Four-year-old Charlotte did this all by herself. I thought I was
embracing disaster by allowing her free access to several bins of beads
while I worked on the computer today. I was entirely wrong.
Not
only did Miss C patiently string together all of these designs without
my oversight, but she made them all symmetrical. Even her most
eclectic necklace doesn't miss a beat
bead. Hours and hours of necklace-making. All I did was add the
clasps. And I bent a loop at the top of her one pendant. That's it.
When I was four years old, my bottom dresser drawer was stocked with
white paper, a stapler and staples. I made all sorts of wild
inventions with white paper that year. And here I thought I had been
tricky-stuff at four, with my paper robots and elephants. Looks like
Charlotte has 4-year-old me mightily whooped.
The moral:
Moms, Grandmas, Aunts and Alligators, let your kids have access to some
of your precious supplies. They may surprise you with tidiness and
ingenuity! I can only imagine what I would have done with real art
supplies at that age.
Of course, they may surprise you with a royal disaster instead. I've been there too — many times.
Pretty good for a little 4 year old! Charlotte looks like she is following in your creative foot steps. My mom was always willing to let us get into her craft supplies. At least she made it seem that way. I think it is a good principal…though I am rather protective of certain supplies. Luckily I have a few years before I have to share.
Amazing – and you’re brave! I’m not sure my almost four year old could do so well with small beads. Big beads, yes, but maybe not the seed beads and other small ones. And my almost 2 year old…supervision ONLY or she’ll end up going crazy! But yes, your post is a nice reminder that we should encourage our kids to try something without breathing down their necks.
Wow, love the necklaces! Can’t believe they’re made by a four years old girl. Pretty good 🙂
Maybe giving them “real” art supplies when they are young gives them a sense of responsibility. We always presume they couldn’t handle the real stuff or maybe waste it. She did a great job! Good on you Heather.
Gorgeous! Definitely following in your footsteps Heather. Little fingers do have an advantage with tiny beads it seems!
What a creative little lassie, I hope you are going to keep one for when she is all grown up, maybe present it to her on her 21st or something – of course her tastes maybe completely different by then…
Wow, that is awesome! The necklaces turned out gorgeous! Very good eye for color!! Way to Go!
She did a great job! I don’t have any beading supplies but Faith (my 4 year old) might just get some on her next birthday! I think she would LOVE creating necklaces like that!
Awesome work Charlotte! I love playing with beads too…especially sparkly ones 🙂
Excellent work, and you are brave indeed, Heather, to allow her access. I’ve allowed my nephews (7 and 9) to play with clay and some tools and they did surprise me with how seriously they took the project. We had a great time and they were very proud of the monsters they made.
hey heather, where did you find your beads? i’d love to try this with my four year old and the colors you found are just perfect.
They are lovely, maybe Charlotte (you) could sell them on Etsy! I enjoy letting my 4 & 6 y.o. daughters do crafty things but my 2 y.o. son is another story. Maybe I’ll relinquish some of beads or scrapbooking stuff today.
Wow! What a great job and she is only 4.
Very impressive! You can learn a lot about color and design by careful study, but much of it is just a gift. A gift she seems to have =).
I think you should be impressed! She has done a great job.
I am mighty impressed with your little one! WOW! My almost four-year-old loves to draw…I do let him have access to all the paper and crayons he wants, and most of the time all is well. Most of the time. 😉
Wow — applause for Charlotte! She did a great job! My four year old always surprises me too with the colours he puts together and his ability to handle art tools I thought he couldn’t. I completely agree with the idea of letting them go for it — under supervision, of course 🙂
Wow! I had to reread the part about her age–these turned out great! Another artist in the house:)
Good job Charlotte! Good job mom for being brave and letting her. It is just amazing how cleverly creative kids can be when we let them try.
I bet she had a blast! I remember when I discovered beads as a craft… I was in heaven:)
-Christine
http://www.monkeycbaby.etsy.com
Great job Charlotte!! I let my 4 year old use my professional grade/artist quality materials, too. I have been so impressed by his paintings that I want to frame them and save them. I think kiddos can be just as artistic given the right environment!! Way to go Heather!
That is so cool! Way to go Charlotte. Children are so amazing.
very impressive! can she teach my 4 year old to keep everything from rolling on to the floor for the 2 year old to find? thanks!
Wow, that is so impressive. Seems she has some of her mom’s giftedness for creativity! 🙂
Look at those bright colors, how can you NOT be inspired!?!
What a great reminder for us all. Let kids express themselves creatively–even if potentially messy. They’ll discover things about themselves that gameboy will never teach them!
I got a cool idea from the local little bead shop that I buy my supplies from…they keep a container full of big holed beads and pipe cleaners handy for kids to play with while we shop. I picked some up for myself and when I’m making my jewlery she gets to make her own necklaces and bracelets.
Very pretty! She did an excellent job on those necklaces.
She takes after her mom with her creativeness!!!
Only four and created such beautiful necklaces?
Creative juices flow in those genes!!
And I just have to say–I love your fabrics so much I wish I could wallpaper my entire house in them!!
Thanks. I needed to hear just this. I tend to be a supply snob with my 6-, 5- and 4-year-old kids. Your daughter’s beading is beautiful. I think I’ll learn to share… tomorrow.
Great necklaces and such a talented little kid! 🙂
That’s what I call a talented girl!
Heather, you have a little something in my blog for you 🙂
Hugs from Uruguay!
oh… nightmarish memories about a four-year-old (boy) trying to play with beads. and mommy collecting hundreds of tiny treasures from the carpet whereas the neighbor who saw me, suggest to just start the vacuum cleaner (nooooooo!). but your daughter made it not only pretty well but exorbitantly well, congratulations!
beautiful designs Charlotte!!!!!!!!!!
i know a 4 year old too- Victoria Jayne- and we are graduating from cupcakes followed by tea party to jewelry and of course cupcakes followed by tea party!!!!!!!!!
heres to girly girls everywhere!!!
Oh that is the sweetest thing ever. I hope she is so proud.
I learned early on children are tactile! Five kids later (oldest hit 18 day before yesterday), creativity = sanity. With the youngest being the twins (10 years) we still have my grandma’s buffet filled with crayons, beads, blow-pens, paper, scissors, paint, chalk and even play-doh and yes, my 18 year old will still sit down and whip up a play-doh cookie! So, you go Charlotte you little fashionista you!
I’m often surprised at how well my three year old can pick fabric that works together. But all all bets are off if she finds a big enough piece in the stash to wrap around herself as a dress.
Yay for little girls’ creativity.
It’s so much more fun, even for little ones, to work with the ‘good stuff’. That necklace looks really pretty. You must be a proud mama 🙂