The mess and magic of crafting with children

MAGIC

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MAKERS

In our digital age, the power of craft has never been so important for boosting children’s confidence, creativity and personal skills

WORDS: Charlie Lyon

1 8 Above: set young imaginations free with a Center Parcs crafting activity

here’s no hiding from technology today. It’s everywhere and there’s a new generation growing up who won’t know life without it. In 2018, the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom found that 19% of three-to-four year olds owned a tablet and 52% went online for nearly nine hours a week. Many of the children surveyed, aged three to 15, were looking for “content and creativity” online, and often used vlogger sites to find it. T

“When it comes to language development, you can’t beat face-to-face interaction and crafting is a great way to encourage creativity, as well as nurture social skills”

There’s no denying that there’s plenty of creative inspiration to be found online. But when it comes to language development, you can’t beat face-to-face interaction and crafting is a great way to encourage creativity, as well as nurture social skills.

Lindsey Newns has harnessed the power of digital technology to make a name for herself in the world of craft. Yet she’s still passionate about spending as much time as possible crafting in real life with her little ones. She’s the creative talent behind the inspirational Instagram account @lottieandalbert, and the commissioning editor of Mollie Makes magazine. Lindsey is mum to Rosie, aged fi ve, Charlie, three, and baby George and, despite a busy schedule, she always fi nds time to craft with her children as she says the benefi ts for them – and her – are huge.

1A shared learning experience “I’m always amazed when we craft together,” reveals Lindsey. “They give me so many ideas for projects. They think outside the box and approach things in a way that adults don’t necessarily do.”

She goes on to describe recent birthday parties she’s thrown for Rosie and Charlie, during which they’ve held craft sessions to decorate princess crowns and safari hats.

“Even the children who didn’t do much crafting at home really enjoyed it, and it was so nice to see them give each other ideas about what to do.”

Craft is great activity for groups of any size, Lindsey enthuses. “Even if you have bigger village hall-type parties, if there’s a crafting table the kids will always migrate towards it, to make face masks or to colour.”

At Center Parcs, instructors understand the importance of shared learning so while some sessions are designed for parents and children to attend together, at others – such as the Silk Painting sessions – you can drop o your child and let them craft under supervision, as well as make new friends.

2Exploring and expressing creativity Although Lindsey loves the convenience of craft kits, she reckons the best craft activity is to give children the freedom to express themselves. As we get older we put labels on ourselves, she says – whether we’re artistic or not. But as a child you’re uninhibited.

“Rather than dictating to them what they need to stick where, let them explore materials and what they want to make,” she advises. “I like to mix it up, sometimes bringing out a bag of fabric scraps – which they can cut up and stick down – then the next time, a jar full of buttons.

“You’ll fi nd some children will end up threading buttons onto string in a really organised way, while others will just stick them down haphazardly, but it allows their personality to come into it.”

3Educational and fun As well as helping to improve basic mathematics through counting and measuring, craft can be

Left: Mucky Pups lets younger children express their creative sides. Top right: Lindsey and her oldest children Rosie and Charlie

CRAFT AS THERAPY

While she loves crafting with her children, Lindsey does make time to craft herself. “It’s my therapy. Some people go for a run, but if I can squeeze in a bit of crafting it makes me feel better.”

She used to sew a lot, but fi nds that a sewing machine is not ideal to leave out with three little ones at home.

“Try a craft that you can easily transport,” she recommends. Something that can live in a bag, that you can carry around with you. “Crochet is ideal as you can pick it up and do a bit, then shove it down the side of the sofa. You can also get really simple patterns that are quite melodic to make. It’s a bit of escapism. I fi nd it very relaxing, but I also get that sense of

achievement from having created something.” relaxing, but I also get that sense of escapism. I fi nd it very achievement from having created something.” get that sense of

Vi age insider

CREATION STATION Rob Wood, Willow Workshop Instructor, says: “Craft sessions teach children to be creative and also to plan and to be realistic in their expectations.

“In all my sessions, children attend with a parent. They either work together to create something or they compete with each other. “Using natural materials appeals to everyone and it’s a real pleasure to move away from plastic. When people create something they love with their own hands there is a genuine sense of achievement, regardless of age.”

“Center Parcs’ Nature Detectives sessions are designed to help little ones enjoy nature as well as learn about the wild world outdoors and its inhabitants”

educational in other ways. Lindsey often enjoys combining woodland walks with her crafting, which gives her little ones opportunities to learn about nature.

“We take an egg box out on a walk and look for treasures or sometimes do a nature trail,” she reveals. “We try to fi nd, for example, one red leaf, one gold leaf, one feather, and so on. Then when we get home we stick them all onto paper with glue and it creates a kind of record of our day. It means we get out and get some fresh air, as well as some new materials to craft with when we’re back at home.”

At Center Parcs, our instructors are aware of the benefi ts of outdoor activity and the Nature Detectives sessions are designed to help little ones enjoy nature as well as learn about the wild world outdoors and its inhabitants.

4Developing problem-solving skills Using limited resources to create a sculpture or picture requires a lot of innovative thinking. It’s great to watch children in action, says Lindsey. “I found it amazing to see my three year old stick things down in the shape of a car. I wouldn’t have even thought he would be able to think of the shape of a car, let alone fi nd the pieces and then replicate it. “Or my daughter will say, ‘Well I was trying to make something else, but now it looks more like an elephant so I’ll carry on making that.’ Craft feeds their imaginations and encourages them to think freely.”

5Shape it to suit their interests Lindsey is adamant that you don’t have to go out and spend lots of money on crafting equipment and that, in fact, you can incorporate the toys your children have already into craft sessions.

“As you’re allowing them to explore it’s nice to try to build their interests into the craft,” she says. Create space-scapes if they like rockets or underwater worlds if they are into mermaids. “If children are more interested in playing with cars, you can get them to put their car wheels into paint and make tracks on paper,” Lindsey suggests.

BOOK IT At Center Parcs you’ll fi nd a huge range of creative activities, from Pottery Painting to Teddy Bear Making – see centerparcs.co.uk/ discover-center-parcs . To book activities, go to your village’s Booking Desk, call the booking line on 03448 266 200 or log into your account: centerparcs.co.uk/activities

Left: getting out into nature is a great way to forage for new crafting materials