I had a crazy manic mommy day last week, but one of the highlights in all the chaos was chaperoning my daughter’s class field trip. A yellow school bus, headed downtown with 40 first-graders and lunch in a Ziploc baggy, woohoo! These experiences are so meaningful to my Rain and eye-opening for me.
We went to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles to study habitats. The children were given a ball of clay and a box of weeds and plants. I observed them for over an hour, creating their individual pieces of art.
I thought about how many toys I have at home to entertain my family – from board games to tech gadgets, art projects and everything in between – and still, it never seems to be enough to satisfy a child. I’ve learned that the less they have, the more stimulated they are to play with their things.
At the museum, I watched 40 six -years-olds create something from practically nothing…. masterpieces really. I laughed, thinking about how much money we spend on things to entertain our children when a simple ball of clay and natural accessories could do the trick.
Check out these beautiful pieces of art they made, so imaginative, creative and special to them:
This weekend, I will spend a day in our garden with my kids, collecting leaves, branches and interesting plants that we can dry out to make a cool family collage. I love character pieces like that and too often I forget how little it takes to create a keepsake.
What I learned from first-graders: the importance of knowing how to make something from nothing…
