They'd always been little artists.
They can fill a sketch pad like nobodies business. (How's that for good english? ha.)
Each summer I pull out random things for them and I try to have a few tricks up my sleeve.
But this year I decided to take Meg's idea and do a craft day each week.
So we declared Wednesday "Craft Wednesday" - we may move it around but for now it's working.
Today was our third Craft Wednesday.
They love it; they ask about it the night before, it's funny.
The pressure is sort of on . . . ha.
I told them they don't ever have to do it; I'll throw the project out there and they can do it or not.
So far everyone has done it every time.
Here's Craft Wednesday 1 - it was one I knew they'd get super excited about because we've talked about it for months.
We turned these . . .
into these . . .
We've had these tv trays since they were toddlers and none of us are crazy about what's on them anymore. I always say, "We should just spray paint them." So for our first craft we went to Walmart and everyone picked out a can of paint. Then we went home and got busy.
It was definitely a more detailed and lengthy project.
We learned words like graffiti and flammable.
They didn't want to stop spray painting.
The next morning I woke up to a child at my bedside asking if they could use the spray paint on some paper.
Um . . . let me think a second. NO.
It was sure fun though.
Craft Wednesday 2 was also a little more involved.
We've been talking about all the names of God.
So going with that thought we looked up the meaning of their names in their baby books.
They got a block of wood and sanded it.
Then they painted a design and their name and we wrote what their names meant.
It made for some great conversations.
They all have at least one name with some great depth to it.
It was a cold day out so this turned out to be a great project.
Yesterday's Craft Wednesday is more the speed of the rest of the projects.
Three simple things were needed: Melissa and Doug's frame paper, a sharpie and new water color paint.
Draw and color what you want were the instructions.
Simple, open ended and fun.
Who doesn't like a new set of paint.
Some got super detailed.
I love it. This was Carter's.
Some got very abstract and artsy.
Some were inspired by an aunt's birthday today!
Hopefully we'll make some good memories creating things together.
It's fun to see how they all think a project through on different days.
Some want it just right; the perfect idea.
Others are carefree and just start right away.
Some can handle a mistake; others not so much.
They all seem to like freedom in their work - they've got their own ideas as artists.
If nothing else it's giving us some variety in our summer fun!
What kid projects do you love?
