24 hours. Welcome to late fall in Castle Rock!
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