Were you ever having a particularly difficult day when something magical happened that cheered you up? It happened to me on Tuesday, when my son and I saw a rainbow! It's not very often that you catch sight of one (I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen one), and when you do, it's an amazing feeling! It is for me, anyway.
I didn't have my camera handy at the time, so here's an iStockphoto that was taken in Australia by (c) Paul Morton:
Here's another iStockphoto, by (c) Daniel Grill, taken at the Grand Canyon:
StrawberryGirl would constantly draw rainbows when she was about 3 or 4 years old, but there was one drawing she did during that time that really stands out in my mind. It wasn't a rainbow. As a matter of fact, it was simply a bunch of colorful lines drawn in different directions across an entire sheet of paper. But there was something really special about this picture. Was it the colors of crayons she selected? Was it the random way the clusters of lines were drawn? It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it was about this picture that made it so special.
The process that StrawberryGirl went through to make the picture (which she called her "Monster Trap") has a lot to do with why I love it so much. We had been visiting some relatives, and she sat there for a very long time working on it. It was a true display of concentration and focus for someone of such a young age. Looking back, it was an early indication of the person she was to become. More than 10 years later, I continue to see her put her heart and soul into almost everything she does. Now, it's music, writing, and reading that have become her passions.
I'm sharing this story all because of a very special picture book that I consider myself extremely lucky to have found this week. It's such an inspiring book that it left me with the "warm fuzzies" when I finished it, and it made me think of the "Monster Trap." I only wish I had found this book when my children were younger, because it is most appropriate for children between the ages of 3 and 8.
It's called The Dot, and the very creative author is Peter H. Reynolds. This children's book has a beautiful simplicity to it. The words and illustrations seem to be very carefully thought out and perfected. Everything seems to be in the right spot (ha, ha, it rhymes with "dot").
I don't want to give too much away, but it starts out with a young child who thinks she can't draw. Her very clever teacher says, "Just make a mark and see where it takes you," and then continues to encourage the student to unleash her inner artist.
I've said before that each of us possesses something special inside and that we need to celebrate our own individuality, and this book reminds us how important it is for adults to nurture creativity in children, no matter what form it may take.
A great companion to this book is Little Blue and Little Yellow, by Leo Lionni. It's perfect for children who are learning to mix colors. When I taught a parent run preschool class, we let the students mix colors with water, food coloring, and clear plastic bottles as a follow up activity. They loved shaking up the bottles and seeing the colors transform!
Finally, early writing skills start with drawing and other forms of art. If you ask a 6 year old to write a sentence or two about something she or he did over the weekend, for example, you might suggest that he or she draws the activity first. It's easier for children to find descriptive words to use when they refer to a picture, especially one they drew themselves!
Another great book by Peter H. Reynolds that illustrates this point is called Ish. Done in the same style as The Dot, this picture book will inspire children to expand upon their love of art through writing and dreaming.
At the end of this cleverly designed book, the main character is left with a feeling that could not be described through words or pictures. It's like the feeling I get every time I look at StrawberryGirl's "Monster Trap," or see a rainbow, or read one of these three extraordinary picture books. There are no words. All I can say is that they leave me with a smile in my heart.
I hope that unexpected surprises come your way, and that you find ways to unleash your creativity this week!