create (with kids): Art with an Image

Every year I have the task of transferring all our birthdays, school schedules, anniversaries and whatnot from our old calendar to the new one. I usually make this into an event. Wait until the kids are sleeping, brew myself a pot of tea, and get lost in the events of the past year. It's a chance to remember each new baby that now has a birthday added on, to think about \our kiddo friends getting older as I update the age next to their birthday, and reflect on the fact that we're getting older too. According to our calendar we'll be married 13 years in June. (The years add up, but it still doesn't seem possible.) And then it's time to think about what to do with the old calendar. I stash my pocket calendars into the kids' memorabilia bins- they can tease me later for being sentimental- but it does seem silly to keep all our wall calendars too. So I'm letting this one serve its next great purpose- Art!

I prepared this for Isia ahead of time, cutting out part of the picture and gluing it in the middle of the page. When I gave it to her, she was very hesitant about drawing on it. She wanted to know all about the picture first, then she decided she was ready to add her own story to it. 

It was at this point that I had to keep refraining myself from interfering. Because in my mind, I saw the possibility of continuing the image onto the canvas. Adding more trees, an extra tower or two to the castle, a river... and so on. But in Isia's mind, the setting was already there- it just needed a story. 

So she created one. I don't remember the details, but it did involve a snowman and a kitty and perhaps some birthday cake too. It was a great story...

...one she enjoyed creating so much that she wanted to work on it again the next day. Even after her little brother had "altered" the castle. (He's been working especially hard at being the little brother lately.) This time she used crayons and stickers to tell the rest of the story. For today, at least (smile).