This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Tampico. All opinions are my own including lessons in self-expression.
Kids will express themselves creatively when we, as parents, foster an environment for it. When kids feel safe to be creative, they feel free to make mistakes. This helps boost their self-confidence. To foster a learning environment, let the kids lead a project, make something colorful together and trust that you will have fun doing it.
My son knew exactly the supplies we needed to create our own stickers. After all, he had already created them. We gathered our supplies and talked about what we each wanted to create.
My little one’s stickers had a story about a snake that was traveling into another world and when he came out of that world he was met by a dragon. He is a natural storyteller. My oldest’s stickers are all about the things that he relates to – ice cream, bright ideas, lightning bolt and his favorite juice. They both knew exactly what they wanted to create.
My oldest instructed my little one and me exactly how to create our stickers step-by-step. The steps were easy. While the materials were the same, we all created something different. The boys took their plain school supplies and made them their own.
“Just start, mom. You’re creative.”
They were right. I took the pressure off myself to make ‘perfect’ stickers and instead to just have fun. It took a few attempts but after drawing my first design, I created several more. My finished products included a series of colorful stars that I wanted to use to decorate my newest mole-skin notebook. My colorful stars against the black cover is an expression of encouragement to myself for the upcoming school year as my kids’ teacher. I use this notebook for notes and planning. Now, these stars will remind me how fulfilling our homeschool journey is to me.
Kids will express themselves creatively when we, as parents, foster an environment for it. When kids feel safe to be creative, they feel free to make mistakes. This helps boost their self-confidence. To foster a learning environment, let the kids lead a project, make something colorful together and trust that you will have fun doing it.
Let the Kids Lead
Another way to help build kids’ confidence is to let them take the lead. I noticed my son had made his own stickers and had placed them on the cover of his sketchbook. I thought home-made stickers would be a great project for all of us to work on and use them to personalize their new school supplies. So, I asked him to teach his younger brother and me.My son knew exactly the supplies we needed to create our own stickers. After all, he had already created them. We gathered our supplies and talked about what we each wanted to create.
My little one’s stickers had a story about a snake that was traveling into another world and when he came out of that world he was met by a dragon. He is a natural storyteller. My oldest’s stickers are all about the things that he relates to – ice cream, bright ideas, lightning bolt and his favorite juice. They both knew exactly what they wanted to create.
Make Something Colorful Together
Making something also makes great memories. Simple home-made stickers is a perfect project for our #ItsAColorfulLife Scrapbook Challenge with Tampico Juice. We created something colorful together to squeeze in quality family time and enjoy our favorite juice. Tampico is the imaginatively curious juice drink that helps any family live its most colorful life. It was almost necessary for this project and absolutely welcomed.My oldest instructed my little one and me exactly how to create our stickers step-by-step. The steps were easy. While the materials were the same, we all created something different. The boys took their plain school supplies and made them their own.
Trust Yourself to Have Fun and Learn
I watched my boys draw and color almost effortlessly. I listened to them tell stories. My least favorite part was having to design something myself. I’m supposed to be the teacher. Yet, it turns out my boys were teaching me. They noticed I wasn’t drawing. I felt stuck.“Just start, mom. You’re creative.”
They were right. I took the pressure off myself to make ‘perfect’ stickers and instead to just have fun. It took a few attempts but after drawing my first design, I created several more. My finished products included a series of colorful stars that I wanted to use to decorate my newest mole-skin notebook. My colorful stars against the black cover is an expression of encouragement to myself for the upcoming school year as my kids’ teacher. I use this notebook for notes and planning. Now, these stars will remind me how fulfilling our homeschool journey is to me.