Let a Child Alone and They Will Create

I love children’s creativity.

multi-media art by my granddaughter

As my 6 children grew up, we would have a room full of toys and they would always go for the oatmeal box as a drum or my pots and pans. Don’t know how many spoons were taken outside for shovels, I still find some occasionally. The youngest used a hanger to jump out of a loft to catch his fall… that didn’t turn out too well. (oh my) However, there weren't any broken bones… the daughter twirling knives caused that. Laughing at the memories of the oldest son galloping across the yard with his stick horse his father and I had made for him. He ended up on the front page of the local newspaper when he took it to town, and the reporter was amazed at a child that was happy with a toy that didn't do anything. Oh yeah it did. It spurred imagination.

Now that I have 23 grandchildren, it has been a delight seeing my grandchildren continuing in the world of imagination and creativity.

The oldest daughter has 8 children. She has an area of dress up and her boys will take sticks and anything (and I mean anything) and create boats, bridges, “scientific experiments”, just to name a few.

The second daughter has 5 children. The oldest is 19 now and he writes stories and illustrates them. His little brothers will take boxes and create anything you want or never dreamed of. The redhead took his sister’s gift bag and was sitting in the middle of the room with scissors. When asked what he was doing, he replied… “I am making a TV for when the lights go out.” Now that takes a moment to process, but on reflection it makes perfect sense. (giggling at the memory of his mom’s face)

An attempt to be a unicorn... that is his wings behind

The oldest son’s son will find a piece of metal, or a screw and it becomes a treasure. The girls will go off into a world of dreams and imagination of dressing up. They had their first pumpkin experience of creating a Jack O’ Lantern and how cute they were dipping the hands in the raw pumpkin.

Number 4 child and 3^rd daughter has 4 little blonde girls. The oldest goes from scientific experiments in the bathroom with “whatever” and being a ballet dancer in film fabric from the sewing room. The second daughter always has paper and pencil or crayons going drawing, or following her sister’s lead in dress up. The third’s mind goes into how to get into the cupboards to find snacks (and usually succeeds), but she likes playing pretend too. Number 4 is getting ready to learn to crawl.

The 5^th child and Number 4 daughter has three sweet children. The oldest boy likes pretending in the super hero world or with his sister creating a box into something. (Boxes are wonderful tools for children) the youngest is learning to walk and I am certain will be quickly creating on her own… She thinks for herself.

My sixth child has not married, but he continues his own world of creative thought and putting life into motion with his own way of thinking.