I don’t know about you but my children usually love TV. I mean, the TV is more than just set programmes list but has all sorts of digital options including watching YouTube arts and crafts videos. Usually, on a slow day at home, I struggle to switch it off, it’s there regardless of what the girls are doing, playing or running around the house. The minute it gets switched off, even if they are in the garden, it’s almost like a sixth sense and they are back in saying ‘Hey, I was watching that!’.
Now that every day is a home day, I’ve noticed that the TV doesn’t have that appeal for them. It’s almost like it’s always there so why are we bothered? They do gymnastics in the hallway, they run up and then slide down the stairs, they play water fights in the bathroom when I’m distracted and sometimes they quarrel over the same toys. It’s nice to see that an 8 year old can play productively with a 3 year old; even if they gang up on me sometimes. If they do watch TV, it’s a short ‘How To…’ YouTube video on how to craft a snake, or how to make slime. It’s stuff that used to be on TV years ago but we would all have to wait until Saturday morning or weekdays at 15:00 to watch. It’s great to see them feeling like they are having ‘Art Attack’ moments but it means we end up with paper all over the house because coloured paper, glue and sequins can’t just stay in one room. The creativity must be everywhere! Even Mr. Snuggles the pink teddy joins in and likes to hide behind the microwave on a Monday afternoon. As any human being who wants tidy surroundings, it just means I am collecting after them constantly, but it’s shown me that their imagination can develop just within our house and they can smile with each other.
Now what is the creativity that I can apply to myself? Yes, I can join in with arts and crafts as I always do with my girls but I have decided to take a lesson from the kids so rather than feeling like I can only do what they do, I have started watching Turkish Baking videos on YouTube and trying a new recipe every few days. I love eating Turkish food, I love the challenge of trying something new and actually the recipes do work. I haven’t had a single soggy bready bottom since I started with these recipes. It takes effort and focus, it means there is more flour behind the toaster and the kettle, it also means that the girls can come and join in kneading, rolling or filling as they just follow me around the house anyway at the moment. It’s half term this week so some ideas from my girls on how they are self-leading fuelling their imaginations;
- Slide down the stairs and see who can do it the fastest
- Play hide and seek- their favourite hiding place is in the bathtub behind the shower curtain
- Follow YouTube videos to learn arts and crafts and make slime
- Wear mum’s shoes and clothes, the more sparkles the better to have the best fashion show
- Pretend to be old people with walking sticks
- Make a Den/Beach house to have a holiday
- Play catapult in the living room with plastic balls
- Making mud pies in the garden, poking large sticks into the soil and collecting worms
- Have their own music concert/ Karaoke
I’ll carry on with the baking for the time being. I know that I will need to move onto something else soon as I can’t balance the exercise required for all of that bread, but the world is at my fingertips, I’m not locked down in my immediate area, so I will continue to use it as inspiration.
Skills Repeat 