Creativity

Sometimes(not often!) we have crafts that we do together, for fun, to help the kids learn to be "artsy" and "creative". But it turns out that if I neglect the kids by not giving them something crafty, they dig though my cupboards for supplies, and go and make their own crafts. These crafts are a thousand times more creative, and just as much fun to make.

Matthew decided Jennifer needed a Sunday bib, so he made one himself.

He had to pose in it though, since I warned him that Jennifer would rip it and eat it. So we are storing it for when she gets older. ;)

Melanie drew me holding Daniel (originally it was Jennifer, but she altered it so that Daniel could be in my arms, since he specially asked for that--that's why he's so small)

and Jennifer is in the exerscaucer.

Daniel made something too, but neither he nor I can remember what it was supposed to be.

It looked great though-lots of glue, plus some staples, all mixed up on a white sheet of paper.

Nathan made these container, and they have hinges made from the bendy parts of straws.

One of them has pizza slices in it, and another one has bits of chicken.

This is the first stage of the pool table Nathan made-so we could have a pool table downstairs like Oma and Opa.

It was very difficult to play at floor level, so it soon got altered.

And it is great fun to play a round of pool on Sunday afternoon, or whenever there is some free time.

Melanie set up a cage, full of ferocious bears, and thought it wise to warn the rest of us about them.

Some of the signs says
"bears"
"bears here be careful here"
"here don't tap bears"

Now we all have been warned!

Matthew made a truck that sprays water on the road to clean it.

Then he told a big long story all about it.

Nathan is making his own version of the machine in Hogwash by Arthur Geisert.

He made a small part of the washing machine for cleaning dirty pigs up in. The part on the far right is the shower the pigs all walk through. He was thrilled that he was allowed to try it in the bathtub.

Art

I got this art idea from a blog momd referred me to. (Thanks!)


Feeling ambitious the other day (and regretting I'd decided to go all out) the kids got to have their first time dabbling in paint in ages! This time I put some thought into preparations, so I didn't have to worry about prep the day of, and things went very smoothly. I actually enjoyed it, which is a first for anytime we've done anything using art materials in the past! The kids enjoyed it too--who wouldn't want to paint!

They all went about their projects in such different approaches--and had little guidance from me--I only stipulated that they had to make their own colors from what was lacking, and they had to save posters for others to paint too!

Nathan was the best at holding and manipulating his brush. He had to paint stuff. None of this modern art nonsense for him!

He did end up making a "firework" painting though, since Matthew's were all called fireworks when Nathan insisted that he was painting someTHING. I guess Nathan felt Matthew had done them all wrong, and showed him how fireworks ought to be painted.

Matthew had fun mixing up pink and orange. And painting color on top of color. What fun! I had to restrain him from panting all of the posters since I thought the others might like to do more than one each!

Matthew loved trying out all the different sized brushes too, and made sure he experimented lots!

Melanie was, by contrast, the slowest painter. She spent a fair bit of time planning her works of art. And her first piece had the all important pink paint on it!

But she got tired of filling the largest size poster, and I had to encourage her to finish her project.

Daniel woke up when everyone else was finished, but I saved him one to do. He was so cute to watch, still bleary eyed, crouching and painting, and trying every color twice!

He needed help to wash his brush between colors, and to wipe himself clean on the designated cloth, and not on his clothes!! But he really enjoyed it, and his picture turned out to be my favorite since it's the most cheerful looking! (I didn't tell the other kids that of course!)

And here they all are, brightening up the playroom downstairs.

The rows in order from the top down, left to right;
Matthew's fireworks
Nathan's fireworks
Matthew's fireworks

Melanie's red van (just like ours Mommy!)
Melanie's person outside
Matthew's dark fireworks (imitating Nathan's imitation of his fireworks)

Daddy's train, by Nathan
More fireworks, by Matthew
Dog and doghouse, by Nathan

Daniel's picture
Nathan's coal train and tender
Matthew's mess
Melanie's dirt and grass (she was having a hard time mixing a nice brown)

Daddy's train, by Matthew
Elephant and zebra, by Nathan

Rainy day art work

Matthews:

The other day Matthew made three pictures for his friend, and gave them to him on Sunday. It wasn't quite as exciting as mailing something (which his sister did a couple weeks ago) but he compromised by making three pictures instead of just one.

Melanie's:

She says"This is a girl wearing a party hat. She has curly hair, you can see it poking out under her hat. That's a string tied under her chin." Melanie first made it on the doodle pad, but since Daniel and Matthew were threatening to ruin it, she thought copying it over to paper would be better.

Nathan's:

Nathan just did this one quietly and didn't show me, so no story. He'll probably save that for his Daddy when he gets home.