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I like projects.
Grace likes projects, too.
She likes when I give her instructions; she likes to press-press the pieces down.
Predictable. Structured. Comfortable.
Grace learns valuable skills like cutting with scissors, color schemes, shapes, and has a lot of fun doing it.
But Grace doesn’t do anything creative. She follows the directions and makes a great finished product.
That’s not all there is to art.
But I’m not so good at art. Crafts, yes. Art, not so much.
I intended to do a project with Grace last week. It was to become a flowery tree with pink blossoms made from fingerprints.
It doesn’t look anything like a flowery tree with pink blossoms, does it?
It turned out that Grace had other plans. She wanted to make art, though she didn’t say as much.
I wasn’t delighted about it, but I gave Grace some plain old construction paper, and I filled the biggest well in her paint palette with 1/3 water and 2/3 Crayola washable paint.
She drew with her finger. She splashed. She smacked. She splattered. She learned.
She did art.
We laughed and laughed, Gracie and I.
I really, really wanted to say something when she painted her nose blue. I refrained.
It was fun and creative, even especially since it wasn’t predictable or structured.
My painting! Grace squealed.
When she ran out of one color, she asked for another, and she kept painting. At some point, Joe showed up with some markers, and they colored and painted together.
Do they look happy or what?
Happily submitted to You Capture, PhotoStory Friday, and Give Me Your Best Shot
© 2010, Tara Ziegmont. All rights reserved.
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{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
FUN! I am so much more a go-buck-wild-with-the-art-supplies girl at heart and therefore, mom, than a step-by-step-art-project-person, so I can appreciate how much chaotic fun this probably was for your girl!! I stumbled here through SITS. I'm glad I did
Oh my goodness. I laughed and laughed when I read your comment.
Going buck wild with the art supplies scares me. I don't like to clean up big messes for one thing.
We should do it more often.
Love it, love it, love it.
You are an awesome mum. I love that you have all of her artwork displayed around the kitchen on the cabinets. How cool is that.
Isn't that a fun way to display stuff? We have her art taped up all over the house.
Ohhhhh how I LOVE this post! Love the subject, love the message, love the pictures, love the writing. Seriously, post perfection!
Yes, they really do look happy. I need to remember how much joy children get when they are able to fully explore and let loose. I sometimes have a hard time letting them do whatever they want (ie–get dirty!!)
Cute pictures! I love the blue nose. Painting is such a wonderful creative outlet and a great sensory activity for little ones. But My 4 yo wouldn't have stopped with a blue nose. She would have been covered in it! She loves painting a little too much! LOL
LOL, sometimes the best laid plans…..
my little guy is not quite two, but VERY interested in scissors… i think I need to get him a safety pair, so that he can at least learn how they work!!
Wow. Thank you. That really is a real compliment.
I'm touched.
Adorable post, your little girl is a doll! Yes, she looks like she was having fun. I LOVE the pictures on your cabinets, how creative is that! My son gets so excited over his doodles which I have no idea what on earth they are. But, the excitement he shows brings a smile to my face.
Absolutely! Grace has been interested in scissors for a little while. I got her a pair of blunt tipped children's scissors, and we cut stuff now and then. She's not really got the fine motor skills for doing it well, but we do it anyway.
ha! Fortunately, Grace just painted her nose blue to test me. She did it and then looked at me, waiting for me to scold her. It was hard NOT to scold her, but I didn't.
This is the essence of allowing childhood….I am so proud for you and for her and for him….what a delightfully wonderful gift you have given each other….allowing….playtime….creative trials…and laughter…a wonderful combination! xoxo
Yes, exactly! She loves seeing her artwork all over the place. Something will catch her eye, and she'll say, “I made that for Valentine's Day, Mommy!” I love it.
The best art is a tactile, raw and natural experience — that's my philosophy anyway
I admire you for giving her reign to have a joyful experience.
So fun! It's always neat to see how much happiness can be generated by just letting creativity bloom!
Oh, and if that blue spot made you cringe… don't look at the pics of my daughters finger painting… It might give you nightmares! http://www.itsjessicaslife.com/2009/07/weekly-w… HA!
Love those smiles!
Wow. Thank you. That really is a real compliment.
I'm touched.
Adorable post, your little girl is a doll! Yes, she looks like she was having fun. I LOVE the pictures on your cabinets, how creative is that! My son gets so excited over his doodles which I have no idea what on earth they are. But, the excitement he shows brings a smile to my face.
Absolutely! Grace has been interested in scissors for a little while. I got her a pair of blunt tipped children's scissors, and we cut stuff now and then. She's not really got the fine motor skills for doing it well, but we do it anyway.
ha! Fortunately, Grace just painted her nose blue to test me. She did it and then looked at me, waiting for me to scold her. It was hard NOT to scold her, but I didn't.
This is the essence of allowing childhood….I am so proud for you and for her and for him….what a delightfully wonderful gift you have given each other….allowing….playtime….creative trials…and laughter…a wonderful combination! xoxo
Yes, exactly! She loves seeing her artwork all over the place. Something will catch her eye, and she'll say, “I made that for Valentine's Day, Mommy!” I love it.
The best art is a tactile, raw and natural experience — that's my philosophy anyway
I admire you for giving her reign to have a joyful experience.