Crafting little projects for play is very satisfying and to see these little offerings come to life through a child’s play is heart-warming.
Children will delight in your efforts and provide lots of inspiration for more and more projects. When young children observe us making and creating, they also observe our care and mindfulness. They see that the ‘doing’ is the ‘work’ and it is valued.
Creating a craft shelf/cupboard in your home is a really important addition to any natural learning environment and a diverse mix of materials to work with, will provide lots of varied experiences and qualities to explore.
Collect a variety of baskets from Opp shops as these will add some organisation to your craft collections. Don’t be overwhelmed by ‘mess’…..it is work in progress, providing for the investigative nature of your child and it is important ‘work’. Involving your child in the cleaning up is also part of the ‘doing’ process, so make sure you have suitable implements available like a small broom, dustpan, compost/recycling bin for any waste not likely to be re-used. It will be important to discuss with your child before clearing up to make sure any unfinished work is carefully put aside.
Collections from nature that you can regularly gather on nature walks, will also highlight each season and inspire wonderful discussions and observations. Baskets of yarns and fabric pieces, beads and buttons, clay, playdough and modelling wax, paint and drawing materials, raffia and string, weaving loom, knitting tools, collage materials, rolling pins, regular mix of cardboard boxes….are all a great place to start when creating an ‘arts and crafts’ nook at home.
A craft nook will quickly become the busiest hive in your home. So much incidental natural learning unfolds as children explore the freedom to direct their own learning with independence and confidence. Creativity is fully engaged and fuelled by the wonder of imagination.
We have a range of craft kits and books to help get you started on some simple nature craft, sewing and knitting projects at home:
