Creatively Yours- Anvesha

Art and crafts have been around since the beginning of time, but as a learning activity, these are a great past time and educational tool for kids. Not only can it keep the kids entertained on a rainy day, but also extend a child's motor skills, develop concepts like color or numbers, learn scientific processes like gluing and paint drying in action.

I have always encouraged Anvesha when doing craft work and over the time she has developed a keen interest in coloring, making crafts and enjoys making different things with the play dough. It has allowed her to use her imagination and make something to entertain us or simply for visual pleasure. I have heard that girls have a knack of crafts and coloring and I can actually see it when I look at Anvesha's craft work. Over the months her motor skills are becoming better and her crafts work becoming more neat. Every day she brings home a new creation and with great pride says, "Mamma, look at that !!"

At this age craft is more about passing time when it becomes too rainy to go out and play in the park, but its a great way to engage her in ideas that may provide a foundation for future learning. She enjoys coloring with her crayons, painting, writing with the chalk, making animal cut outs with the play dough, stamping with colors, using glue to create something new and many more activities.  Here's a pic of the Donald Duck sketch that Anvesha colored the other day. I was so impressed with the neatness... way to go Aanu !!!!

Ways to inspire creativity in a toddler:

1. Avoid giving direction

2. Prepare for a mess
3. Don't suggest changes
4. Be interested in the art work

Anvesha as Radha Rani

Every year on Janamashtmi I dress up Anvesha as Radha Rani. I must say, this girl loves to dress up and gets so excited on wearing pretty dresses... this is something she has got from me :) She is a girly girl although Prateek hates it as he wants her to be a tom boy ;) Love the way she poses in front of the camera.
Here's a glimpse of Anvesha in all these years dressed up as Radha Raani.

Love the way how she has evolved in these years. I hope to keep the tradition of dressing her up as Radha every Janamashtmi.

But, Janamashtmi is not just about dressing up as Kanha or Radha raani, its also about narrating Krishna birth stories to your kids so that they learn about our culture, which by the way is very important for kids living in the United States. My last post was about birthday parties and this is how I explained the birth of Krishna to her. She was excited to pull the jhoola of our Krishna Kanhaiyya and kept on saying "happy birthday Kanhaji".  Risht now festivals for her mean more of dressing up, having good food and going to the temple.

       

                     

               Some more pics.....








Love you my Radha Rani !!!! Stay blessed always :)