Crafting with a toddler

If you're like me, that title brings simultaneous emotions of excitement and dread!  I'm always (ALWAYS) happy to create.  And I really enjoy helping my children express their own creativity.  And as a mom, I always tell them their project turned out great!  Even when they used too much glue. :)  I learned a long time ago not to be too critical, not to try to show them too much, not to make too many suggestions.  Once the supplies come out, it's game on!  They just want to go for it!

So, how do you do a project that you are both really proud of?  Here are a few suggestions - and I'd love to hear yours too!

1. Start small - don't tackle a large project with toddlers - they don't have the attention span for it
2. Choose a simple, coordinated palette.  Don't give them 244 crayons and then try to explain why red looks better with blue than burgundy!
3. Choose an item to be decorated.  If the form and function is already there, it will be more fun for them to just decorate, rather than get bogged down in construction (especially boys, who are more fond of DEstruction!)
4. Limit the tools available.  If you have 43 decorative edged scissors, they will want to try every one.  Twice.

Here's what we made today:

We started with papers from a coordinated scrap pack, left over from another project.

Note that you can concentrate better with your tongue out.

All done!

I got to use scissors!

looks good! (and our Pinterest Inspired crayon art in the background!)