Connecting with crafts

Crafts, as you know, are a favourite activity in summer camp!!  For the "On the Road" class, I like to wait until the parents join us to do the craft so that children have the individual attention needed to work on the craft, and also, because Mom or Dad can become the "cheering section" as a project is completed.

Last Friday we were making homemade puzzles and I was showing the families how to fill the page with a big drawing so that when you cut it up you have part of the picture on each piece.  As the children chose markers and began their pictures I got out my camera and started to photograph the event - since the children have individual attention from a parent, I can be a little more free for such things.

As I was taking pictures, I noticed that one of the boys was making a picture just like mine - same colours, same items in the picture, etc.

I told Braden that it would be fun to take a picture of our puzzles together,and he wanted to know if he could take it - "well, sure you can!"  I could tell he was quite pleased with being acknowledged, and when I mentioned that he should remember to take his puzzle home with him, he wanted to know if he could take mine home, too.  Big smile!

Well, how easy can it be to make a young boy's day!?




I love when children copy what I do...whether they copy my picture in class, or go home and pretend to have Kindermusik class and they take the role of "Teacher Heather".  It means that they are associating with me - and developmentally speaking - I am the music to them.  Case in point - one little girl (Greta) , I found out this morning, calls me either "Mrs Wiebe" or "Class"  (big smile).

It was so heart-warming to see moms and children sitting close, working on their puzzles and Giraffes this week. These little moments are the big moments in life - moments when children are made to feel important and creative and contributors to a more beautiful life!

My fingerprints are all over this project!