My daughter and I go to a weekend ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) class once a week and Nora LOVES – I mean LOVES anything that has to do with paint or glue there. She goes right past the sensory table and digs into crafts nearly every week. This means we’re sent home with a slew of masterpieces and I’m sure I’m not alone when it comes to struggling to toss them.
This week I decided to make another craft opportunity out of a previous one! When we left class I curled up her painting into a roll. Nora found it and in her mind it had become a treasure map. She rolled and unrolled it charting a course through the house for her latest make believe adventure.
I took her direction and pulled out the craft box. We went to work making her painting into a treasure map. We took turns drawing and adding to the story as we went. Roads, lakes, railroad tracks, a house, a garden and of course a hidden treasure with freshly drawn digging marks.
She even drew signs and ran to get the pom poms to glue on red, green and yellow “lights”. She also added blue. Watch this video to see what she thinks a blue light should mean. She cracks me up!
What will you turn your next craft opportunity into? Take your child’s lead and see what adventures await. Maybe you can create a map to get you there next time? Get out coffee grounds, sand, noodles, grass or anything tactile that you think might add to your own map.
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courtney b says
your kids are going to be so creative when they’re older thanks to you!
Robin O says
Gorgeous treasure map! I definitely need to look for more crafting opportunities. I would also like to frame more of the kids’ creations. Thanks for the inspiration!
Denise says
this gives me an idea for the two homeschooled girls I tutor for Spanish! Thanks! They love anything artsy too!
Jenn says
Another fun tutorial for the little ones. You are a great mom
Vickei Couturier says
that looks so cool,,my grandkids would love it ,they love doing crafts with me,they make their parents chrismas gifts each year
ColleenMarie82 says
I like this idea, we have started incorporating some home school like activities into our everyday routine, I think my daughter would really like this!
Liz Ticona says
I can’t wait until my baby boy is old enough where he can start expressing himself in art! I’d love to do something like this for him ! Thanks for sharing , i’m sure my little boy would love it!!
Beth Rees says
That is so much fun! I love how you used her artwork too and let her expand on it. Definitely something to treasure
In the Hammock says
This looks so fun! Love the bright colors.
amanda assencoa says
fantistic
Sarah Hayes says
I so wouldve loved this when I was little. I cant wait to do things like this with my daughter
Zoopa Mome says
What a great idea! My daughters would love doing this….they usually use old newspapers and pretend to have a map! hahaha
Brandy says
What a fun adventure map! I can definitely see myself creating something like this with my son eventually.
Eileen says
The painting was beautiful in itself! The sand is a great idea,. How about Easter grass, the non shiny kind for “grass”. Plastic wrap for a lake overlay to reflect. That’s so fun to think about art projects again. My youngest is 13 and does very little with art anymore in school..at that age. But we have a live in 15 month old grand daughter and another grandchild who comes here for day care. I am loving your ideas because even at that age they can be proud of some projects that they don’t necessarily get to have a lot of “hands on” with.
Janelle says
I’m glad you have some little ones to share your artistic fun with. Don’t give up on your older kids though either. Although most of my examples here are likely below them, most of my interest in my artistic abilities started when I was in middle school and my mom encouraged me and allowed time in art classes after school and in the summer months. It’s the age when you start to doubt everything about yourself (your looks and popularity and talents) so for me art was the one thing I truly felt I could use to just be me without judgement.
Some simple ideas for an older child: paper and pencils or charcoal, scratch art paper (you scratch through the top layer to expose colors below), craypas or oil pastels, watercolor paints. If the interest is still there you might be surprised where it goes. Have fun with both of the generations of creativity in your home and thanks for your feedback!
Janelle says
…and thank YOU for the great ideas on additional map materials! Sounds like you have quite a bit of creative talent yourself. 🙂 I need to add to my supplies it seems.
Zoopa Mome says
This is so creative and fun! My girls would love it!
Betty Baez says
This is cute I plan treasure hunts in the summer and this would be great for the kids to make their own maps
Rita Dippenaar says
So cute!
JRFrugalMom says
It looks like a lot of fun, and I bet my boys would love this.
SHYAMA BALACHANDRA says
love the idea!
Janet W. says
Making a treasure map is such a fun idea! It really allows the child to be creative!
Brittany F. says
This looks similar to something my brother did when he was in elementary school. He used printer paper to draw a neighborhood, then kept taping new pieces to it to add more drawings until he had an entire city map. It was one of his coolest projects.
Shannon says
This is so fun! Thank you for sharing your crafts.