Project Time that Doesn't Give Mommy Performance Anxiety!

 I love all the project ideas I've been finding on Pinterest lately!!  But, sometimes I admit I get a little overwhelmed with all the things I want to do with the boys, go looking for a project to do with them online, get creatively paralyzed by all the options, and end up doing nothing.

This is a perfect time to remind myself (and all you super moms out there) that you don't need to take a trip to the store and plan out activities days in advance for your kids to have fun creative time.  You don't need to spend a fortune on project kits either. 

 In fact, it may even be more beneficial to your own kids' creativity to just give 'em the supplies and let them decide what to do with them!  I have these little plastic drawer units in our closet and some plastic bins, all from garage sales & thrift stores.  Each one is labeled and filled with different supplies:

• Markers

• Crayons

• Colored pencils

• Scissors, Paper crimpers, and punches

• Watercolor paints

• Stickers

• Construction paper

• Glue sticks, glitter glue, glue bottles

• Collage Images (cut from magazines, etc)

• etc...

 So today the boys asked to do a project.  I got out bins above, gave them a stack of paper, and let them have at it.  Toby colored and used stamps.  Sammy is in the process right now of making paper cookies and handing them out to each of us to share.

Want to mix it up?  Get out a different selection each day.  One day may be paint day.  One day is marker and crayon day.  The next day is scissors, glue and tape day.  We also have a big bin of cardboard tubes, canisters, egg cartons, etc for 3D projects...and of course, play doh.  All are just as easy for you to plop on the table but pose different challenges for the kiddo's when you mix and match.

Sure, I have other more specific project items I've collected from garage sales like perler beads, shrinky dinks, air dry clay, wood models, etc.  But, for those days when I'm just too busy to guide them through every step of a project, I can still let their creativity run wild with a little project "free play" while I get a little laundry done!

So give yourselves a break Mommas, and let your kids decide what project to make now and then.  I personally find it to be even more fun for me to see what their little minds come up with!  Okay, gotta run...I'm making mac & cheese for lunch and Sammy just drew me some "instructions" with a pot, the food, and the fire so I know what to do! ;-)