With Mother's Day in May and Father's Day around the corner, there are so many ways we inspire creativity in our kids. Did you work in the garage with your dad? Cook in the kitchen with mom? How about gardening? Decorating? All of these "every day" things inspire creativity in our children. They are always watching and taking in what we do and we sometimes don't even know that we are fostering creativity in the children in our lives.
We do a lot in the garden. My son loves to work with me and knows a lot of the plants and what they offer to the garden and to us. He also sees the birds enjoying the different colors and bugs etc. As a result he wanted to build a bird house. So we got the supplies and went to town making bird houses. A simple craft but one that he is proud of and has birds happily nesting in.
When I was younger my mom did craft shows and allowed me to participate and make things of my own to sell. I loved to stencil and now I do all the stenciling on the woodworking that we do now. So what do you do with the children and youth in your life? If you need a little inspiration here are some ideas. Cooking- Have your little ones help out in the kitchen. If you are like me you have recipes that were passed on verbally or by doing them with a grandmother or mother or father (mine was the king of pancakes). Let them see how you create and add spices or add things to the mix. Let them get creative and add their flair. Painting- are you redoing a room in the house? Or are you a painter. Have the kids help paint a spot. Or give them a canvas to create. A simple craft is rock painting- Kids love rocks. Send them out in the yard to find the rocks then let them create whatever they want on the rock. Anything that involves tools- now I'm not saying give the kiddos power tools but if its safe let them see what you are doing. I learned a lot from watching my dad hang things and do things around the house and it has stuck with me all these years. Playdoh!!!- let them learn to mold and create with Playdoh. Its such an awesome tool and you can even make your own. Just check for recipes on Pinterest. Woodworking- you can pick up a simple project at your local hardware store and create a fun thing like a car or boat!! There are so many options!! Just remember creating is messy, its wild, and its in the eye of the beholder. Encourage and don't let them get discouraged. Not everyone is Monet but everyone is an artist!!! Have fun creating!!!!