Television and video games are incredible lures for children. They have bright colors and loud noises and all sorts of excitement. While television and video games may have some value in small doses (there are many educational television shows and video games have been known to improve hand-eye coordination) studies have shown many times that extended exposure to video games and television has a detrimental effect on children. So what can we do to keep our children busy and help them forget about the electronic entertainers?
One thing that children of all ages love is crafting activities and there are many crafts for kids that are easy and economical. Even my 11 year old daughter still loves doing crafts! Children can start learning crafting activities as soon as they are old enough to sit up. There are even many crafts for kids as young as 2 years old. Another wonderful aspect of crafts is that they are not only entertaining but they are educational in a way that children don’t even realize they are learning.
One of the most popular crafts for kids is Play dough. Play dough, clay, and silly putty are all crafting implements that children can use from a very early age but continue to be enjoyable for older children, as well. Creative crafts such as these help them to use their imaginations, which is something that can be useful throughout their lives. Innovative thinking is a job skill that almost all employers look for today.
Some parents feel that they just don’t have the money to put into buying crafts for kids at the stores. That’s okay because with the use of the internet they can find many crafting activities that are free and downloadable and are great for both parents and teachers. Many of the crafts for kids that can be found on the internet require only a few things that you can find around the house or that your children already have like crayons and glue. The rest of the things you need can likely be found around the house like scraps of cloth (worn out clothing is great for this), toilet paper rolls, and drinking straws. Crafts for kids do not need to be expensive if you look around your house to find what you need.
So the next time your children run to turn on the television or attach themselves to the video games bring out some crafts for kids that will leave the television cold. By finding crafts for kids that your children can enjoy you’ll be building on their futures!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Art shows
Art shows
Every spring, art shows seem to pop up everywhere around my house. Many small towns close off some streets or set up parks for the day to hold the art shows. People come from miles away to wander around and admire the artwork. Large amounts of money exchange hands when art is purchased and artists compare their works to others. Growing up, my father insisted that I have some culture in my life. I didn't like being dragged to art shows back then, but now, I love them. My father would take me to the art shows and carry me around telling me about the paintings and creations. I always wished that I was at home watching cartoons.
I'm now one of those people who will drive for miles and miles to find art shows. I don't always go to purchase artwork since more often than not, I cannot afford anything. However, having culture in my life is something that I credit my father for and I very much continue that to this day. As much as I love theater and opera, that isn't something that is local and affordable. Art shows are most often free and not only enjoyable, but educational. I love to take my children to art shows and let them see the artists that paint in front of an audience and some of the artists that create pottery while people watch and admire. My children are learning to appreciate art shows because I do insist that they accompany me. I always reward them with something special afterwards, perhaps lunch or dinner at their favorite themed restaurant. They have taken to art shows fairly well and absolutely love when my father joins us. He takes the time to explain how important art shows are to my children, just as he did to me when I was younger. I walk behind them, smiling inwardly.
I have acquired a few exquisite pieces of artwork through my travels to various art shows over the years. There is a beautiful painting hanging in my foyer that I fell in love with the moment that I saw it. My husband thought that it was entirely too much money but I just had to have it. To me, art is not an expense, it is an investment. He doesn't like when I go to art shows because he fears that I will come home having emptied out our bank accounts. He has come to know, however, that I will not leave art shows with anything in my possession unless it is absolutely beautiful. Lucky for him, spring only comes once a year. And so do the art shows around my house.
Every spring, art shows seem to pop up everywhere around my house. Many small towns close off some streets or set up parks for the day to hold the art shows. People come from miles away to wander around and admire the artwork. Large amounts of money exchange hands when art is purchased and artists compare their works to others. Growing up, my father insisted that I have some culture in my life. I didn't like being dragged to art shows back then, but now, I love them. My father would take me to the art shows and carry me around telling me about the paintings and creations. I always wished that I was at home watching cartoons.
I'm now one of those people who will drive for miles and miles to find art shows. I don't always go to purchase artwork since more often than not, I cannot afford anything. However, having culture in my life is something that I credit my father for and I very much continue that to this day. As much as I love theater and opera, that isn't something that is local and affordable. Art shows are most often free and not only enjoyable, but educational. I love to take my children to art shows and let them see the artists that paint in front of an audience and some of the artists that create pottery while people watch and admire. My children are learning to appreciate art shows because I do insist that they accompany me. I always reward them with something special afterwards, perhaps lunch or dinner at their favorite themed restaurant. They have taken to art shows fairly well and absolutely love when my father joins us. He takes the time to explain how important art shows are to my children, just as he did to me when I was younger. I walk behind them, smiling inwardly.
I have acquired a few exquisite pieces of artwork through my travels to various art shows over the years. There is a beautiful painting hanging in my foyer that I fell in love with the moment that I saw it. My husband thought that it was entirely too much money but I just had to have it. To me, art is not an expense, it is an investment. He doesn't like when I go to art shows because he fears that I will come home having emptied out our bank accounts. He has come to know, however, that I will not leave art shows with anything in my possession unless it is absolutely beautiful. Lucky for him, spring only comes once a year. And so do the art shows around my house.
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