Other Articles from Wanuri Kahiu
Crafting with your Kids in Nairobi
We are a hands-on family. We make our own room decorations (thanks to some very basic origami), our own gifts, and even our own soaps and scrubs! Every crafting task requires special attention from a different member of the family.
My partner is enlisted when we need to work with tools. In one night he became an expert wire fairy wand creator. We had to make a couple dozen for my daughter’s bubble party. My daughter is in charge of the material – she chooses the colours and patterns, my son’s job is to grab everything he can and stuff it into his mouth. I like to think of him as quality control. I am the coordinator and KYM (kada ya moko/mutu wa mkono) – meaning I do all the work.
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Long after my partner has lapsed into a football daze and the pliers dangle from his fingers and my daughter has demanded that PINK is the only colour and my son has burped his way through a roll of paper, I am still twisting, folding, pulling. But wait until you hear the squeals of delight once the mission has been accomplished! We all share in the combined joy of it!
Like everything else, creativity starts small and grows into a large, insatiable genius. By encouraging your toddler to get involved in activities from the start they begin to feel acknowledged and responsible. Especially when there are no events in Kenya. The challenge is to find regular tasks to do with your co-creator.
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In this house, we push ourselves to complete at least one project a week. That way we know, whether we are geniuses or not, we are working on something. Besides, real talent is a result of hard work and experimentation. So, find a project you can do with your family, gather all and start crafting.
Trust me, it is the best at-home bonding project you can offer your beloved ones.
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