Christmas Projects

I love how creative young children are. They will draw and build with confidence. Older children and adults won't even try most art projects because they are sure that the project won't turn out like it's supposed to. If you don't have expectations (e.g. what the final product should look like), you can just have fun and see what emerges. Picasso said "It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."

Bentley created this Lego Santa from his own design. He told his mom she had to stay out of the family room while he was building it.


Last week the children and I started our first session of Christmas ornament making. Last year popsicle sticks were a big hit, so I purchased more types of sticks to see what they'd do with them.


Jake made the snowflake. Viva made the star. (That's what she says it is--it looks like a sword to me.) Bentley made the manger. I had to help him do the gluing, but he was the architect. I then suggested that he make Mary and Joseph from the wooden spoons. He drew the faces and glued on arms and legs. I added the robes. He wasn't interested in making a Baby Jesus. I told him that's okay, we'll just tell everyone that the baby Jesus isn't born yet. Mary is the taller one in yellow. Joseph is in red. Our stick figures need some fine tuning.

P.S. Wednesday evening Bentley and I had the following conversation after Bentley was marching around chanting nonsense about a new book I had purchased the children.

B: "The Princess and the Pig illustrated by Bentley Dieter Altman."

J: "Do you know illustrated means?"

B: "I'm the one who wrote it."

J: "No, the illustrator draws the pictures in the book."

B: "I'm the bestest artist. That's what great-grandma says."

J: "You are very, very good."

B: "No, I'm the BESTEST. That's what great-grandma says."

thoughtful pause...

B: "And it's true."

You have to love that confidence. If he keeps it, he will be the bestest artist some day.