As many of you know, I am in no way a neat freak. It is laughable actually. I really don't hold up to the typical Virgo when it comes to organization and order. However, it sure can be a real struggle for me to whip out a really messy craft. Maybe it is the dreaded clean up that has me so apprehensive????
I find it pretty surprising that a former preschool teacher, like myself, hadn't yet given my nearly 2.5 year old child the opportunity to bust out her inner artist with a medium such as finger paints. I had to just quiet my inner lazy cleaner-upper, and let her at it!
First I set her up with an old t-shirt, to make sure those darn washable finger paints didn't touch her clothes. There is nothing I hate more than a pesky stain on her clothes. Then I got her a nice big piece of freezer paper, and set it out on the deck. I had decided that outside was the best environment to induce creativity!
Sugar Bear was looking at me like I was nuts! It took her a little while to understand that I was letting her make a mess, but when she got it....she got it. It was then my turn to "get it!" I had a few hard moments when all she wanted to do was rub the paint between her hands. I kept telling her, "Rub the paint on the paper, honey!" and she just kept smiling and rubbing her hands together joyfully. I found myself thinking....jeez....we could have just done this with lotion or something....at least something less expensive. Yes, I am a cheap-o-holic also.
I am not sure how long I looked on thinking, "this isn't what I expected!" until I started to really pay attention to what my daughter was actually doing. Sugar Bear was engrossed, she was immersed, she was intrigued by the process. How could I forget this one simple thing????? It is more about the process than the product. Watching the process is amazing.....to see the mind working, to feel the heart filling. That is what it is all about. May I never forget this!
Now I can't say, that in the end, I wasn't pretty impressed with the product. Honestly, this kid is the next big thing! Look at the masterpiece! :)
You might be wondering about the clean up.....yeah, you try getting a paint covered two year old through the house and into the bathtub without her touching anything. Let's just say, I hid the paints for awhile. We don't need those darn things tempting us! :)
7 Live It or Love It:
Oh wow! How fun! Aren't you so glad you let her at it?
(Ahem - coming from the mom whose "inner lazy cleaner-upper" still hasn't let D get a hold of fingerpaints. I let her paint watercolors on her arms . . . does that count?"
So funny, Corey! I actually went through this with Anden last week when I tried the watercolors out. He was more fascinated with swirling the paint around in the water and watching the water change colors than putting the paint on the paper. At first I was frustrated which made him frustrated in the process. So I just let it go and watched him be amazed with what he was doing and I started to really enjoyed it. Like you said it is not the product but the process. :) He has since asked to do it over and over again. So fun how their minds work right now.
I'm so proud of you! I'm a huge fan of those messy projects, although clean-up is a drag . . . Just wait until she starts using a whole roll of tape to create a "masterpiece"!
Oh, Corey! She looks so proud of herself!
What a cutie! I avoid messy projects like the plague, but I think maybe we'll paint tomorrow :)
*Heidi* said...
You make me laugh! I remember when the girls were little, I tired this little art creativity session, just as you did with Sugar, but used CHOCOLATE PUDDING! Oh my!
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