Worry Dolls

This month I am fortunate to provide enrichment groups for some K-5th grade students at a nearby elementary school.  The principal shared with me her concern for some of the students and issues of anxiety.  Many factors can contribute to a child’s feelings of anxiety such as troubles at home, social issues, academics and a million others.  I got to thinking about Guatemalan Worry Dolls.  The legend goes that before you go to bed, you whisper one worry to each doll then put them under your pillow. While you are sleeping, the dolls will take away your worries.

Emma Hardy has a wonderful “Peg Dolls” project from her Green Crafts for Children. Using wooden clothing pegs, fabric scraps, yarn, marker, scissors and glue, we will create worry dolls to help the children find an outside place to put their concerns.

The process of creating these dolls is cathartic and soothing, in addition to the use of the dolls once completed.  For example, the repetition of wrapping can help to settle a racing mind.

Spring Still Life

Learning Shapes With Stencils

Use some recycled cardboard scraps and trace simple shapes to cut out.  I suggest using an x-acto knife up and out of reach of your little one.  The nice thing about creating a stencil from corrugated cardboard is that it’s thick enough for your toddler to push against with his or her marker or crayon, without tearing easily.  Encourage your child to hold stencil with one hand while following the edge with drawing tool in the other hand.  Your toddler’s desire for repetition is just what you want here!!

Happy Valentine’s Day by the way!

Nutcracker, Anyone?

It’s been 3 months since David took our daughter to the Nutcracker performance in town.  We are still listening to the music, dancing in dress-up clothes, singing the melodies and now making art together.

Working in her Nutcracker coloring book from Gramma Jane. Beautifully detailed depiction of all the characters.  The music is playing in the background. 

Buttons & Beads

Here’s some more fun with Sculpey Clay and a great project for helping your little one with fine motor development.  I made some beads ahead of time. There are a million ways you can make beads and I used a very simple method.  Knead the clay with your fingers until it warms up. Roll small amounts into ball shapes between your hands. One way to add color without blending is to roll out a small snake shape, then attach it to the ball and roll between hands until it’s incorporated – but not blended. Pierce with pin or other fine tool for hole and place them on smooth cooking pan. Be careful NOT to let pieces touch each other while cooking.  Cook according to thickness in a preheated oven at 275 degrees. Sculpey packaging suggests 15 minutes for every 1/4″ thickness.  You must be careful not to over-bake.

Remembrance Memory Wire is great fun to use as it holds it’s shape.  Using some wire cutters and needle nose pliers I cut off a section and curled the end to keep beads from falling off. 

Once finished stringing the beads, I trimmed the excess wire with my cutters leaving about 1/2″  to curl with the needle nose pliers.

Et Voila

Below are some Sculpey buttons which became eyes for a sock puppet. I expect you could use them on clothing but you’d want to coat them with a waterproof varnish to protect them during laundering.