Love and Crafting

Crafting is one of the ways we avoid falling prey to too much television. I've found that too much screen time makes Kenly grumpy. She wants more. More. MORE! So, we use crafting to pass time when things need to be calm and when Mommy needs to keep kiddos busy without having to be the entertainment staff. Sometimes it works and at times, it flops.

Corah is getting more into coloring now.  She wants to do everything Kenly does, so if Kenly is coloring I better brace for wailing if Corah doesn't have crayons and paper.  She getting good at actually making marks on the paper.

If I don't feel like pulling out all the supplies, our Goodwill easel is perfect for killing a little time.  Kenly likes to draw on the back porch.  I'm looking forward to spring when I can turn them loose on the porch with paints and other messy supplies.

We did a "Countdown to Valentine's Day" again this year.  I knew that Kenly would not want to share, so I made them their own countdowns.  Corah really got into covering the numbers with stickers. 

Kenly had her first Valentine's Day party at preschool.  She needed to provided a valentine for every student in class.  She needed to practice her writing by signing her name on each card and writing her friends' names on the envelopes.  Kenly writes well for her age, but the thought of trying to fit some of her classmates' names on those teeny tiny store bought valentines made my stomach turn.  So, we decided to make our own.  She was proud to make each child in her class a card.  When she received all of her valentines, she was able to read all of her friends' names.  Adam and I were amazed that she could read the names.

The cards for the girls had flowers.  Each card said, "Valentine,  I pick you!"  I wrote the text and Kenly did the rest.  

Kenly loved using the permanent markers to sign her name.  This special privilege made the card making experience even more fun.  The boys' cards read, "Valentine, I'd pick you for my team."  She used stickers of boys and sports equipment on the front of the card.  I think her favorite part of the experience was putting a sucker in every envelope and licking it closed.  I was proud of her for completing the task.  We would spend about 25 minutes doing about four cards and then we would put everything away when the fun started waning.   I was proud of her for completing the task.  She didn't give up even though she was tired of making cards by the end. 

Crafts get us through the winter.