In the midst of juggling life, the time I most feel like a Mother is when we're in the spot where time seems to pause.
The more of these moments I have, the more connected I feel with my kids. I think it's these moments that create the whole experience, and we should do what we can to have an army of them.
To decide on an activity in the midst of everyday life isn't always easy. It is rare and it is special. And we all should be looking for more of those moments, even if they're hard to come by.
Here are some ideas that might give you one of those moments:
1. Handprint Art
Materials Needed:
- Card
- Paint
- Googly eyes?
- Glue
- Felt/Pen/Marker
Instructions:
- Help your child paint their palm and fingers to make a print
- (optional!) Offer the Googly eyes to your child, and suggest they stick them wherever they want
- Using a pen, ask your child to use their imagination to turn their print into anything they'd like.
- Frame it
2. Decorate a mug
The kind of thing that sticks around for a lifetime.
Materials Needed:
- White Mug (could do an op shop hunt as part of the fun)
- Permanent marker/s
Instructions:
- Clean and dry the mug
- Pass the permanent marker to your child and let them use it without panicking it'll end up on something it shouldn't
- Put it in the oven before you turn it on, and set to 180 degrees. Cook for 30 mins, turn the oven off and leave it in (this stops cracks)
- Drink coffee from it, even after the kids have left home
3. Art with a timer
For Families who love games
Materials Needed:
- Paper
- Pen/s
Instructions:
- Provide each family member with a piece of paper
- Set a timer and let everyone draw whatever they like
- When you're done have turns talking about what you like about everyone's art
- It's not a competition
- When you're done, you can put the pictures in a specific place in the house (eg fridge)
- Ask the kids when they'd like to play again to replace the pictures
- Keep your favourite pictures in an album
We think these ideas will bring you joy in any small moments you're able to grasp.
'Never forget that when a child gives you a gift, even if it is just a flower, in their eyes, they are choosing to give you the most precious thing they have to give'