Know How Do It Yourself (DIY) is Good for Your Child?

I have a creative bent of mind and I look forward to making something for myself, my home, or a gift for a loved one. Once the kids came along, I found lesser and lesser time for these activities because they would want to do it with me, and they just did not do it the right way-my way. DIY activities seemed like a chore. 

My switch flipped one day when my children complained that they never got to use the scissors, glue, pens etc. In my attempt to keep our home tidy, I was curbing their freedom of expression, their perspective and their development. I can't live in a messy home. so over a period of time, we have adjusted to each other- we confine the mess to a certain area, the children take extra care while handling scissors and other sharp objects, and we put things back where they belong once we’re done. Helpful Read: DIY Craft Ideas For Your Child For Summer Vacation?

How DIY Activities Helping Children?

This is the right opportunity for me to share my learnings with you on how do it yourself (DIY) activities have helped the children and me and made our times memorable...

• Imperfect is Charming: Curved lines, imperfect faces and zig-zag corners are the ways in which kids express themselves. Appreciating their freedom of expression is a great way to boost their confidence, and channelize their restless energies into constructive outcomes. Over a period of time, they learn to select, plan for and execute the idea as well. More importantly, we all learn to work as a team!
• Spending Quality time: We really do spend quality time together, making a list of things we need (indirectly my son is learning his spellings), collecting material (the children arrange things in the order they need it in), share ideas (I love the twinkle in their eye when their idea is selected for execution/is executed).

Helpful Read: How to Make Your Own Solar System?

• Reducing Conflicts: DIY activities are distressing for everyone. After a day of venting our creative expressions, we are more collaborative outside the DIY working space. We tend to listen to each other and easily agree on the daily trouble areas like what to eat, what time to sleep, what to wear etc.
• Higher Happiness Quotient: Our weekends are generally happier, the children get undivided attention and as parents, we’re relieved of our guilt of not spending adequate time towards honing their skills.

Do you and your children spend time on DIY activities together? How do you think it’s helped? Let us know in the comments below !