This one won't be pinned all over the place on Pinterest. It won't be added to "cute" crafts and activities for little ones, tucked away for when Halloween comes around again. It isn't an adult's idea of a children's craft. This one was done by a child - a (proud mama speaking here) pretty awesome 5-year-old.
This is real.
This is real.
Some of the activities you see for kids crafts online were no-way done by kids. Sure, they're just an example to show how it's done. But I'm wondering if parents consider it a "fail" when the product doesn't match the Pinterest example? It's not. Art (especially art with toddlers and preschoolers!) is messy and unpredictable. Actually, life in general with toddlers and preschoolers is usually messy and unpredictable. They're in it for the exploration - feeling the paint on their fingers, mixing the colors to see what happens (and often making a muddy brown in the process), and - yes, even, sometimes tasting it (eww!).
So you want real? I had to avert my eyes at times during the creation of this masterpiece, as Kay slathered on paint (what a waste!) and dipped the paintbrush with red paint on it into the blue paint container (what if we want just red in the future?!). Then I would look back to see her pouring the black paint on the pumpkin.
She started off so carefully and full of concentration, making the eyes and a big smile and even a bright yellow sun. Then she got, um...creative? (That way about the time she tried the pour painting technique!)
And you know what? She was as proud of herself for making this all on her own as the best Pinterest creation. That's what I call a win!
And you know what? She was as proud of herself for making this all on her own as the best Pinterest creation. That's what I call a win!
P.S. We got the paints and brushes from our friends at CraftProjectIdeas.
