Process or Product?

This is an extension to my earlier post: A Ticket to Developing Leaders. I'd like to introduce two days of 5 yr old planning, teaching and leading us through craft time.

Above was day one's final product as my camera was charging during craft time. I didn't help in any way. S got out the supplies, the Popsicle sticks, scissors and the paper and drew stars on the paper. The kids got to cut them out (she helped little D). Then I heard her ask, "How do you spell your name?" (She knows how to spell it) D replies with, "D-I-N-G-O." LOL LOL

We sing Dixon's name to the tune of Bingo, so he sometimes gets it mixed up. S replied with, "Oh, D-I-X-O-N? OK." as she wrote it on his stick for him - wow - what a teacher!

She gave them markers, colored glue bottles and google eyes. They had fun coloring, squirting the glue, making a mess and gluing google eyes and other loose parts to paper. 

The best thing is, she didn't mind the mess (neither did I). Also, if you could have heard them talking to each other throughout this process, it was so sweet. Everyone was talking about what they were drawing. Then it got quiet as they spent time picking out the perfect google eyes to add to their craft. And everyone was enjoying this time together.

Day 2:

Butterflies (that she cut out and drew), a hole punch, some antennas (pipe cleaners), some yarn, glue, paint brushes, glitter and markers. Remember, I do not help her come up with this stuff.  

A+ for her hand-eye coordination/fine motor involvement, once again! 

coloring and  painting the glue onto the butterflies. 

Glitter and google eyes! 

Final product, ready to be hung. D's is hanging from one of our kitchen windows!

I love how I-Bell and D both put their eyes at the bottom-end of their butterflies.

When I first started doing crafts with these kids, it was challenging to me. The challenging part was focusing on the process, not the product. Now, looking back, I smile. It seems so simple ... 

 I used to pick a craft (i.e. the Popsicles S created with the kids above) and I'd think of a real Popsicle and how it would look at the end. If they decided they wanted to create something on the Popsicle stick that didn't look anything like the Popsicle, it was strange to me. Now, if I get a Popsicle craft out, and they end up with colored sticks (with google eyes on it?) and their own story of what they created, I feel like it's a success!

 Why is this so successful? Because we're all working together. We were all engaged, using our creative minds and enjoying each other throughout the process.

Thank you to S for modeling that behavior and letting us have so much fun with craft time!